XIEGU G90 CHEAT SHEET

BASIC CONTROLS AND BUTTONS

Power Button

Powers the G90 on or off and turns the display off.

• Longer press to power on the G90.
• Longer press to power off the G90.
• A short press will turn off the G90 display, but the radio continues to operate. A short press or using any other G90 control will restore the display.

"Vol" Rotary Control

This rotary control sets the audio output level from the speaker or headphones.

Note: Press this control to route the audio signal to headphones or other audio device plugged into the headphone icon jack on the left side of the G90.

Unmarked Lower Left Rotary Control ('MFC')

This is a multifunction control ('MFC') used for a variety of purposes.

New in V1.71: Set DSP filter center frequency and bandwidth.

• A short press of the MFC begins a DSP filter configuration process:
  • With the first MFC press, a display of "Cxxx" (where "xxx" is the center frequency) with a vertical green line at the center allows using the MFC to set the filter's center frequency.
  • With the second MFC press, a display of "Bxxx" (where "xxx" is the bandwidth) with two vertical green lines at the sides allows using the MFC to set the filter's bandwidth.
  • The last press of the MFC completes the process.
• Note: A short MFC press previously allowed setting the squelch level. This is no longer available. See the long MFC button press Squelch level setting below.

Long press the MFC to bring up 5 choices that may be selected for basic use when the MFC is rotated. Rotate the tuning control to select the desired choice from the five. Press the ‘CMP' button to save the selection. The choices are:

• 100 KHZ frequency step size: Allows quickly adjusting the received frequency in 100 KHz steps with the tuning control. This 100 KHz step size is fixed. This is the initial, default setting for the MFC.
• Squelch level setting: Brings up the squelch level setting where the tuning control can select the desired squelch setting. Pressing the tuning control saves the squelch setting.
• PO Level: Quickly adjust the power output level with the tune control. Then press the tune control to save the power setting.
• Key Speed: Use the tune control to set the CW keying speed. Press the tune control to save the setting.
• FFT Scale: Use the tune control to set the base line of the FFT display up or down. Press the MFC three times to complete this new FFT scale setting.

CONTROLS AND BUTTONS (CONTINUED)

Right Unmarked Rotary Control ('Tuning')

This is a multifunction control ('Tuning') used for a variety of purposes.

• The usual use for this control is for tuning the G90's frequency. Pressing the control cycles the tuning rate from 10 HZ, 100 HZ, 1 KHZ and 10 KHZ per click of the tuning knob. The tuning step behavior is changed to from left to right.
• A long press of this control has no effect.
• In many other functions being used, a press of the tuning knob will complete the other function and return the G90 to normal receiving.

Top 'MODE' and 'BAND' Buttons. FUNC Button

• MODE/BAND Buttons: Used to select the mode or band. Use the Mode Left or Right buttons to scroll through the six supported modes. Use the Band Left or Right button to scroll through the ten supported amateur frequency bands.
• FUNC Button: This button is used to initiate a second function for other buttons or controls. It also allows detailing the G90's 'System Menu'.
  • A short press turns on the amber LED below the button and initiates the second function by some other button or control. These are detailed elsewhere.
  • A long press of this button will bring up the 'System Menu' to allow configuring various aspects of the G90's operation. See page 30 of the current User Manual. In each case use the ‘VM' button to step through the ten options. When making a change to one of the ten, press the ‘CMP' button to save the settings and exit. Here is a brief overview of the options:
    1. Handle Up / Down button: This allows setting the function of the hand held mic's up / down button's. Rotate the tuning control to select from: Freq CH +/-, Band +/-, or Volume +/-.
    2. Handle F1: This allows assigning a function to the hand held mic's ‘F1' button. Rotate the tuning control to select from PRE/ATT, SPLT (Split operation), NB (noise blanker), COMP (speech compressor), or AGC.
    3. Handle F2: This allows assigning a function to the hand held mic's 'F2' button. Rotate the tuning control to select from the same choices as shown above for the 'F1' button.
    4. LCD BL: Rotate the tuning control to specify the desired brightness of the display from 10% to 100%.
    5. AUX IN Volume: Use the tuning control to specify the desired ACC port's Aux In volume from 0 to 15 (bigger is louder).
    6. AUX OUT Volume: Use the tuning control to specify the desired ACC port's Aux Out volume from 0 to 15 (bigger is louder).
    7. RCLK (reference clock) Tune: Rotate the Tuning Control to select the desired negative or positive value.
    8. Band Stacking Mode: Select ‘Ham Band' or 'Full Band'.
    9. G90 on / off beeping sound: Select ‘Enable' or 'Disable'.
    10. Version: Merely displays the G90's current versions of the 'APP’' and 'BASE software. No changes, etc. are possible.

Note: Items 1, 2 and 3 can be very useful to provide some functions that normally you have to use those especially hard to press bottom buttons to activate that function.

New in V1.71: Factory Reset G90

To complete a factory reset of the G90 press and hold the "FUNC" key and power on the G90. Then press the "PRE" key to confirm the reset or press the "VM" key to cancel the reset.

BUTTON FUNCTIONS

'MW.MC' Button

This button is used to store a current VFO's frequency and related G90 settings into a memory location. It is also used to clear a memory location.

• There are memories from 00 to 63.
• Adjust the Tuning control to select the desired memory channel.
• Press 'MW.MC' button again to save the value.
• You must use memory 00 first; thereafter use any of the memories.
• Press 'FUNC' then ‘MW.MC' to clear a memory.
• See page 28 of the current G90 user manual for a good explanation of managing the G90 memories.

'TUNE' Button

This button is used to control the G90 antenna tuner feature.

• A short press just enables the tuner to be used. But the actual antenna tuning is not initiated; so the tuner is at its setting when it last actually completed a tuning action. An antenna icon is turned on in the display.
• A long press enables the tuner and initiates the tuner to tune the antenna for the current band and frequency. The tuner is left enabled and the antenna icon is turned on in the display.

'POW' Button

This button is used to specify the G90's output power, in watts, from 1 to 20. It also supports a scan of the antennas SWR curve.

• A short press allows the tuning control to select the desired G90 watts. Then press the tuning control to save the setting. Press the ‘POW' button again and use the Tuning control to select the 'SWR THR' SWR Threshold of 1.8 to 3.6. Press the Tuning control to end the sequence.
• A long press of the ‘POW' button initiates the scan of the current antenna's SWR vs. frequency plot. This scan is of the antenna without the tuner in the circuit. The scan is continuous until halted with the ‘VM' button. During the scan the ‘PRE' button may be pressed to specify 1 to 5 KHZ as the scan bandwidth step size.

'KEY' Button

This button is used to configure the G90 for CW operation.

• Each short press allows setting the CW keying parameters from this list: Keying speed, M/L/R selection, Mode A or B, QSK on or off, QSK Time or Dot: Dash Ratio. Use the tuning control to set the desired value and the press the tuning control to save the setting.
• A long press of the KEY button will change the bottom portion of the display where the G90 will attempt to decode and display the characters as CW is being received. Another long press will turn it off. Note that the CW decoder feature is very sensitive to precise tuning and perhaps the current filter settings. When close to being tuned properly the amber LED to the right of the tuning control may or may not blink in time with the CW note. See page 24 of the current G90 user manual.

'LOCK' Button

This button controls display's brightness and locking the various G90 buttons and controls.

• Short presses will cycle the G90's display intensity through five levels of brightness.
• A long press will lock the G90's controls and display a lock icon indicating the lock status. Another long press will unlock the G90. All controls and buttons, other than the Lock button, are disabled. See page 22 of the G90 user manual for more information on using the bottom 5 function buttons.

"PRE" Button

Control front end signal levels (Preamplifier and Attenuator).

Press “PRE" repeatedly to cycle though these settings (see the icon in the display):

• "P": The preamp is on, providing a boost of the received signals. This is more useful in the higher frequency bands. Using it on the lower frequency bands may tend to just raise the noise more the desired signal.
• "A": The input signal is attenuated by some amount. Using the attenuator is appropriate when the desired signal is quite large. It will help to reduce the background noise and possible interference of weaker, nearby stations.
• No icon: Neither the Preamp or attenuator is active.

Note: The current manual does not specify the levels, in db, that the preamp or attenuator provides.

MORE BUTTON FUNCTIONS

"CMP" Button

Press this button to turn on or off the speech compressor feature.

• The speech compressor functions to somewhat process normal speech frequencies into a narrower band to have the effect of boosting the effective output RF power. Somewhat at the expense of intelligibility.
• Applicable only in the LSB, USB or AM modes. Can also be used in the data modes but probably not desired.
• See a microphone like icon ? when the speech compressor is on.

"NB" Button

Press this button multiple times to control the noise blanker feature (Pulse Interference Feature).

Pushing the button multiple times cycles through the following options:

• 'NB SW': Use the main tuning control to select On or Off.
• 'NB Level': Use the main tuning control to select 0 to 10. Lower numbers will tend to mute the receiver.
• 'NB Width': Use the main tuning control to select 0 to 10. Higher values will tend to mute the receiver.

Press the tuning control to end this process at any point.

"AGC" Button

Press this button multiple times to control the Automated Gain Control (AGC) feature of the G90.

AGC is a feature to attempt to keep the audio levels produced by the G90 at a constant level. There are four possible settings:

• 'AGC-F': Is a fast AGC response to fast changing signals.
• 'AGC-S': Is a slower AGC response to changing signals.
• 'AGC-A': Allows the G90 to automatically select the AGC response time required by the current signals being received.
• 'AGC-': The AGC feature turned off.

New in v 1.71: Adjust RF Gain

• Long press the AGC button.
• A submenu of 'RF Gain' appears.
• Use the Tuning Control to select the desired RF Gain level of 0% to 100%.
• Press the Tuning Control to save the selection. The initial value is 50%.

"V/M" Button

Press this button to switch between 'VFO' mode and "Memory" mode.

• Memory mode will display 'CH nn' in the display, where 'nn' is the memory channel number.
• Rotate the main tuning knob to rapidly cycle through any previously stored memory channels.
• See page 28 of the G90 user manual for a good description of using the G90 memory features.
• How to write the contents of a Memory Channel to the VFO so you can tune or adjust the frequency and other parameters:
• 1. Press the V/M key and choose a stored frequency.
• 2. Short press the FUNC key.
• 3. Short press the A/B key (writes contents of MC to VFO - both VFOs).
• 4. Short press the V/M key (returns to VFO mode) now with MC contents displayed and tunable.

FUNC Button and then "POW"

This button sequence allows selecting the Mic Gain and Input source.

• 'Input': Use the volume control to select ‘Line' (the ACC port) or ‘Mic'. Press ‘POW'.
• 'Mic Gain': Use the Volume control to select the gain from 0 to 20. Press the volume control to end this selection process.

FUNC Button and the "KEY"

This button sequence allows selecting the CW side tone volume and frequency.

• 'CW Volume': Use the Volume control to select the desired CW side tone volume from 0 to 15. You will hear the level in the speaker as you rotate the Volume control.
• Press 'POW' and then set the Volume control to set the desired side tone frequency. Press the Tuning control to end the sequence.

ADVANCED FUNCTIONS AND SETTINGS

FUNC Button and then "LOCK"

New in v 1.71: Adjust FFT Averaging

• Press the FUNC button and then the LOCK button.
• A SCALE submenu appears.
• Use the Tuning control to select the desired FFT averaging count from 1 to 10.
• Press the Tuning control to save the value.

FUNC Button and then "PRE"/ "ATT" Button

Does nothing.

FUNC Button and then "CMP"/ "F-L" Button

This button sequence allows selecting the low limit of the filter bandwidth for received signals.

• Turn the Tuning control to set the desired filter limit.
• Press the “CMP"/"F-L" again to save the value.
• See page 26 of the current G90 user manual for a good description of setting the lower cutoff frequency of the filter.

FUNC Button and then "NB"/ "F-H" Button

This button sequence allows selecting the upper limit of the filter bandwidth for received signals.

• Turn the Tuning control to set the desired filter limit.
• Press the "NB"/"F-H" again to save the value.
• See page 26 of the current G90 user manual for a good description of setting the upper cutoff frequency of the filter.

Note: There is apparently some interaction of the filters settings with the cw sidetone frequency. See page 23 of the current G90 user manual for a good description of how to use this feature. You will see an icon on the left side of the display between the VFO A and VFO B when this split operation is in use.

FUNC Button and then "AGC"/ "SPL" Button

This button sequence allows setting up the G90 to use VFO A and VFO B in a split frequency operation.

See page 23 of the current G90 user manual for a good description of how to use this feature. You will see an icon on the left side of the display between the VFO A and VFO B when this split operation is in use.

Press and hold the "VM" Button

This button sequence allows entering a call sign that is briefly displayed when the G90 is powered on.

See page 29 of the current G90 user manual for a good description of how to use this feature.

FUNC Button and then press the Volume Control

This button sequence allows turning on and configuring the VOX feature (Voice Operated Transmission).

• After pressing this button sequence, the VOX options appear on the display. The options are:
• 'VOX': Rotate the Tuning control to select VOX on or off. If on, then a VOX icon appears on the display. Press the Volume control. Or just press the Tuning control to end this VOX set up if you are only turning VOX off or on.
• 'VOX Gain': Rotate the Volume Control to set the VOX Gain to from 0 to 100. Press the Volume control.
• 'ANTI-VOX': Rotate the Volume Control to set the Anti VOX Gain to from 0 to 100. Press the Volume control.
• ‘VOX DLY': Rotate the Volume Control to set the VOX Delay to from 0 to 2 seconds in .1 second increments. Press the Volume control to end the VOX configuration.

See page 16 of the G90 user manual. VOX also usable with using AF In via the ACC port.

DIGITAL MODES AND I/Q PORT SETUP

Set up for digital modes

Notes:

• Digital modes require that the audio in and audio out signals to and from the G90 is by way of the rear 'ACC' connector.
• Once set up, you may need to adjust ‘Aux In' and/or the ‘Aux Out' G90 volumes for proper operation.
• You may also need to adjust the PC's audio in and/or audio out levels for proper operation.
• Some PC interfaces, like the SignaLink USB, has controls to ease this.
• In most cases, set up the CAT portion of the digital program being used to specify using the CAT 'PTT' command to activate the G90's transmit action. Setting up CAT and the G90 for VOX mode will likely also work. But not detailed here.
• The G90's side 'CAT' (computer control of the G90) connector and cable implements a subset of the common ICOM civ communications protocol. The author has had success with these CAT settings for common digital mode programs (though not all tested in transmit mode):
  • WSJT-X: Omnirig (Using IC756Pro)
  • HDSDR: Omnirig (Using IC756Pro)
  • Ham Radio Deluxe: IC7000
  • Fldigi: Hamlib & X108G
  • Flrig: IC7100 (very noisy on disconnect)
  • JS8Call: Omnirig (Using IC756Pro)
• See the G90 manual for the ACC port Mini-Din 8 pins. Just three pins are used: Aux AF IN, Aux AF Out and Ground.
• See pages 27, 30 and 31 of the current G90 manual.

Set Audio input as 'Line'

Press 'FUNC' then 'POW'

1. Press 'POW' to display ‘Input'. Rotate Main Tuning knob to select 'Line'.
2. Press 'POW' to display 'MIC Gain'. Rotate Main Tuning knob to select desired Mic Gain level 0 to 20. Higher is more gain.
3. Press Rotate Main Tuning knob to complete the set up.

Note: Later use these steps to switch Mic back to the handheld Mic as the input to resume voice operations.

Set desired audio 'Aux In Volume'

Press and hold 'FUNC'

1. Press 'V/M' button several times to display '5. Aux In Volume'.
2. Rotate Main Tuning knob to select desired Aux In level 0 to 15. Higher is more gain.
3. Press 'NB' to save the value set.
4. Press 'AGC' button to exit.

Set desired audio 'Aux Out Volume'

Press and hold 'FUNC'

1. Press 'V/M' button several times to display '6. Aux Out Volume'.
2. Rotate Main Tuning knob to select desired Aux Out level 0 to 15. Higher is more gain.
3. Press 'NB' to save the value set.
4. Press 'AGC' button to exit.

Set 'USB' mode

Repeatedly press one of the top 'Mode' buttons until USB is selected. USB is typically the mode for data communications.

Insure the speech compressor is off

Press the 'CMP' to clear the small microphone icon ? from the top of the display. Leaving the compressor on may cause unknown distortions in the data signals being transmitted by the G90.

SETUP FOR USING THE I/Q PORT

Set up for Using the I/Q Port

The I/Q port data stream may be used to reproduce the G90's spectrum and waterfall on an external PC's larger display. Depending on the sound card sample rate, the spectrum may be at least twice what is seen on the G90's display.

Notes:

• The I/Q port on the back panel of the G90 provides a low level baseband output centered on the frequency that the G90 is currently tuned to.
• An I/Q output is frequently associated with an SDR based radio, such as the G90.
• The G90 I/Q is via the stereo 3.5 mm port and is a low level AC signal on the order of 50 or so millivolts or 100 millivolts peak to peak.
• See below for an example PC screen displaying the I/Q frequency spectrum from a G90.

Requirement: Stereo Sound Card Input On Computer

• The I/Q is a two channel signal and hence the computer sound input must be stereo or two channels as well. This may be marked as a stereo mic input or line input.
• Note that most commonly found sound cards, whether it be internal to the computer or an external USB sound card, is a mono, single channel input. If you attempt to use a mono input, you may well get some semblance of it working but the spectrum will likely look like the two sides being a mirror image of each other.
• Examples of reported usable lower cost USB sounds that work and have stereo inputs are:
  • StarTech USB Sound Card w/ Stereo Mic – ICUSBAUDIO2D (Amazon $25.99)
  • StarTech USB Sound Card w/ Stereo Line Input - ICUSBAUDIO7D) (Amazon $32.36)
  • Optimal Shop USB 2.0 External Sound Card w/ Stereo Line Input (Amazon $14.59)
• Only the StarTech ICUSBAUDIO2D supports 96 KHZ sampling. The other two models are limited to 48 KHZ. 96 KHZ is preferred for the displayed spectrum to be 96 KHZ wide.

Requirement: Stereo Jumper Cable

The cable used to connect the G90's back panel I/Q output port to the sound card's input port must be a good quality cable with a stereo 2 channel 3.5 mm male plug on each end.

SDR I/Q PROGRAM SETUP AND EXAMPLES

Requirement: SDR I/Q Program on PC

• The computer must have a program capable of sampling the I/Q data from the sound card and then displaying it on the computer's display.
• Two known usable computer programs are: “HDSDR” and “SDR#”. Each may be found by searching the Internet and you will also find good details on using them. They have a learning curve beyond the scope of this document.
• A few key points on these programs usage:
  • Assuming you are using a Windows computer, you will likely need to drill down in the PC's sound settings to see the micro phones advanced settings to select your USB port being used and the 2 channel sample rate desired.
  • Select your sound card and the I/Q as the input signal source for HDSDR or SDR#.
  • Select the desired bandwidth / sample rate to be used.
  • Select 'Run' to begin the display.
  • A sample rate of 48,000 will yield a spectrum the same width as the G90's front panel display, +/- 24 KHZ.
  • A sample rate of 96,000 will yield a spectrum double the width of the G90's front panel display, +/- 48 KHZ or nearly 100 KHZ!
  • Both the HDSDR and SRD# programs are CPU resources intensive. Especially SDR#. An older, slower PC may get bogged down.

Sample HDSDR Screen With a Good Spectrum

• Using ICUSBAUDIO2D sound card.
• Sampling at 48 KHZ.
• G90 tuned to 7250 KHZ and HDSDR also tuned to 7250 KHZ.
• Receiving a LSB voice signal.
• G90 CAT cable not connected.
• A good example of a clean spectrum display.

Sample HDSDR Screen With Noise

• Same setup as above example.
• But G90 CAT cable also plugged in to a USB port.
• Narrow noise pulses spaced exactly every 1 KHZ.
• Other broad noise pulses are unknown.

Note: Below is an example of a computer spectrum display of the G90 IQ signal. Very noisy. Ferrites on the power supply and signal leads did not help this. However, an inexpensive Ground Loop Isolator in series with the IQ output and sound card input did remove 95% of this noise for the author to result in a display much like the one above. The noise remaining is from the switching type of power supply used and is minor.

FULL RELEASE NOTES FOR FIRMWARE V1.71

New Features:

1. RF GAIN: Long press "AGC" key to access. Rotate main knob to change its value. Note: "RF GAIN" won't affect the S-Meter and FFT Scale.
2. Tuning Steps behavior: Changed (from left to right).
3. DSP filter Center/Bandwidth mode: Short press USER-Knob (the bottom-left one). Select filter center->Select filter bandwidth->Select USER-define->Loop back. When f-center is selected: Title will be "Cxxx" ("xxx" is the center freq); a vertical green line showed up at the middle of the orange area. When f-bandwidth is selected: Title will be "Bxxx" ("xxx" is the bandwidth); two vertical green lines showed up at the both sides of the orange area.
4. Reset to factory settings: Press and hold "FUNC" key and turning the rig on to get access. Press "PRE" key to confirm; press "VM" key to cancel.
5. Main ref-clock fine tuning: Long press "FUNC" key and entering system menu, at item "7.RCLK Tune:". If this parameter is messed up, just set it to "0"; it neither damage the rig nor degrade the performance.
6. Band stack mode: Long press "FUNC" key and entering system menu, at item "8.Band Stack Mode:". It can be set as: HAM Band; Full Band.
7. Power ON/OFF beeping: Long press "FUNC" key and entering system menu, at item "9.ON/OFF Beep:". It can be set as: Disable; Enable.
8. FFT averaging: 2nd function of "LOCK" key, range can be in 1~10.

Fixing and Optimization:

1. RX audio distortion caused by AGC; also AGC time constant is more longer (approximately, 100ms@fast; 1000ms@slow).
2. Cannot power off when FFT Scale is too small.
3. The DSP-filter icon sometimes don't draw correctly.
4. 2nd function menu behavior (menu or title at the multiple function display area): Main display (DSP-filter icon)->2nd function title1->2nd function title 2->...2nd function title n->Loop back.
5. Optimized NB algorithm (by the way, NB is not available any more in AM mode in this version).
6. FFT SCALE can be saved at each band.
7. Optimized APC algorithm.
8. Optimized High SWR protection algorithm.
9. Optimized RF output power detect algorithm (more accurate).
10. AM TX output power is down to 1/4 of the set power.
11. Optimized voice comp algorithm.