Replace as of Might 31, 2024: I’ve simply discovered that the prototype unit I used for this activation has been outmoded by a manufacturing mannequin Xiegu X6200. Whereas lots of my preliminary impressions stay legitimate, among the bugs and quirks I famous have doubtless been addressed within the manufacturing mannequin.
Once I revealed this submit, I used to be underneath the impression that this loaner unit was consultant of the ultimate manufacturing run. In mild of this new data, I’ve eliminated the point out of some particular bugs till I’ve the chance to judge the manufacturing run unit.
I’ll be receiving a manufacturing mannequin loaner within the coming weeks, and I’ll replace this submit and share a video demonstrating the up to date radio. Keep tuned!
After publishing my submit yesterday morning, I ran just a few errands on the town, then headed to Lake Powhatan in Pisgah Nationwide Forest to carry out a POTA activation with the brand new Xiegu X6200.
In brief, my buddy Vince summed all of it up in a textual content he despatched, stating that I positive picked an attention-grabbing time to get on the air. I obtained this picture from Vince–whereas calling CQ POTA for the one centesimal time–exhibiting the outcomes of our X-Class Flare:
It was a radio blackout.
Ultimately, I did log eleven stations: 1 on 30 meters, and 10 on 20 meters, all with CW.
Ultimately, I did plug in an exterior battery and run the X6200 at its full 8 watts of energy in SSB mode, however there have been no takers on 20 meters. The bands had been so lifeless, I even obtained studies from a few of you that the FT8 parts of the band had little to no exercise.
That lifeless!
I did handle to hunt another park activators efficiently–we activators needed to work collectively to get by this one!
I had initially deliberate to create a video of the activation, write an in depth discipline report, and reply among the questions you left within the feedback part of my earlier submit. I used to be truly capable of make a video, nevertheless it’s extremely lengthy. Due to that, I’m solely going to add it to Vimeo for QRPer.com Patreon supporters to view. I merely don’t wish to cope with the inevitable drive-by feedback on YouTube from folks anticipating quick-hit ideas concerning the X6200 in a virtually two-hour video.
No worries, although, I’ll make one other video witht he X6200 within the subsequent few days and publish that one on YouTube.
Within the meantime, I’ve additionally taken some thorough notes that I’ll be sharing right here.
Disclaimer: It’s essential to understand that it is a prototype loaner unit, and the firmware continues to be in its early levels (Model 1.0). Due to this, the next observations and notes needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
Many points will doubtless be addressed in firmware updates that Xiegu will probably be releasing within the coming days and weeks.
The date of publication for this text is Might 30, 2024. Contemplating
I’ll finally be posting a complete evaluate of the X6200, however solely after I’ve spent a major period of time (weeks, not simply hours) with the radio. This preliminary write-up is simply to share my first impressions.
Shifting on…
Since there merely wasn’t sufficient band exercise and the X-class flare created extra band noise than regular, I wasn’t capable of correctly consider the X6200’s filtering (thus the way it may deal with a pileup, crowded band circumstances, and so forth.). I additionally couldn’t get a superb learn on the radio’s noise ground and general audio traits.
I did, nonetheless, spend almost two full hours with the X6200 going full bore sending CQs, so I had fairly a little bit of hands-on time, and I really feel the X6200 bought a correct burn-in interval.
First, I’ll share the observations I made (each execs and cons), then I’ll attempt to reply your questions.
- Match and End: The X6200 appears like a top quality radio. General, it has barely extra heft than the X6100. The detachable battery seats itself securely, and the entire ports and seals really feel well-designed.
- Detachable Battery: Talking of the battery, it is a large optimistic for the X6200 over the X6100 and X5105.
- Colour Backlit Display screen: The 4″ coloration display is great. The distinction is great–black may be very darkish and lighter colours are crisp. I really feel like this display is best than that on the X6100. It’s not a contact display. See picture under of the display in full daylight.
- Facet Rails: I do know some customers may want not having built-in aspect rails on their X6200. Personally, I like them. I don’t really feel they intrude, they usually appear fairly sturdy, thus ought to shield the entrance panel without having so as to add a third occasion protecting cage.
- Legs: he pull-out legs on the aspect of the radio fold up flush to the physique when not in use. Additionally, the spring mechanism feels higher than that of, say, the X5105. Time will inform how nicely it holds up, after all. The working angle is kind of good when the legs are deployed.
- Constructed-In Speaker Audio: Once more, band circumstances weren’t splendid to check this since noise ranges had been increased than regular and alerts had been weak. Nonetheless, I felt just like the audio constancy was a bit missing. I had the quantity turned as much as 100% your entire time I operated and felt like I needed to pressure, at occasions, to listen to incoming alerts. I’ll have a greater opinion of this in due time.
- Energy Ranges: Apparently, the X6200’s energy ranges are 4 watts by way of the connected Li-Ion Battery pack and eight watts when linked to an exterior energy supply. The X6100 was 5 watts (battery) and 10 watts (exterior). This is able to don’t have any affect on my buy resolution, however I think about some SSB ops will probably be disenchanted the X6200 can’t produce 10 watts just like the X6100.
A lot of you had among the identical questions, thus I’ll attempt to group collectively solutions under. Observe that I’ve not but examined the X6200 on FT8 or any digital modes. Because it’s nonetheless such early days, I haven’t fashioned an opinion about some features of this radio–that is simply how I function. Remember that I’ll finally submit a full evaluate, and after I do, it’ll be after spending weeks (not hours) with this radio, and I’ll really feel extra comfy making statements.
Your questions…
Does chassis warmth up after prolonged use?
A lot of you had been interested in this as a result of each the X6100 and G90 can get fairly sizzling after prolonged use. Fortuitously, it appears the X6200 doesn’t get terribly sizzling. I ran it for most likely 90 minutes with the interior battery, thus 4 watts of output energy, and the highest of the radio bought heat, however not sizzling to the contact.
I solely ran the X6200 at 8 watts of energy for about 15-20 minutes, and most of that point was in SSB. After some updates, I’ll see the way it handles FT8 at 8 watts throughout lengthy periods as a worse-case state of affairs.
Does the receiver overload? Birdies?
This can be a weak spot of the X6100 and G106. I observed no broadcast band interference throughout this specific activation, nevertheless it was not terribly near an AM broadcaster. I will probably be testing this additional in future outings and from the QTH. I haven’t performed a radical scan of the bands for birdies but (I’ll, after all), however I did discover some internally-generated noise on the spectrum show (talked about above). Whether or not or not that is audible must be examined on a dummy load quickly.
Are you able to develop the radio?
Some have requested if the X6200 provided enlargement choices (extra bands, exterior screens, and so forth.). I can’t reply this but, however I’ll test with Xiegu.
I might be stunned when you might add VHF/UHF to this radio—it already covers 160-6 meters. I doubt it’s designed for enlargement past these frequencies.
“Enjoyable Issue” and Ease of Use/Ergonomics?
The expertise utilizing the X6200, up to now, may be very very similar to utilizing the X6100. It takes time besides up and shut down, however the ergonomics are fairly acceptable. There’s a studying curve with the X6200, however when you’re aware of the X6100, you’ll catch on in a short time.
Many requested concerning the ease of fixing the CW velocity mid-QSO. It’s simpler than it was with the X5105, nevertheless it nonetheless takes opening the KEY menu, deciding on CW velocity, then adjusting it.
The tuning knob is very similar to that on the X6100…fairly acceptable for a field-portable radio.
Inside Speaker
Once more, I really feel just like the audio constancy of the interior speaker is a bit weak. That stated, I’ve restricted time utilizing this radio and can have the ability to remark extra confidently later.
CW Bandwidths
I even have an inquiry with Xiegu now concerning the capability to vary CW filter width. It’s fairly straightforward to vary the excessive/low settings, however I’ve but to type out easy methods to widen the widest default filter (500Hz). It’s been so lengthy since I’ve used the X6100, I can keep in mind simply how variable the filter widths had been–after all, the X6200 has a unique structure. I assume I’ll have the ability to type this out, although.
CW Message Reminiscences
I’ll prevent YouTube and Web looking. Right here’s easy methods to use your CW message reminiscences when you’ve added them to every reminiscence place:
Press the APP button, then press the MODEM button, then choose the MODE as CW. Subsequent, press the MSG button, and your CW message reminiscences will probably be there.
Whereas on this mode (utilizing CW message reminiscences), you possibly can’t regulate filters, and so forth., with out exiting the mode, then re-entering it by way of the APP button, Modem, and ensuring CW is the mode, then urgent the MSG button once more.
Appears overly sophisticated, nevertheless it’s the identical means that the X6100 was arrange. (Sorry, John…)
QSK (Full Break-In)
The X6200 makes use of relays (not pin diode switching), similar to its predecessors.
There isn’t any full break-in operation as a result of there’s all the time muting whereas working.
Show in Full Daylight
I really feel just like the show is straightforward to learn outside. In full, unobstructed daylight, it is a bit more troublesome to learn, particularly if there are extra gadgets evident on the display. Even then, although, with any quantity of shading, it’s nonetheless fairly straightforward to learn.
I took the next picture as a worst-case state of affairs in full daylight directed on the display:
LED indicator
As talked about above, the X6200 has an LED indicator positioned to the left of the crimson energy button. The LED is sort of buried within the radio, and the lens is a clear XIEGU label.
In a darkish room, you possibly can see the LED. Outdoors in full daylight? It’s very troublesome. The LED solely illuminates a part of three letters of the XIEGU label. An odd design alternative.
Present
I took the next measurements with the X6200 hooked as much as an exterior antenna on the QTH.
Obtain present with quantity at low/average stage:
Obtain present with quantity at 100%:
Transmit present with 4 watts output:
Transmit present with 8 watts output:
Observe that the voltage was set to approx. 13.8 VDC.
Battery Life
After almost 90 minutes of working, the battery show turned crimson, that means it wanted to be recharged quickly.
I’m unsure but if the charging mechanism mechanically kicks in when an exterior battery is utilized. I might want to examine this a bit additional. Ideally, I might hope that you might change settings in order that the radio will solely use the exterior battery for energy, as an alternative of energy and charging.
What I haven’t but examined…
Readers requested about just a few issues that I haven’t checked out totally sufficient to touch upon but, together with: wi-fi connectivity, digital modes, filtering, receiver overload, battery charging traits, and so forth.
Replace: once more, I’m being despatched a consultant unit from the primary manufacturing run and I ought to have it inside per week or so. I’ll test it for any points and report again right here with what I discover.
I’m wanting ahead to proceed testing this radio underneath totally different circumstances and share a extra complete evaluate as soon as the X6200 firmware has had an opportunity to mature and I’m holding a manufacturing mannequin. Till then, keep tuned for extra updates and a few activation SOTA/POTA movies utilizing all kinds of antennas!
After all, I’d additionally prefer to ship a particular because of these of you who’ve been supporting the location and channel by Patreon, and the Espresso Fund. Whereas not a requirement, as my content material will all the time be free, I actually recognize the assist.
As I discussed above, Patreon supporters can watch the (very) lengthy activation video from Lake Powhatan. The Patreon platform linked to Vimeo makes it potential for me to share movies that aren’t solely 100% ad-free but additionally downloadable for offline viewing. The Vimeo account additionally serves as a 3rd backup for my video recordsdata.
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me!
Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)
