Xiegu G106 HF transceiver

It looks like the Chinese (?) manufacturers are coming up fast. 

This tiny 5W HF transceiver is available new from Martin Lynch in the UK for less than £189.95! 

You pay extra for a digital adaptor and it does not cover 6m.

See G106.

How?

AliExpress is selling a G106c HF QRP transceiver for £42.99. I think I read this correctly. The shipping cost is nearly as much as the rig! 

Even with VAT and any duty, this is still very low cost. 

I know labour costs in China are very low (the old joke about a bowl of rice...) but 2 companies are supposed to be making profits.

UPDATE 0912z:  Is this just the straps? It would seem not. See https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010477508773.html

Xiegu G106

The DX Explorer YouTube channel has a video on the Xiegu G106 QRP rig. The rig is a very compact 5W QRP transceiver. It very modestly priced. It is about 3 years old.

There are quite a few transceivers from China now. I expect we will see more in the years to come. I think the Japanese monopoly on amateur rigs is drawing to a close.

Xiegu G106 price reduction

Steve G1KQH has pointed out that MLS has significantly reduced the price of this 5W SDR based HF rig. 

It was good value before, but even better value now. I can see many people buying this. Yaesu and ICOM must be seriously worried. Even I am tempted! 

If the quality is good this is a serious player much like the Yaesu FT817 was nearly a quarter of a century ago.

It is my view that within 5 years the Chinese will be very important in the amateur radio market. At the next sunspot peak, it would not surprise me at all to see Chinese products becoming far more common than Japanese. If they are to survive in the amateur radio market, I can see the likes of Yaesu and ICOM designing in Japan, but manufacturing elsewhere where costs are lower.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/g106 .

See also https://www.cqxiegu.com/ .