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Reviews For: Cubic Astro 102BXA

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

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Review Summary For : Cubic Astro 102BXA
Reviews: 8MSRP: 1,395
Description:
5 band, solid state,HF rig. 100w output,digital display,dual
Product is not in production
More Info:
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0084.3
W7CPA Rating: 2012-07-25
Classic American Design Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The Cubic Astro 102BXA is essentially the same as the 103, minus WARC bands, RTTY mode and external receive antenna jack.

The picture above is the 102BX not rhe 102BXA to be precise. The BXA color scheme is the same as the 103. See www.arizona-am.net/PHOENIX/W7CPA/Cubic-Restoration.html for brochures and further information.

The boards are high quality and with the exception of the counter drift - very stable when warmed up. It's funny that the dual analog PTOs are more stable than the DIGITAL counter.
N9ACQ Rating: 2005-12-14
IF gain a winner Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had my 102 for about 4 years. At times it pulls out signels that are not understandable on my Kenwood TS-2000, even with its DSP circuit. The trick is to set the RF gain for max noise, and no more RF gain than that. Set the audio gain for audio level thatnis comfortable. Now ise the IF gain to control the gain of the signel that you are listening to.
My only gripe is that I can not modify it for CAP or MARS without some surgery.
WB6Q Rating: 2004-12-10
A good concept but a poor radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I owned a Astro 102BXA for a number of years. I purchase one because I loved Swan radio's,Astro had purchased Swan and came out with this radio. In some ways this radio was ahead of it's time with high cut and low cut filters indicated by lights on the front panel, and all solid state. Maybe the one I had just was a dog because it suffered from poor sensitivity intermod and overload problems. I sold it and purchased a TS930. Now that was a radio but more about that another day.
KA8KH0 Rating: 2004-11-09
I bought several of them Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Based on comments read here and elsewhere around the net, I bought my first '103 a few months back. (Actually won through an eBay auction).

I was so impressed with the rig that I bought several more, along with their accompanying power supplies and antenna tuners. Most have been non-functional in some way when they arrived; it's been a lot of fun restoring them to like-new condition.

Notes:

Other reviewer's comments about CW filter attenuation are correct, especially in the 102BX. That rig uses a daughterboard to mount the CW filter; said board incorporates gain-compensation circuitry ...but losses are still noticeable. An enterprising individual could possibly redesign the daughterboard circuitry to minimize filter attenuation; I may try some day.

The 102BXA and '103 don't seem to exhibit the same amount of signal loss that the 102BX does. They don't use a daughterboard - their CW filters are soldered directly into the exciter board.

Buy the service manual. Then pay close attention to alignment procedures, especially pertaining to the voltage regulator circuits. In doing so, I have been able to reduce the overall PTO drift on my '103s to ~200hz from a cold start.

Performance:

As good as anything else I currently own. A solid, decently-constructed and easy-to-maintain rig. The PBT and notch functions make short work of most QRM, the noise blanker performs its function well and I get good transmitted audio reports with the radios. (Treat them to a decent-quality mic of the high-impedance variety; a Shure 450 or equivalent works just fine with this rig.)
LW8DJI Rating: 2004-09-21
102 BXA Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I AM POSSEDOR OF ONE OF THESE 102 BXA IN PRINCIPLE ME A LITTLE DEAF CREI RECEIVER, soon I REALIZED THAT IS a VERY QUIET RECEIVER and POS THAT GIVES the SENSATION OF BEING DEAF, I have a TENTEC 585 and ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO BE COMPARED WITH FOR REASONS OF PRICE and the AGE, WHICH LISTENING the TEN COMPLEXION IT LISTENING the 102 BXA, except for SOMETIMES WHERE the TEN ARE MANY STATIONS IN ONE NARROW FREQUENCY RANGE COMPLEXION FOR BEING WORTH THEIR RECEIVER, but TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the COST THAT HAS the 102 BXA IS an EXCELLENT EQUIPMENT AS TO BEGIN IN the RADIO Or AS SECOND EQUIPMENT DOES NOT DOUBT
PARDON BY MY INGLES USES THE ALTAVISTA TRANSLATOR SINCE I DO NOT SPEAK INGLES
EDUARDO LW8DJI ARGENTINA
DK3QN Rating: 2003-12-26
Cubic 103: still a good performer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased this Cubic 103 after having regretted of having sold my former 103 some years ago.

This is still a very useful rig.

Yes, you need to warm-up the rig for some time until it has finally stabilised the VFO frequency.

After the warm-up it's a joy to use. The passband tuning lets you get rid of the QRM and the continuously adjustable AGC is fantastic.

Audio quality on transmit is excellent. The processor is very efficient.

CW and full bk is quite good. However, the CW narrow filter has no gain compensation. So when using it RX signals are lower than with the the standard SSB filters.

Build quality also is quite good. Controls are clean and work properly over the years.

This is a no-brainer rig. If you are looking for a start-up rig or a back-up rig and if you can find a good second hand one at reasonable cost: go for it.

Runs off 13.8 volts and all semi-conductor.
The Cubic 103 includes all of the WARC bands (which the 102 does not).

73, Klaus, DK3QN
KE8YY Rating: 2003-05-23
Superb for its time. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This was my first solid state radio, and it spoiled me for a long time. Easy to use, fabulous receiver, and great ergonomics (the variable passband tuning was very novel in its day), not to mention the kind of build quality only seen in commercial comm gear. I traded it in on a "modern" Icom 730 that I thought would be a step up- big mistake. I don't see many on the market, but when I do, they're cheap. Might just grab one again.
KA7QGD Rating: 2001-08-23
Good HF rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Was one of the last SWan/Cubic rigs. Had two actual vfo's. Passband tuning with led's that indicate which way passband was being moved. It was a very good rig,especially on c.w. It was a very good rig for it's day, and would still hold it's own today.