ELAD FDM DUO

ELAD FDM DUO - KING OF HF QRP?

The ELAD FDM DUO is a fabulous 160-6M SDR transceiver which can not only be used as a standalone rig, but also has some superb PC software! To many, it's the KING of HF SDR QRP!

ELAD Elettronica was established in 1990 by Franco Milan - a designer with decades of experience. ELAD excel in  technological innovation and skills in the world of electronics. They are electronic engineers first and foremost, producing high end test equipment, but being Italian, also have an eye for beauty and style - this thing wouldn't look out of place in a stylish lounge!

The FDM DUO is a smart, compact (7"x6"), very well constructed radio which can be used as a standalone QRP radio up on a SOTA Summit or is equally happy at home in the shack connected to a linear amplifier. If one receiver is not enough for you, then simply connect it to your PC and run the FDM-SW2 software - enabling you can work on two separate bands at the same time with four independent frequencies on each band - effectively 9 receivers in total!

Depending on the power supplied to the radio and the band used, the FDM DUO will typically output 5W at 12V and up to 9W at 13.8V (and down low into the mA range ) in all modes (except digital). Output drops according to the voltage of your supply, so using a low-voltage battery will drop the TX output typically to 5W. Personally, I use a 13.2V LifePO battery so I should get close to full TX power when playing outdoors. It's worth noting that the Elad has a current draw of 500mA in receive mode, so this would be considered too high for many POTA/SOTA operators. I wouldn't let that bother me for a POTA outing because I've always got my truck close to hand with extra batteries, should I need them, but for SOTA that's a different story. Back in the shack (where a radio like this would probably spend most of its life), a 13.8V PSU will always guarantee max power out.

The Elad FDM DUO is a Direct Sampling SDR which means that the antenna is virtually connected directly to the A/D convertor. The advantage of this is that once a signal has been digitised, it's no longer prone to degradation, so the sooner you can achieve that, the better.

The RX range of the Elad is 10Khz to 52MHz, so it is also a good choice for ShortWave Listeners. Performance below 54MHz is superb and if you use the PC software you can actually go much higher (at reduced quality).

You can choose from Black or Silver finish, but me being me, I opted for the Special Edition "RED" version in 2019.  This special edition came about after Martin Lynch reviewed the radio on YouTube and suggested that it was "like holding a Ferrari in your hands", so the MD of ELAD decided to do a short run of red radios, lol.  The finish on the steel case is very nice and looks pretty durable. The legs at the front of the rig might look a bit flimsy but they are in fact quite robust. The VFO dial feels smooth and dependable and the screen is bright and crystal clear.

Under the cover: there's a very fast analog-digital-converter which samples the received HF directly into digital signals and a downstream DSP module provides for filtering and processing, while another ARM processor handles the signals of the control unit. One highlight of the FDM-DUO is the possibility to use it standalone without a computer. 

It's a perfect companion for QRP fans, allowing you to have an advanced SDR with you even when you're working far from home. The controls are very easy to use for a small QRP transceiver and in addition to the big VFO knob, there are two smaller knobs for volume and filter-center/width (amongst others). Six blue buttons below the LCD-screen access the most important functions directly, while less frequently used settings are available via menu system. 

On the rear of the panel you have an RF OUT (0db), REF IN, RX-USB, two SO-239 connectors (one for a TX/RX antenna and one for an RX-ONLY antenna), PTT-OUT, KEY/PADDLE, RJ-45 MIC connector (Icom compatible), two more USB ports (TX & CAT control), a DB9 connector for accessories, a power connector and a small ON/OFF switch.

When connected to a PC, FDM-DUO is a very advanced SDR receiver and transmitter with capabilities which are usually available only in large radios. The device receives from 160M to 6M. A 16-bit ADC with 122 MHz sampling rate is built-in.

Selectable modes are: 

LSB,

USB, 

CW, 

AM 

FM,

Extra modes with the Software are:

Sync-AM 

Multiple CW modes

DSB

ECSS

RTTY

WFM (incl. Stereo and RDS!)

RTTY,

DRM

IQ Out

The Elad has a built-in, onscreen CW DECODER, which is always a nice addition.

The accompanying PC software is called FDM-SW2  and is constantly being updated. The software gives you a staggering amount of control over the radio - much more than any other SDR software out there! 

Just stop for a moment and think about other Standalone SDR Transceivers on the market from the big boys like Icom and Yaesu - do they provide you with FREE comprehensive software?? No! Hell, you'd be lucky to get basic-control software.

Elad on the other hand provide FDM-SW2 (always being updated) totally free of charge and it permits you not only to control the basic functions of the radio, but let's you delve deeply into the nooks and crannies of the radio and change pretty much anything you want in search of a better signal.

You can open multiple windows and spread them across your monitor in a layout which suits your method of working and they can even be spread across multiple monitors. One big plus to me, is the fact that you can properly resize windows to fill your screen(s).

Using the software, you can play with a great many features including the amazing 10 noise-blockers and 10 filters that are available for all modes. You can open up an equalizer to tailor your transmitted audio or adjust the level of compression. You even get a nice visual waveform to see your transmitted audio - a nice touch. 

The Noise Blocker on this radio is just staggering (to me at least)! Occasionally at my home QTH, someone in the neighbourhood switches something on 😡 which virtually wipes me out and the only noise blockers which can deal with it are the one on the Elad and the one on my TS-590SG (to a lesser extent). All others have failed completely.

Setting up pre-recorded voice messages (eg for calling CQ) is easily configured and these messages can be set to automatically repeat. If you have a USB headset or a USB microphone connected to your PC, you can choose which one to use to transmit from.

There's so much more that can be done from within the software - it really is quite amazing the amount of control the manufacturer has chosen to give to the operator. So much so, you might find yourself resetting the radio to the manufacturer's default settings when your tinkering has gone a little too far, lol.

The ELAD FDM DUO is a cracking little QRP radio with a stunning receiver which will never fail to impress you and the software just takes it to another level. It's also easy to hook up to a linear for those wanting to use it in the shack as their main rig. 

Everyday operating of the Elad is really quite straightforward and although you do have to remember what some of the buttons do, it only takes a couple of days to feel completely comfortable navigating your way around all the options. The VFO dial is large and nice in the hand. 

Although the screen is quite small, it is extremely crisp and easy to read - there's bags of information on there too. The colour of the backlighting can be altered and you can even set it up to change when transmitting - say to red.

When connecting up to a PC to run the FDM-SW2 software, I find it much better to use a TMATE-2 instead of mouse and keyboard. Having said that, you usually find yourself working a combination of the two.

If you want CAT Control, then you only need one of the three USB leads.

When you listen to the Elad, you just fall in love and forget about any gripes. This is an outstanding receiver!

You will note from the images that a matching speaker is available - the SP1A. External speakers from radio manufacturers are a great annoyance to me - I think they're outrageously expensive!  Not so with Elad. 

They cost £135 brand new and are super stylish and superbly well engineered! The SP-1A is an amplified speaker which conveniently has a PowerPole pass-thru. It has decent power output  and has a built-in 3-stage DSP circuit. It fits in very well and completes the station.

To see the beautiful matching 100W Linear Amplifier, click the image below...

Here's a video recording of me speaking to W2RE using the ELAD and a G5RV...

Click HERE if video doesn't display

Want to watch some VIDEO REVIEWS??

CONCLUSION...

This beautiful, high performance transceiver from Italy is a shining star in the SDR world, for sure. It's completely standalone but is backed up with some of the very best software available on the market for those who want to link up to their shack PC.

It's small enough to be thrown into a rucksack and be taken with you on your travels, but that (relatively) high current consumption will mean that you probably won't want to take it to the top of a mountain with a small battery. Having said that, not many people spend all day on top of a mountain 😁 You tend to bag your 10 contacts for the activation and enjoy the local scenery on your descent. My HobbyKing 8400 LifePO battery has never failed me.

I see the ELAD FDM DUO as a top-end performer that is absolutely perfect for the shack or Field Day or a POTA outing. You'd be very hard-pressed to find a better receiver - especially if you take advantage of the software on a computer, laptop or tablet.

I guess some people would baulk at the £1k price tag of a 5-9W radio and put their money into one of the run of the mill 100-Watters out there. As a lover of QRP though, I prefer to do things a little differently. Not everyone will. Are there better receivers out there? Of course - at three times the cost! Are they three times better? Of course not!

Here's a black edition that I bought for my static caravan. Up there in the Forest Of Bowland the noise levels are extremely low!

 

Dave Kennett (K8KFJ) put together 3 amazingly useful videos on how to get the most out of the ELAD FDM DUO and I have to admit that there were plenty of tips that introduced me to features I wasn't even aware of! Bear in mind though, that these videos are for owners of the Elad who want to invest time in learning everything about this wonderful transceiver. They are not reviews.

ELAD GUIDE - Part 1

ELAD GUIDE - Part 2

ELAD GUIDE - Part 3

RX Stand-Alone Specifications

• Frequency range: 10kHz - 54MHz.
• Direct sampling receiver operating @122.88MHz, ADC: LTC2165 16bit.
• DDC (Digital Down Converter) made with FPGA Xilinx Spartan 6.
• Filters & Std-Alone Demodulator made with ARM STM32F4 microcontroller with floating point unit.
• Demodulation: CW, CWR, LSB, USB, AM, FM narrow.
• Selectable LSB and USB filters; 1600Hz to 3100Hz with 100Hz step plus 4000Hz, 5000Hz and 6000Hz values.
• Selectable AM filters from 2500Hz to 6000Hz with 500Hz step.
• Selectable CW filters; 2600Hz, 1500Hz, 1000Hz, 500Hz, 300Hz and 100Hz plus 4 CW peak filters applied after 100Hz filter to obtain an overall filter of 20Hz bandwidth.
• Selectable FM filters: narrow, wide and data.
• Pitch setting: up to 1kHz with 10Hz step.
• RIT feature.
• Three audio volumes: main, auxiliary and sidetone.
• Squelch: off and 10 on levels.
• Gain Control: automatic (AGC) and manual, with settable threshold.
• Noise Reduction: off and 10 on levels.
• Noise Blanker: off and 10 on levels.
• Auto Notch: off and 2 on levels.

TX Stand-Alone Specifications

• Supports bands from 160m to 6m.
• Modulation and filtering made with ARM STM32F4 and DDS AD9957 with 368.64MHz clock.
• Modulation: CW, LSB, USB, AM, FM narrow.
• Microphone input (ADC 48KHz@16bit) with selectable gain (+/-12dB). Tx bandwidth selectable. Compression gain settable.
• Key and Paddle input for CW operation, supports Iambic A and B, settable CW speed for Paddle, settable CW delay.
• Not filtered 0dBm output on SMA connector (can be used as test equipment or as digital RF generator).
• Up to 5W output power on all bands plus Max Selection (e.g. 8W@14MHz).
• PTT Output to drive external amplifiers.

Main Features

• VFO A and VFO B, with dedicated frequency, step and mode.
• 200 MEMORIES with dedicated frequency, step, mode and alphanumeric label.
• QuickMem feature: up to 20 re-callable memories for band selection (memories 180 to 199).
• QuickStep feature: allows to quickly change step without modify VFOs or MEM step.
• Tune feature to facilitate antenna tuning with external antenna tuner.
• VFOA=VFOB feature.
• VFO to MEM and MEM to VFO features.
• Std-Alone Split feature, VFO A for RX and VFO B for TX.
• 2 customizable keys (F4 and F5) with various functions: CW message sending, split management, tuning knob lock, CW/CWR choice.
• 2 frequency entering modes : with step and digit by digit.
• Integrated CW decoder.
• LCD color programmable with RGB values for the various operating modalities (RX, TX , PC remote control, ...).
• All programmable components (ARM RX, ARM TX, Flash for FPGA, User Interface microcontroller and USB controller) are firmware upgradable.
  

General Specifications

• Antenna connectors: RTX SO-239, RX SO-239.
• CAT USB control interface with FTDI controller, manages also RTS and DTR signals to transmit.
• Proprietary EXTIO Interface to connect accessories.
• 10MHz Reference Input on SMA connector.
• Power supply: 2.1mm DC Plug, 13.8VDC.
• RX consumption: typ. 500mA@13.8VDC.
• TX consumption: <2.2A@13.8VDC (5W output).
• Size: Width 180mm (7.00"), Depth 155mm (6.10") including Knob and connectors or 130mm (5.10") only enclosure, Height 70mm (2.75").
• Weight: 1.2Kg (2.4 lb), shipment package 2.2Kg (4.85 lb).

Operation Specifications with FDM-SW2 Software

• Up to 4 simultaneous virtual receivers in single channel mode.
• Up to 8 simultaneous virtual receivers in double channel mode.
• Dedicated Audio Channel for each virtual receiver.
• Dedicated CAT Channel for each virtual receiver.
• Supports connection with external programs using Virtual Serial Ports and Virtual Audio Cables.
• Selectable IQ USB stream in two main modalities:
  • Stand-Alone : 192ksps single channel and 192ksps double channel,
  • Remote : 384ksps, 768ksps, 1536ksps, 3072ksps, 6144ksps in single channel mode and 384ksps in double channel mode.
• Remote Split operation, VFO A for RX and VFO B for TX. TX frequency and TX mode are managed by FDM-SW2.
• Play Files feature. CW messages sending feature. Advanced Transmit Feature with Equalizer, VOX, Compressor, and Filtering functionalities.
• CW Skimmer integration management (DX Spot visualization & tuning capability).
• Direct Digital Modulation using FDM-DUO USB soundcard based on CMedia chipset digitally interfaced with ARM microcontroller.

Two of my favourite radios

Thanks for visiting - please take a minute to leave a comment below 

73, Tom, M7MCQ.

A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN

ELAD FDM DUO & ART 120A

Glynn Wolfe was an American Baptist minister who was famous for holding the record for the largest number of marriages (29). His shortest marriage lasted 19 days, and his longest lasted eleven years. You gotta kiss a lot of frogs before you find your princess.

What I'm really trying to say is that I've had a lot of radios in the shack and I'm not afraid of changing them in order to find the perfect match for my requirements. And I'm talking about my current requirements and those of the future (what future I have left at 60yrs old, lol).

I've just sold my recently acquired FT-DX3000! She was beautiful and she was good in the shack but sadly, didn't satisfy my every requirement. That wasn't her fault - it's mine. I keep lusting after pretty young things which I know aren't right for me, but nonetheless, I get caught up in the moment and before I know it, I'm walking down the sales aisle. People are always saying that I need to keep my wallet in my pants!

----------------------------------------

QRP is my main interest and always will be, no matter which licence I go for, so I'm naturally attracted to that type of radio. And I'm very interested in radios that ALSO give you the ability to extend their abilities by connecting to a PC. For that reason I am attracted to SDR radios.

Additionally, I'm looking to find a linear amplifier which will not only work with my SDR radio, but also with any other radio (and in particular, my Yaesu FT818ND). I nearly got it right with the Elecraft KX3 and KXPA, but of course Elecraft had no PC software and when using standalone, you have no panadapter or waterfall.

So which combo would give me everything I want? Well, I think I've found the love of my life at last - the ELAD FDM DUO and the ELAD DUO ART 120A. A match made in heaven? We'll see.

For a start, the FDM DUO is a high-spec, fully standalone, compact QRP transceiver with 5W output. It is big enough to be used as a base rig in the shack and small enough to be used outdoors. When connected to a PC/Tablet and running the amazingly good software which ELAD has provided with the radio, you really start to benefit from the power of SDR.

The DUO ART 120A amplifier seamlessly connects to the FDM DUO, taking care of band-changes, etc, and providing up to 120W of power in a beautiful package which includes a colour screen to display a multitude of information. It also has a built-in ATU which makes for a very compact and convenient shack. That's further enhanced by the fact that the DUO ART can power the FDM. In fact, it can power the optional speaker too! 

So just think about that - instead of a PSU, RADIO, AMP and ATU, you have all four in a compact, two-piece package! And it doesn't end there!!  The screen on the amp can be changed from a PSU-Info page to  a scope and waterfall!! How cool is that?

But really, the biggest attraction for me is the FDM-SW2 software. It's amazingly good and like I pointed out in a previous post, the software gives you a staggering amount of control over the radio - much more than any other SDR software out there! And another plus point about the Elad combo is that unlike many SDR's, the dependence on the PC to do all the processing is not there, because most of that is done in the radio itself, which means that the PC is under a relatively light load and occupies very little of the CPU's time.

The DUO ART amplifier will also work well with my FT818 radio and that's a real bonus because I've been looking around at amps for the 818 for ages, but they all seem to be risky purchases in that they are often unbranded or little known bits of kit from China.

Like I said, I'm BIG into low-power operating, but in order to future-proof my purchase, it makes sense to have the provision to operate QRO if/when I decide to upgrade my licence. It also makes a lot of sense to use an amplifier if you do a lot of digital operating (as I do), because you're not punishing your QRP finals - you're passing the job over to the much beefier transistors in the amp, which would allow you to run 25W digital all day long if you so desired.

So there you have it - I think I might (at last) have found my perfect partner. Let's hope we don't end up in the divorce courts again!

1 - Main power supply Power switch, fuse holder and 100-240Vac power supply connector.

2/3 - PTT in/out - 3.5mm jack connectors. PTT in Input for transmit control, connect TIP to ground to put the amplifier in transmit state.  PTT out The TIP goes to ground while transmitting. RING connection is not used.

4 - RTX connection SO-239 connector. Transmit path with the FDMDUO interface. Reception and transmit paths with the other interfaces (Generic and FT-817).

5 - RX connection SO-239 connector. Reception path with the FDMDUO interface.

6 - Antennas SO-239 connectors to connect up to three antennas.

7 - RS-232 port DB9 connector for the FT-817 interface acting on an RS-232 serial link.

8 - AUX USB port - Reserved for service.

9 - USB connection - USB type A female connectors for host type connections.

10 - Output power supply - Allows to power other devices without the need of other power units. Max 2A. Powerpole connector type.

11 - LAN connection - RJ45 connector for LAN connection.

12 - EXT I/O - connection t0 external hardware such the FDM-DUO.

13 - Ground Connector 

MFJ-401D ECONO KEYER II

I've been using an MFJ-401D Econo Keyer II  to practise knocking out some clumsy code 😁 and I've always connected it to a power supply - never even bothering to try putting a battery in. Then tonight I decided to open it up to insert a PP3 battery and lo and behold it already had one fitted!!

I unplugged the power supply and switched the keyer on - to my amazement it came on and worked. I thought it was best to swap out the battery anyway, because I didn't know how long it had been in there, and then I spotted that the battery's expiry date was 10 YEARS GO!!

So that little Panasonic had probably been in there from new! Wow, I have a lot more respect for Panasonic batteries now 💖😂

 

As an aside, this keyer is a great little device. I got it free with a used radio and it's a delight to use. Built-in speaker, volume control and speed control, all easily accessed from the front.

73, Tom, M7MCQ.

LOWE SRX-100 / TARGET HF3

SWEET SOUNDING RADIO

We've all got our favourites from the 1990's haven't we? For me, there were a few receivers that I remember very fondly and they include the AOR AR-3000A, the LOWE HF-150 and later the LOWE SRX-100 (or as many know it here in the UK - the TARGET HF3).

The HF3 was a bit of a downgrade to my beloved HF-150, but at the time, I was feeling a bit skint and this new budget receiver was getting some great reviews, despite it being a third of the price of others, so I bought one and loved the sweet sound.

As much as I had enjoyed my ownership of the 150 a few years earlier, I had no problem admitting that the HF3 was much nicer to play with. Tuning around (1kHz steps) was very easy and it had that progressive tuning which meant that the quicker you spun the dial, the quicker the tuning rate increased. By comparison the HF-150 was a royal pain to use in SSB mode - OMG it was soooo slow!

A Clarifier dial on the HF3 allows you to fine tune in between the 1kHz steps and generally worked well. Back then (I feel), ham operators tended to stick to round numbers when calling QC - eg 14.240.0 but these days there seems to be a hell of a lot who make a point of going in between eg 14.240.5 which makes tuning around more awkward on this radio. 

I should mention that the calibration of this radio is out by a couple of kHz, but that's pretty standard - my AR3000A is almost 4k out - doesn't really matter does it?

The receiver is very well built, presented in a fairly compact case with a great sounding speaker on top. The rear panel has a port for an external speaker AND the Data output for WeFax, because it is the later "S" model. The radio has a lovely warm sound which makes you comfortable with extended listening times - easy on the ear - something we all like.

One thing which I definitely remember is how sensitive it was to the antenna being used. Chucking out a length of random wire was never the way to go. The HF3 benefits from a decent antenna being attached.

These days I use this radio to listen to the ham bands and to be honest, I don't sit there trying to pull in weak DX stations - I just tune into the stronger signals and enjoy the QSO's. On SSB the radio uses a pretty wide 3.8kHz filter. On AM it uses 6kHz (there's no swapping between them). Apart from the ham bands, I also like to take a spin on MW & LW and I find the HF3 to be particularly good here.

The screen is a simple LCD and that's the beauty of it! No fuss, no graphics, no need for reading glasses, lol. Just spin that dial and enjoy what you pick up. The coverage, by the way, is from 30kHz through to 30MHz with no gaps.

It's a great receiver which is incredibly easy to use! I find it good fun to use and pleasant to listen to in a comfortable chair with a hot drink 😀. 

But to be honest, I think it's about time to let this go - my shack is getting smaller and smaller, so I've packed it all up and I'm probably going to put it on HamRadioDeals or eBay. It'll be a great find for someone and give them many years of reliable service. (Update - Sold).

The radio is still available for sale new - mainly in boating outlets were people favour it for its ability to provide weather reports with relevant software...

www.4boats.co.uk

Fitted with external speaker port

HAM RADIO = GOOD HEALTH!

I think I've touched on this subject before. Hobbies are good for your health! I have no doubt about it.

 

Over the last few weeks (months even), my health has not been in a good place and most of is relates to stress. I won't harp on about what's causing the stress, but the end result has been extremely poor sleep, constant worry and very high blood pressure (typically 195 over 104)😲  My doctor has started to treat my BP with an increase in medication, but it's not dramatically different up to now. 

This weekend I spent all day in the shack - it had become untidy and looked a right mess! That in itself brings me down a bit, so I decided to devote the day to sorting everything out and then I spent the rest of the weekend in there playing radio.

It was just what I needed! I was relaxed and enjoyed myself immensely, not giving a thought to my worries. A BP measurement late on this afternoon gave me a reading of 154/84 which is about the best I've had in quite a while.

Don't neglect yourself! Take time out to do something you love - something which demands your attention and therefore keeps you focused on the good stuff in life.

73 my friends!

Tom, M7MCQ.

DO I NEED A TOP-END RADIO?

SO MUCH - FOR SO LITTLE

Goodness knows, I've had some amazing radios in my shack over these last few years and they varied wildly in cost, from £40 to £4,000. They've ranged from tiny, plastic kits to huge, metal boat anchors! From button-less to button-overload. From old Superhets to modern SDRs. I've enjoyed them all.

I've usually bought wisely but sometimes bought foolishly, overall though, I've done pretty well out of it - managing to find some outstanding bargains and selling them on for profit after playing around with them for a few months. I've been doing the same thing with motorbikes most of my life. It's my 'thang' 😂

But I find myself returning to the same three radios over and over... the bargain Hermes HL2 PLUS, the highly regarded Elecraft KX3 and the magnificent Icom IC-705. 

 

The ELECRAFT KX3  is a classic! It's a transceiver that everyone knows about and it's always been held in very high regard - not least of all because of that stunning SDR receiver. The beauty of the KX3 is that it is perfect for use in virtually any environment - at home as a Base Station, in a National Park on a POTA outing or even at the top of a mountain hunting for SOTA chasers. 

I've had three over the years and when I've sold them (thinking that I've found something better), I always end up buying another one - they're just too good to go without!

The LCD screen on this light, compact radio is exactly the same size as the screen on Elecraft's Base Station K3S and it's especially good outdoors because it's very easy to see even in the brightest sunlight.

The radio has 32-bit variable DSP which works extremely well and you'll find that most secondhand KX3's out there have the optional (and very worthwhile) KXFL3 Roofing Filter installed, (perfect for those who love contesting).

If you're going to use the KX3 as your only radio (and many do), you'll be pleased to learn that there are a range of amplifiers out there which can be hooked up to facilitate making this a great Base Station, not least of all Elecraft's own KXPA100 which can be bought with a built-in ATU. 

I'll never forget the very first time I switched on a KX3 during an outdoor event - I thought something was wrong with the radio because it was stony silent! 

I thought it was broken - but no - it just wasn't tuned into a signal yet and the noise floor was so incredibly low, there wasn't a peep to be heard! That made me smile so much and a friend who was with me (G0UXF) was staggered! He'd never seen a KX3 in action before. It was a bit of a revelation. 

When first introduced it was Rated No.1 and still stands about 12 places above popular radios like the Icom IC-7300 in the Sherwood Receiver Table. In fact it sits above the mighty IC-7610, IC-705 and many other expensive Anans and Flex radios! Even the latest KX4 is below it in Sherwood's performance ranking 😮 It's that good!!

The KX3 that is currently in my possession came with a bunch of extras including…

• KX3 Transceiver (MINT++)
• MH3 Microphone (£90)
• KXFL3 Roofing Filter (£160)
• KXAT3 ATU (£270)
• Palm Paddle Mini Morse Key (£50)
• MFJ 401D Keyer II (£50)
• SotaBeams Bandspringer Midi (£26)
• Sotabeams Guy Set (£21)
• Inline Volt/Watt/Amp meter (£24)
• Manuals, Power Lead, USB Leads, etc.

That’s a pretty valuable collection there and considering that I sold a used KX3 for £1700 last year 😝, I was stunned to see someone accept my very cheeky offer of £650 for this package 😮.  I could easily sell off some of the extras on eBay and bring down the purchase cost even more!

 

So to summarise, the KX3 is still one of the finest receivers available - it has excellent filters and DSP, making it perfect for pulling out the weakest of signals and therefore a potential contester's rig. It's small and light enough to be carried to the top of a mountain and can also be used as your main shack radio with an amplifier. You can attach an Elecraft Panadpter or something like an RSPDX to benefit from a large scope and waterfall on your home PC.

👍👍👍👍👍

 

The ICOM IC-705 is kept permanently in my RuckShack ready for my outdoor activities. It's currently the most advanced portable radio of its kind and has a stunning feature-list which makes it incredibly versatile. Despite its endless capabilities, it costs just £1350 new, which is a bit of a bargain in my eyes. Secondhand models are sometimes available for as little as £800 - a saving of £550 😮

Yaesu have finally dragged their ass out of bed and announced the FTX-F1 and that might be added to my collection, but let's never forget that Icom was there first (4 years ahead of time)! Without the magnificent 705, Yaesu would probably still be selling the FT-818!

I've heard that the new Yaesu will have 4M but I'd bet my last penny that even though they've had 4 years to consider how they're going to beat the Icom, they will still be behind the 705's massive feature-list. 

They did the same thing with the FT-DX101D (vs IC-7610). For those interested in a 705, the lowest secondhand price I've seen is £799. That's a hefty chunk of money for many people, I know, but you'll not get a better All Band, All Mode, Portable SDR.

Many people cannot get past the fact that this is a QRP radio, but the truth is, the IC-705 could very easily be the only radio you ever need. If you're a QRO guy, simply add an amplifier and you've then got one of the most advanced and most feature-rich base stations on the market! Just read the full review here.

👍👍👍👍👍

 

The HERMES LITE 2+  and its matching software, cannot be matched at this price-level. Nothing comes close!  It's absolutely outstanding and you don't fully appreciate how good it is until you have used it alongside some pretty darned expensive rigs.

The HL2 not only performs well, but it gives operators the software that they dream of : THETIS. It's fully customisable and is constantly being updated in response to user suggestions and requests. There's not much that you can't do with Thetis and best of all is the stunning noise-reduction! 😮

All this outstanding performance can be had for as little as £200 if you buy a used HL2 or £350 if you buy new (with carriage and taxes). It beggars belief! Every ham radio enthusiast should have one in their shack.

Needless to say, the 5W power output will be a stumbling block for many people, but a reasonably priced amp will sort that out. Personally, I have no issues with running low power and actually like the challenge, but I do understand that many people prefer to run QRO. 
 

Lashing out on a 100W amplifier can soon ramp up the cost of this outfit - that's true - but there's lots of cheap 50W amps out there for next to nothing, and some are really quite good! I have an MX-P50M which I can highly recommend. I only use it up to 25W and it works really well, putting out a surprisingly clean signal. For operators with higher level licenses, 50W should be more than enough to get you around the world! I spotted a Neptune 50W amp the other day for £165, but it had already sold before I could get a look-in.

The only thing the HL2 lacks is a tuner, but I am aware of one guy (Larry, WR9R) who has actually built one into his HL2 enclosure using one of the Chinese Auto atu PCB's commonly found on eBay. Here's a link to his post. I take my hat off to him - it took some effort!

Personally, I use a cased ATU-100 that I bought at a rally for £35. I guess I could follow Larry's lead and transfer the innards to the HL2, but I probably won't bother - this unit sits neatly next to the HL2 in my shack. I bought one of these previously from eBay and when I unpacked it, it was DOA. Needless to say, I opened this one up in my car before leaving the Rally and it was all fine. They're a cracking little unit if you can get one cheap enough, but bear in mind that it needs a full 5W to tune and my HL2 doesn't quite produce that on every band.

UPDATE Jan 2025> I ordered a 'case-less' ATU-100 in kit form from AliExpress for £18 and it just arrived, so I might build it with a view to installing it into the HL2 like Harry did. 

For the newbies amongst us, the tuner always goes just before the antenna, so in this case, it would be RADIO-AMP-TUNER-ANTENNA.

I've said it many times before - I like to use a computer as part of my radio hobby, so the fact that the HL2 is a tiny remote box with no screen, no buttons, dials or switches, is fine by me - I'm totally relaxed using a mouse and keyboard. And that brings me to my next plus-point about the radio - it is operated remotely at all times!

You can access the radio from virtually any computer or tablet, whether at home in the shack, in the bedroom, in the garden or away on holiday. Nine times out of ten though (especially in the Autumn/Winter months), I'll be sat at my main Desktop PC with a large hi-res screen in front of me, a full-size keyboard, wireless mouse and a USB microphone. The large computer screen provides all the real estate for Thetis, Logging software and a Notepad. 

My choice of microphone for use with this setup is the award winning Elgato Wave 3. It's a peach of a microphone and perfectly suited to human voice. It works really well in modulated modes or sideband, with a near perfect midrange pickup. These normally cost around £150 but (as usual) I got mine for around half that price from a podcaster on eBay. One of the reasons I searched for a Wave 3 was that competing mics in this price-band didn't have an onboard MUTE button and there were reports of other mics being prone to hum if touched.

To be fair though, virtually any USB mic will work pretty well, including the microphones built into your laptop or tablet. Sure, they won't give outstanding results, but they'll get you on air making contacts!  You can of course use a regular fist-mic plugged directly into the radio if you prefer, but you need to have the HL2 PLUS for that, because the vanilla HL2 has no microphone socket.

So in conclusion, the HL2 is a must have radio in anyone's shack! For a couple of hundred quid, you'd be crazy not to get one. If you're a bit of an experimenter, this is your dream radio!

👍👍👍👍👍

ICOM IC-7100  Oops!! I forgot about this one! It's another one of those amazing all-rounders that many people overlook. It is unique in that it's the only 100W radio in the world (to my knowledge) that covers HF (160M-10M), 6M, 4M, 2M and 70cm, plus DSTAR!

It is perfectly suited to be used as your Base Station, as a mobile in your car and even as a Field Day or POTA radio. Incredibly versatile. I fitted an IF-OUT to mine to provide me with a Panadapter. You can read my comprehensive review here. You can usually find a minter for around £700 or less.

👍👍👍👍👍

Thanks for visiting the blog! It would be great to hear from you in the comments below...

73, Tom, M7MCQ.

QUANSHENG UV-K5(99) CEC 0.51

WHEN CHEAP DOESN'T MEAN INFERIOR!

I think everyone on the planet has heard of the Quansheng UV range and that's down to the radio's ability to transform itself into something which far exceeds its original design spec, thanks to the availability of various firmware options.

The UV-K5(99) is one of the latest iterations and can be installed with any of the following firmware options to suit the user's requirements...

STOCK Firmware:

The radio features a standard frequency range of 50 MHz to 600 MHz for receive (RX) and offers selectable transmit (TX) ranges of 136–174 MHz or 400–470 MHz with support for AM and FM modes.

EGZUMER Firmware (v0.22):

Experience a frequency range from 18 MHz to 1.3 GHz with support for AM, FM, and USB modes. This firmware includes advanced features such as a spectrum analyser, an AM receive (RX) fix, battery percentage display, additional frequency steps, and configurable button functions for a comprehensive radio experience.

IJV Firmware (v3.40):

This firmware supports a frequency range from 15 MHz to 1.3 GHz with support for AM, FM, DSB, CW, and WFM modes. It is optimized for a wide range of frequencies, ensuring robust performance. Advanced features include transmission in emulated DSB mode, stable SSB reception, SATCOM boost, CW beacon, TX modulation indicator and an S Meter.

CEC Firmware (v0.51): (My chosen option)

In addition to a broad frequency range from 18 MHz to 1.3 GHz with support for AM, FM, CWN, CWF, CW, and SSB modes, plus an internal HF expansion board (IOTCU SI4732 v2.1) and an upgraded RF choke in single antenna configuration, allowing reception (RX) on HF frequencies from 0 MHz to 30 MHz in AM, FM, LSB, USB, and CW modes.

SI4732 PCB HF Modification

Adding the HF expansion board is a pretty simple task if you can solder with confidence and there are plenty of videos on YouTube to take you through the process. Some people even go to the trouble of fitting a secondary antenna socket purely for HF, but I'll leave that for braver souls - I'm currently happy to swap over to a telescopic when required.

To be honest, I don't use 2/70 that much and I already have 3 handhelds to cover VHF/UHF, but none of them provide such an amazingly wide reception range and none of them cost just a few quid!!  If you buy your Quansheng from AliExpress along with a SI4732 Mod PCB, you'll pay next to nothing for a very capable HT.

The aesthetics of the radio are personal and I can understand why some people prefer the appearance of the (8) over the (99) because of the 4 faux bolts around the trim on the older model - they look pretty cool and I think it's a shame Quansheng didn't retain that look.

Having said that, aesthetics are not the prime reason for buying one of these radios. People buy them because they're super cheap and have features comparable to incredibly expensive radios like the Kenwood TH-D74/75, (which also has HF Receive). Sure, there's no Digital modes, APRS or GPS, etc, but neither is there hundreds of £££ being spent. These things are at the price-point where you can just leave one in your car's glovebox!

In practical, everyday use, the Quansheng works exactly as you'd expect any 2/70 to work. It has comparable output power to the big manufacturers and for local rag-chewing, it works a treat. If you're within reach of a local repeater, happy days!

The display is nice and clear, with a useful amount of information and it's pretty easy to work out how to use it without even picking up the manual. When you switch to HF mode (Long Press 0), then you have to learn more keyboard shortcuts...

 

My only criticism of the radio is the tuning method - I'd much prefer to be able to use the rotary dial to change frequency or run through memories instead of having to push the up/down buttons. Having that lovely big dial just for volume is a waste.  Oh, and I wish it had the 500Hz step size. So many HF operators seem to use it these days, that it's annoying when radios don't have it. The sensitivity and selectivity of the UV-K5 is err okay - it's not gold standard obviously - but it's perfectly usable. 

The speaker is loud enough to be heard in noisy environments, but the audio is very much on the 'thin' side. Given a good strong signal though, human voices are well presented - for example if you listen into BBC Radio-4 on FM, it's excellent! There's a 2.5mm headphone socket for when needed.

Battery size is a reasonable 1600mAh and is light and slim. How easy it is to get a spare battery, I'm not too sure, but at these prices, it's probably worth buying a second radio!! A desktop charger is included in the price, which is always nice to have.

So overall, I don't think you can go wrong with one of these. They're a no risk toy - if you get one and don't like it, sell it on - you won't lose money!

73, Tom, M7MCQ