| W5COV |
Rating:  |
2014-01-07 | |
| Puts the excitement back in ham radio |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
While it had a less than stellar start, it is a rig that I thoroughly enjoy using each and every day now!!
No it isn't the same radio as one of the $15,000 plus ones from the big 3, it is a FUN radio, and easy to use. No need to carry a cheat sheet or manual to use it.
You are getting a LOT more radio than what you are paying for, when you look at economy class rigs and kits.
It certainly is no toy and is the perfect radio right out of the box for the beginning ham , or the old timer that likes to play around and make mods or changes. A support group that is second to none !! Nice to have a 5 watt QRP rig for SSB, Digital and CW that will fit in the pocket of your cargo pants.... |
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| N2LZV |
Rating: |
2013-12-13 | |
| Latest Version Great! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
This is a nice multiband SSB/CW HF rig at a very reasonable price. The latest version (Dec. 2013) performs well and has addressed nearly all of the early complaints.
Because this is not an $800 rig, some features were left out. It works fine as delivered but lacks AGC, S meter, etc. AGC can easily be user added and makes the rig pleasant to operate. If you are a tinkerer, the X1Mpro begs to be modified. The power output as delivered is 5 watts but a transistor change brings the output to 9 watts on the lower bands. A user added S meter is being designed, and other modifications will surface in time.
All things considered this SSB/CW radio gives a lot for the money and is another small compact multiband choice for the QRP operator.
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| W3FIS |
Rating: |
2013-08-13 | |
| GREAT Radio |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I have the new "Platinum" model. All the major issues of the earlier version of this radio seem to have been addressed. I have set it up for digital modes (SignaLink USB, home-made audio cable), and it works great. HRD using an Icom 718 option allows easy programming, and the vast majority of the HRD commands work, and of course, DM780. This is not a Yaesu FT-817, but will give it a run for its money for somebody wanting a HF QRP rig and not wanting to spend a lot of money. |
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| K8RBW |
Rating: |
2013-05-25 | |
| Needs Help/Prolematic for CW:Addendum |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I mistakenly stated in my previous review that I didn't get a matching power plug and mini stereo plug for the key/keyer. They were included with the microphone; since I don't work sideband, I didn't pay much attention to the microphone and didn't notice them. Sorry. My original assessment stands, however.
Original review:
I only work CW and will not comment on the radio's potential on SSB. Given my experience, the review by W8IJN is pretty much spot-on. Like him, I received the radio in a US Priority mailing box without instructions; however, the radio is pretty easy to operate and many of the functions are easily figured out without a manual. Unlike him, I did not get a mating power plug or stereo mini plug for the key/keyer.
As he stated, the key jack is wired backwards with dots on the sleeve and the dashes on the tip. That gives you the first impression of what to expect for CW performance. It is something that is easily dealt with by rewiring your paddle or wiring a patch cord to do a conversion when plugging in your paddle. Another solution is to put it in manual mode and use an external keyer. The automatic keyer in the radio is exasperating. As W8iJN sated, "since the same uP used for radio controls is shared by the keyer, there is some interaction at medium speeds between internal timing & the keyer. Dashes are sent a bit short & dots are almost missed every couple seconds of sending." It creates a real mess in a QSO and changing CW delay settings in the menu can do nothing to resolve it. Again, the only solution until the manufacturer has rectified the problem is employing an external keyer. The use of an external keyer also helps address the failure to provide a temporary constant carrier for tuning. In capsule form, the automatic keyer is almost useless in its present form. One is compelled to operate it with a straight key or an external keyer.
The problems with chirp and drift were well documented by W8JIN.
The radio is a noble effort at producing a unit that that attempts to function both on CW and SSB, but it is clearly in a beta stage of development. There are other Chinese radios that address CW operation much more effectively at the present time. I would expect the manufacturer to rectify these problems with later developments. It probably shouldn't have been released given its current state of development.
73 de Dick, K8RBW |
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| W8IJN |
Rating: |
2013-05-24 | |
| You too can be an beta tester |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I saw this radio at the 2013 Dayton Hamvention and spent the next night wondering whether I could afford or whether I should dare to buy one. At 5W CW it was right in the park for QRP and with SSB it would at least be fun that way too. But it was obviously a rough, first-time build. Decisions, decisions. In the end I plunked down the cash & walked off with a Chinese transceiver in a USPS Priority mailing box. My friends were somewhat amused at the obvious 3rd World machine work on the case.
Up front & country simple, the X1M has all the outside trappings of a Joe's Garage built radio. The speaker holes on top of the extruded aluminum case were obviously done with a template and a drill press. The knobs for volume & tuning controls aren't much either. And the front panel controls remind me definitely of a Chinese DDS VFO board I had bought off eBay for my own attempts at a QRP transceiver. But that's just external appearances.
Inside the box are three cleanly run boards & a couple jumper boards, each full of SMT chips & other parts. The bottom board contains the PA, transmit filters & two TO220 mono voltage regulators (7809 & 7805). The transmitter output transistor is on this board. It's held to the bottom of the case with a screw & nut. Those unfortunate enough to undo that screw soon discover the joys of retrieving the nut from underneath tin box shields soldered to the bottom board.
The top board contains the receiver and transmitter and bandpass filters, including the VCO IC, an AD9851, which is another topic. The front board with the display, mechanical rotary encoder for the VFO control & other function push buttons mates into the edge of the top & bottom boards.
The whole thing fits inside a two-part, black, extruded aluminum box (1.5"x4"x6.12" HWD) with black end panels fastened with Allen head cap screws. Frequency/function display, AF gain, VFO, function buttons & mic input are on the front panel. The RF out (BNC), key, headphone/speaker & power jacks (coaxial, center positive), as well as a 9 pin serial connector are on the back. A mating power plug & a stereo mini plug for the key/keyer & microphone are provided. There is no computer control cable yet available for the radio, although the vendor said one is in the offing.
The front panel controls & buttons access various menus & set mode, RIT, memory/VFO call, tuning step & other functions. You can download the English translation of the original Chinese language manual with addenda from the Import Communications website.
The radio runs well with any DC supply between 12 and 14.5V. The audio is not that strong out of the speaker but headphone copy is adequate. The higher frequencies (above 10 MHz) demand the use of the internal switched preamp. The internal keyer has a default setting of 20 WPM. The sidetone is adjustable by opening the top of the radio. You'll want to do that unless you're open for hearing loss punishment, since the sidetone is obviously not a sinewave, although it's frequency is ostensibly tunable in the menu system.
On the air the reports vary. A few folks on the yahoo X1M users' group have noticed spurious signals on lower frequencies. I found that problem related to the VFO circuitry, and to the temperature sensitivity of the AD9351.
I had to superglue a chunk of tin strap to the top of the AD9351. I discovered early on that within a few minutes of turning on the radio, the receiver would suddenly pick up everything on the air. SW broadcasts, ham band signals, everything. Then I discovered that this also happened on transmit: a clean CW signal would suddenly become rough & ragged, and my keying would show up every few kHz up and down the band. Listening to the VFO on a SW receiver led me to the culprit chip. When I blew air over the chip, the VFO became stable for a second or two. When I laid the blade of a screwdriver on top of the IC, it stayed that way. Thus the addition of the heat sink tin (which also makes sliding contact with the top half of the radio case). Whether this is normal for the IC is not a real question. The real question is why the design would run that part of the circuit so hard that it heats up at all.
Although the menu system allows users to tune the BFO frequency for USB, LSB & CW, the low-rent rotary encoder will jump entire ranges as one tunes through or to a certain setting. The menu exit option gives you the chance to not save such mistakes but that means you have to start all over again. And yes, there is a complete reset to default/factory settings on exit.
The CW paddle jack is wired backwards. Dot is on sleeve; dash is on tip, completely the opposite of other rigs like the IC718, FT817 & any of the Elecraft or Norcal radios. And although there's an "auto" detect for the keyer/keying, the wiring of the jack leaves me scratching my head in wonder or exasperation. And since the same uP used for radio controls is shared by the keyer, there is some interaction at medium speeds between internal timing & the keyer. Dashes are sent a bit short & dots are almost missed every couple seconds of sending.
The audio quality of the receiver is pretty good. The AF amp is a DIP LM386 soldered into place on the top board. Transmit audio is not overly strong but an external (or in-the-mic) preamp/compressor circuit might fix that.
Over all, this is a not bad first-try radio. If and when the manufacturer makes a programming cable available & comes up with firmware mods to correct the keying jack mix-up, cure the heat sensitivity (or possible overheating) of the VFO circuitry, and the encoder's eratic behavior, the X1M might be some competition to other QRP radios dedicated to HF. Until then I'd say it's not bad but not that good and sometimes a little frustrating to use, adjust, set up & play with.
Yes, you get 5W out on CW, good transmit AF on sideband & all the usual simple bells & whistles. And 100 memories. But there's need for some work & those who buy into these early editions should know that they will become unpaid beta testers for a radio with very little contact available to the manufacturer, if at all.
So three stars right now. If the manufacturer comes up with the necessary fixes, mods & firmware revisions, I'll make a revision to this review or post another one. |
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| N1YAE |
Rating: |
2013-05-23 | |
| Great QRP radio! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I bought the radio at Dayton for $300 USD. On the return home, I worked a station in Knoxville, TN from my motel room in Clarion PA. It was a good QSO both ways. At home using a HyGain vertical. So far, QSO's out to 750 miles are possible. Had one weak contact out to Puerto Rico (1600 miles)Size, weight and cost make it a better choice for some applications (kayak, some hilltop locations). The only minor negative aspect is that my radio stops working at 11.45 volts. Makes portable battery power a bit of an issue. I will try it on battery power shortly and see how much time I get off a 4 and seven amp hour battery. So far, I would say it is a greatr radio! I will add another report once I have battery option information. |
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| W2NDG |
Rating: |
2013-04-29 | |
| Great for the $$ |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have to say that overall, I like it. Friday night I checked in to the Brothers Net, and was heard clearly in Virginia, and again on Saturday night, when one of the members in Virginia relayed my check-in to the operator in Maryland. Also on Saturday I logged 5 of the 7 Florida QSO Party spelling bee stations from my living room, as well as a couple of other Florida stations. Reports ranged from "good for QRP", to "Wow! Only 5 Watts?"
The radio was fairly easy to figure out, even though the instructions were in Chinese only. Audio is as expected for such a tiny radio. Receiver is sensitive, and easy to tune.
I'd love some control over the filters, or a noise blanker, but the default settings are usable.
All-in-all a bargain for $299.
Available from Kight Radio, and Import Communications. |
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