Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Youkits HB-1B QRP CW Transceiver

Category: QRP Radios (5 watts or less)

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Youkits HB-1B QRP CW Transceiver
Reviews: 52MSRP: 299
Description:
Youkits HB-1B 4 Band QRP CW Transceiver
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.youkits.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00524.6
KD5TXX Rating: 2022-06-30
Great rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this a few years ago. It is honestly a great rig. Batteries seem to last forever on it. I have made a ton of contacts with it on all bands. Sensitivity is awesome also. Hears very well. Like others have said the headphone jack is a weak point. I currently use it as a backup home rig, so I can work with it..but in the field that would be bothersome. I'd still buy another if I didn't have this one.
VE7EA Rating: 2022-06-24
Lovely little rig for SOTA Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Using this to activate a few hilltops for SOTA on southern Vancouver Island. What a great little rig. Probably have about 10 hours of operation on it now. Impressed with the very low power consumption - so a 3-pack of 18650 LiIon cells lasts almost forever!

Only wish I could edit the auto CQ feature and I also find the CW sidetone a bit too loud on higher frequencies when the audio must be turned up to hear weaker signals. (EDIT: on later versions of this radio you can turn down the sidetone volume. Do it.).
AE4GM Rating: 2022-03-24
Does HB1B have SWR METER? Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Update. I've had mine for about 18 months. Superb performance. I'm using the generic SDR switch in black metal box from Amazon to use as rx with the SDR Play receiver for it. This lets.me look for someone calling CQ, tune to that frequency and answer. Very effective. It's unusual if someone doesn't answer me on just my mobile whip antenna in the yard.
W0CCA Rating: 2021-10-19
My long time SOTA radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been a SOTA op for 11 years and have over 250 activations. I started with the ATS4B which is a VERY fine radio and have used KX1,KX2,KX3, as well. The latter are fine but just too much bell and whistle radio for my simplistic idea of SOTA. But I also like a tuning knob, a lot. This HB1B Mark 5? which covers 80,40,30, 20 15 for me has been simple and trouble free for about 150 of those summits. It is much improved over the original HB1B. Never a problem. I bring the old HB1B along with me in the car as backup but have never needed it. Filter is fine, RIT is fine, keyer is fine, audio with cans is fine, power consumption very low (just did 4 SOTA activations, 90 QSOs, and recharge of battery for all four needed only 406 mah. ) A great, simple radio, for great, simple activities. For me SOTA needs to be successful and the HB1B has never let me down.
N2DTS Rating: 2020-01-09
fantastic! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Got one used, what a great little radio.
Very good RX audio, low noise level, 6 watts out, the adjustable filter works great, sturdy case, big bright clear display, simple and easy to use, big built in battery.

As a small qrp radio, there is not much more to ask for.
KD7WPJ Rating: 2019-07-05
Quality issues Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I own this radio for one and half year. I use it mainly for SOTA activations. I love this radio, but it has quality issues with some components. In particular, headphone connector is unreliable. Every activation I am struggling to make a contact with it. I am using rubber band that helps to hold it in the position where contact occurs. It is very frustrating. I contacted Youkits and asked what is the part number and who manufactured this connector, but never receiver response. There is another poor quality component - variable resistor for IF gain control. It alos has intermittent connection and provides noise during the adjustment, but I can leave with it. Youkits is not customer oriented company and does not provide any support for quality issues. This is the reason that I gave rating 2 for this products.
AD4IE Rating: 2019-03-27
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had never worked QRP, but bought this radio to give SOTA a try. This is a fantastic little radio. I've since bought a KX3, but still use the HB-1B on occasion.
KW4JM Rating: 2018-12-19
Great Receive Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This updates my previous "A Little Fragile" review from 9/2017. Once repaired, my little HB1B is an awesome little radio. The receive is incredibly crisp and clear, and the send must be too because I get lots of qso's portable with a tiny multi-band vertical and very good signal reports. I am enjoying this little radio a lot.
AF2DX Rating: 2018-05-01
A VERY GOOD QRP RIG READY TO GO OUT OF THE BOX Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I was driving along in my car talking to some friends when another ham broke in then called me.
He said he had an item for sale very cheap and listening to me he knew i loved QRP CW.
He asked me to meet him at the local police station.
I went and he pulled out a box with a new HB1B rig.
I HAD THE PAPERS and he told me they came out with a newer version and offered it to me for $200.00.
I took it home and hooked it up to a mag loop.
I spent the rest of the day working hams along the East Coast and also bagged 4O3A.
It has a beautiful display and received Short wave bands.
I picked up a cheap set of ear budds at Staples for $20.00 and they sound just great.
I used it while in the hospital a few times and W1AW came in through the building QRM.
Fantastic little radio and I also keep it in my fishing bag so I operate when fish are not biting.
I use a small L mach tuner I built and put in a inducter switch.
The HB1B seems to like simple wires
EXCELLENT RIG AND I WOULD HAVE PAID $300.00 BUT THIS OFFER CAME UP
73 BOB AF2DX
N0TES Rating: 2018-04-21
Update - A fine rig for magnetic loop antennas? Indeed! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
— Update —
3+ years of continuous use has taken this rig from Kansas City to California, Florida, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Malta, France, and too many other places to mention. The internal battery is a Lifesaver when my battery with an embedded solar cell begins to run low. That, however, takes days due to the low drain this rig places on any power source. The size is perfect for the small Military Field Bag that comes with the 10-40M Alpha Loop ultra-portable mini magnetic HF antenna. It’s also small enough that it leaves enough room in the bag for ALL of my other radio accessories, including the Solar Battery! Another added benefit of this rig is you can listen to SSB.
— Original Post —
I bought this from second hand from a ham at the SKC Hamfest 2 years ago. I pretty much use it exclusively with a magnetic loop antenna with outstanding DX and stateside results. I haven't ever replaced the battery, which charges fast enough overnight. Then the battery lasts for several days of off and on usage. I did go 3 months without using the rig at one time when I thought I'd lost it; upon power up the nice blue screen showed me it was ready! As for tuning the magnetic loop, I just watch the S-Meter to peak on the rig, and it accurately puts the SWR below 2:1 as verified several times with a Rig Expert analyzer.