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usdr usdx

 

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

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
 

Thank you for the information.? I also own the x5105? and it really performs well.


On Wed, Nov 10, 2021 at 3:26 PM Nils Young <nilsyoung@...> wrote:

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
JUSTIN R "RANDY" PADAWER - K7RAN
 

I'd add that for the close-to-$100 price, their toy-fun value is undeniable. In that regard, I wouldn't recommend anybody play with these as a SUBSTITUTE for more expensive quality gear, but I do recommend them for tinkering, experimentation, and testing their limits for fun.

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