Just a comment about pronunciation... Boris called it the "AR-GO ONE" rather than the "R.G.O. One"... The reason that's important is because he intended the radio to be an homage to Ten-Ten which produced something called the Argonaut. (Get it, heh? ARGO-naut?) He wanted to duplicate the Ten-Tec look and feel to an extent (especially the Ten-Ten Eagle), but he hoped especially to capture the old Argonaut's and Eagle's marvelous audio qualities, both on receive and transmit (but especially on receive). Anyway, the "AR-GO-One" is an incredible machine indeed, and I enjoyed your review.
Yes to be honest this is what I meant to... I am Ten Tec fan and especially fan of Ten Tec Argosy II model 525D. My first plan was to bring new life of my beloved Argosy 525D ... so RGO ONE was born soon after. 73! LZ2JR P.S. I got two Argosy radios both in excellent health full of options and modified/modernized.
UPDATE: I just got put on the list for this fine radio. Boris just emailed me and said they would ship in 2 weeks. Great news indeed. Downsizing from a Yaesu FTDX101D as I don't really need that much radio. Great review once again!
I got mine a couple of months ago, and absolutely love it! The audio is fantastic, especially on CW. It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of my IC-7300, but that doesn’t bother me. I’m in an RF noisy urban area and although this radio doesn’t have DSP the receive audio is just easier on my ears. I bought the base radio without the tuner, noise blanker and audio filter. I intended to use it for POTA activations, but it has become my “go to” radio in the shack. It has elegant simplicity and refinement that just gets the job done!
Looks like a refreshing rethink to the over-complex menus modern rigs come swamped with! One option I'd like to see is a separate rx antenna input for those of us in urban locations who find the tx antenna is too noisy, but can find a quieter spot for an active loop or similar active rx antenna.
If you look at pictures of this radio on the website for this radio you will see an RX input jack on the back of the radio. Maybe this is an option???? Don wd8dsb
Looking inside of the radio, I got a flashback to the clean layout and nice case of my old Electra Bearcat III scanner. This is a radio that says hand-made quality like the Bearcat scanners from the 1970s.
I dont think it is my cupp tea, but I really like the modularity of it, the power poles, and the IF output. Im still keen to see more info on it, though. Kudos to the designer and manufacturer. :)
Greetings from Christchurch, New Zealand .... What a Great review .... Now That Radio reminds me so much of my ICOM IC-735 .... A Very 'Basic' Panel, yet it does have 'Hidden' Menus behind .... Best to ALL, cheers.... 73's
The comment about Ten - Tec came rushing back, when the narrator spoke of, " Plug in Modules " ! Seems that all began somewhere in the late 60's thru early to mid 80's ! But became a nightmare, as oxidation became an issue, where the modules contacts, and the sockets mated ! Poor connections led to intermittents, and you can guess the rest ! I remember some guys ended up just soldering the modules in place, to keep the gremlins away ! That's the way I remember it ! Wish this guy luck !
KE5TJ…looks good, nice layout, kinda small like a scaled down TS-520. Nothing like a new radio to stimulate some activity on the air. Good review. TNX 73
RGO ONE is a very nice radio, never seen something like this, it is unique. I would like to purchase one. I don't think Amazon carries this radio. Thanks for the video. Take care
Funny thing - the RGO ONE that I bought came with a TYT hand mic, big white TYT above the mic grill. Interesting that yours has a Yaesu style mic. I REALLY like mine.
Looks a bit like the old Elecraft K2. Retro. Nice. Also simple to use, which is something that is underestimated as a value. It is easy to forget what it was like being a beginner.
It looks the Muts Nuts but it's priced in a very competitive market price point. I can see if you like to build it up like a project that it will appeal to those people but those that want a black box will probably go with a larger manufacturer.
Looks awesome , interesting the buttons and menu system very similar to Elecraft KX3, and that is not a bad thing. But the cost is kind of a killer. In the US you can almost get two Yaesu 710s 'field version' for this price. But still really like it. Thanks for sharing.
Very nice video and radio Matt/ It gives me a TS-590 feel ;-) The specs and finish looks great. But for the same price you get the FT-710 Field with 100 Watts and waterfall display and build in sound card. I'm thinking of getting the Yaesu myself. Keep up the great vidoes ;-) Phil ON4VP
Assembled in Bulgaria and it does not matter where the boards were manufactured or where the parts were sourced from. Scores of sub-menus makes many modern radios difficult to use.
hi loved your video but no mention of the prices for different bits or fully loaded radio . be nice for camping or portable with anderson power pole connectors i uses hem alot in the shack . cheers for the video
I tend not to mention prices as they fluctuate with exchange rates and over time, but I always link to where viewers can purchase from so they can see the current price in their home currency. Thanks for watching :-)
this will be my Next Radio. I only do CW. I prefer analog crystal design better, it is easy to maintain, NO complicated DOT matrix display , which goes bad after while. Segmented LCD display last much longer. I probably buy spare LCD display, spare Volume POT, Spare Rubber keypads, so on. AG6JU
I'm sure it is superb, but I worry about ongoing support for these "nesh" products designed/made by effectivly one person. What if the maker stops support or passes away? Will the service data be available to carry out repairs/upgrades? This is not a cheap radio, so this is important to consider..!
I’ve got an older Xiegu X108G. Essentially a uBitx. Analog signal path, discrete crystal filters, DDS oscillators and a bunch of functionality controlled using microwave switches controlled by logic signals from the CPU Against all odds I have kept that thing on the air, with some sketchy schematics and a parts list that’s mostly been correct. I’d be keen to see it as a kit, but that’s asking a lot and a lot of work for not nearly as much return.
It's always a difficulty, when recording devices that emit audio to capture the quality. I use a rather expensive microphone on my camera, in fact it's the best that Sony make for my camera. I guess what I could of done is take the audio out from the headphone jack straight into my computer, then that would of been more realistic. I will make note of this for next time :-)
I love the simplicity of it, for being a modern radio. But it is too modern for me. I like tube radios. With no digital display. I am currently using an early '70s Yaesu FT-DX560, which I bought used about 10 years ago, and completely rebuilt.
Very nice looking unit and very simple layout. Lastly, it seems very easy to operate. Do you think there would be a 100 watt version of this radio or perhaps a QRP?
the price tho, I mean, he deserves all the money, it looks amazing, profesh, and fun to use, but it's hard to justify not getting a Yaesu FT-891 instead (I don't have one, I'm an icom dude but still).
Very nice transceiver. I think Tentec would have been making something like this if they hadn't been bought out by that jerk who closed everything down while pretending it was still a working company.
I would gladly pay for an good old-fashioned radio like this, but unfortunately the cheapo silver painted plastic front panel is a no-go for me. An anodized aluminum one would add to the overall quality image without costing more to manufacture.
Unfortunately not, well, not that I could see. Maybe a module add on in the future? Will have to check with Boris. Although, the ACC port on the back can be used with a sound card etc.
Nice rig, hope Boris does well with them, at just under $2000CDN it does not make economic sense to this amateur when a used FTdx3000 can be had for less and has more.
Simple technology means greater reliability, the more you pack in the more there is to fail. It is pricey but remember it's hand built. One reason an Aston Martin is more expensive than a Ford!
The price in my opinion is way too high when I bought my Yaesu radios brand new with all the features for a bit more. I did not hear you talk about the warranty if any.
That is a good thing imho. I would buy it if I wasn't involved already with ICOM. Some people (like myself) just want a brick to rely on. I had a bunch of contacts this weekend with just my DX70 and a length of wire. With 50W it left my 705 in the dust
That is why you would buy it, and pay a little more. The RF Gain actually works the way you remember it from back in the day as compared to the newer radios.
At LZ2JR's website for the RGO One, the price for the transceiver without options is 869 euros, as of 5 February 2024. The options with their prices are also listed there. (I can't post the address because UA-cam does not allow links that take you away from UA-cam.)
Just a comment about pronunciation... Boris called it the "AR-GO ONE" rather than the "R.G.O. One"... The reason that's important is because he intended the radio to be an homage to Ten-Ten which produced something called the Argonaut. (Get it, heh? ARGO-naut?) He wanted to duplicate the Ten-Tec look and feel to an extent (especially the Ten-Ten Eagle), but he hoped especially to capture the old Argonaut's and Eagle's marvelous audio qualities, both on receive and transmit (but especially on receive). Anyway, the "AR-GO-One" is an incredible machine indeed, and I enjoyed your review.
Thank you so much, I did not know this! Wish I knew this sooner so I could of included it in the video, thanks again for sharing this info.
Yes to be honest this is what I meant to... I am Ten Tec fan and especially fan of Ten Tec Argosy II model 525D. My first plan was to bring new life of my beloved Argosy 525D ... so RGO ONE was born soon after. 73! LZ2JR
P.S. I got two Argosy radios both in excellent health full of options and modified/modernized.
The second I saw this UA-cam video, i thought wow, that looks like my old Ten-Ten.
UPDATE: I just got put on the list for this fine radio. Boris just emailed me and said they would ship in 2 weeks. Great news indeed. Downsizing from a Yaesu FTDX101D as I don't really need that much radio. Great review once again!
Awesome news, I'm going to test mine portable soon, see how well it performs up on the hills! cheers
First rig I’ve seen with built in Powerpoles. Nice!
FYI Elecraft has been doing this for years.
I got mine a couple of months ago, and absolutely love it! The audio is fantastic, especially on CW. It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of my IC-7300, but that doesn’t bother me. I’m in an RF noisy urban area and although this radio doesn’t have DSP the receive audio is just easier on my ears. I bought the base radio without the tuner, noise blanker and audio filter. I intended to use it for POTA activations, but it has become my “go to” radio in the shack. It has elegant simplicity and refinement that just gets the job done!
Looks like a refreshing rethink to the over-complex menus modern rigs come swamped with! One option I'd like to see is a separate rx antenna input for those of us in urban locations who find the tx antenna is too noisy, but can find a quieter spot for an active loop or similar active rx antenna.
If you look at pictures of this radio on the website for this radio you will see an RX input jack on the back of the radio. Maybe this is an option???? Don wd8dsb
Looking inside of the radio, I got a flashback to the clean layout and nice case of my old Electra Bearcat III scanner. This is a radio that says hand-made quality like the Bearcat scanners from the 1970s.
Beautiful looking radio, really like the oldschool look, would love to get one of these into my collection.
Thanks for the video Matt.
I had heard of this radio but had not seen one before. Very interesting. The analogue RX, is easy on the ear.
I love the simplicity of it. Very nice radio and I'm good with old school analog.
Glad you like it!
I dont think it is my cupp tea, but I really like the modularity of it, the power poles, and the IF output. Im still keen to see more info on it, though. Kudos to the designer and manufacturer. :)
I just found my next radio purchase.
Thanks for the video.
Glad I could help
Excellent++ introduction, lots of eye candy and I am happy to have one before you backed up Boris with orders! ;-)
Many thanks!
Thank you for this I’ve been looking and now going to buy. The size is perfect.
Greetings from Christchurch, New Zealand .... What a Great review .... Now That Radio reminds me so much of my ICOM IC-735 .... A Very 'Basic' Panel, yet it does have 'Hidden' Menus behind ....
Best to ALL, cheers.... 73's
Thanks for watching!
Ive been wanting one of these Bulgarian beauties for a while now
Interesting little Radio especially being hand built. Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome :-)
This radio reminds me a lot of the Ten Tec Argosy and Argosy II, right down to the case shape, tuning knob, and 50 watt output.
Yes, actually RGO ONE is Argosy II successor. Have a look at the schematics. It is same topology. 73 es GL Boris LZ2JR/AC9IJ
Excellent, I hope you do some more videos with this radio
The comment about Ten - Tec came rushing back, when the narrator spoke of,
" Plug in Modules " !
Seems that all began somewhere in the late 60's thru early to mid 80's !
But became a nightmare, as oxidation became an issue, where the modules contacts, and the sockets mated !
Poor connections led to intermittents, and you can guess the rest !
I remember some guys ended up just soldering the modules in place, to keep the gremlins away !
That's the way I remember it !
Wish this guy luck !
It looks like an Icom 746 and a Kenwood TS 570 had a baby. If it works well, be awesome to have Euro competition to the big 2 Japanese manufacturers.
Looks fantastic. Can't wait to get one!
That's a sweet looking rig. If I didn't already have a surplus of HF rigs, I might try to get one...might try anyway. 😬
Thanks, Matt 👍
KE5TJ…looks good, nice layout, kinda small like a scaled down TS-520. Nothing like a new radio to stimulate some activity on the air. Good review. TNX 73
Thanks!
What a good idea letting Matthew M0DQW do this video👍 on the RGO ONE
I hope Boris has many new orders?👍
Thank you for your comment, really appreciate it!
It has the look of an old Ten Tec
Right - and without the Ten Tec PTO which was for me, always a weak point.
RGO ONE is a very nice radio, never seen something like this, it is unique. I would like to purchase one. I don't think Amazon carries this radio. Thanks for the video. Take care
Funny thing - the RGO ONE that I bought came with a TYT hand mic, big white TYT above the mic grill. Interesting that yours has a Yaesu style mic. I REALLY like mine.
Looks a bit like the old Elecraft K2. Retro. Nice. Also simple to use, which is something that is underestimated as a value. It is easy to forget what it was like being a beginner.
It looks the Muts Nuts but it's priced in a very competitive market price point. I can see if you like to build it up like a project that it will appeal to those people but those that want a black box will probably go with a larger manufacturer.
A bit like a modern K2 on steroids. Thanks for the video Matt!
I went on musical mission to Bulgaria not long ago, what a beautiful Nation. 73s KD7CKT
Ioveley little radio sound speech is excellent
Krásný zvuk, žádné podvodní tunely jako Yaesu
Excellent review, been following this radio for some time
I hope Boris can keep up with the new orders ?😊
73 Rob G3RCE
Looks awesome , interesting the buttons and menu system very similar to Elecraft KX3, and that is not a bad thing. But the cost is kind of a killer. In the US you can almost get two Yaesu 710s 'field version' for this price. But still really like it. Thanks for sharing.
You pay more for a quieter receiver, after a while you will throw rocks at your other radios. ;-)
That’s interesting I would love to work one. Now you have me even more curious.
You're welcome :-)
Very nice video and radio Matt/ It gives me a TS-590 feel ;-)
The specs and finish looks great. But for the same price you get the FT-710 Field with 100 Watts and waterfall display and build in sound card. I'm thinking of getting the Yaesu myself. Keep up the great vidoes ;-) Phil ON4VP
Very cool
73!!!
Very interesting ham-radio. Externally, it resembles the FT747.
Assembled in Bulgaria and it does not matter where the boards were manufactured or where the parts were sourced from. Scores of sub-menus makes many modern radios difficult to use.
Anyone that wants to compare RGO One to FT710, Ftdx10, or IC7300 you are barking up the wrong tree. This is something different. ;-)
Look`s very nice!
Very cool indeed. Looks like a Ten Tec Eagle 599AT. Reasonably priced too. Thanks for doing this. 73 de Scott W1AL
Actually Argosy II - prototype and inspiration for the project. 73! Boris LZ2JR
Overpriced Bulgarian 50 Watt All Mode HF Transceiver .... but very good video.
hi loved your video but no mention of the prices for different bits or fully loaded radio . be nice for camping or portable with anderson power pole connectors i uses hem alot in the shack . cheers for the video
I tend not to mention prices as they fluctuate with exchange rates and over time, but I always link to where viewers can purchase from so they can see the current price in their home currency. Thanks for watching :-)
Reminds me of the Lowe HF225 receiver I have just sold.
Oooh .
Custom Made HF Trans ?
Yes.
That's a nice rig and would like to see more about it.
this will be my Next Radio. I only do CW. I prefer analog crystal design better, it is easy to maintain, NO complicated DOT matrix display , which goes bad after while. Segmented LCD display last much longer. I probably buy spare LCD display, spare Volume POT, Spare Rubber keypads, so on. AG6JU
I'm sure it is superb, but I worry about ongoing support for these "nesh" products designed/made by effectivly one person. What if the maker stops support or passes away? Will the service data be available to carry out repairs/upgrades? This is not a cheap radio, so this is important to consider..!
Schematics are available in the manual, so that’s a good start.
I’ve got an older Xiegu X108G.
Essentially a uBitx. Analog signal path, discrete crystal filters, DDS oscillators and a bunch of functionality controlled using microwave switches controlled by logic signals from the CPU
Against all odds I have kept that thing on the air, with some sketchy schematics and a parts list that’s mostly been correct.
I’d be keen to see it as a kit, but that’s asking a lot and a lot of work for not nearly as much return.
At first glance seems very reminiscent of the Elecraft K2
Anderson Powerpole for power... YES!!! Getting away from those junky Molex connectors... it's about time.
Can boris do a qrp version of this, lower consumption rate Dont need bulky fans would buy in a heart beat
This is perfect. RX audio is a bit off, likely the yt compression.
I uploaded a video to the RGO Facebook group and the Facebook compression really distorted the background sound.
It's always a difficulty, when recording devices that emit audio to capture the quality. I use a rather expensive microphone on my camera, in fact it's the best that Sony make for my camera. I guess what I could of done is take the audio out from the headphone jack straight into my computer, then that would of been more realistic. I will make note of this for next time :-)
Could you use a Radioberry or a RTL -SDR to the IF port to get a bandscope?
Retro is popular, record decks, fashion etc, why did no one think of transeivers before?
I love the simplicity of it, for being a modern radio. But it is too modern for me. I like tube radios. With no digital display. I am currently using an early '70s Yaesu FT-DX560, which I bought used about 10 years ago, and completely rebuilt.
I would love to get my hands on some really "old" ham gear to try on air...! Maybe I should do some hunting for some.. Thanks
Very nice looking unit and very simple layout. Lastly, it seems very easy to operate. Do you think there would be a 100 watt version of this radio or perhaps a QRP?
The RGO turns down nicely to 1 watt, I would not expect a 100 watt version anytime soon and 50w will do the same job the vast majority of the time.
Hello Francisco, I think 100W version will be not available.
73
Boris LZ2JR
@@borissapundzhiev5879Sorry, I just saw your reply recently. Thank you for the information and all the best.
the price tho, I mean, he deserves all the money, it looks amazing, profesh, and fun to use, but it's hard to justify not getting a Yaesu FT-891 instead (I don't have one, I'm an icom dude but still).
It cute 😍
Reminds me of the icom 718
Very nice transceiver. I think Tentec would have been making something like this if they hadn't been bought out by that jerk who closed everything down while pretending it was still a working company.
It looked like he was going to follow up on at least the OMNI 7 but then just let the whole issue drop. Odd.
looks cool
I would gladly pay for an good old-fashioned radio like this, but unfortunately the cheapo silver painted plastic front panel is a no-go for me.
An anodized aluminum one would add to the overall quality image without costing more to manufacture.
Pricey but nice.. Is it me or does it have a Ten Tec vibe to it...
Is there a built in sound card for digital modes?
Unfortunately not, well, not that I could see. Maybe a module add on in the future? Will have to check with Boris. Although, the ACC port on the back can be used with a sound card etc.
Manual:
RTTY - Digital modes (not active with sw ver. 2.XXX)
RTTY-R Digital modes reverse (not active with sw ver. 2.XXX)
Does this radio have continuous receive coverage and can it be unlocked for Mars
If it could, the filters would not support out of ham bands. So performance would be compromised.
Nice rig, hope Boris does well with them, at just under $2000CDN it does not make economic sense to this amateur when a used FTdx3000 can be had for less and has more.
I have both, the RGO does not sound any lesser on TX or RX and its simpler.
Is it 11 meter capable?
Simple technology means greater reliability, the more you pack in the more there is to fail. It is pricey but remember it's hand built. One reason an Aston Martin is more expensive than a Ford!
The price in my opinion is way too high when I bought my Yaesu radios brand new with all the features for a bit more. I did not hear you talk about the warranty if any.
Nice piece. Howmuch it will cost andfrom where it canbe purchased
Links in the description for your pleasure. :)
SWEET, CAN I GET THIS IN THE USA ? WILL IT WORK 11 METERS ?
Is it analog or SDR ?
Superheterodyne as mentioned at 2min mark.
It is analog with no digital enhancements, it has a fully natural (and very quiet) receive.
How much do they cost and where can I get one?
Can you order this radio in 100 watts?
This Radio not listed on Amazon!
Only place to purchase is direct using the link in the video description. Thanks
This is a step backwards in design and spec it is like a radio kit from 20 years ago
That’s the point, simple to use I guess.
That is a good thing imho. I would buy it if I wasn't involved already with ICOM.
Some people (like myself) just want a brick to rely on. I had a bunch of contacts this weekend with just my DX70 and a length of wire. With 50W it left my 705 in the dust
That is why you would buy it, and pay a little more. The RF Gain actually works the way you remember it from back in the day as compared to the newer radios.
Onli 20 más?
Is it o to 30 rx
Looks nice but how much? $$$$$
Which country are you
CW ?
How much it cost?
I wished it had the capability for 27.555. But that's ok.
Price?
Nevermind 😬
At LZ2JR's website for the RGO One, the price for the transceiver without options is 869 euros, as of 5 February 2024. The options with their prices are also listed there. (I can't post the address because UA-cam does not allow links that take you away from UA-cam.)
Nearly 1000 euro I think it must be made out of platinum or something
Better, hard honest work@@Pedro8k
@@Pedro8k Well made but unfortunately very overpriced in my opinion
In 2024 an analog Trx with 9 MHz IF concept? No way, sorry. 😂
How much $$$
It’s onion!
What country is this made? I can't find it on their website.
I said it literally in the first sentence of the video. :) Bulgaria
@@TechMindsOfficial Sorry I missed that. But they should clearly list it on their website. Its not under contact page, about us or anywhere else.
Much Credit, But the Price and Technology,,, No
Im curious why you would want to buy this when you can buy a profesionally made ICOM 7300 on sale for about the same price?
radioman - I have an IC7300 and an RGO both, no need to choose. ;-)
Costs too much. I can buy a nice brand new Yaesu from HRO for that much.
Muito Bom!!! Porém qsj?Demais.....73´s.
at this price only a single superhetrodyne conversion is poor
Junk
FWIW I sketched out "modular" HF rig OMG decades ago! *_Glad someone did it._*
cheers /73
--VE6IU
Price?