Tag: sdr
-
Getting Started with Cheap SDR Receivers: RTL-SDR and HackRF
What a $30 RTL-SDR dongle can actually do, how HackRF extends that, and how to get either one running.
-
Xiegu X6100 Review: A Touchscreen Portable Alternative to the G90
Part of our Where to Spend Your Money guide. The X6100 is Xiegu’s more premium portable offering, built around a full touchscreen SDR interface and an internal battery, positioning it as a more self-contained alternative to the G90 for POTA and SOTA style operating. Touchscreen SDR Interface Unlike the G90’s small waterfall display, the X6100…
-
Yaesu FT-710 AESS Review: A Compact Desktop SDR
Part of our Where to Spend Your Money guide. The FT-710 is Yaesu’s answer to the desktop SDR category that Icom’s IC-7300 essentially defined, and it is worth a serious look if you are shopping that segment rather than assuming the IC-7300 Mark II is your only option. SDR Receiver and Front End The FT-710…
-
Icom IC-705 Review: A Compact SDR QRP Radio for the Field
Part of our Handheld Radios (HTs) guide. The IC-705 was one of the first radios to bring genuine SDR performance into a battery-powered, backpack-friendly package, and it remains one of the most capable portable radios on the market years after launch. What Makes It Different Unlike the Xiegu G90 or Yaesu FT-891, the IC-705 covers…
-
Airband and Public Safety Scanning with an SDR
An RTL-SDR dongle replaces a dedicated scanner for airband, and gets you most of the way there on trunked public safety systems too.
-
Xiegu G90 for Portable Ops, and How It Stacks Up Against the FT-891
20 watts, a built-in tuner, and a waterfall display in a radio you can hold in one hand. Here’s how the G90 does in the field, and where it wins and loses against the FT-891.
-
The Yaesu FTX-1: Field Radio, Base Station, or Both?
Yaesu’s long-awaited FT-817/818 successor splits into two configurations: a lightweight Field Head and a 100W Optima setup. Here’s how each one performs.
-
Icom IC-7300 vs IC-7300 Mark II, and How Both Compare to the G90 and FT-891
The radio that put SDR touchscreens in every ham’s hands just got a sequel. Here’s what actually changed, and where it and the original fit against the G90 and FT-891.
-
What Is an SDR Transceiver, and Why Does It Matter?
Software defined radio has quietly taken over the amateur radio market. Here is what an SDR transceiver is, why it helps, and some popular current rigs.