Radioddity Xiegu G90 Installation guide

Question Type No. Question Answer
Accessories 1
What's the maximum output power I
should use if I connect the G90 to an
XPA125B amplifier?
5W. It's one of the full band settings of G90.
Accessories 2
Is the data cable included with the
G90 also suitable for other XIEGU
machines?
Yes, all the XIEGU USB-TTL cables are universal.
Accessories 3
How long can the remote head cable
be extended?
When using the remote head, please make sure you are using a high-quality DB9
extension cable. As long as the voltage drop on the cable is small enough, the remote
head can work normally. The longest length recommended is about 6 meters (18 feet).
Accessories 4
Can the headphone port of the G90
be used to drive external speakers?
No, the headphone port can only drive headphones, not passive speakers.
(Any speakers connected must be active powered speakers.)
Accessories 5
Is the headphone output mono or
stereo?
The G90 output is a mono signal, and the left and right channel are combined on the
earphone socket. With a 3.5mm stereo earphone, you can hear sounds on both sides.
If you use a 4-pin earphone, please make sure that the pin definition meets the
requirements, otherwise, there may be no sound, low volume, or other errors.
Accessories 6
Can I connect the G90 to an external
amplifier or a computer, without
using the CE-19?
Yes. You can make a cable by yourself. A pinout and interface definition is included in the
G90 User Manual
Function 7
What is the antenna tuning range of
the built-in antenna tuner in the G90?
The tuner can match an antenna with an SWR of up to 5:1
Function 8
Can the G90 antenna tuner connect
to and match a long wire antenna
directly without a balun?
No, a balun is needed. Otherwise, the tuning range will be reduced.
Function 9 Which bands does the G90 support?
Reception is supported from 500KHz to 30Mhz. Transmission is supported on the 10
amateur bands in this range. (160m, 80m, 60m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m)
Function 10
Does the G90 support the new 60
meter band?
Yes, it does.
Function 11
When switching bands, can the non-
amateur band display be turned off?
Yes, it can.
Function 12
Can I get the 6-meter band by
expanding or upgrading firmware?
No. (The hardware does not support this frequency range.)
Function 13 How do I read the ALC readings?
When the G90 is transmitting, the ALC (Automatic Level Control) meter will be displayed
in the upper right corner of the spectrum display area. The normal reading should be
greater than 30, and manual intervention is not needed. If the reading is too low when
using the line input, please increase the input volume appropriately.
Function 14
Is the filter bandwidth adjustable on
the G90?
Yes, both the center frequency and bandwidth of the digital filter can be adjusted.
Function 15
What should the frequency accuracy
be?
±1.5ppm. You can fine tune the current frequency deviation based on a reference signal.
After adjustment, the frequency accuracy could be ± 0.5ppm.
Function 16
Can the G90 send and receive on
different frequencies?
Yes, please turn on SPL (Split Mode).
Function 17
Can the G90 be connected to a PC
serial port directly through the
remote head cable interface?
No, this interface is not suitable for a serial port and this could cause damage to the
interface.
Function 18
What is the "Δ" indicator light used
for ?
In CW receiving mode, this indicator light will blink in sync with the incoming CW signal
when you have the signal tuned to the correct pitch.
Function 19 Are the buttons on the G90 backlit? No. The buttons below the screen may be dimly lit by light leaking from the display.
Function 20
Can the MIC and LINE IN be used at
the same time?
No. You can use only one input source at a time.
Function 21
Does the MIC interface have a
speaker output signal?
No.
Function 22
Does the G90 have protection against
damage from high SWR (Standing
Wave Ratio)?
Yes, and the standing wave protection threshold is adjustable.
Function 23
What's the level trigger of the G90's
PTT pin?
The G90's PTT pin is triggered by connecting the pin to ground. This is sometimes referred
to as a "Low Level Trigger"
Function 24
Does the G90 support PTT signal
output?
Yes, there is a PTT terminal at the rear ACC port. This control terminal is a bidirectional
control port.
Function 25
Can I control the transmit of the G90
by short circuiting the PTT line on the
MIC input?
No. To control the transmission of the G90 from outside, you need utilize the provided
PTT pin on the rear ACC interface. The CIV command can also control the PTT state of the
device.
Function 26 Why doesn't the S meter show up? The AGC function needs to be turned on for the S meter to be displayed.
* The hardware of G90 is exactly the same as that of G90S. In the following, G90 is used to represent two models.
Xiegu G90 FAQ from Radioddity

Function 27
What is the error level of the built-in S
meter?
The level reading error of the S meter is ± 2dB, which is significantly more accurate than a
standard pointer meter.
Function 28
Does the S meter of the G90 need to
be calibrated?
No.
Function 29
What is the bandwidth of the
displayed spectrum on the G90?
± 24k bandwidth centered on the current signal.
Function 30
Why is my G90 spectrum displayed so
high that I can't see the top?
The SCAL reference level value needs to be adjusted.
Function 31
How about the stray radiation
suppression of the G90?
≥50dB.
Function 32 Is the SWR scanner accurate?
The accuracy of the built-in SWR scanner is sufficient for antenna debugging, and can
accurately reflect the SWR of the current antenna feeder system. The scanning power is
generally around 5W, which is more accurate than most cheap meters. More precise
measurement requires professional instruments.
Function 33
Can the boot-up tone and system
tone be turned off?
Yes, it can be turned off in the radio settings menu.
Function 34
Does the G90 have voice compression
function?
Yes, press the CMP button to enable voice compression.
Function 35
Does the G90 have voice control VOX
function?
Yes, FUNC + press the volume knob to set accordingly.
Function 36
Why does the sound become louder
when AGC is turned off?
When AGC is turned off, the G90 is in the highest gain state, and the noise will be
significantly increased. It sounds loud, but it may reduce the signal-to-noise ratio and
dynamics. It is recommended to turn on AGC.
Mode 37 Does the G90 support CW auto key? Yes, and the auto key rate can be adjusted.
Mode 38 Why is my CW signal not decoded?
To decode a CW signal requires:
1. The frequency is tuned to the correct pitch.
2. The received signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) is strong enough.
3. The code sent by the other party should be standard. If the code is sent manually, the
decoding accuracy is lower. If the code is sent from a computer or by a machine
automatically, the decoding accuracy is higher. Generally, automatic decoding is only a
supplement to manual copying.
Mode 39
Can the CW key be used to switch
modes?
Yes, it can be used for IAMBIC A/B Mode switching.
Mode 40
Can the CW key be used to adjust the
length and proportion of dots and
dashes?
Yes, it can.
Mode 41
Can the G90 store CW calling
information?
No, it can't. (This one can't be added due to the hardware limitation.)
Mode 42 Can I adjust the CW tone of the G90? Yes.
Mode 43 Can CW be used in SSB mode? No, you need to turn the mode to CW or CWR.
Mode 44
Does the G90 support data
communication modes like FT8?
Yes, it does.
Mode 45 What is the CWR mode?
Compared to CW, it a sideband report mode. In some cases, CWR mode can be used to
eliminate some specific interference nearby.
Mode 46 Does the G90 have an FM mode? No, it doesn't. (This one can't be added due to the hardware limitation.)
Mode 47 Is there a NB function? Yes, please see the user manual for full details of the included noise blanker.
Mode 48
What operating modes does the G90
support?
SSB/CW/AM.
Other Troubles 49 Can I turn on the G90 through CAT? No.
Other Troubles 50
Can the G90 be set to show the call
sign on the boot-up screen?
Yes, it can.
PC 51
Does the G90 support computer input
signals for data communication?
Yes, there is an audio input/output terminal at the rear ACC port, which is specially used
for external input /output.
PC 52 Can I use a PC to control the G90? Yes, you can control it with software like HRD, HDSDR, etc.
PC 53
What protocol does the G90 use for
computer control instruction?
Standard CIV protocol, compatible with ICOM.
Specification 54
How many channels can be stored in
the G90?
100
Specification 55
Which port is used for a PC control
connection?
On the left side of the radio head unit (below the headphone port).
Specification 56 Does the G90 have a CMIIT ID? Yes, its CMIIT ID is 2019FP3960.
Specification 57
What type of circuit does the G90
use?
The G90 uses a Mixer SDR with a 24 bit @ 48khz DAC

Specification 58
What type of power connector does
the G90 use?
EL-2P
Specification 59
What input voltage range does the
G90 accept?
10.5~16.5V
Specification 60
What is the rating of the fuse in the
power cord?
10A fuse
Specification 61
Can the G90 be powered with 4
Lithium batteries which are 16.8V in
total?
Yes, but there is a risk of overvoltage. 16.8V input voltage is not recommended.
Specification 62
How do I connect the G90 to a ground
wire?
There is a ground terminal connection at the rear panel, which is for the ground wire
connection. Good grounding can help improve the performance of the equipment and
enhance its anti-interference ability.
Specification 63
What is the maximum emission
current of G90? What kind of power
supply would be suitable?
The maximum emission current could be up to 5.5A, when under 13.8V DC power, and
the emission current in full power transmitting can't be higher than 5.3A. A power supply
with 6A or above output power would be recommended.
Specification 64
What is the minimum input voltage
that allows the G90 to transmit at full
power?
The G90 can transmit at full power with input voltages at or above 11.5V. Input voltages
above 13.8V will not improve the output power, as the APC unit in the radio will regulate
the power automatically.
Specification 65
How do I confirm that the output
power of the device is normal?
Select CW mode, press the key to start transmission, and observe the output power
reading displayed on the screen.
You can also use an external power meter to help. Do not use SSB mode to check as it will
be affected by the input volume, which may cause a large change in output power.
Specification 66
Does the G90 have reverse polarity
protection?
The reverse polarity protection consists of a fuse in the power cord and an internal
circuit. When the radio is accidentally miswired, the fuse will blow, and the internal
protection circuit will take action to prevent further damage. To repair it, you just need to
just replace the fuse and repair the protection unit inside the radio. Generally, it will not
cause more serious damage.
Specification 67
What is the receive sensitivity of the
G90?
0.25uV @ 10dB S/N
Specification 68
Can the G90 connect to a PC and
show a spectrum?
Yes, you can connect the I/Q signal to your PC's sound card, and use appropriate SDR
software to see a spectrum. (Depends on your sound card's capability.)
Specification 69
Does the G90 have a spectrum
display?
Yes, it provides both a spectrum and waterfall display.
Specification 70
Can the G90 show the SWR (Standing
Wave Ratio) of my antenna setup?
Yes. There's a standing wave meter on the right side of the screen, and the current
standing wave ratio will be displayed when transmitting.
Specification 71
Is the transmit power adjustable on
the G90?
Yes, continuously adjustable from 1 ~ 20W in steps of 1W.
Version 72 How do I factory reset the G90?
Turn off the G90, hold the FUNC button, and turn on the machine, then your radio will be
reset. (this reset function was added in firmware version V1.73)
Version 73 How do I update the G90 firmware?
When updating the firmware, the head and body need to be updated at the same time,
and the firmware version number must be the same for both. For detailed operation,
please refer to the Firmware Upgrade Instructions:
https://xiegu.s3.amazonaws.com/G90%20FW%20Update%20Instructions_20200313.pdf
Version 74
What happens if the firmware update
process fails or is cut off prematurely?
Repeat the update procedure. The device will not be bricked.
Version 75
How do I check the current firmware
version number?
Item #7 in the radio menu shows the firmware version
Version 76
What are the differences between the
G90 and G90S?
The hardware in the G90 and G90S is identical. The G90S is the original model for the
Chinese market, with the G90 being the model for sales overseas. The G90 is provided
with a different set of operating frequencies based on the sales region.