Part of our The Xiegu G90: The Complete Guide.
The most common question I get about the G90 is some version of “isn’t 20 watts too low.” Right now, honestly, no. But the answer depends on timing more than people realize, and it’s worth being straight about that instead of just saying “QRP works great” and leaving it there.
Why 20 Watts Works So Well Right Now
We’re currently in the elevated portion of Solar Cycle 25, and higher solar flux means a denser, more reflective ionosphere. That translates directly into better propagation, more open bands, and QRP signals that punch well above their wattage. A lot of the DX I’ve worked on 20 watts with the G90 would have been a much harder slog during a solar minimum. Right now, the sun is doing a meaningful chunk of the work for you.
What Changes When the Cycle Declines
Solar cycles run roughly eleven years, and the elevated conditions we’re enjoying now won’t last indefinitely. As the cycle passes its peak and heads toward the next minimum, expect higher bands to open less often and DX contacts on low power to take more patience. That’s not a G90 problem, it’s physics, and it applies to every 20 watt radio equally. But it does mean the experience new owners are having with this radio today may not be the experience owners have in a few years.
What I’d Tell Someone Buying a G90 Today
Buy it for what it is: a compact, capable QRP radio that’s having its best years right now because of where we are in the solar cycle. Enjoy that. But if your goal is reliable DX regardless of propagation, or you want a radio that stays equally satisfying through a solar minimum, plan on eventually adding something with more headroom, like the FT-891 or FTX-1, rather than assuming you’ll always be able to run 20 watts and get today’s results.
The G90 Doesn’t Stop Being Useful
None of this means the G90 becomes a bad radio once the cycle turns. NVIS work, regional nets, and closer contacts on the lower bands don’t depend on peak solar conditions the way long-haul DX does. It just means the easiest wins get harder, and it’s worth going in with that expectation instead of being surprised by it later.