| K9EX |
Rating:      |
2023-02-28 | |
| Excellent QRP Value for POTA or Home Use |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
The (tr)uSDX QRP delivers in spades - especially for POTA activations. Yes, the receiver and speaker tend to overload a bit but you can typically lower the volume and you'll be fine (see Tip below).
The selectable rx bandwidths are a nice touch - you can use the wide open 4K bandwidth as sort of a "poor man's bandscope" in the sense that it will let you hear more signals when negotiating a POTA pileup. (Try that with a QCX+/Mini or other fixed-bandwidth QRP rig.)
Throw in 5 bands, ATT and NR, the very small form factor, a fairly usable built in speaker, SWR and PO meter settings (use PTT button with Straight key setting to check SWR/PO), plus SSB with built-in mic and this little marvel is delivering way beyond its price point.
FYI, my unit draws about 0.15 A on rx and just under 0.5 A on tx so even a small 3000 mA battery will power this rig and its +5W output well past the point where you're either too hot, your hands are frozen or you're just tired of that hard park bench!
Tip: To help prevent receiver overload, I have been turning the AGC off (menu 1.8) and increasing the default ATT2 setting (menu 1.11) from 2 to 4. This quiets the receiver and will let you increase the volume - then it's easier to throttle overloading signals with the volume control. I also typically set the rx bandwidth to 1.8 KHz as that setting seems to provide the least noise to my ears while still allowing for off frequency callers during POTA deployments. |
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| NB4M |
Rating:      |
2023-02-13 | |
| $100 of pure fun |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Is it quirky as mentioned in pervious reviews? That's not been in my experience (CW ONLY). It performs all five bands as advertised and does a good job at it. Although it's probably best when using earphones, the experienced operator will easily find the performance limits of this little jewel (as with any) and enjoy a quality QRP experience.
Is it worth the cost? That and more! It's as good or better than any other QRP rig out there. Have two of these now and pleased with both.
Is it small, cheap and QRP fun? Yes. |
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| W7ASA |
Rating:     |
2022-12-09 | |
| Pleasantly Surprised |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I saw this reviewed on my friends' YouTube channel and decided to buy one from the 'approved' vendor from the PRC. It arrived quickly and worked immediately, though I did calibrate the dial so that it would zerobeat on WWV.
I'm primarily a CW hound, but the ssb voice capability using the built-in front panel mike has been tested, when I was able to check-in to the Maritime Mobile Service Network, with good audio reports. For me though, CW is where this rig really shines. Filters are adjustable from 4 KHz down to 50 Hz bandwidth and that is useful for me. Being a general coverage receiver allows me to listen to shortwave broadcasts using a sideband in zerobeat with the station. Audio fidelity is communications grade, definately not HiFi; if this is a problem, moce-on beause this is not the radio for you. For a toss-in-the-bag and go to the beach rig, this is excellent at this pricepoint. It has 80 meters, which for me is a must. Night time regional comms are important to me.
A few cons:
1. The audio is somewhat unstable, in that if you increase volume above 11 or so, the rig produces a howling noise. If AF gain is kept below this threshold, no problem.
2. Like most modern small rigs, the menus are usually less than intuitive and this is no exception, the difference is that this rig is a fraction of the competing QRP and /p rigs in its price range. Once learned, the menu is not difficult at all to use.
So - small batteries (I use an 8x AA battery pack [ Eneloops]) will power this for a long time . See the specs and do the math - it's impressive.
If you're thinking of buying one, I encourage you to do it.
73 / 72 de Ray ..._ ._ |
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| LNXAUTHOR |
Rating:      |
2022-12-08 | |
| affordable qrp fun |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
this is the real deal, a tiny 5-bander supporting usb, lsb, and cw... (forget about transmit using am or fm, not gonna be useful)
i was pleased to discover that more than adequate reception of a favorite local AM BCB was possible using lower sideband (LSB)
you must use headphones even though there is a little speaker; expect howling with too high levels... balance NR, filtering, and attenuation to achieve decent audio
these units are shipped pre-assembled supporting the 80-60-40-30-20m bands... you cannot change the band range via the menu, although the firmware allows you to do so; there are two other boards in kit form for non-WARC (10-15-20-40-80) and high bands (20-17-15-12-10); you will need to buy them, assemble, then use on your rig or another kit rig
each rig rig comes with a serial number (in the boot loader); you can then go to dl2man's web site and download a 'custom' firmware to reflash the transceiver... the only custom thing about the firmware will be that you can have the rig display your callsign... the rig, out of the box, displays no callsign... next, run averdudess under winblows10... here's where you may get frustrated: you *must* use a data-capable micro usb cable, or your pc won't assign a COM port... i had to search through the junkbox after trying three different cables (an old usb hard drive cable worked)... plugged in the cable, loaded my new firmware, and reflashed the rig... worked FB
an important task after reflashing is to zero beat the 'ref freq' menu setting to make sure the rig transmits and receives on the displayed frequency; you can change the ref freq setting up or down to get on frequency; i used my 705 to record transmissions to fine-tune the frequency and voice modulation in sideband - the result is an important difference between the tr(usdx) and the usdx+ clones: the tr(usdx) has acceptable voice modulation in usb/lsb! but both rigs are great for CW and as CW training transceivers
the firmware is currently rev 2.00i, although dl2man offers a beta as well.. quite frankly, as an owner of a usdx+, the tr(usdx) firmware offers fewer features (but does have one custom keyer message and CAT, which i did not test)... the open-source usdx+ firmwares on the FB group have many more options (such as IQ streaming, multiple CW messages), while dl2man, who got chafed at offshore cloners, has closed his source (dumb idea in my opinion), and you can only download precompiled arduino .hex files
while the usdx+ offers a wider choice of open-source firmwares and 8 bands vs the 5 bands of the tr(usdx), along with the option for internal 3s 18650 cell battery, the tr(usdx) does have some unique features: light weight, tiny form factor, ptt/straight key button (along w/a 'tune mode'), usb reflashing (although you can do an ISP port reflash), operation at QRPp (milliwatt) levels via usb power...
an sma is used instead of BNC, but an adapter and power pigtail is included with assembled units (don't know about the kits)
the 3D printed case is nice and sturdy, and there are even laser-cut clear cases available
the tr(usdx) OLED is unreadable in sunlight, unlike the usdx+, which offers backlighting on/off... there is a mod to increase the brightness but you will lose the ability to operate the rig via usb due to voltage use by the mod
i drilled two small holes in the back plate and bolted on a 3S 18650 battery holder; there is no on/off switch so i just plug in the 3.5mm x 1.3 barrel to power up
the tr(usdx) also has SWR and voltage readouts - in straight key and CW mode, press the ptt button and you will see swr and voltage, depending on your menu's meter selection... i found my rig to be pretty much spot on
there are probably a vast number of hardware differences between the clones and the tr(usdx), but the fact is that documentation is poor for both rigs... for example, try finding a description or example of using the built-in line editor to edit the CW message (you can add characters, but in order to erase a character you must scroll through the selection and enter a blank character - a symbol should have been used), or written tips on various button presses or a general reset (hold down menu while powering on); no manual is included, so you will have to read dl2man's docs, and watch his videos to learn more
i am happy with the rig, but understand this about it and other variants: due to the memory size of the atmega328p, there is no room for expansion.. these rigs are experimental... they are great CW rigs with decoding and messaging, and can be used for voice...
but they are dead-end in the development cycle... PE1NNZ has done an amazing job on squeezing in features and wringing performance out of the atmega328p, but this rig and the clones are, repeat, dead-end in the development cycle... get yours if you wish, but they will never approach the features and performance of commercial qrp rigs... however, it is great to have a little rig in the pocket for fun, and you will make contacts |
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| K6ELV |
Rating:     |
2022-12-08 | |
| Lots of radio for the price. |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
First off, let me start off with the good:
This radio packs many features in an extremely small package. At about the same size of a VHF/UHF handheld you get a radio that can work on 5 HF bands plus general coverage receive in all modes with an onboard microphone and speaker at full QRP power of 5 watts all for less than $150! You will not find any other HF transceiver like this anywhere near this price point. Heck, there are even many shortwave radios which are receive only that are close to the price of this transceiver. With the extremely small size and low power requirements (has the ability to be powered solely from USB) you can take this virtually anywhere which makes it perfect for POTA, SOTA, field day, or go bag. Paired with a battery case or USB power bank and a telescopic HF antenna such as an HFJ-350m you can theoretically have a fully functioning HF station in the palm of your hand.
Now for the negative:
With the small size and small price this radio does have some compromises.
1. The radio has a somewhat high noise floor that seems to be internally generated. Because if this it will not pick up weaker signals as they are drowned out by the noise. I hooked up the same antenna to a different radio and the signals were easier to copy with less noise.
2. The small speaker is not very loud, while it can be easily heard in a perfectly quiet environment, it can be nearly impossible to listen in an environment with any sort of noise unless you place the speaker right up to your ear. Another problem is if you turn the volume setting beyond a certain level the audio circuit self-oscillates and causes a horrendous squeal in the audio.
3. The firmware seems glitchy, there were times I was tuning around the band and the radio completely froze up and I had to remove the power to reset it.
All in all I would say this radio definitely met my expectations considering the size and price. Having a radio this size with this many capabilities was basically unheard of. In the past, other HF transceivers of this size were typically single-band CW only and a few ten to a few hundred milliwatts, but this thing gives you 5-band SSB voice capability with 5 watts of power. |
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| KL7KN |
Rating:      |
2022-11-07 | |
| Best deal going for a new rig! |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
One of the best **bang for the buck** radio now found on the market.
It does have a bit of a learning curve, so reading the manuals found online is a must. SSB works to provide a snappy, readable signal and the CW works well. There is a bit of a pop at the end of each character. Speed set and forget.
Multiple filter options. Multi-mode - AM/FM/CW/SSB. Will NOT work on CB before you ask.
Broadband RX.
Non-vendor accessories now showing up on the market like a matching battery case.
Very happy with mine, well worth the $149 for the assembled unit.
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|
| KD8ZM |
Rating:      |
2022-10-30 | |
| Excellent fun QRP radio |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I have revised my review of this rig upward, a lot, because there are now adequate resources online on how to use it, while there were few if any at the time I wrote my original review. (I don't quite understand why DL2MAN and company have done so much work on this rig, but the only manual on his website says the manual is inaccurate... why not edit it to be accurate?)
I bought the prebuilt version from the supplier recommended by the designer of the rig, as I’m a QRP enthusiast. First off, let me just say that it's a very inexpensive rig, so expectations should be appropriately low. My rating of the radio takes its low price into account - for the price, it's five stars.
This radio is not a toy like the Pixie, as you can easily make contacts with it and conduct QSOs. It is packed with features very similar to the QCX by QRP Labs, and is set up very similarly with everything accessed via menus, with of course the main advantage of the (tr)uSDX being that it is a multi-band radio and one of the few in its price range that sports 80 meters. It is also SSB capable which although not a big feature for a CW guy like me, is huge for many people.
There are some drawbacks that add to the learning curve. It is 100% menu driven; fortunately there are shortcuts for things like volume, RIT, CW bandwidth, mode, et cetera. But finding out what these shortcuts are, and internalizing them, takes a while.
My prebuilt model came off-frequency by 500 hz. Watch DL2MAN's video on calibrating this, easy fix.
This little rig has won me over and I am having a lot of fun. |
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| N6YWU |
Rating:      |
2022-06-22 | |
| Tiny radio with lots of capabilities |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
The (tr)uSDX is a great super lightweight QRP radio, weighing less than 5 ounces, but capable of working multiple modes on 5 bands at 5 Watts. There is nothing else this small and inexpensive with all that capability.
Most tiny pocketable radios can do CW, but the (tr)uSDX can do SSB and digital ops as well. Paired with a pocket computer, tablet, or iPhone for the digital mode encoding/decoding, the tiny transceiver allows working FT8, making ultra-light SOTA digital ops possible.
The (tr)uSDX kit is a spin-off of the uSDX/uSDR project, but with significantly more attention paid to component quality and PCB layout by the 2 principle designers. It pairs a direct conversion SDR architecture running on an embedded microprocessor with a highly efficient class-E transmitter amplifier.
The (tr)uSDX is designed to be a kit, the usual form comes with all the SMT parts pre-soldered. But it is also possible to buy a pre-assembled unit, which I purchased in addition to a kit. As with any kit, one should carefully test the completed assembly. Because this radio uses a class-E amplifier, fine tuning the final filter assembly can be especially important. I analyzed the transmit output of the pre-assembled unit with a TinySA, and (unlike one of my uSDX clones), found the signals to be clean, with spurious harmonics well below the legal requirements.
There are a few downsides. The speaker is tiny, so the radio is best used with headphones plugged in. Audio volumes above 10 may not work without generating microphonic feedback noise. The menu system is workable, but non-intuitive, requiring multiple button presses and diving into the menus to adjust almost everything, including changing the audio volume. The biggest issue with the radio for potential SOTA/POTA operations is that its dim OLED display will completely wash out in sunlight, so the radio can only be used in deep shade or under a hood outdoors.
As a comment on other reviews: You can tune and view the SWR by using CW mode and hitting the PTT button to generate a carrier. One might need to adjust the XTAL reference frequency (a menu selection) against WWV so that the displayed frequency will be accurate. There are also several obscure ways to control the radio: for instance, a long press on one button allows turning RIT on and off.
There are other multi-band multi-mode transceivers that might fit in a coat pocket. But none of them are as affordable (with kits less than $100 USD) and lightweight. |
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| W8IJN |
Rating:      |
2022-06-22 | |
| Fun little radio for POTA/SOTA/BOTA & FD |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
Some four and a half decades ago there was a short article in the now defunct Ham Radio Magazine that described what can only be called a "shirt pocket radio." This was a bit before the eccentrics in the British QRP Club had shown up with their "Oner" kits, a batch of one inch square boards -- before metric, mind you -- that gave the builder a 1W CW transmitter, a direct conversion receiver and a VFO. Back in the early days of tiny radio fits.
Well, it's four and some decades later and here come Manuel, DL2MAN and Guido, PE1NNZ, with a truly amazing little shirt pocket radio. Five bands -- and yes, if you're into experimenting and expanding on the original design, you can change those five bands around to suit yourself -- and both CW and SSB. Data too if you want to build up the appropriate interfaces. All in a box 91x61x31mm. About the size of a pack of those cigarettes that put Dad in his grave. Shirt pocket stuff.
The two I have -- one built by a dear friend in Australia and another bought off the approved by DL2MAN Chinese source -- both put out about 5W across the five bands installed (80m, 60m, 40m, 30m, 20m) and have proven themselves worthy playing POTA hunting both on CW and SSB.
And while some might think they're toy radios, I personally feel these are the top of the line for present day microSDR tech, what little I understand of it. Sure, they're basically direct conversion receivers on steroids and sure the transmitters are gut-bucket simple and yes, they do have their failings compared with some of the high end SDR set ups costing thousands of dollars more.
But they're small, portable, energy efficient and fun to tuck into your carry on for that trip to some mountain tops in Portugal or outside Brescia in Italy, which if you ain't done it, you should. (Don't get me started.)
For the price, well, easy five star radios. If you're fortunate enough to not be afflicted with essential tremor or some other disability prevents you from building stuff, putting one together yourself is not only a money-saver but also what for me used to be just plain fun.
I highly recommend this little box. Fun little radio that'll surprise you regularly. |
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