Q900 V4 - ALL BAND ALL MODE HAM RADIO TRANSCEIVER
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- čas přidán 17. 07. 2024
- Part 1 of a series where we take a look at the new Q900 V4, a multi-band, multi-mode portable, battery operated Ham Radio Transceiver. If one of the top tiers made this, you would have to pay a small fortune. It has it's quirks, but it also has LOTS of cool features all in one tiny box.
If you would like to purchase the Q900 V4, I would highly recommend from purchasing from the following link. The seller has direct contact with the manufacturer and provides the fastest shipping and support.
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DDt...
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DlI...
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#TechMinds #SDR #HamRadio - Věda a technologie
I own a V3 model and have used it extensively. I like the radio but have some tough questions for Guohetec. Have they fixed all the problems with the V3 model? DMR through hotspots? DMR through repeaters? Uneven power outputs across various bands? Low power (or no power) on VHF/UHF? Bluetooth connectivity problems? Complete lack of repair or warrantee support without spending $300 on shipping back to China? Any reasonable level of technical support? A PTT connector that actually works? Any possible use for the GPS and Compass modules? Remote capability? This is a seriously flawed radio -
Thanks, I am glad you go into detail in separate videos, I am really interested in this unit.
- Does it have different AM Synchronous, AM-Sync-USB, AM-Sync-LSB, AM-DSB modes?
- In which steps can you adjust the AM bandwidth
- Does it have an AM squelch, e.g. for Air Band monitoring
- Can you adjust its AGC regulation speed for AM and sideband?
- How well does the DSP based ANC work?
- Can you compare it (antenna splitter & A/B test) to e.g. a Malahit SDR and maybe a modern dedicated ham transceiver in terms of
- oscillator noise floor
- overall sensitivity (this and the above make it very valuable when in the field with small passive antennas)
- does it create a lot of noise when the antenna is close to the rig?
- front end overload
- A/D dynamic
How does the front end behave in real life when connected to wide band antennas for HF (active loop) as well as VHF/UHF(e.g. Discone/LogPeriodic)?
What about the TX in terms of spurious emissions and harmonics?
This ultra versatile radio offers plenty of operational aspects and modes to be tested in, so keep it rolling.
Anyway I am fascinated by this transceiver, though it is just low power, with its ultra compact form factor it must be perfect when portable in the field.
It seems to do it all you can even think of by incorporating a very modern design approach.
Glad to see its improvement iterations coming along on the hard- and software side.
I'm in the US, but think the inclusion of the 4m band is great; I know there are some preliminary experiments going on with 4m here in the US right now, so it'd be cool to have this on hand if it ever becomes more widely available.
Ohhh that’s great news! Let’s hope it gets approved, working US from UK on 4M would be awesome.
@@TechMindsOfficial I'm so sorry. I mis-spoke. It's the 8m band that's currently under consideration.
czcams.com/video/xz8rz3Cs9hU/video.html
Ooh I’ve been waiting patiently for this 1 Matt!! Thanks 73 Chris Gm4zji
You’re welcome ☺️
I like this radio so far
Thanks, Matt 😁
Love this,,, just looking at the schematic for it, perfect ! A Dial is a easy DIY project , id drill into the Right Side, and fit the kit there . Get creative 73s
Does it support any form of "scramble" at the analog bands or encryption with DMR?
Think I commented before on the V3 very impressive just shows what some of the big manufacturers should be doing. Regards Tony M7CVK
Exactly! Imagine the cost of this if one of the top tiers made it! Cheers
They are fixingu bugs without adding new, and v1 is solid, not need for V2, V3, V4. Will be there v5 next year?
@Rafal It’s not just firmware changes, there are hardware changes in V4 compared to earlier versions.
@@TechMindsOfficial I know, 70MHz band (filters) and no split antenna in/out between jacks on analog V/U with DMR module installed. Ouch and reset button available from V3.3.
👍Thanks for video.
My questions include:
1. Does TX cover entire UK 60m band 5.258-5.4065MHz?
2. Does it have semi and full CW break-in?
That thing is cool looking
I might’ve missed it, but it’s worth mentioning it has a max 30w output on HF+6m bands and 5w max on 5m and 70cm.
It took me a while to find this info and I was becoming more and more curious the harder I looked. 5w doesn’t seem right for vhf, but it’s possible I was misinformed.
Otherwise, good video and it looks like a cool little radio! Thanks.
The "PTT" button in the SDR software on computer caught my eye. Does it mean that you can also transmit directly using the SDR software (and a microphone connected to your computer)?
Excellent video
Thank you 🙏
Seems a really nice unit, in your "extra" videos, could you include the sensitivity tests, like weak signals compared to a more standard type radios in real world for hf/vhf/uhf
I read the specs, most radios quote 0.25uv whilst some are far better around 0.18, others are not and only meet 0.25 also, maybe even pop it on a tinysa? thanks for letting us all know this unit exists, it seems it needs serious consideration when making another purchase, thanks.
You're welcome, and thanks for the comment. I will for sure include these tests in future videos. Cheers
I have the Q900 V3 version and love it. I want to program repeaters into the memory channels. What software would allow me to do that - just program memory channel?
Interested in this for the car, I bought the revision 3 model and had to return it as it had a load of faults. I liked the idea of it but it had too many problems.
I can't wait to see your next video on a generation 4
I so CB on band menu, so is there out of band TX option for 27 and 446 mhz ? What is the battery type ? can it be replaced if needed ?
Thanks for the excellent video, as always. Questions:1. Can you set the transmit BW? 2. Is there an audio equalizer for transmit? Thanks!
Okay, question 2 I can answer right now, and that’s yes, kind of. While transmitting you can alter the bass and treble sliders for TX audio. These are independent settings of when you RX. RX bandwidth can be changed, for sure, but I will need to check on TX bandwidth when I get back to my office. I’ll include what I find in the next video on this radio.
@@TechMindsOfficial Thanks much! 73 de WA3RSL
DMR Module, great choice. A handheld has lots of DMR settings like ROAMING or CALL ALERT Etc. Maube you can elaborate in a separate video on this? Thanks for video.
I will be doing a dedicated video to show how DMR works in this radio. Thanks
@@TechMindsOfficial Does DMR work? It doesn't with the Q900 V3.
I just recently learned about the radio and am looking at reviews. Overall, I'm impressed with this hottie. I think it would be extremely suitable for field work. I found no mention of a sound processor, filters, attenuator or preamplifier. Is there a microphone gain setting? They are especially valuable for short waves. Are they available, how are they accessed and set up?
Greetings from LZ1INP, 73!
The RX audio is really rather good!
It’s pretty darn good. Internal speaker is not that great, as it’s so small, but the actual audio from the usb audio interface is superb.
Receiver is really good. TX is problematic in V3. We do not expect to much change in V4.
But, we will wait.
You asked for questions: How good is the ATU? What is the min length of wire it will tune up on 40 and 20 for example? Or is it like most big brand radios and only a 3:1 tuner? Would be good to know as that could be the selling point to me as a portable radio for holidays, days out, on the boat /mm etc
You expect a full range 50:1 tuner in a radio 1.5 inches tall?
@@stargazer7644 There's a decent one in the X6100
Good video Mat - can you recommend the antennas for this radio please?
Did you say there was some sort of USB attachable control for the VFO? I'm not sure I understand, because you then called it a keyboard. I get using the BT software to control the unit, but could you please elaborate? I want to know if I can attach a piece of dedicated hardware so as to have a traditional VFO knob available right there!
I want to see inside !
It’s basically just two boards, plus the front panel. I’ll see if I can get some pics
@@TechMindsOfficial Very good. I have got 4m here incidentally if you are stuck.
You cant , its private
What is the RX and TX bandwidth options of this V4 version specifically on HF 160-6M
Guohetec was supposed to be at Dayton Hamvention but their booth was empty when I walked by.
Oohhh I’ll watsapp him and ask him if he’s going.
This is a sad story.
Hi iv just ordered the q900 v4 will it need the settings to be set or will it be done for me.
Have there been any updates to this radio? I was hoping to hear more about 2m/70cm SSB performance. Or imagine if it did M17?
Is the video out, that covers RF output power and spurious signal?
Like Laptops that left out a webcam or SD card slot, leaving out the option of having a rotary knob on this kills the deal. It's a nice looking unit though
There are projects for this, like VFO via BLE on an Android app etc, or making one. I will cover this in a future video. Thanks :-)
Thanks for the video, this looks a very interesting radio especially as it now supports 4m. I saw one for sale recently second hand, maybe yours? is this a reliable piece of kit or is it still in development? G8XDD
At some point I considered this radio but I have seen videos of many problems that this Q900 V4 version presents, it is a shame, because in principle it seems like a great option to have several bands and modes in one.
Hi love your videos is there any other microphone i I could use on the q900 ?73s from 9z4apa .
I've thought about it but I think I'd have real issue with not having a tuning encoder, even if the radio was a bit wider to put it or if they offered a USB encoder it would make a big difference.
After getting used to it I have no problem of not having a tuning encoder. The waterfall also helps to quickly see activities on the band
Would love to see how it performs on 4 meters. I do have a radio for 4 meters, buts its FM only.
I’m hoping to put my 4M antenna up soon and then I will cover 4M usage. Cheers
I wonder if this radio will become popular in the 🇺🇸. Looks nice but I wonder if it would work smoothly in U.S.
Is it also able to send on 60m and 149Mhz (freenet in germany)?
Great Vid. TNX!
I’ve received three different version 3 units of this transceiver. None of them worked properly and all three were eventually sent back to China. Terrific design, but sadly terrible quality control on this radio.
I have a Q900 V3 with all of the modules included. Is there a way to get some of the V4 functionality via a firmware upgrade?
I’m not entirely sure, I know there is a new firmware but not sure if it’s specific to V4. I’ll ask them on Monday when they are back at work.
Max, does this radio does SSB and CW and other modes also on 144 and 430 MHz ? It seems a nice shack in a little box ;-)
Can you do a video on using FT8 / WSJT-X please?
Absolutely, will be doing that soon my friend.
Hi Matt. Do you know if you can access the gps data over USB to set the time in a connected computer like you can with the IC-705. Cheers and thanks for the video.
Lance VK6LMK
Thats a very good question Lance. I think the answer is no, but I will check with the manufacture. I'm sure this would be a good idea, but I guess not everyone will order the radio with the GPS module, especially outside of china where the APRSIS connection does not work at the moment. Cheers
I am so tempted as a newly licensed general class ham I do need to settle on some type of HF rig but still apprehensive about this being a Chinese radio unfortunately one hears some negative things. I would hope this company is standing behind their branded version of this radio and it seems so. What do other people think ?
I'm wary of Chinese stuff. I wanted a light bulb fitting and picked one up but in the queue saw it was made in China so put it back on the shelf and got a well known brand. I've had things where threads have stripped.
If you are newly licensed - DO NOT BUY THIS RADIO. It is an experimenters radio at best and will only cause you frustration. If you want to go the Chinese radio route - I highly recommend a Xiegu G90, G106, or x6100. Not perfect radios but a ton of support and they have worked out most of the bugs.
@@seafarer26yacht Yeah it really is between a X6100 and the Icom-705 I'm leaning toward the X6100 mainly because of the price and the community of reverse engineers and being a Linux user since the 90s anything that can run it is a good start in my book :)
I am about to buy one of these and wondered if you managed to test this radio on 4m? If so, what was the output power and how is the radio generally on spurious emmisions? G8XDD
Is there yet a video for Q900 V4 70mhz operation, including FT8 on that band? I am sure many would like information about its performance or lack of on this band / mode. I cannot find this video in your list even though at 13.40 minute a reference is made to one forthcoming. One in the works perhaps? 73 de Erik G0CGL.
Does it output any IQ data? Maybe as 96 khz audio over usb, or like that? p.s. ah, looks like 48 khz, based on CNSDR software.
Was just about to type "did you watch the video" lol.. But yes, 48KHz IQ when enabled over USB Audio interface.
Has anyone used the Q900 to communicate in the VHF band of 144-145 MHz? I have read a lot of reviews, but they are ambiguous. There was an opinion that there was a lot of interference in this range and weak signal reception. Is it so?
Hey there! I’ll be covering VHF and UHF comma using this radio in a near video. I’ll also be covering spurious emissions and power levels. If there is anything you would like to see then let me know and I will include it, thanks for watching.
@@TechMindsOfficial Thank you for your quick response! I will be looking forward to a video with an overview of the receiver and transmitter at 144 MHz, since the package is just coming to me from the store and I already doubt its operability.
@@TechMindsOfficial Hey! Thank you for this Review!
Can you say anything about spurious emissions and VHF/UHF performance by now? I just passed my exam today and this is pretty much the only all band all mode transceivr that I could afford right now.
Is there any simple way to find out what options are fitted?
I wonder if anyone has already checked the cleanness of the output signal on HF and VHF. I think it might be very interesting since it is known that for example Baofeng has severe problems with that. I seriously consider buying this rig but need to know about the signal.
VY 73 Andreas, DL2EAD
FCC certifications and test report available at the download section of the manufacturer's website. Dean, KC3JXT
Where can I download the channel programming software? Chirp don't list this model ..
I thought in V3 the Ethernet did work and you were able to connect via another sdr app to do full control. Is that wrong?
Over USB, not LAN / Ethernet
Yeah, I wish the Ethernet port worked right now. If you open the radio and inspect the hardware you can see the Ethernet should work. But the software probably isn't there for it yet. That is why I wish this software was open source. I'm sure a firmware update will enable the Ethernet port for all previous versions in the near future.
That's too bad. When will they enable Ethernet?
Will it broadcast positional APRS on 2 meters if you have GPS option?
Nope, unfortunately not.
I was curious about power output. Never saw your video on that come along
Yeh, I kinda gave up these type of radios. Great idea but some things just didnt work properly so I wont show this radio again until they are better. Thanks
Thanks. Your video showed such promise
Did I miss the price?
Nope, price is depending on what modules you have installed and of course which country you are in. Check the link and it will give you the price :)
I would be interested if a VFO button was built into the device. But so rather not.
I was considering it, but so many people report defects, and there is no way to repair it without shipping it back to China! Too bad.
For my Kenwoods, I had the service manual, and they were easy to mod and repair.
no link to the q900 on amazon USA
Only available from link shared in video description. Thanks 🙏
It looks like it might be too easy to hit two buttons at the same time.
We'd need QRP fingers.
G4GHB
They are a little small Bill, thats for sure! I'll be covering all the software packages in a new video shortly which can be installed on a phone or tablet. Uses BLE to control or a USB cable, so quite good for "larger" fingered people :-) Cheers
@@TechMindsOfficial Tnx for reply.
73
@@TechMindsOfficialthank you. That would be awesome.
Can the Bluetooth be used for headphones?
I don't think so as the BLE on the radio acts as headphones/mic so that the Android apps can send data and audio.
Just sent this video link to Whatsapp chat where OMs discuss firmware problems and they are going partially to sell their V3... Nobody got V4 yet...
Just ordered one with your link. Did you have to pay a lot of import duty? 73
Just received the Q900 first time using Aliexpress and all very positive :)
Nice! Hopefully you didn’t have to pay import duty, I haven’t paid import on anything for years.
@@TechMindsOfficial 1 week shipping and no import duty very pleased with this transceiver althou the buttons are very small for my fingers just need to get used to it 😄 73
Does you have antena for this all band 😂
So I think you have a V3 you don't need? Trade for a very clean with boxes and remote cable Icom 706 MKIIG?
No?
Great functionality, but no rotary VFO control. Therefore no deal. Button pressing is a drag.
If it didn’t have an SDR screen then I would agree, but there is an app that works over BLE. Future videos I will show this.
Rotary controls are a joy to use, their complete absence is a pain. Some car manufacturer made the same mistake. I would never buy this transceiver.
Must admit a Dial is better, but I'd say this has been made for compact design ,OTG , it's something I'd keep in the Boot of my car while waiting for the missus in a shoe shop 😂,I'd prefer use "up down " buttons than hearing "what ya think of ( pair 50) these ? 73s thanks for the video mate , M∅DHA
Where can I get one of these
Link in description, trusted seller who works closely with the manufacturer. Cheers
What happened to 220 MHz? God help you if you have fat fingers on this tiny thing. Also, it appears the S meter calibration is wrong above 30 MHz. S9 should be -93dBm on VHF/UHF. An HF radio without any support for a VFO dial is a complete non-starter.
So the GPS doesn’t work outside of China? Damn.
The GPS works anywhere, it’s just the APRS because I think they use APRS-IS, so must be something to do with the mobile network device.
dont by it 20% of the functions did not work for me sticky buttons an some did not work at all was very hard to scroll between frequencies an bands was not worth 20 dollars let alone the 500 i paid for it
Why Ethernet not used? That to me is a turn down. It defeats the whole SDR purpose.
I agree.
Hardware issues with lot of bugs...non work properly
Gee another halfway build chinese radio thats overpriced.
Gee another brainless comment by someone that hasn’t owned what the video is showing 🤷♂️
No vfo knob….sorry that’s me gone
The user interface.. Meh. Also the spike at zero. Painful
Spike at Zero can be settled by adjusting the gain. You may have, or not, noticed that the tuning is offset, so not really an issue. Cheers
@@TechMindsOfficial I did not even start talking about the offset...
Well that’s the only reason someone would be bothered about the spike. As said, gain control remedies this.
完成度が低い印象ですね
i turnt mine on and it asked about activation 1 and 2 it dosnt ask that again so how do i change the setting? also is dmr tx or just rx?
reply.....
Activation just happens once, no idea what it’s for. DMR is TX and RX from the SMA port.
08:00 italian clown