🙏 I am amused that most youtubers show the performance of different receivers by receiving broadcast signals. Field demo also makes sense, tells much about the selectivity & front end. BTW some of us are used to tuning/calibrating radio receivers/transceivers in radio workshops. There is so much interference thesedays, now most radios Don't work in urban areas with noise floor S9+20dB & beyond masking all signals.
I'll add these points about DSP-2. This latest China-originating design is the nicest those radios have looked. But the problem with the DSP receivers including the DSP-2 is that one spends a lot of time tine tuning things on each band. There are almost too many options and as Nick notes, one has to be very careful with RF gain, the LNA functions, Pre-Amp, etc Even the Russians were unable to eliminate those multiple spikes seen in this video, though the DSP-3, the price of which has skyrocketed, appears to have made more progress.
I got my DSP2 from Georgiy in Nov 2021, expecting to maybe have an issue with spikes as per earlier reviews but they didn't materialize and it has been a non issue, the majourity of spikes are on the same frequecies as my SDPlay obviously coming from some other local noise source, no experience with these newer clones.
The Malahit DSP2 offers plenty fine-tuning options. They increase complexity and flexibility as well. Obviously they ad to the learning curve. The excellent Belka has a minimalist approach and that reduces the learning curve. It takes a brave man to make an evaluation video of the Malahit DSP2 without fully knowing its functions... It is easy for me to be critical but I'm sure if Nick had spent a couple of days more familiarizing with the receiver and the Wellbrook antenna his evaluation video would have a different outcome.
Thank you for the review. Based on what I heard I think you are very near to Fort Worth, TX. Just realized you said you are near Dallas, so I guess no big surprise.
Its fun to find someone that is the same situation like me and can't agree even more, if they make the Belka with a waterfall I also will pay 1k easily! I have like you a 705 and a 7610 and yesterday ordered the Belka and DSP2 because wanted to test it myself (and didnt found your video before lol)
@@dieselten01 Good thing is that I got the DSP2 in Aliexpress where they claim "Free Returns" will see. I will like to do the exact test you are doing but is not clear to me what I am supposed to use to have my Chameleon RX Loop shared to all 3 at the same time. Never heard of a device that allows me to do that.
@@angelscomputers i use a multicoupler from Stridsberg Engineering. They have both HF or VHF in either 4 port or 8 port. They are amplified so all the radios have a live antenna signal all the time. I have about 8 of these throughout my house to get my Wellbrook antenna signal to all my radios. www.stridsbergeng.com/
@@dieselten01 received my DSP2 today, first impressions: I don’t think I’m going to like it. It’s quite complicated for what I’m looking (something portable to listen on the flight with just a couple of button’s pressed) and that radio it’s more like a radio for the shack where you have to pull up the instructions and figure out things. Between the ATT, Gain and all of the stuff it made me turned off and fire up my 7610 lol. I’ll give it one more try but I’m really looking for something way simpler with a waterfall, I’m seriously considering just a used Xiegu R6100 for shortwave listening now that people are going to be selling them to get the new one . The Belka, still waiting for them to ship it. Has been a week and nothing, it looks like they take all their time. Also waiting for the multicoupler which I don’t know if is thanks to your video but I have a hard time believing that they have 14 orders of the same (4 ports) in front of mine lol. That coupler must be good haha. Saw a minutes ago the DSP3, I imagine is going to be the same complicated radio but the layout looks way better because the VFO know at the top in the DSP2 is quite awkward
Got a tilt stand along with the DSP2. Mine has already been here for months now. Guess, when you get used to fiddling around the many rx options in the menu the radio will perform much better. Thanks for the video!
@@heinerrambold8889 but it’s the fact that you even have to fool around with 3 or 4 arbitrary options that make this much much much less desirable to use
@@dieselten01I got it to work with my antenna pretty well with adjustments somewhere in the middle. Did not find it useful to crank up rf gain beyond 20 or max 25. Then you can adjust pregain and as the Icom there is also an ATT function. Have a look in that black case there might be a small metall piece around, which is the stand you can stick to the backside. I am pretty satisfied with it and as "myradiovideos" mentioned DNR is absolutely fine.
Indeed, some of the noise picked up by the Malahit sounded very typical like the 705's display noise. The Belka's little aluminum shell was found to be extremely RF-tight in comparison (by hams running not being able to hear their own transmissions when nothing is attached to the Belka's antenna jack).
I noticed your frequency correction is set to zero. When you were looking for the 10m beacon you never tuned once, expecting it to be centered in the filter and despite the beacon seeming to be present in the waterfall. Try tuning, figure out the offset and set the frequency correction accordingly, e.g. with WWV as they don't seem to ship with that calibrated, mine is set to -1, it was not far out but possibly that's enough of an offset to not hear a beacon in a narrow filter. The Russian original DSP1 was much further out frequency wise. Same goes for the time setting, it is one of those real time clock crystals and I had to set -10.2s per day. Logic for CW is not what I would call standard, the setting needs to be SSB with the CW button setting the bandwidth. Odd but you get used to it. It will decode CW, sort of. RTTY too. FT8 even which is useful as quite often it seems that's all that is on the bands these days.
@@mikewillis1592 thanks for your help Mike, very sound advice. In my opinion though, the dsp2 is a lot of work with arbitrary controls across the bands and modes. The Icom 705 is only slightly larger and gets much better results with basically zero effort
@@gyorgypalasti9709 yes, but it is extremely complicated to achieve that. There is also no consistency across the bands, what works on one band is terrible on another- for no obvious reason. Look at the 705, it is extremely stable across the whole spectrum. It doesn’t freak out for no reason. It handles the application of the controls consistently and logically. The DSP2 is wild and crazy with no logic
@@dieselten01 I managed to get consistent performance across the bands from the Malahit DSP2 & Wellbrook loop combo. I prefer to use the Wellbrook as a passive antenna in this set up akin to the Airspy HF+ Discovery & YouLoop combo. Actually, the success of the Airspy HF+ Discovery & YouLoop combo gave me the hint that I should try to use the Wellbrook loop as a passive antenna when connected to the Malahit DSP2. In this case the "Pre-amp", the "RF gain" and the "Attenuator" on the receiver offer plenty adjustment options to achieve top-notch performance. Sure the Malahit DSP2 works somehow differently to the Icom IC-705 but just as effectively. My starting point: "Pre-amp = off", "RF gain = 0" and "Attenuator = off".
The bleed through is because the powerful AM consumer stations are overloading the front end RF amplifier when using the outdoor antenna on high gain - and it's picking up the distortion harmonics of the front end amp etc. It's a pity that it doesn't have some automatic method of adjusting the gain to deal with this. I made a wideband RF amp for my portable Icom decades back - and it produced the same effect.
@@paulfrindle7144 i have many portables that can handle the gain of the outdoor antenna. Even if they have a little overload or bleed through, it is easily adjusted with the rf gain knob or 1 push of the attenuation button. The dsp2 requires a consultation with 2 electrical engineers to decide which of the 5 buttons hidden inside of menus needs to be pushed
I’ve got the new Belka from the maker in Belarus. Amazing little thing! Has a built in speaker and it’s incredible what I can listen to with its little aerial.
I have read many different opinions about the device. I actually wanted to buy one but I'm afraid of investing €400 in junk. I want a receiver for the garden without a lot of effort. Would you recommend it? It shouldn't be used with large antennas. You have a top channel, more like that!
Thank you for your comments. I do not recommend the DSP2 overall. However if only to be used outdoors on the whip antenna it might be ok provided you learn how to work all the un natural controls to minimize bleed through.
If the Icom 705 is within your budget you should get it. It is an amazing radio and if you add in its mobility and internal battery, then there is nothing better to take into the garden. You will have to figure out an antenna but that shouldn’t be hard
The Belka is a great receiver for a new Ham for listening or QRP. We call it the spy radio. Reception is impressive. For better eaiser tuning, place the bands most used in memory and just do a memory recall, not as good as the Icom but it cost a minute fraction of the Icom with almost the same reception. You also can't put the Icon in your shirt pocket like you can the Belka. I have all three, no comment on the Malahit, I have the first version... never use it.
In my opinion the Belka is as sensitive and selective as the Drake. The Drake is much easier to use, has a better speaker, and a better Synchronous AM.
The DNR in the DSP2 is just great, as good as the Yaesu FTDX-101MP radio... Another nice video, thanks
Agree
No it’s not
🙏 I am amused that most youtubers show the performance of different receivers by receiving broadcast signals. Field demo also makes sense, tells much about the selectivity & front end.
BTW some of us are used to tuning/calibrating radio receivers/transceivers in radio workshops.
There is so much interference thesedays, now most radios Don't work in urban areas with noise floor S9+20dB & beyond masking all signals.
id prefer an AR88D - but then I am biased :-)
I'll add these points about DSP-2. This latest China-originating design is the nicest those radios have looked. But the problem with the DSP receivers including the DSP-2 is that one spends a lot of time tine tuning things on each band. There are almost too many options and as Nick notes, one has to be very careful with RF gain, the LNA functions, Pre-Amp, etc Even the Russians were unable to eliminate those multiple spikes seen in this video, though the DSP-3, the price of which has skyrocketed, appears to have made more progress.
I got my DSP2 from Georgiy in Nov 2021, expecting to maybe have an issue with spikes as per earlier reviews but they didn't materialize and it has been a non issue, the majourity of spikes are on the same frequecies as my SDPlay obviously coming from some other local noise source, no experience with these newer clones.
The Malahit DSP2 offers plenty fine-tuning options. They increase complexity and flexibility as well. Obviously they ad to the learning curve. The excellent Belka has a minimalist approach and that reduces the learning curve. It takes a brave man to make an evaluation video of the Malahit DSP2 without fully knowing its functions... It is easy for me to be critical but I'm sure if Nick had spent a couple of days more familiarizing with the receiver and the Wellbrook antenna his evaluation video would have a different outcome.
Thank you for the review. Based on what I heard I think you are very near to Fort Worth, TX. Just realized you said you are near Dallas, so I guess no big surprise.
Its fun to find someone that is the same situation like me and can't agree even more, if they make the Belka with a waterfall I also will pay 1k easily! I have like you a 705 and a 7610 and yesterday ordered the Belka and DSP2 because wanted to test it myself (and didnt found your video before lol)
Brilliant minds think alike! I wish someone would have made this video before I bought my DSP2. Thanks for your comments
@@dieselten01 Good thing is that I got the DSP2 in Aliexpress where they claim "Free Returns" will see. I will like to do the exact test you are doing but is not clear to me what I am supposed to use to have my Chameleon RX Loop shared to all 3 at the same time. Never heard of a device that allows me to do that.
@@angelscomputers i use a multicoupler from Stridsberg Engineering. They have both HF or VHF in either 4 port or 8 port. They are amplified so all the radios have a live antenna signal all the time. I have about 8 of these throughout my house to get my Wellbrook antenna signal to all my radios.
www.stridsbergeng.com/
Perfect, thanks a lot
@@dieselten01 received my DSP2 today, first impressions: I don’t think I’m going to like it. It’s quite complicated for what I’m looking (something portable to listen on the flight with just a couple of button’s pressed) and that radio it’s more like a radio for the shack where you have to pull up the instructions and figure out things. Between the ATT, Gain and all of the stuff it made me turned off and fire up my 7610 lol. I’ll give it one more try but I’m really looking for something way simpler with a waterfall, I’m seriously considering just a used Xiegu R6100 for shortwave listening now that people are going to be selling them to get the new one . The Belka, still waiting for them to ship it. Has been a week and nothing, it looks like they take all their time. Also waiting for the multicoupler which I don’t know if is thanks to your video but I have a hard time believing that they have 14 orders of the same (4 ports) in front of mine lol. That coupler must be good haha. Saw a minutes ago the DSP3, I imagine is going to be the same complicated radio but the layout looks way better because the VFO know at the top in the DSP2 is quite awkward
Question: purchasing the Belka direct from their website is the only way to order one?
@@NJF60 maybe try ebay?
Got a tilt stand along with the DSP2. Mine has already been here for months now. Guess, when you get used to fiddling around the many rx options in the menu the radio will perform much better. Thanks for the video!
@@heinerrambold8889 but it’s the fact that you even have to fool around with 3 or 4 arbitrary options that make this much much much less desirable to use
@@dieselten01I got it to work with my antenna pretty well with adjustments somewhere in the middle. Did not find it useful to crank up rf gain beyond 20 or max 25. Then you can adjust pregain and as the Icom there is also an ATT function. Have a look in that black case there might be a small metall piece around, which is the stand you can stick to the backside. I am pretty satisfied with it and as "myradiovideos" mentioned DNR is absolutely fine.
Thanks for video
Most welcome
Malahit dsp2 switching off the screen makes also a huge noise difference
Really really informative video. Thank you for your experiment.
@@eurekafumi thank you for your comments
Thank you for this awesome demonstration as usual. Keep up the good work.
Well thanks.with this back and fourth ive learned a.good bit. Thankyou.
Try turning off the display of the 705 for less noise and interferences
Indeed, some of the noise picked up by the Malahit sounded very typical like the 705's display noise. The Belka's little aluminum shell was found to be extremely RF-tight in comparison (by hams running not being able to hear their own transmissions when nothing is attached to the Belka's antenna jack).
Very informative video! Thanks!!!!
Thank you. ❤
You're welcome 😊
Good Stuff. 👍
Thank firthe video. Very usefull. Just a curiosity: what model the Bose speaker is ?
Bose Soundlink Color II. Got it on Amazon
@@dieselten01 Thank you
how do we buy the belka?
@@raykirkland555 ebay or google the name and buy it direct from the manufacturer
I noticed your frequency correction is set to zero. When you were looking for the 10m beacon you never tuned once, expecting it to be centered in the filter and despite the beacon seeming to be present in the waterfall. Try tuning, figure out the offset and set the frequency correction accordingly, e.g. with WWV as they don't seem to ship with that calibrated, mine is set to -1, it was not far out but possibly that's enough of an offset to not hear a beacon in a narrow filter. The Russian original DSP1 was much further out frequency wise.
Same goes for the time setting, it is one of those real time clock crystals and I had to set -10.2s per day.
Logic for CW is not what I would call standard, the setting needs to be SSB with the CW button setting the bandwidth. Odd but you get used to it. It will decode CW, sort of. RTTY too. FT8 even which is useful as quite often it seems that's all that is on the bands these days.
@@mikewillis1592 thanks for your help Mike, very sound advice. In my opinion though, the dsp2 is a lot of work with arbitrary controls across the bands and modes. The Icom 705 is only slightly larger and gets much better results with basically zero effort
Malahit doesn't like loop, overloaded front end, Belka realy good receiver, good to see your vids again, i like the 705 as well, matt
Malahit DSP2 do like loop if used properly.
@@gyorgypalasti9709 yes, but it is extremely complicated to achieve that. There is also no consistency across the bands, what works on one band is terrible on another- for no obvious reason. Look at the 705, it is extremely stable across the whole spectrum. It doesn’t freak out for no reason. It handles the application of the controls consistently and logically. The DSP2 is wild and crazy with no logic
Thanks Matt!
@@dieselten01 I managed to get consistent performance across the bands from the Malahit DSP2 & Wellbrook loop combo. I prefer to use the Wellbrook as a passive antenna in this set up akin to the Airspy HF+ Discovery & YouLoop combo. Actually, the success of the Airspy HF+ Discovery & YouLoop combo gave me the hint that I should try to use the Wellbrook loop as a passive antenna when connected to the Malahit DSP2. In this case the "Pre-amp", the "RF gain" and the "Attenuator" on the receiver offer plenty adjustment options to achieve top-notch performance. Sure the Malahit DSP2 works somehow differently to the Icom IC-705 but just as effectively. My starting point: "Pre-amp = off", "RF gain = 0" and "Attenuator = off".
👌🏻👍🏻
The bleed through is because the powerful AM consumer stations are overloading the front end RF amplifier when using the outdoor antenna on high gain - and it's picking up the distortion harmonics of the front end amp etc. It's a pity that it doesn't have some automatic method of adjusting the gain to deal with this. I made a wideband RF amp for my portable Icom decades back - and it produced the same effect.
@@paulfrindle7144 i have many portables that can handle the gain of the outdoor antenna. Even if they have a little overload or bleed through, it is easily adjusted with the rf gain knob or 1 push of the attenuation button. The dsp2 requires a consultation with 2 electrical engineers to decide which of the 5 buttons hidden inside of menus needs to be pushed
@@dieselten01 Yeah - I can see it's a pain 😞
I’ve got the new Belka from the maker in Belarus. Amazing little thing! Has a built in speaker and it’s incredible what I can listen to with its little aerial.
Hey Nik, I have a question, have you tested the Yaesu FT101D for example? A comparison against the Icom 7610 would be great. Nice day, Jakub.
Hi Jakub. I actually traded my 101 for the 7610 almost 2 years ago. For SWL, the 7610 is way better
@@dieselten01 Tank You for information.
My issue with the Belka is, it’s a weird form factor to walk around with and hold in your hand… other then that I agree, it’s awesome
And you are 100% aware of its size before you buy it. You don’t get it to be a desktop radio - it fits in your shirt pocket!
@@dieselten01 yes, but try walking down the street and tuning around on 20m while walking. Tough to do
I have read many different opinions about the device. I actually wanted to buy one but I'm afraid of investing €400 in junk. I want a receiver for the garden without a lot of effort. Would you recommend it? It shouldn't be used with large antennas. You have a top channel, more like that!
Thank you for your comments. I do not recommend the DSP2 overall. However if only to be used outdoors on the whip antenna it might be ok provided you learn how to work all the un natural controls to minimize bleed through.
If the Icom 705 is within your budget you should get it. It is an amazing radio and if you add in its mobility and internal battery, then there is nothing better to take into the garden. You will have to figure out an antenna but that shouldn’t be hard
thank you for the quick and detailed answer. The 705 would be a good alternative. Thank you very much. Take care
belka doesn't go above 31 Mhz.
What’s your point? This was an HF test. Just because the Belka can’t go over 31 mhz, that doesn’t make the DSP2 less of a piece of junk
The Belka is a great receiver for a new Ham for listening or QRP. We call it the spy radio. Reception is impressive. For better eaiser tuning, place the bands most used in memory and just do a memory recall, not as good as the Icom but it cost a minute fraction of the Icom with almost the same reception. You also can't put the Icon in your shirt pocket like you can the Belka. I have all three, no comment on the Malahit, I have the first version... never use it.
Well done review .. .. thanks for sharing.
@@royramdeen8864 thank you
Здравствуйте! Может ли Belka конкурировать с Drake R8? Или это совсем разные высовые категории? Спасибо за Ваше видео, очень интересно!
In my opinion the Belka is as sensitive and selective as the Drake. The Drake is much easier to use, has a better speaker, and a better Synchronous AM.