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G1KQH has told me that the 9-band multmode transceiver, the X108 from China, can now be ordered on-line.

http://www.wouxun.us/item.php?item_id=346&category_id=65

Personally, I’d prefer the FT817 but, even with shipping to the UK, taxes and duty , the price is attractive, even if the product looks rather ugly (to me). It still looks “back shed” design to me. Personally I’d rather wait until the Chinese are really there with their designs. Others may disagree, but the industrial design of this product certainly lets it down.

Also, this is a kit, but with very little soldering.

Steve, G1KQH has sent this link about a new Chinese multi-mode transceiver.  See http://www.brickolore.com/ . Prices start at 2800 Yuan apparently. It is called the Xiegu X108. There is a video and some pictures of the rig.

To my mind, this still looks like  a “back shed” radio, rather than a mature, well engineered and  thoroughly well tested radio. I may be wrong. I am still waiting to see when the Chinese launch a proper Yaesu or Icom competitor. These will come but I’ve not seen one yet. Maybe in the next 12 months?

Steadily, the Chinese are entering the amateur radio market. In addition to the “back shed” HF radios, there are now several neat looking VHF/UHF dual band radios and a quad band mobile (Anytone AT5888UV) for 10, 6, 2m and 70cm. See http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/11197  for reviews of the quad bander.

See also the Wouxun KG-UV8D 5W dual band handheld with a  large screen available from UK dealers for under £100.  This is even cheaper on eBay.

Anytone also offer a couple of 28MHz radios at bargain basement prices. They are around £199 or less.

The Chinese are coming. Watch out Icom, Kenwood and Yaesu! Your easy ride is nearly over.

I give the Chinese less than a year to come up with a good FT817 replacement at a decent price. Yaesu seem totally uninterested, so I bet the Chinese will be. The market for a good FT817 replacement is certainly measured in hundreds of thousands of transceiver units.  Enough to wake anyone up, apart, it seems, from Yaesu.

IF Yaesu is working on a replacement for the FT817 it had better be quick about it as the “window of opportunity” is rapidly closing. Band conditions are slipping, the KX3 is selling widely (but expensive over here in the UK as is the Argonaut VI) and the Chinese are coming up fast on the outside.