Xiegu G106 SDR HF Transceiver, 5W QRP Radio, SSB CW AM WFM, Support FT8

I've been keeping an eye on this little radio for a while. Reviews vary from terrible to not too bad at all. One thing I noticed was that many early reviewers that gave it a bad rating had earlier firmware versions. This radio that I received came with the current firmware (1.3) and it works just fine. I do wish it had a way of measuring SWR though. You will need an external meter or ATU to do so. Maybe a future firmware will address this if it's possible. For portable use one shouldn't have to carry a SWR meter with them too.I don't like that the headphone jack is in the microphone, which by the way isn't all that great. Some have suggested drilling a hole in the face of the mic to improve the audio. I'm not drilling holes in my microphone! The few voice contacts I have made on SSB said it sounded fine but wasn't very loud. I did turn up the mic gain via the menu and it helped a little. There doesn't seem to be any other microphones compatible with this radio. Hopefully a third party comes up with one because I doubt that Xiegu will.You're going to need the DE-19 if you want to connect the G106 to your PC and use digital modes. Setup with the DE-19 and my PC was a bit cumbersome. WSJTX to the rescue. Just make sure to choose Xiegu G90 (G106 isn't an option for some reason) and it will work just fine. You might need the driver too, which is on Radioddity's website. I didn't need this driver with Windows 11. I just plugged everything in and ran WSJTX and it worked.I purchased this radio for $199 on Prime Day and later got the DE-19. You can't get any other radio for under $300 that can do what this combination can do, and do it so well. It's a nice starter radio and great for QRP and in a POTA/SOTA setup. Don't expect good filtering (except for on CW) or an AGC that you can adjust (it claims to have an automatic one), or a lot of features. It's a $250 radio after all. For that price it works way better than expected. The receive preamp was an unexpected surprise and it works pretty well too.Why wasn't a fuse holder included? I get that it's a cheap radio but fuse holders are only a few cents if purchased in bulk. Don't run this radio without a fuse. Fortunately I have several holders. A 3.5 amp fuse will be enough.It's a chunky little guy. Heavy for its small size. Feels durable. I wouldn't want to drop it on my foot.

This radio is fantastic for what it is. Keep in mind it is a budget QRP radio. It has the standard functions one would need for POTA activations and does FT8 well. The unit has a good build quality and has a low power draw which makes it ideal for extended battery use. The speaker is ok and using a deflector helps greatly. The small form factor makes it ideal for a field pack and quick activation. Remember, this is a budget unit. Don't compare it to its larger offerings.

Clearly a fantastic deal as we relate value to cost! Great choice for a portable HF radio! Came with a clear manual and well-packaged.

I've had the radio 3 weeks and am very pleased. Solidly made rig with very easy short menu selections. Receiving good audio reports on SSB even with marginal antennas.DE-19 expansion box needed for CAT control and digital audio.Runs FT8 very well (IC-7000 setup at 19,200 baud).Pros- small, well built, easy to operate, output a solid 8 watts with little SWR fold-back.Cons-poor supplied power plug lead, DE-19 driver installs ok in Win 11, but not Win 7 (thus far); DE-19 soundcard too loud; no DSP for receive (but then QRP rigs generally don't have DSP).For the price - an 'A'73 W1WABUpdate-- The digital connections are made via the DE-19 unit that is purchased separately from the radio. The DE-19 is powered and connects to your PC -- and comes with a CAT cable that connects between the "CIV" port on the DE-19 and the COM port on the back of the radio. The DE-19 also has a ACC cable for audio that connects to the radio ACC port. The setup is just like an ICOM 7100. In fact the DE-19 will expect to have the IC-7100 selected in the control software (I use HRD).The setup works great (FT8, PSK). But note-- there is no volume control on the Radio menu and the rig mic input is 'hot'. There is a hardware update available for the radio to provide a volume control, but I have instead fiddled with the Windows control to get the process to work.I like this little QRP rig. 73 GL Bill W1WAB

Very Basic Budget HF Radio in a Tiny package that works well.Shipment was delayed but was switched to UPS Next Day Delivery and arrived at the promised time.Thank you Amazon for doing that.

I never lost the CW bug (pun intended) since my first ham radio license 63 years ago. Now, at 75 years old, my wife and I live in a rental that is not amenable to setting up a ham shack. So, I decided to take it on the road. Several days each week I pack up my 5 watt Xiegu G106 transceiver, my keyer, a small 12 volt battery and my Shark 10 meter Hamstick and drive 15 minutes to the site of a former airport in a little town called Bethany, Connecticut (elevation 700 feet+). I sit in the passenger seat of my car with the TINY G106 in my lap using its terrific built-in automatic keyer to bang out CW QRP on 10 meters to my heart's content. My first three three contacts with this set-up were England, Colorado and Spain. No complaints here!This is one tiny but very impressive rig for CW. Can't say anything about the other bands and modes that the rig supports but you definitely need to give this guy a try!