Xiegu X6100 - A CW Op's Impressions.

X6100 with optional side handles

I am a sucker for low-power rigs that have experimental and hacking possibilities. In recent years, for example, I’ve worked with the RS-918, the QCX, the uBitx, and I was a firmware beta tester for the Xiegu G90. Then when an encoder in my KX3 went bad and Elecraft told me it would take five months for repair, I used that as an excuse to get Xiegu’s latest, the X6100 (then went ahead and replaced the KX3 encoder myself).

Unlike manufacturers such as Icom and Kenwood, Xiegu in essence uses us consumers as involuntary beta testers; they release the hardware before the firmware is refined, then issue a series of firmware updates to fix problems and add features. This makes it hard to rely on reviews; many on the internet as well as the one in the July 2022 issue of QST are based on earlier, more problematic, firmware versions. Mine has the latest at time of writing, v1.1.6, and it fixes many of the earlier problems. Firmware updates are via a microSD card and said to be very easy, though I haven’t had to do that yet.

I really like this radio. In fact, if I didn’t already have the KX3, I’d probably opt for the X6100 instead at less than half the price and with its very nice spectrum display. I’ve compared the CW features of the two on my blog but haven’t done careful comparisons of the performance. However, as a CW ragchewer on 80, 40 & 30M, not a contester or DXer, the X1600 so far fits most of my needs. With the FT-DX10 as my QRO rig, I’m spoiled by having a bandscope and operating without one feels a bit like driving blind.

It is said that the multi-HF band X6100 is intended to compete with the IC-705 but at a cheaper price, though with a built-in antenna tuner that the IC-705 lacks (an Icom design decision that is beyond my comprehension). Unlike Icom, Xiegu has no US-based repair options.

The Xiegu has a built-in lith-ion battery that allows for a maximum of 5W output. With an external supply, it can put out 10W. (I have found that it runs cooler with 12v or even 10v than with 13.8v; I'm currently running it on 11v.) There are still some problems with the battery monitor, but I’m guessing they will be worked out in future firmware upgrades.

Here are the some of the things I like about the X6100 features:

*Very nice, readable display including spectrum scope with waterfall (much larger than the G90s). Includes output power and SWR.

*Excellent internal wide-range ATU.

*Compact - slightly smaller than the KX3.

*Solid aluminum case, metal knobs and positive-feeling buttons.

*Unlike the KX3 or G90, it does not require an external speaker to be powered (the inexpensive MFJ-281 works nicely).

*Easily-accessible RF gain control (in my tests, the S-meter is calibrated with RF gain at 63).

*Tuning knob has a nice feel.

*All controls are accessible with a few turns and taps - no buried menu.

*Support is provided by an active community of users and developers on YouTube, groups.io, and the Discord/TOADs website and app.

*DSP filters, though not quite as nice as the KX3’s, have worked well for me (though no peaking filter so far).

*AGC mode selection has a dedicated button.

Some things I don’t like:

*Some frequently-used settings take several taps to access (a setting such as keyer speed can be brought to the front, though it must be done new each time the rig is turned on).

*The internal speaker is barely useable, at least to my ears.

*Tuning rates are selectable in several steps but there is no one rate that I consider ideal for most use.

*The red-on-green figures on the display are difficult to read.

*If close to an AM station, an in-line BCI filter is essential (K9DP sells an inexpensive one on eBay for about $20, though it does not remove AM stations at the high end of the band. I have also used the little kit from qrpme.com successfully).

Other pluses and negatives can be seen on my earlier blog entry.

Because of firmware updates, there is no functional user manual beyond the very basic one that comes with it. Users will have to use internet resources and trial-and error. Still, the learning curve is lower than, say, my FT-DX10 and maybe even the KX3 with its complex menus.

The flip-out legs collapse easily but that can be fixed with a thin washer or small piece of tape under the screws. (Be careful when removing the legs not to lose the tiny ball bearings intended to provide click-stops.) I also added rubber pads where the tilted case rests on the table to prevent sliding when pushing buttons. (More recently I replaced the screws holding the feet with M3X6mm knurled screws so that I can adjust and tighten them easily.)

Available as an accessory on eBay for about $30 is a very nice set of side handles for carrying and protection, shown in the above photo.

Again, though I have worked some DX stations, I can’t speak to the experience of contesting or serious DXing with this rig. However, I can say that it is great for my causal contacts and ragchewing in the shack and will be an excellent portable rig when the weather warms up. It should be well-suited for POTA & SOTA. I’m looking forward to what firmware updates may bring. Also, R1CBU and several other developers are working on an alternate operating system for it and this may be interesting to try once it has been refined. This alternate OS operates from a microSD card, so does not require eliminating the internal firmware.

I expect lab tests would show that the KX3 and IC-705 receivers outperform the X6100 in some ways. The ARRL lab, for example, found low level birdies in the X6100, though these may have been corrected in the current firmware - I haven’t noticed any. (Users on Discord do report one bothersome birdie at 140.070, a PSK31 frequency.) But for $600, the X6100 offers a very competent, compact CW transceiver for my uses.

I’m not in a hurry to get rid of my KX3 but more than any of the other rigs I’ve mentioned above, the X6100 is a definite keeper.