After getting the POTA bug, I decided I wanted a portable rig to take to the park. There are generally two radios that keep popping up on YouTube for this application: The Xiegu G90 and the Yaesu FT-891.

After doing research on both radios, I kept mulling over the problem of how to decide on a “cheaper” radio (i.e. G90) with less power but more fancy features like waterfall and antenna tuner, or a “better” radio as in the FT-891, well regarded, better built but with less included “features.” It is kind of the Kia vs Lexus debate for cars. Both you can drive, one will probably drive better and last in the long run. People always tell me “You get what you pay for!”

I was really on the fence, I like the idea of the FT-891 having a history with others as a workhorse and a long service life type of tool, but also found that the G90’s tuner was probably something really good to have (and people love that feature)… I began to think I needed the tuner so I could tune just about any wire while doing HAM radio away from the house.

This is where I think I had my first failure point in this process: I also wanted to save a few $$$. I bought the Black Friday deal from radioddity.com which included the G90+Fan Stand/Tray (I am told this fan tray is a much needed item for digital modes as it runs hot and there are a bunch of documented overheating issues with this small radio!)

I was so excited about getting the bundle deal on this little radio! It has had a lot influencer buzz online that I was starting to like. I have watched many videos on the G90 now, and I have already starting to put together a travel kit with the G90 in mind, including buying a Digirig+cable set for it.

Here is where the excitement ends….

The first problem I observed was when the door bell rang with the delivery driver and a few packages at the door: The radio arrived in a plastic Amazon shipping bag. Not a good sign of “quality” in the S/H department. My other radio that I recently purchased from Gigaparts came packed double boxed and cushioned too. The Gigaparts radio was also was delivered next day for the same shipping cost of the G90 6-10 day economy route.

Multi-hundred dollar Radios should be packed better, and that is my opinion that I have when giving up those multi hundred dollars. It’t not like I am ordering a replacement remote for my TV for $9. To make things worse, a 100ft. spool of 20g wire (that I also bought from Amazon and delivered at the same time), came better boxed and better packed for shipping than the G90 was from Radioddity. /end rant.

Here is the second observed problem: I open the box. Everything looks good. I start reading the instruction manual and taking photos to document my new experience. Then it dawns on me as I am taking the photos: the power connector on the radio is not the new “Anderson PowerPole” style as shown on the Radioddity website. Okay, well I guess I could crimp on some poles… Then I notice that the Fan Tray that was shipped has the new updated style with PowerPole style connectors. It wouldn’t work if I wanted to anyways. Sure I could chop it up and void my warranty… but that is not the point. (Insert that mad emoji here to get the feeling I have)

I am now disappointed in myself that I did not spring for the extra $ and buy a quality rig like the Yaesu. Yes, I get it. S%!& happens, mistakes are made, but they really don’t have to when spending hundreds of dollars on a single item. I’m getting the feeling that Xiegu is dumping old inventory with these “Bundle” deals.

So for now, I am entering in the “contact support” loop regarding my new radio that I wish I could use, but now don’t want to because it is the wrong one. UGH. I am in the 7 day return window, but if I return, still loose out because they do not refund the shipping cost I paid. (remember that mad emoji mentioned above?)

I heard people had good luck with Radioddity. Unless they fix this really quick with what should have been in the first place, I probably will not recommend going down the route that I just took with radioddity.com. It is so disappointing, after having such excitement.

This is how it was “bundled”… old plug style on the radio, new plug on the fan tray. I didn’t even mention that the old style plug and wire is TINY. Wires do not feel like they could sustain 20W. I probably would not trust them running power 24/7 unsupervised. One YouTube video calls them “Junk Connectors” for refrence.

Maybe you all out there had a better experience unboxing your new G90. I hear a few of you HAMS on the air with your G90s trying to get into the pileups or activating parks, so there is that… unfortunately it likely won’t be me on the air with a G90 in the weeks to come.