Xiegu G90
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| Frequency | RX: 0.5-30 MHz (general coverage), TX: 160m-10m amateur bands (all HF amateur bands including WARC and 60m) |
| Bands | TX: 160m through 10m (all HF amateur bands). RX: general coverage. |
| TX power | 20 W (20W max output at 13.8V DC. Variable power 1-20W. AM: 1.4-19W. At 10.5V: 1.4-15.2W typical. ~6A at full power.) |
| Modes | SSB (USB/LSB), CW (with CW decoder, narrow filters including 50 Hz), AM, FM/NFM (firmware dependent — latest firmware or with GSOC controller) |
| Weight | 1.63 kg (3.6 lb) - ~3.6 lb (1633 g), body only (excludes the detachable head when separated). |
| Connector | SO-239 |
| Year | 2019 |
| antenna | SO-239 |
| key | 3.5mm stereo (straight key, paddle, or external keyer) |
| mic | multi-function backlit microphone (included, proprietary connector) |
| com | 3.5mm (firmware update port) |
| iq out | I/Q output for external SDR processing |
| head | DB-9 (detachable control head — 1m cable included) |
| dc in | mini Tamiya (older versions) or Anderson PowerPole (latest hardware) |
| power req | 13.8V DC ±15% (approximately 11.7-15.9V). ~6A at full 20W output. External DC power only — no internal battery. |
20 W HF with a built-in ATU, color waterfall, and detachable head at an entry-level HF price. Few radios at this price include both a built-in automatic antenna tuner and a color spectrum/waterfall display. The ATU matches a wide range of antennas (about 5:1 per spec, often better in practice), which helps with improvised field antennas. It has a 24-bit SDR architecture, a CW decoder, and an I/Q output for an external SDR display. The detachable head allows mobile installation. It covers all HF bands 160-10 m including WARC, with a multi-function backlit microphone included, an active firmware community, and compatibility with the CE-19 (digital modes) and XPA125B amplifier.
20 W limits DX potential compared with 100 W radios. At 3.6 lb it is heavier than QRP alternatives. Build quality is functional, not Japanese-tier. Software updates have occasionally introduced bugs. FM mode needs the latest firmware or a GSOC controller. The DE-19 adapter for digital modes is sold separately (no built-in USB sound card). The waterfall display is small (320x240). No internal battery. The DC connector changed between versions (mini Tamiya vs PowerPole). The menu system takes learning. Receive performance does not match an IC-7300. Early units drew criticism for CW key-clicks (tameable in the rise-time settings), and the receive audio can be fatiguing; there is no CW or voice message memory.
A capable budget HF radio. The G90 fills a specific niche: a 20 W all-band HF transceiver with built-in ATU, color waterfall, and detachable head at roughly half the price of an IC-7300. For portable, mobile, and field operation where the built-in tuner matters, it delivers capability that little else at this price matches. Receive performance will not match rigs costing several times as much, but the G90 makes contacts.
The Xiegu G90 is a 20-watt HF transceiver that, more than any other single radio, made affordable SDR-with-a-waterfall mainstream. For entry-level HF money it gives you a real 24-bit software-defined radio with a color spectrum-and-waterfall display, a genuinely good built-in automatic antenna tuner, and a detachable control head you can mount remotely - a combination that simply did not exist at the price when it appeared in 2019. It covers the HF bands from 160 through 10 meters; note there is no 6 meters.
It transmits 20 watts on SSB, CW and FM (a 5-watt AM carrier), more punch than the 5- and 10-watt QRP radios it is often cross-shopped against, while still being light enough to take to a park. The built-in tuner is the part owners rave about - it matches a wide range of antennas and is frequently called better than the one in radios costing far more. The receiver is good for the money rather than great, and some find its audio a little harsh over long sessions.
A couple of practical notes. For digital modes it is not its own sound card - you add Xiegu's DE-19 USB adapter or a third-party interface through the accessory port, while the supplied cable handles CAT control. The radio has been updated by firmware many times over its life, which has both added features (standalone FM, data sub-modes) and, occasionally, introduced new bugs. Early units also drew criticism for CW key-clicks, largely tameable in the rise-time settings.
It is not built or specified like a far pricier Icom IC-705 - which adds 6 m, 2 m, 70 cm and far more polish - but the G90 gives you more transmit power for a third of the money. Within Xiegu's own line, the battery-equipped X5105 is the self-contained QRP alternative. For a first SDR HF rig, a mobile installation, or a capable field radio on a budget, the G90 remains one of the best values in ham radio.