Review on 📻 Xiegu G90 HF Radio: Ultimate 20W SSB/CW/AM/FM SDR with Auto Antenna Tuner by Jake Pavelko

The G90 is a decent little radio for the price. The output power is adjustable in 1W increments from 1W to 20W, making it ideal for portable or backup power applications. If you need to work with MARS/CAP frequencies, the mod is easy enough with a soldering iron (however, this will void the warranty). You can add a 100W power amplifier and an external antenna tuner, but this increases the cost significantly. Twenty watts on a phone is enough for most portable surgeries. With an open strip, 10 watts are often sufficient. The built in antenna tuner works better than my $6,000 Flex SDR. There are a feature or two that hold this device back from being 5-star. Audio controls don't seem to be very well controlled at low volume settings with high input levels when AGC is disabled. Below the volume control is a programmable knob that lets you directly adjust the RF gain (and solves the "AGC=off" tone problem). Settings other than frequency basically require pressing a button and selecting a rotary knob. The manual has a little strange English, but it can be read. I have a Yaesu 817ND and the setup menu doesn't seem to be more difficult to use. It has enough soft keys so that important functions can be configured with the push of a button and turning a rotary knob. I often use this with a control panel on my desk and the main unit is out of the way. For the price and the performance I like the little thing very much. Pix control head only. Edit added: I found that the noise reduction control works independently of the RF gain. My other settings are either RF Gain or Squelch. This allows you to use both at the same time. This makes it much easier to hear SSB frequencies. Good job SIEGU.