They're a great group and they put out quality content and gear. I am honored to be able to let my OCD get out of control for this video collaboration. Thanks for the support. More coming on this exercise.
The feeling is mutual. I don't know how much Isaac operates on HF, so this might be an x-factor for the exercise. I plan to take this opportunity to write a field manual to help make the operating pretty straight forward. I am learning this radio, so the perfect time to write a simpler guide on the operation for the G90.
I can't tell you how happy I am that the firearms community is rallying behind communications. Next step is for everyone to follow S2 Underground and get aboard Ghostnet. Cheers to you.
That's a great question... It's a good thing that the PRC/117G is not a perfect fit. It may be the motivation they need to make a better bag for the G90 in this manpack configuration.
That's a fantastic idea. I also think there would be a market for kydex radio containers for field use. The market would be really small, so I'm not sure if it would fit their business model, but I would personally be very interested in the community rallying behind a few specific high quality radios, and a company like T.Rex Arms making field carrying and protective cases for them out of either kydex or other material.
If there is enough interest in soft goods like bags and so on, I would SERIOUSLY get connected with Armageddon Gear. I've worked with him in the past with my production on a shooting sports television show. He does custom design work, and his team is top notch with everything they turn out.
The Timiya power connector Xiegu uses is universally hated by all. I took mine apart and installed a PPole connector in its place on day 1 of owning it.
Thanks for providing the name of this connector. Now, I need to learn how to pronounce it. Glad to hear that you did that mod. I would likely do the same thing if this was my personal G90.
@@TheTechPrepper The correct spelling is "Tamiya" - it was extremely popular for NiCd/NiMH RC car/plane batteries back in the 80-00's, and it was cheap with looser tolerances, and a shockingly limited mating cycle life. The modern Molex 02-09-1119 pin has a 25 cycle lifespan, and personally I wouldn't trust them for more than toys and novelties. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamiya_connector
I'll get back to showing of the slim boy, as that is my goto configuration these days. Checkout my Instagram feed starting around January 2024. I posted in the Slim Boy a lot.
It's a nice beginner rig. It is my first and what I use for portable voice operation. One of the major cons of it is that it is not 100 watts, which can make a significant difference for beginners. Another is that I have a hard time with digital modes, but like I said in my comment, it may just be that I have a faulty unit. The ATU, built in SWR meter, and the waterfall are especially good with it. I use it specifically for voice comms on Winter Field Day and Field Day.
I'm looking forward to your next videos on this G90!! I am studying for my General now and looking at this radio. I am also disappointed Yaesu had discontinued the smaller moble radios. I am hoping the reason is they are coming out with some better versions!! 🙏
Have you looked at the sBitx V3? Mine arrived last week. The rats nest of cable is history. Hook up ant and battery and go. Audio and ease of use is outstanding. At $400 from giga-parts it's a win!
I have not, but I quickly looked it up after reading your comment. I prefer radios that I cam run in a vertical configuration in a manpack. I just bought a $400 G90, so no more radios for this guy.
When I have loose power connectors that I can't tighten up by adjusting the tabs on the contacts I like to * Put low temp hot glue in the back of the connector and * Glob a little extra down the cable long enough to get heat shrink across the cable and connector with hot glue between the cable and heat shrink * Test to be sure it's still working * Heat shrink it This keeps the contacts from wiggling around the cable from pulling through the heat shrink relative to the contacts.
Hi great vid!, since you don't have any green radios- you're going to love this rig!!!!!! one thing I can tell you, it's been to war! it also has a superior receiver than your other HF gear. I'm in love with mine. digirig mbl is a must for this rig. its (Litteral) only disadvantage is that it's not IP65 rating. its no surprise Trex arms has this, over the pond, too many mil/comms folks have one. true max amp consumption is 5.04amps at 20W on 3.5MHZ in digital mode / CW and the lowest is 3.73amps on 7mhz with the average consumption of 4 to 4.4amps on 13.8v AND RX RECEIVE AMP DRAW IS 0.44AMPS IN ECONOMY MODE (DISPLAY OFF) and 0.66amps with all the tools on for SSB VOICE COMMS. preamps, NB, AGC, mic comp. etc. note: depending if you switch around the PC's on digital modes you might have to fine tune the acceptable ALC for each pc used. I use this in the same fashion as you and it rocks with milspec BBTD and terminated EFLW (9.1unun/470Ω terminating resistor) , the BBTD is a killer match for low noise sig reception and ALE/ freq hop computer aided comms !!!! also with digirig you might need to use the IC-7200 settings for some modes/programs instead of the g-90 listing like in winlink/vara for example. have fun do extensive tests, my ft987 is collecting dust, so is my codan 2110. I use the BBTD for NVIS with this rig but also I get superior dx with it and the G90 as well without trying... 73s from Sierra Victor one ....Land !
Jason over at Ham Radio 2.0 has an aux channel called Pack Man. (Play on the vid game.) Great minds work together. Maybe he has some ideas and sources for radiopacks. GigaParts is also coming out with its line of bags. Maybe between the two of you, a line of radiopack bags could be developed!
My issue with GigaParts is the quality of the bags that I have seen. It's great that they are innovating, but I am not a fan of materials and assembly. Jason and I talk. In fact, we has three of my bags. I owns to 2% of the bags in circulation. Believe it or not, but I took 25 of my smaller manpack bags to Quartzfest 15 months ago, I did not sell any bags. I finally traded Jason one bag for two Ed Fong j-poles.
Very nice build so far ! Be careful, you might just find the G-90 to be a darn good radio. Not perfect, but darn nice. The 20 watts can make a big difference when needed and you can always turn it down. You will read about heat problems, but it has never been an issue in my use. I think the only time heat might be an issue is in extended digital use at max power. I have yet to have a problem with excessive heat. As to toughness, if you look at the Coastal Waves and Wires videos, Walt drags his G-90 all over the world and has had zero problems. Mine has been rock solid also. The built in CW reader works very well also. If needed, the built in tuner will tune a wet noodle, it's fantastic. For the price ($400. to $450.), it's a lot of radio. Looking forward to the upcoming videos.
I love my Japanese radios, but they are lacking some modern features that the G90 provides. We'll see. It's time for 2-3 weeks of deep G90 immersion. I take "Internet claims" with a grain of salt. I was told that my manpack that I have been running in the desert for 3 years would cook. I've never had a problem, but I also have a different approach to operating. I don't rag chew. It's short, targeted commo windows for this operator. Thank you for being the first person to share a positive experience regarding the heat on the G90.
T.REX ARMS is not far from me here is Tennessee. I'm doing the same thing -- I've been using a G90 for POTA the last 6 months as I learn to use it, especially portable, and I've been using POTA as training and experience to help with EMCOMM with WCARES here in Middle Tennessee. Brian Hendrix, N0DBH
@@TheTechPrepper Having worked in the IT world now since 1979 and most of that as Senior Linux Engineer, I wish the lower end priced equipment had the ability to have "profiles." The G90 screen is small and easy to miss something you may be not set right. I've spent a lot of time "fussin" with the G90 thinking somethings wrong or broke only to find out something's set wrong. Each time that happens, I learn, continue to POTA on to get muscle memory improved. However, I'm now at a stage I want to maybe see if I can mimic profiles using CAT commands. I believe the G90, however, only has a subset of all that are available. CI-V by ICOM is available on G90 and I believe the ICOM 7100 is what a lot of software is set as if you want the G90 to work. Anyway, I'd like to script something to set profiles and confirm the settings -- possibly using on of my RPi 5s. It's another project on my long list.
Thanks, man. I am looking forward to exploring this radio. It is very different than the Japanese radios that I am used to. I just took a break from reading the manual to answer comments. Happy Friday!
It would have been nice if TREX ARMS sent you the cooling bracket for the G90 and mod it to fit the ARMOLOQ frame. It has Anderson power pole input into it to run the cooling fan and the rig. That way, you would not have had to modify the power cord for power poles. Having the opening on the side may help bring in fresh cool air into the bag and having some baggy room on the sides will probably help with exhausting the hot air, but that also leaves room for it to move around and thus stability. Maybe secure it on one side of the bag? I'm interested to see your tests with this. I hope you go into getting digital modes with the G90. I want to see if you get it to work just fine. I may just have a faulty unit as I got it to work again one night, then tried it again the next night with no success. If you fail, I really want to see the frustration in your face. Great video as always, Gaston!
That bracket is going to be a hard no. There is clearly a design flaw if that is required. My hope is that our targeted contact will not require too much on-air time where heat will be a problem. We'll find out soon enough.
Great point. All my fuses are Bussman. I've seen the crap ones on Amazon. I've even seen them unlabeled from Amazon. How the heck does a company fail to print the rating of a fuse on the housing?
First! Learning a good bit and just getting into radio. Just ordered a nanovna and doing some learning before getting my license. Appreciate the content!
What a great team-up. I love Isaac's new channel, @T.RexLabs. I have a few TREX products, and the quality is there. Maybe you two can work together to make a man pack 2.0. I have a G90 and would love to see EmCom tools work on this platform. Keep up the great work.
That new channel is amazing. I loved the War Game episode. Push him and T.Rex Arms on the bag front. I almost lost shirt trying to get into the soft goods business. I'll stick to software and knowledge work. I am working on the plug-and-play support for the G90 (via the DigiRig) next week. I am sending Isaac an FZ-M1 MK1 + iKey keyboard with a custom build of EmComm Tools with the the G90 driver that I am writing.
Would you be willing to sell your templates for your bag? I have a handy wife that has a machine that can sew the heavy materials. I would be looking to build a few of the bags to get some grab and go bags made for radios to put into Rally Sweep vehicles.
I'm bringing them back, but it will take some time. I'm working with another local. It's early in the process, but it looks like there is a demand to make at least a couple in hundred bags.
Looking good! The High Ground Gear bag appears to work fine for your application. You are wise to stay away from the bootleg PowerPole connectors. I am also a big fan of flex loom.
Those bootleg connectors and housings are a nightmare. I will tell you that my wallet cries every time I need to put in another order for 10x 45A Powerpoles from Powerwerx.
Wish you could find someone to make another batch of bags! I wonder if T Rex could help with that, they do Nylon, and I know they've been through it with sourcing their stuff. There's also Extreme Gear Labs, or even that Helikon-Tex company might be able to do it. Never heard of them before though. You made what looks to me to be the perfect bags for the task, and I'm bummed I can't get one! If you do get the bag ball rolling again, I would be interested in Ranger Green or MAS Grey!
I wish I could make them again. I love the design that I came up with and wish that I had more bags for myself and for the community. Trying to build soft goods locally in the US with American made materials and components was tough. Multiple colors is an expensive proposition. I am exploring a new design using a different manufacturing technique with a local company.
@@TheTechPrepper I hope it works out! I have a TTP-6000 coming tomorrow. Looking forward to playing with it, but holding off on ordering the Helikon-Tek E&E, and using one of the many sling bags or packs I have laying around first to make it work for now. I’m sure something have will do the job for a while. Thanks for all the work you’ve done figuring this stuff out, looking forward to what comes next!
Regarding the Manpack, it would be interesting if you could possibly talk to/work with NC Scout (aka Brushbeater) to see if he’d be interested in taking over the project. Heck, maybe it’s something that TRex Arms would like to take on since they already have the infrastructure to work with nylon gear. The Manpack concept is becoming more popular and it’s a shame that the best bag on the market is unobtainium.
I have another project that is taking my focus, but I plan to revisit the manpack build I already put out a few inquiries to a couple of companies regarding the bags. It was blast designing that bag. Yes, it's too bad that there are only 110 units of the small bag and 26 units of the large bag (shown). I scaled up to produce 400 more last year, but that went sideways for reasons out of my control.
I love what this channel is about almost none of the ham guys get into targeted comms and that is IMO super important. but I dont really get the hard need for long range comms in a man portable size. what is the use case where you need to talk to someone several states away without even a vehicle? the S has HTF and you have lost everything and are on foot but the only thing you have on you is a HF ham radio? it seems like such a niche use case. unless my house is actually physically GONE, I am not bugging out. I have real comms and antennas at home. on foot maybe on a recce mission but why talk on public freq unecrypted to someone too far away to matter? am I way off base?
Not sure why you can't do voice with 20watts. I do it all the time with 10watts from Alaska, and a lot farther than 1500 miles. Stick with 10 meters during the day and you should be able to work most places in the states. Wondering if there is a reason your staying away from 10 meters?
This is a targeted contact. The current HF prediction based on our gear and antennas shows a low probability of success for voice. 11m, 12m, and 17 all show 99% chance of success for our intended circuit using a weak signal mode like JS8. 'll write voice into the plan, but digital will likely be required as our contigency or emergency.
@@TheTechPrepper You might be surprised. If there are no solar flares, more than likely, a voice contact will work using the right band. Pay attention to the Mic Gain. There is a lot of punch that can be added, just don't over do it.
@@johnkaelberer237 Great tip. I'm highlighting all the areas in the manual that are worth diving into so that I can given this planned contact the best chance. Thank you for the tip.
A company called "Atlas 46" has a shop in my hometown that a friend of mine worked at. They do a lot of heavy duty sewing if you're interested in contracting out your bags to be produced, they make some nice looking stuff!
Regarding power connectors - Sometimes the terminal and wire ae 'loose' within the nylon housing which gives the 'sub-standard' feel. However, if you plug it in to it's mate, the actual terminals may in face be very solid with a positive connection. That's the important part to check!
I would caution against upgrading firmware unless it is many versions behind. I am running V1.78, and it is my understanding that this is the best one for digital /JS8. It is my understanding that newer firmware may give in some areas, but take away in others...but I also see conflicting info there. All I know is I use V1.78 and exclusively JS8, and I get contacts all over the CONUS with 1 watt, a 66 ft wire and a 1:49 unun about 10 ft off the ground.
Thank you for the confirmation. I'll do a bit of research on the firmware. JS8Call will be the primary use case for this rig and the emergency communication mode in the PACE plan for this exercise.
For targeted voice comms, would it be inappropriate to set the meeting up on the side band opposite the normal band plan traffic? Thinking in the event of a large scale disaster where our group doesn’t wanna go head to head w amps and directionals since we are working qrp / dipoles for nvis regional stuff.
I have a different plan that I have not shared for operational security that involves slightly different operating techniques that breaks convention. I may share this with the members in the future. I will never discuss this publicly for obvious reasons.
I am working on the integration for the G90 this week. He will have your build, but with the new G90 support. I am sending a him full Panasonic FZ-M1 MK1 with new ikey keyboard to keep. He will have a full turnkey kit right down to a custom field manual and P.A.C.E. plan.
@@TheTechPrepper Good deal, thanks Gaston. I am seriously considering the G90 for a mobile instead of the FT-857. 857s are in short supply and twice the price +.
@@thebnbaldwin The availability of the G90, low price point, and the manpack-ability all drove me to buy one for myself and Mike. Again, it is not my radio of choice, but it has value and would benefit a lot of people in the community. For $1,200-$1,300 USD you can fully build the entire manpack as shown with the radio, all the components and the bags. $1,200 is about what bare 857's are going for.
It's not an issue. I am going to demonstrate this again in the next video. I've been operating in the desert for over 3 years without an issue. It's all on how you operate. I designed a flap on my bag, but I've only used it to access the rear when I need to work on the cables or access the rear. I've never used it to vent heat.
Unfortunately, I was only able to produce 26 bags early last year. They all sold out in the first few minutes. I have not been able to get the bag going again due some logistics around doing everything in the US. Thanks for the interest.
It's in the front pouch. It just needs to be pulled out and plugged into the head unit. The frame allows access to the connector. In my other manpacks (FT-857D) I added three pass throughs from the main compartment to the smaller pouch.
@@TheTechPrepper I just bought pretty much your setup here in the vid although I went the CW route... Keeping a laptop/tablet on an overnight recon exercise during summer in the rain doesn't seem to wise.
On wiring, I recommend using a 2 pair cable with strain relief built into the cable. It's often advertised as CNC cable. It generally has PVC insulation, shielding, and a braid between the shielding and outer jacket. Another benefit is it's usually a finer strand than standard wire. The fine stranding coupled with the PVC jacket and strain relief makes it a flexible and durable cable assembly.
One way you can create a passthrough if the fabric is 100% synthetic is take something hot enough to melt it and poke a hole in the fabric. Just like fusing parachute cord. I would use a thrift store butter knife heated red hot over a stove for a nice button hole type opening. You can get some nofray or super glue and draw around the hole if you're worried about fraying.
Thank you for another great video! I’ve been casually looking for new wire strippers. Which ones do you use and would you buy them again if yours were lost or damaged?
You are very welcome. I would buy the same pair again, but these do not like they are going to die. I bought my pair at Lowes 4 years ago. Mine is the Southwire sa822. I just updated the Amazon list in the description. Sorry for missing it.
It should be valuable for both the amateur radio and 2A community. This weekend I am testing this build in the field to see if there heat is a problem with the G90 in the manpack.
Excellent. I just upgraded the firmware, so I'll be starting on-air tests this weekend. Thanks for the confirmation. Did you add the aftermarket VFO knob? I just ordered one.
I have been waiting for this video! This is why I got a g90 to start off with, I knew it could be man packable. How long you reckon the barrier will last with normal "emcomm" use?
There will be a few more videos showcasing the the G90. EmComm and SHTF are very subjective. I tend not to look at the world as black and white. I have had many instances where radio saved the day. There are personal and localized SHTF moments that benefit from offgrid comms. No everything about radio should be about a doomsday scenario.
I definitely agree. Allow me to rephrase my question, how long would you say from your experience a 6Ah battery will last while making, to borrow your term, "no random contacts". I understand that if I were participating in a contest or rag chew net it may last an hour give or take. But with the way that you use radio for prepping with targeted contacts how long do you reckon such a battery could last?
I actually have an IC-705 that a member sent. Unfortunately, it's still in the box due to time constraints. I plan to use that in the Jeep instead of as a rig for man-portable operation. I am curious to see how that radio works for a vehicle-mounted operation.
I found the Vertx range bag (the one with a drawer that pulls out) fits the 705 damn well and has room for a Toughpad, batteries, antennas, etc. Not molle-able but if checks every other box, even has water resistant zippers.
I'm looking forward to this build I hope you find enough value in the old G90 to included in the emcom tools as things go ... It's a pretty good little radio
I am writing the plug-and-play support next week. I need to as I am sending a T.Rex Arms an FZ-M1 preloaded with EmComm Tools. We will be using JS8 for contingency communication.
You're about to get a whole lotta love from Trex fans lol. Very happy to see the collaboration.
I'm excited to see the crossover
They're a great group and they put out quality content and gear. I am honored to be able to let my OCD get out of control for this video collaboration. Thanks for the support. More coming on this exercise.
Absolutely @@waylonk2453
Right here baby
A hot soldering iron pokes nice clean holes in nylon gear. Could help you run your cables from pouch to pouch.
Great tip. Thanks!
That's a solid bit of advice bro, cheers!
Excited to see this featured by Isaac on a T.Rex labs vid. Your civilian man pack-able HF radio idea is great!
The feeling is mutual. I don't know how much Isaac operates on HF, so this might be an x-factor for the exercise. I plan to take this opportunity to write a field manual to help make the operating pretty straight forward. I am learning this radio, so the perfect time to write a simpler guide on the operation for the G90.
I can't tell you how happy I am that the firearms community is rallying behind communications. Next step is for everyone to follow S2 Underground and get aboard Ghostnet. Cheers to you.
Thanks for the support. The folks at T.Rex Arms are fantastic.
Don't tell that to the guy that run Ham Radio 2.0 channel. LOL....
I’ve done over 6000 miles with my g90 and a compromised ocfd dipole with a 3:1 swr
Wondering if T-Rex will start making soft goods for this market.......
That's a great question... It's a good thing that the PRC/117G is not a perfect fit. It may be the motivation they need to make a better bag for the G90 in this manpack configuration.
That's a fantastic idea. I also think there would be a market for kydex radio containers for field use. The market would be really small, so I'm not sure if it would fit their business model, but I would personally be very interested in the community rallying behind a few specific high quality radios, and a company like T.Rex Arms making field carrying and protective cases for them out of either kydex or other material.
If there is enough interest in soft goods like bags and so on, I would SERIOUSLY get connected with Armageddon Gear. I've worked with him in the past with my production on a shooting sports television show. He does custom design work, and his team is top notch with everything they turn out.
The Timiya power connector Xiegu uses is universally hated by all. I took mine apart and installed a PPole connector in its place on day 1 of owning it.
Thanks for providing the name of this connector. Now, I need to learn how to pronounce it. Glad to hear that you did that mod. I would likely do the same thing if this was my personal G90.
@@TheTechPrepper The correct spelling is "Tamiya" - it was extremely popular for NiCd/NiMH RC car/plane batteries back in the 80-00's, and it was cheap with looser tolerances, and a shockingly limited mating cycle life. The modern Molex 02-09-1119 pin has a 25 cycle lifespan, and personally I wouldn't trust them for more than toys and novelties.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamiya_connector
I'd like to see more detail like this on your Slimboy build
I'll get back to showing of the slim boy, as that is my goto configuration these days. Checkout my Instagram feed starting around January 2024. I posted in the Slim Boy a lot.
Getting ready to build a pack for my newly acquired G90. It's my first HF rig. Thanks for the ideas!
You will like it. Great first radio, especially at it's price point. At 20 watts, it's only one "S" unit down from a 100 watt radio.
It's a nice beginner rig. It is my first and what I use for portable voice operation. One of the major cons of it is that it is not 100 watts, which can make a significant difference for beginners. Another is that I have a hard time with digital modes, but like I said in my comment, it may just be that I have a faulty unit. The ATU, built in SWR meter, and the waterfall are especially good with it. I use it specifically for voice comms on Winter Field Day and Field Day.
You're welcome. Congrats on your first HF rig. There is a ton of features packed into this little package. Good luck with your modifications.
I hope you and Trex team can hook up in some way with S2Underground and Ghostnet. Perfect fit….
I like how you are thinking.
Really excited to see your process for long range contacts.
You and me both!
A larger VFO knob is always a nice and cheap add on to the G90. Metal ones are available on Amazon. G90 is a great little unit. 73
Excellent. Good to know. It's time add some Gucci upgrades. Thank you.
I'm looking forward to your next videos on this G90!!
I am studying for my General now and looking at this radio.
I am also disappointed Yaesu had discontinued the smaller moble radios. I am hoping the reason is they are coming out with some better versions!! 🙏
Good for you! A General class upgrade really opens up the world for you in terms offgrid communication. Good luck!
Your videos have inspired me to build a Manpack with my ICOM-2730A and man I can’t wait to see how it turns out 😊🎉
Enjoy the build and good luck!
Have you looked at the sBitx V3? Mine arrived last week. The rats nest of cable is history. Hook up ant and battery and go. Audio and ease of use is outstanding. At $400 from giga-parts it's a win!
I have not, but I quickly looked it up after reading your comment. I prefer radios that I cam run in a vertical configuration in a manpack. I just bought a $400 G90, so no more radios for this guy.
When I have loose power connectors that I can't tighten up by adjusting the tabs on the contacts I like to
* Put low temp hot glue in the back of the connector and
* Glob a little extra down the cable long enough to get heat shrink across the cable and connector with hot glue between the cable and heat shrink
* Test to be sure it's still working
* Heat shrink it
This keeps the contacts from wiggling around the cable from pulling through the heat shrink relative to the contacts.
Great pro tip. Thanks.
It's a cheapskate/impatient trick. Pros make a new cable with quality parts :P
Hi great vid!, since you don't have any green radios- you're going to love this rig!!!!!! one thing I can tell you, it's been to war! it also has a superior receiver than your other HF gear. I'm in love with mine. digirig mbl is a must for this rig. its (Litteral) only disadvantage is that it's not IP65 rating. its no surprise Trex arms has this, over the pond, too many mil/comms folks have one. true max amp consumption is 5.04amps at 20W on 3.5MHZ in digital mode / CW and the lowest is 3.73amps on 7mhz with the average consumption of 4 to 4.4amps on 13.8v AND RX RECEIVE AMP DRAW IS 0.44AMPS IN ECONOMY MODE (DISPLAY OFF) and 0.66amps with all the tools on for SSB VOICE COMMS. preamps, NB, AGC, mic comp. etc.
note: depending if you switch around the PC's on digital modes you might have to fine tune the acceptable ALC for each pc used.
I use this in the same fashion as you and it rocks with milspec BBTD and terminated EFLW (9.1unun/470Ω terminating resistor) , the BBTD is a killer match for low noise sig reception and ALE/ freq hop computer aided comms !!!!
also with digirig you might need to use the IC-7200 settings for some modes/programs instead of the g-90 listing like in winlink/vara for example.
have fun do extensive tests, my ft987 is collecting dust, so is my codan 2110.
I use the BBTD for NVIS with this rig but also I get superior dx with it and the G90 as well without trying...
73s from Sierra Victor one ....Land !
Thanks for the power stats. I plan to put a meter during my usage.
I'm looking at getting into ham radio. Is the Xiegu G90 a good radio for a beginner? Thanks in advance.
Jason over at Ham Radio 2.0 has an aux channel called Pack Man. (Play on the vid game.) Great minds work together. Maybe he has some ideas and sources for radiopacks.
GigaParts is also coming out with its line of bags. Maybe between the two of you, a line of radiopack bags could be developed!
My issue with GigaParts is the quality of the bags that I have seen. It's great that they are innovating, but I am not a fan of materials and assembly. Jason and I talk. In fact, we has three of my bags. I owns to 2% of the bags in circulation. Believe it or not, but I took 25 of my smaller manpack bags to Quartzfest 15 months ago, I did not sell any bags. I finally traded Jason one bag for two Ed Fong j-poles.
@@TheTechPrepperI have the 7300 protection sleeve. Good for protection in a bag. But if the carry bag is like it, I can see your concerns.
Very nice build so far ! Be careful, you might just find the G-90 to be a darn good radio. Not perfect, but darn nice. The 20 watts can make a big difference when needed and you can always turn it down. You will read about heat problems, but it has never been an issue in my use. I think the only time heat might be an issue is in extended digital use at max power. I have yet to have a problem with excessive heat. As to toughness, if you look at the Coastal Waves and Wires videos, Walt drags his G-90 all over the world and has had zero problems. Mine has been rock solid also. The built in CW reader works very well also. If needed, the built in tuner will tune a wet noodle, it's fantastic. For the price ($400. to $450.), it's a lot of radio. Looking forward to the upcoming videos.
Could not agree more, also Walt is my g90 hero
I love my Japanese radios, but they are lacking some modern features that the G90 provides. We'll see. It's time for 2-3 weeks of deep G90 immersion. I take "Internet claims" with a grain of salt. I was told that my manpack that I have been running in the desert for 3 years would cook. I've never had a problem, but I also have a different approach to operating. I don't rag chew. It's short, targeted commo windows for this operator. Thank you for being the first person to share a positive experience regarding the heat on the G90.
T.REX ARMS is not far from me here is Tennessee. I'm doing the same thing -- I've been using a G90 for POTA the last 6 months as I learn to use it, especially portable, and I've been using POTA as training and experience to help with EMCOMM with WCARES here in Middle Tennessee. Brian Hendrix, N0DBH
Glad to hear it. Do you have any G90 tips based on your use over the last 6 months?
@@TheTechPrepper Having worked in the IT world now since 1979 and most of that as Senior Linux Engineer, I wish the lower end priced equipment had the ability to have "profiles." The G90 screen is small and easy to miss something you may be not set right. I've spent a lot of time "fussin" with the G90 thinking somethings wrong or broke only to find out something's set wrong. Each time that happens, I learn, continue to POTA on to get muscle memory improved. However, I'm now at a stage I want to maybe see if I can mimic profiles using CAT commands. I believe the G90, however, only has a subset of all that are available. CI-V by ICOM is available on G90 and I believe the ICOM 7100 is what a lot of software is set as if you want the G90 to work. Anyway, I'd like to script something to set profiles and confirm the settings -- possibly using on of my RPi 5s. It's another project on my long list.
Hi Techprepper I would like to know if I can use a 11.1v LiPo to power my QYT KT-8900D can you help me out please I'm new to Ham radios?
Ohhhh Snap!! This is going to be 🔥 . My favorite Chinese Radio!!! Great set up bro! Outstanding Content as usual!!
Thanks, man. I am looking forward to exploring this radio. It is very different than the Japanese radios that I am used to. I just took a break from reading the manual to answer comments. Happy Friday!
It would have been nice if TREX ARMS sent you the cooling bracket for the G90 and mod it to fit the ARMOLOQ frame. It has Anderson power pole input into it to run the cooling fan and the rig. That way, you would not have had to modify the power cord for power poles. Having the opening on the side may help bring in fresh cool air into the bag and having some baggy room on the sides will probably help with exhausting the hot air, but that also leaves room for it to move around and thus stability. Maybe secure it on one side of the bag? I'm interested to see your tests with this.
I hope you go into getting digital modes with the G90. I want to see if you get it to work just fine. I may just have a faulty unit as I got it to work again one night, then tried it again the next night with no success. If you fail, I really want to see the frustration in your face.
Great video as always, Gaston!
That bracket is going to be a hard no. There is clearly a design flaw if that is required. My hope is that our targeted contact will not require too much on-air time where heat will be a problem. We'll find out soon enough.
Be careful on the automotive blade style fuses. Get fast blow and name brand Bussman or Littlefuse. Cheap Chinese ones offer no protection.
Great point. All my fuses are Bussman. I've seen the crap ones on Amazon. I've even seen them unlabeled from Amazon. How the heck does a company fail to print the rating of a fuse on the housing?
I'm not TREX Arms but if you ever want to do a targeted contact with FL just let me know!
Can this concept work with any radio?
Yes. Search my channel page for manpack. I did a series where did 5 different builds.
First! Learning a good bit and just getting into radio. Just ordered a nanovna and doing some learning before getting my license. Appreciate the content!
Welcome aboard! The NanoVNA (or any analyzer) is great investment when getting into radio. Good luck with your license.
What a great team-up. I love Isaac's new channel, @T.RexLabs. I have a few TREX products, and the quality is there. Maybe you two can work together to make a man pack 2.0.
I have a G90 and would love to see EmCom tools work on this platform. Keep up the great work.
That new channel is amazing. I loved the War Game episode. Push him and T.Rex Arms on the bag front. I almost lost shirt trying to get into the soft goods business. I'll stick to software and knowledge work. I am working on the plug-and-play support for the G90 (via the DigiRig) next week. I am sending Isaac an FZ-M1 MK1 + iKey keyboard with a custom build of EmComm Tools with the the G90 driver that I am writing.
G90 is fun.
It looks like it. Looking forward to learning about this rig.
So I got a question for you. Do you think that frame would work with a anytone quad 6
Each frame is designed for a specific radio. There is an AnyTone section on the ARMOLOQ website. Check there for the supported radio.
Gaston check out the 3D printed strain relief pieces for Anderson power poles that KM4ACK shared in obe of his videos.
Very good. I'll text Jason and find out.
As a g90 user who will soon be replacing shack radio with a Hermes lite 2,leaving the g90 for portable use. This interest me
Glad to hear it. The G90 is a nice form factor for portable operation. I look forward to testing it in the field.
Would you be willing to sell your templates for your bag? I have a handy wife that has a machine that can sew the heavy materials. I would be looking to build a few of the bags to get some grab and go bags made for radios to put into Rally Sweep vehicles.
I really hope you are working with their nylon team to bring us the man pack
I'm bringing them back, but it will take some time. I'm working with another local. It's early in the process, but it looks like there is a demand to make at least a couple in hundred bags.
@@TheTechPrepper awesome! I’m glad to hear that!
Looking good! The High Ground Gear bag appears to work fine for your application. You are wise to stay away from the bootleg PowerPole connectors. I am also a big fan of flex loom.
Those bootleg connectors and housings are a nightmare. I will tell you that my wallet cries every time I need to put in another order for 10x 45A Powerpoles from Powerwerx.
Wish you could find someone to make another batch of bags! I wonder if T Rex could help with that, they do Nylon, and I know they've been through it with sourcing their stuff. There's also Extreme Gear Labs, or even that Helikon-Tex company might be able to do it. Never heard of them before though. You made what looks to me to be the perfect bags for the task, and I'm bummed I can't get one!
If you do get the bag ball rolling again, I would be interested in Ranger Green or MAS Grey!
I wish I could make them again. I love the design that I came up with and wish that I had more bags for myself and for the community. Trying to build soft goods locally in the US with American made materials and components was tough. Multiple colors is an expensive proposition. I am exploring a new design using a different manufacturing technique with a local company.
@@TheTechPrepper I hope it works out! I have a TTP-6000 coming tomorrow. Looking forward to playing with it, but holding off on ordering the Helikon-Tek E&E, and using one of the many sling bags or packs I have laying around first to make it work for now. I’m sure something have will do the job for a while. Thanks for all the work you’ve done figuring this stuff out, looking forward to what comes next!
@@billmakesmovies You're welcome. I have a large drawer full of bags that never worked. Good luck and enjoy your build.
Regarding the Manpack, it would be interesting if you could possibly talk to/work with NC Scout (aka Brushbeater) to see if he’d be interested in taking over the project. Heck, maybe it’s something that TRex Arms would like to take on since they already have the infrastructure to work with nylon gear.
The Manpack concept is becoming more popular and it’s a shame that the best bag on the market is unobtainium.
I have another project that is taking my focus, but I plan to revisit the manpack build I already put out a few inquiries to a couple of companies regarding the bags. It was blast designing that bag. Yes, it's too bad that there are only 110 units of the small bag and 26 units of the large bag (shown). I scaled up to produce 400 more last year, but that went sideways for reasons out of my control.
I love what this channel is about almost none of the ham guys get into targeted comms and that is IMO super important. but I dont really get the hard need for long range comms in a man portable size. what is the use case where you need to talk to someone several states away without even a vehicle? the S has HTF and you have lost everything and are on foot but the only thing you have on you is a HF ham radio? it seems like such a niche use case. unless my house is actually physically GONE, I am not bugging out. I have real comms and antennas at home. on foot maybe on a recce mission but why talk on public freq unecrypted to someone too far away to matter? am I way off base?
For the same reason you have a bug out vehicle AND a bug out bag. If the vehicle breaks, you can move your stuff to another vehicle easily
Not sure why you can't do voice with 20watts. I do it all the time with 10watts from Alaska, and a lot farther than 1500 miles. Stick with 10 meters during the day and you should be able to work most places in the states. Wondering if there is a reason your staying away from 10 meters?
This is a targeted contact. The current HF prediction based on our gear and antennas shows a low probability of success for voice. 11m, 12m, and 17 all show 99% chance of success for our intended circuit using a weak signal mode like JS8. 'll write voice into the plan, but digital will likely be required as our contigency or emergency.
@@TheTechPrepper You might be surprised. If there are no solar flares, more than likely, a voice contact will work using the right band. Pay attention to the Mic Gain. There is a lot of punch that can be added, just don't over do it.
@@johnkaelberer237 Great tip. I'm highlighting all the areas in the manual that are worth diving into so that I can given this planned contact the best chance. Thank you for the tip.
Total price for the rig?
$1300 USD.
A company called "Atlas 46" has a shop in my hometown that a friend of mine worked at. They do a lot of heavy duty sewing if you're interested in contracting out your bags to be produced, they make some nice looking stuff!
Hang tight, but it's good to know. I am working on an old lead that is local to me. The bags may be coming back with a slightly different design.
Regarding power connectors - Sometimes the terminal and wire ae 'loose' within the nylon housing which gives the 'sub-standard' feel. However, if you plug it in to it's mate, the actual terminals may in face be very solid with a positive connection. That's the important part to check!
Excellent point. Too bad I already added two layers of hear shrink.
Are you not concerned about the 3.5 db loss with each transition from BNC to 259 connections and vice versa?
No. Is it really that much loss. I doubt it.
I would caution against upgrading firmware unless it is many versions behind. I am running V1.78, and it is my understanding that this is the best one for digital /JS8. It is my understanding that newer firmware may give in some areas, but take away in others...but I also see conflicting info there.
All I know is I use V1.78 and exclusively JS8, and I get contacts all over the CONUS with 1 watt, a 66 ft wire and a 1:49 unun about 10 ft off the ground.
Thank you for the confirmation. I'll do a bit of research on the firmware. JS8Call will be the primary use case for this rig and the emergency communication mode in the PACE plan for this exercise.
Interesting. Maybe this is why I'm having issues with digital modes sometimes working?
I just want to say I really appreciate your level of OCD. BTW, the G90 gets hot AF! I'll be curious what your outcome is.
More OCD coming. I am rewriting a condensed field manual (FM) for the G90 and this exercise. It will be bound and waterproof, too.
Gaston, excellent video, well done, great build. NY9SP
Glad you enjoyed it. More coming. I applied the firmware patches this morning. It will be nice to get some on air time tomorrow morning. 73
For targeted voice comms, would it be inappropriate to set the meeting up on the side band opposite the normal band plan traffic?
Thinking in the event of a large scale disaster where our group doesn’t wanna go head to head w amps and directionals since we are working qrp / dipoles for nvis regional stuff.
I have a different plan that I have not shared for operational security that involves slightly different operating techniques that breaks convention. I may share this with the members in the future. I will never discuss this publicly for obvious reasons.
@@TheTechPrepper I can appreciate that. Always look forward to your videos. Have a good week!
as an optional interface, you can use VOX with one cable and no cat control. This is how I do JS8 call with my G90.
nice g90 a good radio although the power plug really sucks
That power connector is terrible. If it was my rig, I would replace the connector with a set of Anderson Powerpoles on the read.
Is the G90 supported by Emcomm Tools? Or, is Issac going to use Generic JS8Call, etc. on Windows?
I am working on the integration for the G90 this week. He will have your build, but with the new G90 support. I am sending a him full Panasonic FZ-M1 MK1 with new ikey keyboard to keep. He will have a full turnkey kit right down to a custom field manual and P.A.C.E. plan.
@@TheTechPrepper Good deal, thanks Gaston. I am seriously considering the G90 for a mobile instead of the FT-857. 857s are in short supply and twice the price +.
@@thebnbaldwin The availability of the G90, low price point, and the manpack-ability all drove me to buy one for myself and Mike. Again, it is not my radio of choice, but it has value and would benefit a lot of people in the community. For $1,200-$1,300 USD you can fully build the entire manpack as shown with the radio, all the components and the bags. $1,200 is about what bare 857's are going for.
I have had good luck using the outdoor rated Velcro for attaching items like the DigiRig.
The only possible issue putting the rig in a bag like this, if one runs 20W, is the heat has no where to go.
It's not an issue. I am going to demonstrate this again in the next video. I've been operating in the desert for over 3 years without an issue. It's all on how you operate. I designed a flap on my bag, but I've only used it to access the rear when I need to work on the cables or access the rear. I've never used it to vent heat.
@@TheTechPrepper Excellent. Thank you. I may duplicate your build.
Where can we purchase one of those bags
Unfortunately, I was only able to produce 26 bags early last year. They all sold out in the first few minutes. I have not been able to get the bag going again due some logistics around doing everything in the US. Thanks for the interest.
I keep noticing that the mic isn't hooked up... How y'all get your mic hooked up?
It's in the front pouch. It just needs to be pulled out and plugged into the head unit. The frame allows access to the connector. In my other manpacks (FT-857D) I added three pass throughs from the main compartment to the smaller pouch.
@@TheTechPrepper Maybe you and Trex arms make a comms pack?! It'd be great for us IC's at Robin Sage to play wargames.
@@TheTechPrepper I just bought pretty much your setup here in the vid although I went the CW route... Keeping a laptop/tablet on an overnight recon exercise during summer in the rain doesn't seem to wise.
@@Burchrg24 This could happen... ;-)
Ok I want one & I don’t even know it if works yet
That's the attitude. They do have a cool factor.
Is there a less expensive radio i can use ?
This is about as inexpensive as these radios come. The only other option is finding a used one.
On wiring, I recommend using a 2 pair cable with strain relief built into the cable. It's often advertised as CNC cable. It generally has PVC insulation, shielding, and a braid between the shielding and outer jacket. Another benefit is it's usually a finer strand than standard wire. The fine stranding coupled with the PVC jacket and strain relief makes it a flexible and durable cable assembly.
I appreciate the cable tips. I'll take a look. Thanks.
Xiegu g90, now you talking my language
Roger. Roger. ;-)
Xiegu is a tank
One way you can create a passthrough if the fabric is 100% synthetic is take something hot enough to melt it and poke a hole in the fabric. Just like fusing parachute cord. I would use a thrift store butter knife heated red hot over a stove for a nice button hole type opening. You can get some nofray or super glue and draw around the hole if you're worried about fraying.
My production bags were actually hot cut. Using a similar technique.
Thank you for another great video!
I’ve been casually looking for new wire strippers. Which ones do you use and would you buy them again if yours were lost or damaged?
You are very welcome. I would buy the same pair again, but these do not like they are going to die. I bought my pair at Lowes 4 years ago. Mine is the Southwire sa822. I just updated the Amazon list in the description. Sorry for missing it.
I'm spreading awareness: The Chinese pronunciation is "Shyeh Goo" not "Zai Goo" (But don't worry, you're in good company, everyone says Zai Goo)
Thanks for the correction. I'll pronounce it correctly in the next video. Take it easy.
gotta admit I dont care about trying to get chinese pronounciation right. Good radio tho
Please pronounce it incorrectly - it's better that way. NOTARUBICON would approve this message...😂
Im saying ex-eee-goo from now on, just cause…
Nice... Check out cable lacing instead of using zip ties. Cheaper, lighter, nicer, and you don't get cut up by them.
Great recommendation. It's on the list. Thanks!
When you get a new bag, spray it down with Scottsguard for raincoats..... That will keep salt and dirt from digging deep into your bags!
Good to tip.
Awesome collaboration project. This is essential kit and practice for anyone in the "citizen's defense industry."
It should be valuable for both the amateur radio and 2A community. This weekend I am testing this build in the field to see if there heat is a problem with the G90 in the manpack.
You are doing great work! Really interested in this G90 series. Can't wait for the next video. Thank you
Thanks for the support. I already made a few modifications since this was filmed yesterday. Updating coming!
There is a mod to change Xiegu power plug with an Anderson power pull but you have to open the radio to mod.
Yep, it’s called a small hand file 😊. Took me only a few hours. So much better.
Timely. This is the radio I've decided on! Issues aside I love this little guy.
Excellent. I just upgraded the firmware, so I'll be starting on-air tests this weekend. Thanks for the confirmation. Did you add the aftermarket VFO knob? I just ordered one.
I have been waiting for this video!
This is why I got a g90 to start off with, I knew it could be man packable.
How long you reckon the barrier will last with normal "emcomm" use?
There will be a few more videos showcasing the the G90. EmComm and SHTF are very subjective. I tend not to look at the world as black and white. I have had many instances where radio saved the day. There are personal and localized SHTF moments that benefit from offgrid comms. No everything about radio should be about a doomsday scenario.
I definitely agree.
Allow me to rephrase my question, how long would you say from your experience a 6Ah battery will last while making, to borrow your term, "no random contacts". I understand that if I were participating in a contest or rag chew net it may last an hour give or take. But with the way that you use radio for prepping with targeted contacts how long do you reckon such a battery could last?
@@eliezercohen2205 My common windows are typically < 30 minutes. So, will cover at least 6 communication windows.
Still not made for ic705. Would love to have the cage with battery pack added.
I actually have an IC-705 that a member sent. Unfortunately, it's still in the box due to time constraints. I plan to use that in the Jeep instead of as a rig for man-portable operation. I am curious to see how that radio works for a vehicle-mounted operation.
I found the Vertx range bag (the one with a drawer that pulls out) fits the 705 damn well and has room for a Toughpad, batteries, antennas, etc. Not molle-able but if checks every other box, even has water resistant zippers.
Anybody know where I can get a 117G pouch in stock somewhere?
Are they sold out already? I put a link to the High Ground Gear site in the video description.
@@TheTechPrepper they’ve been on an extended backorder for weeks
BA
Back at you.
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Hello!
Suprised the t.rex guys want a commie radio.😢
The Japanese radios that are great for manpack operations are all discontinued.
@@TheTechPrepperThe used market is the the way to go.
@@anonymous_friendthere aren't nearly enough used radios for all of us.
@@isaacbotkintrex They are out there if you know where to look.
I'm looking forward to this build I hope you find enough value in the old G90 to included in the emcom tools as things go ...
It's a pretty good little radio
I am writing the plug-and-play support next week. I need to as I am sending a T.Rex Arms an FZ-M1 preloaded with EmComm Tools. We will be using JS8 for contingency communication.