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Author Topic: G90-GSOC  (Read 578 times)

N2DTS

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G90-GSOC
« on: December 07, 2020, 05:41:47 PM »

I received the GSOC today and checked it out.


The screen is very nice, and I like the way it works mostly, you can control it with a mouse and click on options and signals, or touch the screen.
Options are limited so far, some things seem to not work yet, and it has the same issue with the AGC, things sound bad with it on, and very good with it off. Not as bad on CW or SSB.
There is no rf gain that I could find, there is on the small head of the G90.
These setups seem to have the radio hardware in the body, and the head units have the sdr stuff in them, using the IQ output of the main body.

The microphone into the GSOC seems to need the mic gain turned up high, and then it picks up a rumble, this does not seem to be the case
with the standalone G90 radio.
Audio on AM goes out to 6.5 Khz for a bandwidth of 13 KHz on the air.
No sync detection for AM.
Filters can be whatever you want, and there is an 6 or 8 band EQ on RX and TX.

I noticed something odd, the GSOC uses a DB9 connector to the G90 body, and the radio works with just that, but you get no
RX bandscope or waterfall. But you do when you transmit.
If you plug in the IQ cable between the GSOC and the main body, you get the RX scope working.
With the dummy load connected, you get a small bit of hash in the center of the bandscope, which goes away if you unplug the IQ cable, so there is some noise coming from the main body.

AM modulation is good to about 75% both ways, but it sounds good and clean except for the low rumble when the mic gain is high.
The radio also has line in and out ports, but its an odd connector and I have not experimented with it yet.

I expect software updates to add and improve things over time, they seem to update quickly.
The waterfall needs a bit more contrast or range and the AGC really needs to be fixed, and then it would be a very nice receiver.
The transmitter can be good if they increase the modulation a bit.
Seems ok on SSB, I did not check cw yet, I hear there is a lot of latency so far.
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N2DTS

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Re: G90-GSOC
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2020, 10:22:32 AM »

Upgrades already in version 1.1,

Xiegu GSOC FW V1.1
1. Solved the CW sidetone delay problem
2. Solved the problem of unstable system and occasional crash
3. Added RTTY modem
4. Added CW decoder
5. Added SWR scanner
6. Added FFT/Waterfall level adjustment
7. Added FFT line/fill color mixer

Not sure all of it is good yet, but its a start...
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N2DTS

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Re: G90-GSOC
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2020, 06:28:48 AM »

Found the RF gain, it helps a lot to turn it down. Hold the power button down (not the on/off switch). It IS marked under the button as RF gain.....duh.
The AGC still needs work, the radio sounds very good with it off, not so great with it on.
Seems more like a clipper.

CW decode works great:


Not so great on hand sent stuff.

I suspect my GSOC came with version 1.1 firmware, but there seems ot be no way to tell what is in there....
« Last Edit: December 09, 2020, 06:34:22 AM by N2DTS »
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N2DTS

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Re: G90-GSOC
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2020, 07:54:33 PM »

I updated the GSOC to version 1.1 firmware after a bit of a fight with windoze.
You download the files, unzip them to your computer, then format an SD memory card, open up a program called rufus and dump files to the SD card.
Easier said then done for some.
You then stick the SD card in the slot in the GSOC and power it up.
Version 1.1 reduces the CW latency to a level that allows slow to moderate sending with a key.
Real CW guys will want it a bit faster but its ok for my slow CW.

The display is much better, more signal range on the scope and waterfall.
Now you can fill the area under the spectrum with color and choose the depth of the color, nice!

The AGC and AM modulation still needs work, and the microphone rumble.


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N2DTS

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Re: G90-GSOC
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2020, 04:15:14 PM »

It does not show much in the picture (cell phone camera) but the display is nicer.
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N2DTS

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Re: G90-GSOC
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2021, 06:38:56 PM »

New firmware updates for the base G90 (not the display) and the GSOC.
Version 1.3 for the gsoc adds bluetooth.  Also, CW is now real time but the audio comes out of the base, not the GSOC or its headphone jack in CW mode.
I think that is about it.

The G90 upgrade to 1.77 is a big step forward.
CW is real time as well, like an analog radio.
They fixed the AGC, its 99% better.
No distortion, audio is good.
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N2DTS

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Re: G90-GSOC
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2021, 07:07:41 PM »

The new software is really nice.
I run the head remote, the setup off a battery.
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