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Reviews For: Xiegu X108 Transceiver

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : Xiegu X108 Transceiver
Reviews: 7MSRP: 655
Description:
160 - 10 meters, SSB, CW and AM. General coverage receive. 0 to 20W.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.wouxun.us/item.php?item_id=346
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0072.9
W5GNB Rating: 2018-11-18
NOT Impressed ~~ Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Works quite well on All modes EXCEPT CW ... The built in keyer is garbage.. it makes its own characters. The keying waveform is Extremely Soft. The leading edge is delayed enough to cause real problems above about 20-WPM. The Firmware upgrade procedure is very quirky, follow the instructions CAREFULLY or you can wipe out all the presets. The overall quality of workmanship is about like any off the shelf CB radio, Cheap but workable. The SSB, and AM modes seem to work as advertised. If you have an interest in CW, this is NOT the radio for You !!

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Earlier 2-star review posted by W5GNB on 2018-09-22

Works quite well on All modes EXCEPT CW ... The built in keyer is garbage.. it makes its own characters. The keying waveform is Extremely Soft. The leading edge is delayed enough to cause real problems above about 20-WPM. The Firmware upgrade procedure is very quirky, follow the instructions CAREFULLY or you can wipe out all the presets. The overall quality of workmanship is about like any off the shelf CB radio, Cheap but workable. The SSB, and AM modes seem to work as advertised. If you have an interest in CW, this is NOT the radio for You !!
W4FID Rating: 2018-09-22
My X-108G is nice Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have the newer model and apparently they have addressed most of the earlier model problems. I enjoy it and have success checking into nets on SSB. I do CW at about 10 or 12 WPM and like it for that too. It's QRP and not a 2 or 3 killobuck contest rig but the size, power consumption, and features make it a decent portable rig. I have a cable set -- no sound card adaptor needed -- so I can use it on FT-8 and PSK. Allows rig control with HRD, DM780, FLdigi, WSJT-X from a low end Win 10 netbook.
G8GLZ Rating: 2016-01-18
Cute, I'm a sucker for these small rigs! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
My sample was from those people in Greece who seem to specialise in broad-banding rigs. I don't have a problem with that and, at the time, it was cheaper through them than anywhere else.
My first (successful) contact with it was with a W1 mobile operator while I was working portable from a 7AH lead-acid battery with a quarter wave vertical at 10 W in Glen Lyon (Scotland) surrounded by trees and mountains - I was hooked!

Pros:
1) Receive sensitivity and options for pre-amp/attenuator work very well.
2) Generally good audio reports but some exceptions (see below in the 'Cons' section).
3) Very compact and light weight package for QRP/Portable.
4) It's cute, and its good to mess around with something from a new manufacturer.

Cons:
1) Screen back-light is VERY dim, making it extremely difficult to read the screen when operating outdoors in summer.
2) Some reports of 'bad audio' have prompted me to fit clip-on ferrites on the mic and power leads - Jury still out on this one.
3) Circuit diagrams don't seem to be available from anywhere.
4) Yes, I removed the 'handle' from the front right hand side because it seriously gets in the way. Sadly, that leaves the tuning knob exposed to bumps and bangs that it could do without - I chose to remove it because I didn't want to risk accidentally nudging the tuning out of band whilst working the menus.
5) Noise blanker doesn't do anything at all that I can detect.

Would I recommend it? Yes, but don't expect a Yaesu or (substitute your favourite brand here).

73's.
Andy.
W4DNQ Rating: 2015-06-14
Wish it was better! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
My XYL purchased this for me as a 2014 Christmas present and was in all when I opened it. I have used this rig many times with the same issues:

1: When you xmit over a 5 min. QSO, it gets hot (10watts) and audio gets into RF.
2: It came with handles installed which I thought
was an option and did not buy them because of the
button access issue. . That makes me feel it was once owned by someone else. After removing them I found
one of the screws in the front to be stripped.
3: I hate to beat on people that are trying to
make some money, but read the warranty info on
their website. Certainly they could at least
send you their phone number after two emails.

I feel the manufacture will get better and the price will come down. They just need some time.??

Bad Me,
W4DNQ
K3MD Rating: 2015-05-07
OK Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased my X108 from Mark AK4CO, the X1M repairman. It works as anticipated, no key clicks on CW (which was not true of my TJ5A), 15 W out max on CW, 25 to 30 W PEP out on SSB (measured with peak reading Coaxial Dynamics).
It takes a while to get used to the tuning, but I usually leave it at 100 Hz steps.
The rig control works fine. Have used it in several CWT competition events. Receiver is fine, good sensitivity. Transmit audio is too high, but is corrected when compressor is at the 3:1 ratio and mic is held around 3 in from the mouth (why compressor setting 3:1, I do not know). CW, SSB and AM received audio is good. AGC is fine, fast/slow.
Selectivity on CW is OK, with a little "non single signal" on strong signals, easily corrected with attenuator. No serious overloading of receiver with attenuator cranked in.
No problems yet with tuning knob. Quite easy band QSY, especially with computer rig control.
About what I expected. Fun to use.
M0KFO Rating: 2015-03-24
Not for first timers Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Okay, let's have an objective not subjective review. I have to ask the wisdom of buying a newly released rig from a newish manufacturer over the net, without seeing it in the flesh.

The screen is small, but you will see that before you buy it. If you use reading glasses for the computer, you will need them for the screen, if you don't then you won't.

I paid £350 for mine, the non deluxe model, no handles or noise blanker. I did my research before buying it. RX is excellent, and for me TX is very good as well, but bear in mind it is QRP (max 20w). It is pretty easy to use and has a decent mic with it. I find all the controls quite easy to use.

However, Xiegu have had some problems with earlier models and have been a bit slow to rectify this, along with a lack of information. The power cable needs replaced with a proper cable. I do up 11m sets and always have new fused power leads lying about.

This is why I don't recommend it for first timers, it is better suited to those that know how to set up a radio if anything needs adjusted.

It is however very compact and would make a good mobile or perhaps QRP set.
K8TJ Rating: 2015-03-10
Deaf Receiver, poor audio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ordered one of these brand new from a stateside seller.
First off the screen is way too small to be jamming as much data on it as they have. Screen is roughly 1.25" square so unless you have perfect vision you will need some external help with seeing what's on the screen aside from the frequency. The front panel handle on the right side blocks easy access to the up/down arrows. Receive was very poor even with the internal receive preamp turned on as well as another external HF preamp. Found signals on all bands that were weak but Q5 on an FT-817 were barely or not even audible on the X108. One other quirk it has is if you have the SSB filter selected for CW and then transmit the rig automatically switches over to the narrow CW filter when it goes back to receive. Very annoying. Internal speaker sounds raspy and rattles. Very strong signals overload the front end and sound terrible on both an internal and external speaker. Power cord supplied is only about 12" long. Mic appears to be an unlabelled multi-function Icom hand mic. Power was adjustable from 0-20W so not problem there. Made mostly CW contacts but did make a couple of SSB contacts and audio reports were not good. Some claim it sounded like RF on the audio and and another said it sounded like the audio was fm'ing. Perhaps I got a bad one but for well over $600 I would not recommend this radio and I have my doubts on how popular they will ever be. I returned mine for a full refund. I'll keep my FT-817 and HB1B.