Reviews

Reviews

Yaesu FT-818ND Review: The All-Band QRP Tank, 160 m to 70 cm

Yaesu FT-818ND review: 6 W on every band from 160 m to 70 cm in a near-indestructible case, held back by a tiny screen, weak NiMH pack and a fragile DC jack.

November 4, 2026

Reviews

Yaesu FT-70DR Review: Budget System Fusion, Small Battery

Yaesu FT-70DR review: easy, affordable System Fusion with AMS, keypad programming and good audio, held back by a small battery and fiddly PC programming.

October 31, 2026

Reviews

Yaesu FT5DR Review: The Easiest Way Onto System Fusion

Yaesu FT5DR review: easy System Fusion with AMS, dual receive and simple APRS, let down by slow charging, weak Bluetooth and a cable that can't program it.

October 27, 2026

Reviews

Icom ID-52A Plus Review: D-STAR's Best Travel Handheld

Icom ID-52A Plus review: GPS repeater search, a big colour screen, loud audio and long battery life, held back by fiddly Terminal mode, no APRS and its price.

October 24, 2026

Reviews

Icom IC-7100 Review: HF to 70 cm with a Remote Head

Icom IC-7100 review: HF to 70 cm, D-STAR and a remote head on one patch cable, held back by no tuner, a mono screen and a receiver that shows its age.

October 20, 2026

Reviews

Kenwood TH-D75 Review: The APRS and D-STAR Handheld to Beat

Kenwood TH-D75 review: class-leading APRS, dual D-STAR receive and great audio, held back by short battery life, flaky Bluetooth and a steep price.

October 16, 2026

Reviews

Yaesu FTDX101D Review: Two Receivers Built for Crowded Bands

Yaesu FTDX101D review: two top-class receivers, VC-Tune and a receive antenna port, held back by a jittery scope, fussy menus and a high street price.

October 13, 2026

Reviews

Xiegu X6100 Review: A Fun QRP SDR With Rough Edges

The Xiegu X6100 packs a tuner, battery, sound card and a great screen into a cheap QRP SDR. Fine for POTA if you accept birdies, short battery life and QC risk.

October 9, 2026

Reviews

AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus Review: DMR Done Right, FM So-So

The AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus is the DMR handheld to beat: big memory, great battery, loud audio. Analog receive is average and programming takes real effort.

October 5, 2026

Reviews

Icom IC-9700 Review: Three Bands in One Box, Plus a GPSDO

The Icom IC-9700 is the all-mode 2 m, 70 cm and 23 cm base rig for satellite and weak-signal operators. Excellent once you add a GPS reference to stop drift.

October 1, 2026

Reviews

Yaesu FTDX10 Review: Contest Receiver, Awkward Controls

The Yaesu FTDX10 pairs a top-tier hybrid SDR receiver with cramped controls and a flickery scope. Best for CW ops and DXers who want selectivity at mid price.

September 28, 2026

Reviews

Yaesu FT-60R Review: The Analog HT That Won't Retire

The Yaesu FT-60R is a tough, simple 5 W dual-band FM handheld with a real squelch knob and 1000 memories. A durable first HT for new hams and event volunteers.

September 24, 2026

Reviews

Baofeng UV-5R Review: The $25 Starter HT, Warts Included

The Baofeng UV-5R is a cheap, tough first handheld for 2 m and 70 cm repeaters, held back by a weak antenna, a fussy keypad and a receiver that hates RF noise.

September 20, 2026

Reviews

Yaesu FT-991A Review: The One-Box Shack, 160 m to 70 cm

The FT-991A puts HF, 6 m, 2 m and 70 cm all-mode plus C4FM in one radio. Great for small shacks and FT8; menu-heavy and its scope is dated.

September 17, 2026

Reviews

Quansheng UV-K5(8) Review: A Cheap HT for Firmware Tinkerers

The Quansheng UV-K5(8) is a 5 W 2 m/70 cm handheld that custom firmware turns into a wide-band receiver. Great for tinkerers, wrong for out-of-band transmit.

September 13, 2026

Reviews

Kenwood TS-590SG Review: All Knobs, No Scope, Still Worth It

Kenwood TS-590SG review: a knob-driven HF superhet with a superb receiver and no scope. Who should buy one used, and what to check before paying.

September 10, 2026

Reviews

Yaesu FT-65R Review: The Step Up From a Baofeng

The Yaesu FT-65R is a simple 5 W dual-band FM handheld with a quieter receiver than a Baofeng and a 3-year warranty. Good first name-brand radio for new hams.

September 6, 2026

Reviews

Baofeng UV-82 Review: Two PTT Buttons and a Better Grip

The UV-82 is a sturdier, louder UV-5R with a dual PTT rocker. A cheap 2 m/70 cm handheld for repeaters and go-bags, best programmed with CHIRP and a cable.

September 2, 2026

Reviews

Yaesu FT-891 Review: The Best Mobile HF Radio for Serious Operators

Honest Yaesu FT-891 review after two years of mobile and portable use. 100W HF in a tiny package — what it does well and where it falls short.

August 29, 2026

Reviews

Xiegu G90 Review: The Budget HF Radio That Surprised Everyone

Hands-on Xiegu G90 review after 18 months of daily use. 20W HF transceiver with built-in tuner for under $450. Real performance data, pros, cons, and who it's for.

August 26, 2026

Reviews

The Yaesu FT-710 AESS Review: Mid-Range SDR Done Right

Hands-on review of the Yaesu FT-710 AESS after 8 months of daily use. How this mid-range SDR transceiver performs on HF and 50 MHz for the price.

August 22, 2026

Reviews

The Icom IC-905 Review: VHF/UHF/SHF All-In-One Transceiver

Our hands-on IC-905 review covers real-world performance on 144 MHz through 10 GHz. Is Icom's microwave transceiver worth the price? We tested it to find out.

August 18, 2026

Reviews

Kenwood TS-890S Review: Premium HF for the Serious Contester

In-depth Kenwood TS-890S review covering receiver performance, roofing filters, DSP, and real contest use. Is it worth the premium over the TS-590SG?

August 14, 2026

Reviews

Icom IC-7610 Review: The SDR Base Station That Changed Everything

In-depth Icom IC-7610 review covering dual-receiver SDR performance, receiver specs, contest features, and honest real-world use after five years on the air.

August 11, 2026