MISSION RGO ONE INITIAL THOUGHTS

 

I was lucky to be able to buy this little radio recently and boy am I glad I did!  I love small form factor radios and this immediately reminded me of my K2.  It's around the same size and covers all bands from 160m - 10m including 60m.  This particular radio is fully kitted out with all the current options, including the optional additional 4 pole filter, ATU, Noise blanker and H Mode Mixer.

Like the K2, it is a single down conversion superhet and the features and specs are below.

As anyone who follows my exploits on YouTube or on this blog, I like to go portable.  My noise floor at home is terrible and someone is managing to put something on charge at weekends that is making 20m difficult now!

I have had reports that the internal speaker is not great but I have to say that I have found it fine and loud!  Perhaps I am less bothered about it sounding 'tinny' than others.  With my ears, that is probably a good thing 😂

I downloaded the manual from the website and had a good read.  It is really not that complicated a radio, which I love and everything you need on a regular basis is on the front panel, with the menu items being reserved for 'set and forget' items.

One thing I was not happy with was the sound of the narrow filter on SSB.  This is variable and with this kind of filter you expect some boxiness of the audio at narrower bandwidths but it was really boxy.  I grabbed the filter manual and had a look.  The filter centre points and bandwidths are user adjustable and you can stay in the menu while you adjust, making it a breeze.  I got it where I wanted it and it is much better now.  Again, probably the difference in my ears compared to the previous owner.

The one thing I am hoping for is the promised audio filter.  There is a socket on the board for it, so hopefully this will arrive soon.

Initial operation was on SSB with 10W.  The radio will do 50W but when I am portable I tend to work QRP, so why not? 😎 I was at the home shack and so was using my 40/80m trap dipole at 35ft and my Cushcraft R6000 vertical.  I got 54 from Minsk on 20m and 59 plus from Orkney on 40m.  Considering the band conditions, I was extremely pleased to say the least.

I am sure that I will continue to tweak things for a little while but I am absolutely in love with this radio already!  It is firmware upgradable and so I expect it to get even better over time.

The radio was designed and is manufactured in Bulgaria by Boris, LZ2JR.

You can find a much more detailed review on Tom's blog at tommcquiggan.blogspot.com

Here is a short YouTube video showing my initial contacts

SPECIFICATIONS:

• QRP/QRO output 1 – 50W [1 watt increments]
• All mode(?) shortwave operation – coverage of all HAM HF bands (160m/60m optional) No AM/FM modes
• High dynamic range receiver design including high IP3 monolithic linear amplifiers in the front end and diode ring RX mixer or H-mode first mixer (option).
• Low phase noise first LO – SI570 XO/VCXO chip.
• Full/semi (delay) QSK on CW; PTT/VOX operation on SSB. Strict RX/TX sequencing scheme. No click sounds at all!
• Down conversion superhet topology with popular 9MHz IF
• Custom made crystal filters for SSB and CW and variable crystal 4 pole filter – Johnson type 200…2000Hz
• Fast acting AGC (fast and slow) with 134kHz dedicated IF
• Compact and lightweight body (5lbs / 2.3kg)
• Custom made multicolour backlit FSTN LCD
• Custom moulded front panel with ergonomic controls.
• Silent operation with no clicking relays inside – solid state GaAs PHEMT SPDT switches on RX (BPF and TX to RX switching) and ultrafast rectifying diodes (LPF)
• Modular construction – Main board serves as a “chassis” also fits all the external connectors, daughter boards, inter-connections and acts as a cable harness.
• Optional modules – Noise Blanker (NB), Audio Filter (AF), ATU, XVRTER, PC control via CAT protocol; USB UART – FTDI chipset
• Double CPU circuitry control for front panel and main board – both field programmable via USB interface.
• Memory morse code keyer (Curtis A, CMOS B); 4 Memory locations 128 bytes each

Classic superhet design – with popular 9MHz intermediate frequency. Filter method DSB to SSB modulation
 

Coverage of the 9 HAM HF bands (160m optional)
 

High dynamic range receiver design including high IP3 monolithic IC in the front end and H-mode first mixer
 

Fast acting IF (134kHz) AGC.
 

Clickless operation – solid state GaAs PHEMT SPDT switches on RX, (bandpass filters; TX/RX) and ultra fast rectifier diodes (LPF)
 

Custom multicolor FSTN LCD (Especially developed for this project)
 

Custom made plastic face plate, unique and ergonomic knob controls
 

Custom made crystal filters – 6,8 pole, CF=9MHz, 2.8kHz, 2.7kHz, 1kHz, 500Hz

Double CPU circuitry control for front panel and mother board, both field programmable via implemented USB hub.

Modular construction with no “flying wires” inside the box. Transceiver is built up on a main – mother board which has two functions. First to serve as a “chassis” and second to fit all the external connectors, daughter boards, inter-connections and acts as cable harness.
 

Plenty of optional modules: Audio filters, Automatic antenna tuner (ATU), Noise blanker (NB), narrow/wide band IF crystal filters.
 

Linear final amplifier PA 50W with precise power adjustment especially for QRP operations. Forget noisy FANs – 25W  – unlimited time!! QRO work – with max power of 50W driving should be sufficient for a kilowatt amplifier.
 

Personal computer control CAT via USB
 

Morse code keyer (Curtis A, CMOS B)
 

Contest and DX-pedition operation conveniences
 

Both Kit & Pre-Built versions will be available for sale