USDX USDR+ 8 Band HF SDR Transceiver

Here we take a look at a cheap clone of a uSDX Transceiver.
Please note that the links below are to the ORIGINAL project, which WORKS, but what this videos product is based on.
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dl2man.de/
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[@davidelley8979]

I was given one, and I have used it to make contact with Italy, Spain and Poland via a random wire end fed. Was surprised at the feedback and signal reports!!!

[@Johnmfoss]

Well, I have this radio and I have found some of the defects you noted. I only bought it for cw, so the ssb issues are not so obvious or important. The audio feedback issue is really annoying - gain cannot be used above 10 (or maybe 12 outdoors) and at lower audio levels, the signals are obscured by noise. I secured an adhesive felt pad over the speaker which helps the shrillness of the audio, and have had several contacts. I keep telling myself that it’s a toy at this price point… it’s just a toy. Thanks for your video.

[@josevictorsinn4924]

No creo que separar un povo el enchufe ee mic sea dificil.

[@spudnickuk]

so glad I got to see this as did see these up for sale the other week and was thinking of getting one. I am glad that I have learned to research before buying rubbish.

[@Simon-qn5wm]

Thanks for saving me, so glad I saw your video as I too was thinking of buying one. Not any more

[@willieb6529]

have button/vfo on top model... purchased for experiementation and pleasantly surprised even with low expectations... cw decoding and practice mode is nice... mine was touted as having ts480 CAT, but it didn't... got it working for ft8 with a simple homebrew cable for the mic port (4-pole) to 3-pole for the USB audio output, and a VOX NOISE GATE setting of 50

[@WadeAbout]

My take away is that there is a market for light and cheap HF simple TRX. Was so disappointed that the recent QRP labs unit had such a limited run. Sold out in 15 mins. How do you stop these Chinese clones? Simple. Make available what the market wants at a price they will pay. It’s nonsense IMHO to have $1900 qrp radios with a pretty screen without the opposing end of the spectrum

[@yv6eda]

Thanks for the video! I received mine as a gift with very good references Matt! I used it a couple times on SSB with no problems. I want to test it with Winlink. Do you know any guide or reference to the cable build? Thanks in advance!

[@billruppert9007]

Noise gate should be off and min bias set to 0. This is an old version of the radio and it much improved now...

[@r.digirolamo3839]

Which value do you suggest for Pa Bias max? And for Tx drive? Native noise gate I see is 4.

[@dimitarmilkov2215]

I got it for about $ 150 without a microphone. This is not a problem because it has a built-in and I will use it by hand. I made several connections with colleagues from Bulgaria over short distances with the Horizontal Windom antenna. They give me a score of 59. But my built-in FWR-SWR doesn't work. Maybe I'll change the firmware with the latest one, open it and see if everything is inside or if there is a cut element. 73 de LZ1MD

[@willieb6529]

make sure you have s-bar selected for the meter... switch mode to cw then press pt and you will see fwd pwr & swr readout

[@dimitarmilkov2215]

@@willieb6529 Many thanks!

[@andyandresen3862]

You do a great job on the reviews that I have seen from you, but you missed the mark on this one. I think it’s the best of all the uSDX units. Audio is clear and loud. DNR works well for a unit of this price. And audio reports are excellent.i believe you got a bad one. I’m not a big QRP guy but I have enjoyed using this rig and find it easy to work on and upgrade firmware. I should note I’m running revision 4.000d

[@KL3NCH]

I wired up one of those mics for my KX3 (the Elecraft MH3 is just so expensive for a Chinese Icom HM36.) It was simply apalling and within two minutes I just salvaged the TRRS plug. I know you said you tried the internal mic too, but that's likely the same element. Dumb question; any mileage in trying a different mic? Although cheap does seem to be synonomous with Chinese, it's not as simple as that. With constant oversight and satisfactory quality control, the Chinese make first class equipment. I'm a little more open-minded, but I too have been stung on several occasions after being taken in by a giveaway price and nowadays I look on it as money better put towards the extra cost of superior items. The bottom line is if you insist on paying peanuts you'll get what's coming and the Chinese are more than ready to fill any such perceived market opportunities. Many thanks anyway because videos such as these are immensely helpful to those unwilling to be beta testers whatever the price point.

[@Yosemite_Sam]

Great video. Interesting all these portable qrp SDR radios. Apache Labs are still producing the Hermes boards from the Anan 100 at $390 USD. Not portable and not plug and play either. 500mw out but they offer a 10w amp for it. I attached one to a Sailor T1130 for 500 watts out with pure signal and diversity. I would love to see a review running Thesis. Cheers

[@Lugeix]

I have the Black Brick. The output was 1watt and below above 20m. The LP filter was wand on t37-2 toroids. I change that to T37-6 toroids. As well as adjusted their value to get 6 watts out on all band. I did update the firmware to 4.00. But the audio is still not right. Also, the output is very noisy. its OK on CW.

[@everettrantanen1732]

I have this same radio with software version 4.00c. how do you set the CW decoder? the only thing I see is under S-meter setting there is a "wpm" (words per minute?) setting but that's it.

[@eliotmansfield]

Nice original Chinese ‘death adapter’ for the mains plug

[@sjsadler8061]

I think you got it the wrong way around - It's designed so that you can retune by simply pulling the mic lead .... Genius!

[@homebrewham2786]

been waiting for you to review this matt, thanks for the info mate 👍

[@ChristianKoehler77]

I have a similar one in blue. It's terrible. On CW it constantly transmitts a strange whining tone without me even touching the PTT. That signal can be picked up easily across the neighborhood with a pocket shortwave radio recover. When transmitting on 7.1 harmonics on 14.2 and 28.2 can be picked up at some distance as well.. SSB / AM /FM audio is just as bad as yours. My unit picks up only hum at 160m even though it is advertised as 160 to 10. No CE logo, of course. And there was a loose screw rattling around in the case. Quality control? Ouch. Returning it to Amazon. Just got the license a month ago, really had hoped for my first HF experience to be more enjoyable. 73 from Berlin / DC6CK

[@g0nad716]

Wish I’d seen this video before buying one, thanks Matt for an accurate review as always. My unit just about has modulation using the internal mic but the external one is just a noise source. Terrible and unusable Tx on SSB, ok’ish for RX. Avoid.

[@Paddy_Roche]

Thanks Matthew, what a load of old tripe. Makes the Xiegu X6100 look usable, lol.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Hey TM, its TO! Thanks for the wave off on this one!

[@georgealbertacanadaeh1038]

Thank you. I was going to buy this based on a $104 advertised cost! Glad I searched it and watched this video!

[@jamescollier3]

I'm looking too for HF. Seems like we will be spending $500+ to do that

[@NathanYoko]

Thanks for the review.

[@m0dad]

Many thanks for this review Mathew, it came just in time before I sent for the same transceiver. Thought it looked too good to be true. I have saw some good videos on this rig but did have my suspicions about it. I have a Xiegu X5105 and this has exactly the same TX audio issue with it as your USDR radio except its intermittent on the Xiegu. It's a pity about your transceiver as they clearly have the potential for the making of a good radio with some better quality control. 73 and thanks for the honest review. Saved me wasting money. M0DAD David.

[@craigbuck8686]

Recently received one of the above (Dec 2021). It came with no mic and no instructions. I wasn't happy the power supply came with a European 220 plug but the picture on eBay is accurate. I just missed it. The receiver seemed decent but without instructions, I'm sending it back. Too bad, it seems like a solid little package.

[@billruppert9007]

The radio is also put together wrong. Did you put it back wrong or did it ship like that, The end caps are wrong.

[@chopchop3464]

I just bought one because that KZbinr said it was wonderful

[@Hultis-Funkbude]

Thanks for the video! 73 from JO30QK - Germany

[@TechMindsOfficial]

You’re welcome!

[@petrotseli]

Thanks for the video,but i wonder if those trasceivers works below the band of 80 meters,3450 for example or 6700.

[@arainadiaz9219]

Ordered these, receiver is terrible and noisy, internal microphoning / feedback on RX too. TX works ok on SSB.. Actually quite well on transmit. They need to improve these little bricks. So far you might need a separate "portable" receiver ganged to it. lol

[@MM0OPXFieldRadio]

A station called my earlier using one these. The RF on the audio was brutal.

[@HamTechRadioScannerDrones]

GW8RID Has some modified Firmware .

[@EricMosegard]

Great review. Very thorough

[@pavelsala3355]

I'm currently waiting for delivery of this transceiver and what i see in this review does not make me happy :(.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Hey Pavel, I would be very interested in knowing how yours performs. Please let me know when it arrives. Thank you 🙏

[@jarmojarvinen1585]

@@TechMindsOfficial hi, I got one of these where tuning knob is on the top and when I have done a qso with it other stations have complained bad modulation. So yours is not the only bad one. OM0 have a video of my modell on youtube.

[@brambo4776]

I got 2 off them!! For me they work very well! What can u expect for $150,=== I made many calls with it and the other side was hearing me and call back my call...I dont need more! ..I only use it on 20 and 40.. with a MFJ 1899T wilp heard around Europe..Greetz PD5BT.

[@pavelsala3355]

@@TechMindsOfficial It arrived two days before. My vfo konb is smaller, so the knob-mic feature is missing :). On my PCB a two diodes before FST3253 (near the BS170 transistor) are solder. I can test it only on 10m band with the FM modulation so far. For test i used a handheld CB radio (ELIX SY-101). Quality of the FM transmit of the uSDX is good (with an internal micropohone, external microphone not working) but reception is terrible. I tried all of the combinations of attneuators/NR/AGC settings but a speech is not readable. It sounds like the audio signal is clipped. I thought that the input was overload so i tried add an external atenuator. But nothing changed. I wil make an antenna for 40m and will test the reception quality on this band. I hope that at leas for the CW operation this TRX will be usable.

[@barrykery1175]

Thanks for posting. You saved me from making a BIG mistake. Barry, KU3X

[@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE]

Also the red mounting lugs round the screws are not good, some had split.

[@wolframkoppisch8911]

my radio doesnt switch on with the dsislay, only shoe black stripes like battery charching??

[@graemeeuk]

Very interesting, certainly looks pretty poor. I had an Italian station come back to me on 20m last week using one of these with the telescopic whip, operating like a handie from a beach, and by chance he had videoed the QSO, which he sent me. Maybe they’ve improved things, or maybe he got a lucky model, but I can say that his audio received at my end was excellent, with no hint of poor quality. And similarity my audio at his end as heard via the video sounded good too. Maybe there are various clones of the original of differing quality? Not sure. Just thought I’d throw that in anyway. 73 de M0EUK

[@MrFramich]

Buongiorno è utilizzabile su 27 Mhz AM?

[@haramanggapuja]

Plenty comments on the uSDX group list about this and other versions of the same clone. I had one of 'em and modified the blazes out of it to get it to have an acceptable AF level. As a CW rig on transmit it wasn't that bad, but DL2MAN's review of the spectral purity showed serious defects. The one you have here (and reviewed) appears to use the same "no name" toroids in the one I had and which Manuel reviewed. So there's t hat problem too. Looking at the online offers & even this one, I have my doubts about the quality of the build as well. Broken bits on the red bumper surrounds were the biggest point. The layout & ergonomics of the tuning knob & the CW paddles port were another'n. And we all know how horrible the SSB sounds on a real radio. Oh, and that output tranny hanging off the board like it does, well, that's another'n. So yeah, not much worth it, truth up. I'll keep my X5105. Thanks for the view and review. 73 de W8IJN

[@jamescollier3]

that makes sense. Absolutely min for HF seems to be $500. May as well pay 200 more for a good one. 100$ not going to cut it

[@philbridgesUK]

Very helpful Matt, great to see honest reviews, thanks

[@3asyrider75]

Q should be Quebec. Were you using the older standard?

[@eddy2561]

Nice video, I use mine for CW only and the uSDX is ok for that mode. My Chinese unit VFO is irradiate and slow to respond and can be frustrating to use. ...I wonder if the DL2MAN authorized rig is worth it? 73/K6SDW

[@sigint99]

No general coverage, right ?

[@casartellialberto]

Molto interessante Siccome la mia radio è completamente sorda penso sia un problema di settaggio Hai per caso delle istruzioni ? Non le trovo e non so come fare Puoi aiutarmi? Grazie 🙏

[@dovpauzner5093]

Thank you !

[@migalito1955]

Too bad. Of interest is whether it's an issue in one or all the clones. I am reasonably sure someone knowing how to pinpoint the cause of the rather unclean sidebands that have seemingly distortion of some type associated with them and why the carrier is not essentially filtered from the output could likely fix it. Someone had to know what they were doing to get as far they got, so surely they must know how to prevent the issue and if in all of the clones why the heck did they not fix the issue prior to selling the darn things.

[@shoppersplace]

who manufactures the original? if that's a better rig, should be a link here

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Check out my (tr)uSDX video. They are the originals.

[@LifeIsTooShortForQRP]

I wish I would have seen your vid before I ordered this. The product is a complete disaster, $140 down the drain (AliExpress, so no returns). The receiver in USB and LSB modes is not too bad (considering the price), but the rest is a disaster. Whatever the transmitted signal is, it has nothing to do with sideband (actually it almost sounds like the experimental PLL SSB with constant amplitude, which was popular in the 1980s as a novelty but abandoned due to the horrible quality of the signal) AM and FM do not work at all (just some weird hiss being received or transmitted). Only thing that impressed me was that the frequency accuracy of this radio is remarkably good. I had bought this as a present for a good friend of mine, but I do not want to jeopardize the friendship with such a horrible radio. So in the trash it goes. Next time I will watch the KZbin reviews first. I appreciate the effort you put int he video, thanks.

[@swenner64]

I almost bought that form factor glad I didn't the version I have is ok.

[@georgealbertacanadaeh1038]

hello and happy Christmas! Am just wondering what is the SDR software you are using in this video? Thanks George Alberta Canada -40c 25-Dec-2021 1205mtn

[@ziyayergok6090]

ı am very happy with my rıg..especialy cw. mod.low rx power concumptions.robust case...very good cw decodıng..dısplay ıs clear..no problem from the speaker sound qualıty..but hıgher bands suffer from output power.thank you for the nıce vıdeo..de ta3iid...

[@mehr_wolf_weniger_adolf]

Nice device! Can someone tell me whether this rig can also be used to transmit on the 11m or EC band?

[@markusk9650]

Working in CW?

[@jeffkardosjr.3825]

This thing wants to transmit on it's own in CW mode. How do you stop that?

[@willieb6529]

turn off vox?

[@martinryan5069]

Just watched another video on this tx was perfect receive was great you must have got a bad one

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Luck of the draw I guess. Maybe if I get the time I’ll try and diagnose why this one is so shite, but I had to warn others about this one.

[@martinryan5069]

@@TechMindsOfficial I agree with you time will tell like your reviews I've seen reviews on the Chinese malahit radio that were crap I got one excellent recivier l have an ftdx 3000 it's every bit as good on receive for 120 euro

[@eddyoporco5100]

thanks

[@ToumalRakesh]

5:43 on the bottom there's pins sticking out that haven't been soldered to the board. I'm pretty sure it's just a terrible build job.

[@scharfshutzen]

Mine arrived DOA!! Unable to even power up!!!

[@terrybell8805]

I bought one and the audio was just as distorted no matter what setting I used

[@terrybell8805]

Mine is exactly the same as yours !

[@antonioliriololi]

Creo que hay que tener suerte para tener uno con buena fabricación. No me arriesgaré.

[@josevictorsinn4924]

Observe que si raspa el enchufe de mic o la perilla se acaba el problema.Si pone un tope de silicina la bateria se fija. SON DIFICUKTADES TINTAS Y FACIKES. YO COMPRE.

[@Alok_raj]

I you feel it as a waste can you give over to me pls😅

[@arainadiaz9219]

The price and form was very attractive. It does work, but RX is quite bad.

[@mehr_wolf_weniger_adolf]

So I am very satisfied with the beautiful device from China! It is cleanly processed and solidly built. Better than the primitive kit replica. In addition, this is very difficult to assemble, coils have to be wound and tiny components have to be soldered. The Munaels of this world should work with their shoddy "Lego" toys themselves. I despise racists who badmouth products from China and stick to my great and cute original device from China!

[@AlessioBeatrice]

Right! This Is a good radio, very good, not a Yaesu 817 but very very enjoyable! this review is too phased

[@mehr_wolf_weniger_adolf]

@@AlessioBeatrice What made you think of it now, the yaesu 817?

[@johnnorth9355]

The race to the bottom could so easily have been avoided. Me I would have partnered with the original designer and produced a market storming high quality product that was beyond reproach for the price point - which may have been a little higher. Business experience is perhaps one thing that is not easily copied.

[@AlessioBeatrice]

This Is a good radio, very good, not a Yaesu 817 but very very enjoyable! this review is too phased, imho.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Phased? It’s not biased, it’s the truth for this device! It’s crap! End of! Original design from the original designer is good. Maybe I just got unlucky with this one… oh wait, I got two more of the same device and all are crap, not worth the money.

[@alainzen7262]

I confirm it is a good radio for the price Now i used it in ssb also for Sota and have good reports Thursday 28 qso in Sota Suffisant and good for cw with mfj 1899 T and keyer mfj Your vidéo is too much succinct and not in a real trafic Sri but it is true... Il is not à KX2 or Ft 817 : I like this radio because not heavy, Simple and a good internal battery capacity I am a Sota activator from 12 years and I think to have experience of qrp

[@alessiociuffi6876]

Tx in 27 MHz?

[@6pfk]

Anyone recommend a cheapish good for portable?

[@Steve-GM0HUU]

Assuming you mean for HF, depends exactly what you need. Multiband or single band? CW only or CW/SSB or digimode only? Are you happy building a kit or not? Just how small or light do you need it to be? Are you happy to take risk buying used or does it have to be new?

[@Anautistictherapist]

No longer available.

[@Capt_Duffy]

I ve got the other version, the one with front screen, its totally junk....wasted my money on it...

[@davem0udb]

That’s the trouble with copies

[@lawrencebrown3582]

Worth pointing out that the supplied Chinese "Death Adapter" presents a serious risk to life. Seriously dangerous devices.

[@welshbikepackingadventures]

Hope you get you money back, this is bad

[@andrzejpl9897]

😂 Thanks !

[@Taisteluhamsteri]

Shame, i was thinking odering this, when i get my licence, as a small qrp sota transrecever. I dont have a place, or knowledge to build any Projects, so buying affordable is my only choice. Well, back to researching.

[@rc3dr]

Junk!

[@StuartM0TTQAmateurRadio]

Holy smoke that sounds bad on TX!

[@AlexCausey]

Junk.!

[@StormTrouper3]

I have the same radio different case, no TX or RX, I got 50% of my cash back from Ali Express and opened a case with PayPal for the other half, but don't buy these.

[@oobihdahboobeeboppah]

Thanks for taking the hit on this unit so we don't have to. Seems like more junk from China. They must turn their electronics students loose designing and producing these junk boxes; here one week, and either changed or gone the next.

[@jeffreypetchharrison4363]

o i got one like this and it is total shizen filters on cw just make a splatter noise do not buy this if you want a cheep rig get an x1m

[@jplacido9999]

This is the "HF baofeng" trash radio

[@camworkstv]

terrible china device. The original is way better and doesn't have this flaws.

[@myaquaponic5206]

@@RP4UXO Hi, Here's a homebrew uSDX TX video , powered by a normal power bank : kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2LOgnqfg8xqjtU and several of HAM operators from many hundreds Km away recorded the audio with their cellphone and uploaded here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/emKUZ2aijddqesU This was older version of firmware, the latest firmware has much better audio quality. Receive audio from cheap handheld speaker mic sounds bad though, Here's the RX audio quality using an external speakers : kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqvXgKqKf8x5nMk Just for your reference 73

[@adam-g7crq]

Very cheap radio or an expensive brick 😜

[@VOLKZZORN]

50€ Not more for a Receiver a Transceiwer ist this Not ❗️

[@amercalifa5592]

Very expensive for this badly radio..

[@areksp5shs772]

The funny thing is that the original project from official distribution is cheaper than chinese knockoff :)

[@LB1AF]

Dont bay thice only JUNK!

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Agree!!

[@Allthingsradio]

Hmmm Chinese what more can I say

[@RevGunn-jq3cq]

Great review of a piece crap

[@rc3dr]

More Chinese Junk. Save your money up and by a real qrp rig.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Yep, this one wasn't so great!

[@dangruner5926]

What a horrid piece of sh*t. Why people waste their money on stuff like this is beyond me? Shame on them. Just buy a decent, compact second-hand radio such as the Yaesu FT-817 and be done with it!

[@mikestone9129]

junk, 100% junk

[@hillbilly4christ638]

Yet another inferior product by the ripoff artists of the world!

[@Alekssport2101]

Здравствуйте. Какой транзистор применяется в выходном каскаде?

[@Nathan1975Liggy]

not good is it mate. Great videos love the channel, keep up the great work. 73 de 2E0LIG

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Thanks Nathan! 🙏

[@joeblow8593]

Thanks for the review.