开云体育

If you're talking about the eBay/Chinese 8-banders, there are reviews on YouTube by various folks, the best of which is DL2MAN's rundown (a couple videos) of the "controls on top" version. VE3SIF has videos on the "controls on front" version. None of them are what I'd call complimentary. My own experience with the "controls on top" version is in an eHam review.

The Chinese models (and there are more of 'em showing up every time I tune in eBay) are ok up to a point. Spectral purity issues are one thing. The general noisiness of the radio is another. The one I got puts out between 6 and 2 Watts depending on band and is most useful up to about 20m. I've had a couple Qs on 40m and 30m on this'n, using an EFHW and a 4BTV antenna. The battery lasts fairly well and in general they make reasonable SOTA/POTA radios. Oh, and the SSB is, well, weird. I can't call it real SSB 'cause it doesn't sound like it, though the G90's pano display makes it look like it might be SSB. CW they're good at, with something approaching reasonable filtering &c. And you'll need to modify the input the LM386 AF amp 'cause the way it's wired up stock overdrives the AF amp and makes the AF signal really ratty, not to mention no physical volume control making headphones with inline attenuation absolutely necessary.?

Given a choice between a X5105 and one of the uSDX/uSDR boxes on eBay, I'd go with the X5105 and get a real radio. Links to various videos listed below

Nils / W8IJN

Can anybody tell me their experiences with the usdr usdx ham radio?

That might not be possible.? I'm not sure of the connections required for the xpa125b , but the CE-19 is a little more than a "cable splitter".? A schematic diagram of its wiring was posted to the group some time back.
It is just a wiring adapter for the audio signals, at least one of the other signals, maybe the PTT, is not a direct connection through the CE-19.

But, good luck with the search!? I do hope there's a nice, simple solution.? It would be a lot more convenient for portable operations, for example, even without the xpa125.
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Doug, K8RFT

Hi,

does anyone know of a commercially available 8-pin DIN to 6-pin DIN cable to connect the x5105 to the xpa125b without needing the CE19?
I'd like to reduce the clutter two cables in and out of the CE19 currently create.
And I don't like soldering thin little things :) (But maybe someone enjoys doing it and offers them somewhere that I haven't found yet?)

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Daniel?
K5DRG?

Is it possible to mod the unit to Tx outside the conventional ham bands?? I'm currently applying for a licence to set up a 40 Mhz low power beacon and using the Xiegu would be handy.

what band was the half wave end fed cut for and what band did this happen on?
you should not need a tuner for an half wave end fed, if your half wave end fed is built well and your 1/2 wave length of wire is cut and tuned, your SWR should be near 1:1 and safe to use with no ground or counterpose. the half cycle of RF is a perfect match if its on the 1/2 wave length of the wire for that band tor operating on. the half wave end fed is strictly a monobander. its completely different then the random wire end fed that uses a 9:1 unun. the 9:1 unun random wire end fed also has an impedance at the feed point of around 2000 ohms to 3000 ohms. but the 9:1 unun only transforms your 50 ohms x 9 = 450 ohms. when you rut a length of random wire, different lengths give you different results. you may experiment with lengths and run SWR sweeps across all bands and maybe you find a good length with many bands dipping down somewhat close to the ham bands. maybe they are a little high, but your 9:1 unun gets your 50 ohms up to 450 ohms and with in reach wear your tuner can bridge that impedance gap. but when you use a tuner, its because your wire is too short or to long and that extra RF is dissipated as heat in your tuner and even in a ground and /or counterpoise. a coax will act as a counterpose and you can get I3 common current coming back down the outer shield conductor of the coax and into the radio. the RF can burn your lips on a metal grill mic or finger tips on a cw key. or burn up internal radio parts. it's important to ground a 9:1 unun random wire end fed.?

as for a half wave end fed, they are the most efficient ant but should only be used on the design band and never used un other bands without a serious ground and even a 1;1 common mode choke to keep that I3 common current from coming back.

I use a 1/2 wave end fed with no ground, no counterpoise and no tuner. and as an added benefit, I use a 1/2 wave length of coax or increments of coax to make it a purely resistive feed line with zero degrees of phase shift between the voltage and current running through. this also increases the power factor and prevents heating, friction and possible arcing between the center conductor and the outer shield conductor.?

Hope all goes well with your radio and have fun.?
if you need any more detailed info on half wave end feds, contact me.

73
KG2RG

Here ar my Settings for Winlink.

The actual cause of the problem of? DIN connector not fitting well was discussed quite a while ago in this forum.
It's the X5105 case, and the way that the DIN socket is mounted.? The socket (jack) is recessed below or behind the surface of the case.? The thickness of the case (metal shell of the radio) prevents the DIN plug complete insertion.
The group member who posted the problem solved it by removing part of the plastic casing around the end of the DIN plug, so that the plug could insert fully into the jack.
This was? part of making his own cable by starting with a ready-made DIN male-to-male cable, cut into 2 pieces.? The plug plastic shell was soft enough to cut off a couple of millimeters of the plastic and allow the plug to insert into the X5105's jack.? That might not be possible with the XGG cable, judging by the pictures posted above.? It the ;plug plastic covering is not trimmable, you could buy a DIN male-to-female extension cable, one with the softer plastic covering, and trim that cable's covering to fit into the X5105.
Connect the modified short jumper cable between the radio and to the XGG cable.

I bought an inexpensive DIN jumper cable from Amazon, which did happen to have a soft-enough outer covering to trim, for my homebrew USB interface, and it works fine.
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Doug, K8RFT

I was able to find some images of the 8-Pin Mini DIN male connector on Amazon that was similar to the one used on the xggcoms cable for the Xiegu X5105 transceiver. Looking at the black connector I was trying to figure out how to take it apart.? There appeared to be traces of glue on the outer thick black plastic part.? I will attach some images....

?

I believe this is the same part used for the cable. The two part metal clam shell goes over the 8 pin DIN sections. This is covered by a two part black plastic shell, and then a larger black plastic shell goes over the other parts.

?

?

The larger outer Black shell had traces of glue at the joint with the inner shell. (The following was performed with the USB device removed from the computer and radio.)? I used a fine flat blade screw drivers used for eye glasses, to open up the area between the outer and the inner Black shell parts.? I worked my way around the area, and repeated in increasing 3-5 mm depths until about 2/3 of the outer black shell had been penetrated.? At that point I was able to gently slide the outer shell backwards about 3 mm.? This allowed the 8 pin connector to penetrate into the opening on the Xiegu X5105 transceiver.? This permitted electrical contact to finally be made.

I was able to finally do problem solving on the audio settings.? Using Winlink Express running VARA HF, and using 5 watts RF, I was able to complete the configuration process and I was able to make a connection to a RMS gateway on 80 m for a 400 km connection.? I still need to document all the settings and take screen shots for my own records.? I did have to alter the microphone levels under the Windows Device settings as well.

So, in my case, the problem with the USB device not working was the outer 8 pin DIN shell was pushed on too far (and glued), and this prevented the 8 pin DIN projections from making electrical?contact. I would classify this as a manufacturing defect, and others seem to have the same issue.?

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Stuart VE3SMF

I too can confirm the DIN plug issue with the XGG.COMMS interface. Ive had connection issues at the X5105. I havent yet looked for a fix to this problem so if anyone comes up with one please post it here.

On Fri, Nov 5, 2021 at 06:24 PM, VE3SMF wrote:

Stuart VE3SMF

I'm not sure I agree with the instructions part, I blame it more on my lack of reading all the material and setting up my software properly to get CAT working.

Greg

Gregg, The issue of the short Mini DIN ACC and non-operation of the?xggcoms cable USB-Digimode-4 unit that just arrived this week is the issue I am having.? The cable neck appears to be short, and with the thick collar, the unit falls out, so I doubt it is making electrical contact.? It is very disappointing to have this happen, as it is an expensive unit, compared to the price of the radio.

The written instructions with the unit are also very poor, with respect to the Xiegu X5105.? Did you contact Steve using the?sales@...?mail address?

If he comes up with a solution, please let me know...

?

Regards

Stuart VE3SMF

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- Stuart VE3SMF

Stuart,

I've been talking with Steve from xggcomms. He's verified the settings below and indeed has helped me get most of mine up and running.
My problem has since been the mini din not sitting right in the radio. The neck appears to be short, and the collar very thick. This is causing the connection to be vulnerable to movement under even the best of circumstances. At least that is what I have found.
I'm still working with Steve to come up with a solution.

Greg

Ben, Can you confirm all of the settings for both the Xiegu X5105 and the??XGGCOMS Soundcard Digimode-4 using the latest Xiegu X5105 software, with Winlink Express.?

?

Thanks.?
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- Stuart VE3SMF