This complete FT8 5W SDR HF transceiver puts the world in the palm of your hand! Despite its small size, it covers HF amateur bands from 3.5 to 28 MHz. Whether you’re bagging a new peak on a SOTA outing, pounding out QSOs on Field Day, activating a new POTA park, or working rare DX from the comfort of your home station, this HF digital mode set will provide the features and performance you need.
The set contains a 5W SDR HF transceiver and a data mode interface with all the required cables. The transceiver can be used to make QRP SSB and CW contacts, and in combination with a PC can be used for digital modes such as FT8, FT4, PSK31, PSK64, JS8, RTTY, FSK, JT4, JT9, JT65, MFSK, SSTV, WSPR and so on. It can be fully continuously tuned through 80 m – 10 m bands in the LSB and USB modes. With a 2400 Hz bandwidth, it has up to 5 watts output power and features a software-based full break-in VOX for fast RX/TX switching in voice and digital operations.
The FT8 QRP SDR HF transceiver has been created to try out what can be achieved with minimal hardware while moving complexity towards the software; here the approach followed is to simplify the design where possible while keeping a reasonable performance.
The FT8 SDR HF transceiver’s unique form factor allows you to operate from anywhere. With a whip antenna, you can even operate it hand-held. Press the bottom red PTT button to transmit and talk straight to the built-in microphone while holding the radio in your hand.
Easy to use the FT8 QRP SDR HF transceiver features a compact design with all controls optimized for convenient use. You simply dig through simple menus to set the power level, adjust the CW keyer speed, or change filter settings. The radio has the 1602 liquid-crystal display, so all operating information is available at a glance. Free firmware upgrades are available via the internet. The FT8 QRP SDR HF transceiver is supplied with a complete data mode interface, compact handheld microphone and 12VDC battery charger.
The optional accessories allow this transceiver to be tailored to your needs, including the optional CW Keyer, 100W Power Amplifier, Lithium Ion Battery, External ATU, light multiband HF portable antenna, Low Pass Filters Unit, micro PC unit. Please contact us if you need any of these.
Main Features and Specifications:
- LCD-1602 Display
- Built-in 12V Lithium Ion Battery (optional)
- Built-in Speaker
- Built-in CW Decoder
- IRF MOSFET Power Transistors
- BNC Antenna Socket
- 13.8V Power Supply Provides up to 5 Watts PEP SSB Output Power
- Bands: 80, 60, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10 m
- Modes: USB, LSB, CW, Digital
- DSP Filter: 4000, 2500, 1700, 500, 200, 100, 50 Hz
- Functions: Automatic Gain Control (AGC), Noise Reduction (NR), Voice Trigger, Voice Trigger Xmit (VOX), RX Attenuator (ATT), TX Noise Gate, TX Driver Control, Volume Control, dBm/S-meter
- SSB Reverse Sideband/Carrier Suppression Transmission: better than -45dBc, IMD3 (two tones) -33dBc, reception: better than -50dBc
- Open source firmware, built-in for Arduino IDE; allows experimentation, can add new functions, can share contributions through Github, software complexity: 2000 lines of code
- Software-based VOX that can be used as fast Full Break-In (QSK and semi-QSK operation) or assist in RX/TX switching for operating digital modes (no CAT or PTT interface required), external PTT output/PA control with TX-delay
- Fully digital and software-based SSB transmit-stage: samples microphone input and reconstruct a SSB signal by controlling the phase of the SI5351 PLL (through tiny frequency changes over 800kbits/s I2C) and the amplitude of the PA (through PWM of the PA key-shaping circuit)
- Three independent switchable analog front-end receiver attenuators (0dB, -13dB, -20dB, -33dB, -53dB, -60dB, -73dB)
- Receiver noise level MDS: -135 dBm (200Hz BW) at 28MHz
- Receiver front-end selectivity: steep tuning frequency -45dB / ten times roll-off +/- 2kHz
- Blocking dynamic range: 20kHz offset 123dB, 2kHz offset 78dB
- CW decoder, straight/Iambic-A/B keyer
- VFO A/B + RIT and Split, and switch the corresponding relay band filter through I2C
- CAT support (Kenwood TS-480 subset), you can stream audio, press keys, and display text through CAT
- Compact Size: 76 x 46 x 130 mm
External Connectors:
| Charge | Charging Port for the Built-in Lithium Battery |
| ON/OFF Button | To Power On or Shut Down the Transceiver |
| DC 13.8V/3A | External Power Supply Port |
| MIC/KEY | External Microphone Automatic CW Key Connection (A, B, Single Key) |
| UART | Serial Communication Port (CAT Control Commands Compatible with Kenwood TS-480) |
| PA | External Power Amplifier, PTT Signal |
| SPK | Headphones (when connected mutes the internal speaker) |
| Antenna Connector | BNC |