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Isn't wasn't too long ago that I was wishing for an even smaller scanner to
take with me. Well, not really, but I had at one point lined up all of the
major players in the micro-receiver market to ponder the trend our hobby has
seen develop in roughly one decade.
At the far left of the line-up was the IC-R1. While many of you may get a bad taste in your mouth or feel chills run up your spine, I have quite different emotions when it comes to this, particular receiver. This was my first radio that was truly a wide-range receiver with no "gaps." The time was around 1990 and I remember the pride I felt when plunking down a little over $500 for this state-of-the-art piece of...handheld electronics. While it definitely had its shortcomings, it also had a number of strong points which made it an instant favorite. None of my friends could stop drooling over it and when used properly, one couldn't help but feel a little James Bond-esque whilst toting it around. Not too long after this Alinco introduced their DJ-X1 which I don't think ever went over too well. Fast forward a few more years and Murantz, which had offered the AX400 in Japan under the standard name decided to introduce the same radio in Europe as the Welz WS1000. And it was barely a year later when the AX400B migrated westward to become the popular WS2000. As if this wasn't enough, 1998 saw the introduction of the Commtel COM510 which was a clone of the WS1000. Eager to reclaim the lead role in the popular micro-receiver market, Icom released their IC-R2. Like the IC-R1, the IC-R2 was based on one of their already established amateur radio designs. But where the R1 failed to establish itself, the R2 has proven to be what will likely be one of the top sellers of all time. Not one to sit on the sidelines and watch, AOR released the AR16 while some of us wondered why. AOR had been making gains in their radio designs and showed marked improvement in their user interfaces and receiver designs. The AR16 appeared to be more of an effort to recoup some of the development dollars in its languishing design rather than a true move to be a valid competitor. As if the field didn't represent enough of a target-rich environment for buyers, Yaesu and Standard collaborated to introduce their VR-500 whose claim to fame was the first micro offering with alpha-tags and SSB reception! In the past, manufacturers were busy one-upping each other by offering radios with more memory channels and wider receive ranges. With users trying to figure out what to do with 1000 channels and nearly 2 gigahertz of coverage, it was time to focus on another aspect to highlight a company's design expertise. The latest shot across the bow comes from Alinco and their new DJ-X2. Hardly larger than a half dozen stacked credit cards, it has once again redefined the mark that all others must shoot for if they are to grab the attention of buyers eager to own the latest and greatest and smallest in receiver technology. But when do you reach the point when smaller isn't better? How small can you make the keys and still be usable? How small can you make the display and still have it readable? How much performance can you squeeze into a couple of fingernails worth of components? Alinco has taken a stab at helping to give us some answers. Let's see if we like the results... What follows are my personal impressions regarding the features and performance of this receiver. This, in no way, should be viewed as an endorsement to purchase this radio nor is it intended to discourage anyone from buying it. I have no personal nor business relations with Alinco, Inc. These are simply thoughts offered to my fellow hobbyists who may be interested in purchasing this particular radio or simply knowing more about it. A lot of hard work and effort has gone into the testing and writing of this review. I would appreciate it if every effort is made to keep this document whole with me as the original author. Of course, it doesn't hurt that this document is copyrighted and therefore protected by US law and international treaties governing intellectual property. Except for personal use, and for the sake of brief passages quoted in reviews and given appropriate credit, no part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the author. And if you want to share your thoughts about this review with me or have further questions, feel free to send e-mail. Thank you and enjoy!
Rich Wells |
| Channels | 700 |
|---|---|
| Banks | 10 |
| Coverage | 522 kHz - 999.995 MHz |
| Scan | 10 chan/sec |
| Search | 20 steps/sec |
| Steps | 5/6.25/8.33/10/12.5/15/20/25/30/50/100 kHz |
| Modes | AM, FM, WFM |
| Sensitivity | As listed in the manual: FM AM WFM |
| Sensitivity | As listed in the manual: AM/FM: -6dB/12kHz -60dB/30kHz WFM: -6dB/150kHz |
| Conversion | Triple |
| IFs | 1=248.45 MHz 2=38.85 MHz 3=450 kHz |
| Priority | 1 channel |
| Search limits | 10 |
| Search skip | 100 frequencies |
| Auto-store | No |
| S-meter | Yes |
| Delay | Fixed |
| Lockout | Yes |
| Attenuator | Yes, 20dB |
| Lock | Yes |
| Tone codes | No |
| Computer intf | Cloning |
| Rotary control | No |
| Channel count | No |
| Data skip | No |
| Clock | Yes |
| Timers | APO |
| Weather | No |
| Weather Alert | No |
| Light | Display |
| Power | Internal: 3.8 Lithium-Ion External: 4.5 volts |
| Current | 80 mA receive 25 mA standby |
| Audio | 30 mW |
| Size | 2.3"(W) x 3.5"(H) x 0.6"(D) 58(W) x 90(H) x 15(D) mm |
| Weight | 85g/3oz |
| Memory | non-volatile |
The manual is printed in Japan so, like most manuals these days, it is likely a translation from the original written for the Japanese market. While most such manuals are unfortunately easy to spot these days, this manual does a pretty good job where comprehensibility is concerned (although the Japanese still have a hard time using the proper adjectives and adverbs a lot of the time).
Helpful hints are kindly sprinkled throughout the text which everyone should be sure to make use of for they sometimes point out interesting details (like the fact that the Lithium-Ion battery is always charged when connected to external power regardless of whether the battery selector switch is set to use the Lithium-Ion or external power source).
The inside front cover contains the Table of Contents which makes it quick and easy to look up needed details. Chapter 1 covers the use of accessories, and details the features of the front, top and side panels. Chapter 2 delves into operation on the basic functions while the radio is in Easy Mode. Chapter 3 covers the more intricate features that will be used after the radio is put into Expert Mode. Chapter 4 gives us details on Troubleshooting, Specifications, and a handy operational function chart.
One thing which did confuse me is why Chapter 2, which discusses the basic operations in Easy Mode, covers the Bugging Detector and Radio Cloning features? What's even worse is that the Bugging Detector feature works off of frequencies programmed into memory but as the chapter states early on, you can not program memory channels while in Easy Mode.
The Specifications are fairly comprehensive but missing the obvious things like audio power output and scan/search rates.
Overall this manual is a pretty good effort and should be easy to read, even for the beginners. It appears to have been well proofed, which is a good sign, and the only spelling error that jumped out at me was the 'Low sensitivit' listed in the Troubleshooting chart.
Construction and Physical
Silver must be all the rage these days. Sony broke the mold by casting their
PC model of the ICF-SC1 in silver. Next was Trident's TRX-100XLT (also
available in Japan as the Alinco DJ-X5!) with the most recent clad in silver
entry being Yupiteru's MVT-9000 MkII.
Everywhere you look the X2 is silver from five of its sides, which are plastic, to the all metal rear panel. Given this radio's size and mostly plastic casing, it's pretty easy to guess that we're talking about one very light radio. The manual specs it at 85 grams or 3 ounces which includes the internal battery!
This is easy to confirm when held in your for the first time. The heaviest part of the radio is near the bottom where the internal battery runs the entire width of the radio and occupies nearly one third of the total interior volume! This makes it even more of a mind blowing experience when you figure that the remaining two thirds are responsible for housing the keypad, display and radio receiver!
The casing feels solid enough and the only real weak spot seems to be the right side panel which has a little "give" to it. This is the one vacant side on the radio. The right side houses two controls; the up/down rocker and battery selector switch. The labels for both are actually found on the front panel along the left hand edge.
The up/down rocker is used for numerous purposes including tuning, memory channel selection, scan/search direction, and selecting values when setting various features. This control works well, has good feedback and feels solid.
The battery selector switch is a simple sliding type used to select either the internal Lithium-Ion battery or, when attached, the 3 AA cells contained in the supplied EDH-27 cell holder/recharger.
A look at the front panel reveals the expected manufacturer and model number labels, LCD, keypad and speaker grill. Located near the top, this LCD must be the smallest ever put on a scanning receiver. Just below is the keypad consisting of two rows of four keys each. Perhaps keys isn't the right word as these are the bubble-type pressure sensitive contacts. They are colored a pale yellow and label on both top and bottom with large, clear lettering. The upper label indicates the primary key press function while the lower label is for the function accessed using the FUNC key.
The bottom third of the radio is largely silver plastic with the middle third of it reserved for the square-shaped speaker grill.
Moving to the top panel reveals the expected antenna jack along with the earphone jack and power switch. The antenna jack is the SMA type and the first scanning receiver antenna jack I'm aware of that's gold-plated. The power switch is another, simple sliding type that's bright yellow in color.
Closer examination of both the top and bottom panels shows four notches, two on each panel, which are used as the mounting points for the EDH-27 external cell holder/Lithium-Ion battery recharger. The bottom panel also contains a cutout which allows for an anchor point where a tab on the rear panel snaps into place.
As mentioned earlier, the rear panel is an all-metal cover held into place by four metal screws. In the middle of this panel is the ID sticker containing manufacturer, model number, brief description, country of manufacture and serial number.
Just above this, on the DJ-X2E model, is the CE approved sticker showing device certification for European distribution. Below the sticker is a black connector housing three three holes with pins. This is the mating connector for the EDH-27 thus delivering external power for running the radio or recharging the internal battery.
The EDH-27 is all black plastic mates to the back of the X2 and nearly triples its depth. At the top and the bottom are four latches used to attach it to the radio. The top latches have little fingers that slide into the notches on the top panel. The lower portion of the EDH-27 is then swung down into place with the two bottom latches catching on the notches in the bottom panel of the radio. It attaches relatively securely but I wouldn't go swinging it around and hoping that the two stay mated together.
Looking inside the EDH-27 reveals that it is split in half with the top portion reserved for holding three, horizontally mounted AA cells. The bottom portion houses the Lithium-Ion battery recharging circuitry with only the three power contacts visible which mate to the connector on the rear of the X2.
On the back of the EDH-27 is an ID sticker and along the left hand side, a label for the external power jack indicating the needed voltage (9) and tip polarity (positive) requirements.
The power jack is located on the left hand side. Flanking it on the bottom is a red LED that indicates when charging from external power is in progress and on the top a mysterious access hole (which has a metal contact submerged about 1/4").
With the X2 being so wafer thin, it does not stand too steadily on its own. Once attached to the EDH-27 it is in much less danger of tipping over. So while your at home, think about keeping the EDH-27 attached, even if you are using the internal battery (like that makes any sense).
To see how good of a job this antenna does, I put it up against an average performer like the A0337 supplied on most of the popular GRE-made RadioShack models. The A0337 performs quite well on 800/900 MHz, poorly on VHF-lo and commercial aero and is mediocre everywhere else.
Comparing the two on a set of frequencies between 40 and 940 MHz turned in almost identical results with the biggest differences noted as follows. The X2 antenna proved to be quite deaf between 155 and 165. It was quite a bit better on the low 200s and just a tad better between 250 and 300. A single test frequency around 410 showed the X2 to be much better. While almost identical for 850-870, the X2 showed a bit of a gain around 860.
Taking all this into account, the X2 antenna appears to be your run of the mill performer as one would expect for its size. Most users will probably want to think about replacing it mainly due to its poor performance in the 150s.
But wait! There's more!
The X2 has the ability to use the attached earphone as an alternate for the SMA antenna!
Quickly digging out an earphone, I was eager to see just how well this earphone antenna idea would work. Unfortunately I suffered an immediate roadblock...no "normal" earphones I had would work! The plugs were all too big to fit in the top panel earphone jack! It seems the diminutive X2 uses an equally small earphone jack. This forces you to use the earphone they supply (no biggy but I was getting psyched to try out this 10 foot earphone I have).
So I quickly plugged in the X2 earphone (about 2 feet in length), configured the radio to use it instead of the SMA antenna and proceeded to do some quick testing. The final conclusion? Nothing very conclusive, I'm afraid.
First, you have to keep in mind that if you want to use it as an effective antenna, you have to keep it the majority of it in some form of straight line. Not always an easy thing to do. I was able to get some good results on some frequencies with the line held taut but as soon I let it dangle as it may, the signal disappeared. Keep in mind that if using this antenna disconnects the speaker and forces you to do your listening via the earphone.
Testing a range of frequencies, I realized that this approach was probably no more effective than using the SMA antenna. It obviously has its own receive characteristics and benefits could be gained by further study which I leave to anyone who ends up buying an X2.
Hold on! There's still more!
The X2 includes (what must be an infinitesimally small) internal bar antenna for MW (AM broadcast) reception! For its size it does a relatively good job of tuning the strongest AM stations.
It's also possible to configure the radio so that the bar antenna is bypassed and, accordingly to the manual, the SMA or "earphone" antennas can be used instead. Working with a 17" whip on the SMA jack I was able to get some better results. Using the "earphone antenna" I did not pick up a single station!
Features
Right out of the box I was impressed by the X2's ease of use. With three AAs
quickly put in place and the EDH-27 attached, I was easily performing a
variety of functions in no time. The radio does come configured for use in
easy mode so not all features are available. This is quickly remedied by
going into expert mode (which isn't apparent since it requires holding down
a key while powering up).
On power up, the radio cheerfully announces "HELLo", lights the display LED, and beeps a tri-tone welcome. Make this your first action as soon as you get out of bed each morning and your day is sure to be all right.
As mentioned earlier, the display is probably the smallest LCD that's ever come on a scanning receiver. Roughly 1.5" wide and 0.5" tall, there isn't a lot of real estate to work with here. Be that as it may, this LCD holds indicators for the function key, receive mode, channel skip, attenuator, keylock, low battery, S-meter, bugging detector, descrambler and digits/numerals to convey bank number, channel number and frequency readout!
Contrast is pretty good overall but exceptional when viewed from slightly above. Such contrast is important for reading the small indicators which will be a strain for some. Readability holds up well from all possible angles.
The main frequency display consists of 6 digits which take up about 40% of the entire LCD space. Smaller indicators just off to the right are used to indicate .25, .50 and .75 when using 12.5 kHz steps. Along the far right hand edge is the vertical S-meter which consists of 19 bars.
For nighttime operation the X2 supports a lamp function. Configured through the SET menu, it is either on or off. When on, its programmed to display the backlight LED for 5 seconds upon each key/control activation. The LED is green and located directly behind the LCD. It does a good job of illuminating the central portion of the LCD but toward the edges it is quite poor. But, like other sacrifices which must be made for a radio this small, power consumption is at a premium and this type of light is what's needed to save energy.
The keypad is well done and squeezes a lot of functionality into only eight keys (along with the use of the side panel rocker switch). Each key is of the "bubble type" which provide a good snap when pressed but need a bit too much pressure in my opinion. Hopefully this makes them durable and last as long as the electronic components.
Each press of a key is accompanied by a beep for confirmation. It does not vary in accordance with the volume control and can be disabled if necessary.
Labels for each key are large and easy to read. Primary function is above the key and secondary function, activated with the FUNC key, is located below.
Pressing and holding the FUNC/ENTER key for a bit engages the keylock function which disables all keys except for FUNC/ENTER, VOL/SQL and squelch monitor. While the keylock is an invaluable function for preventing accidental key presses, the X2 goes a bit too far in its restrictions. Due to the nature of the design, pressing of the keylock button while scanning or searching halts the operation thus there's no way to perform these two operations with the lock engaged.
Complementing the small LCD is an equally microscopic speaker. Of course one doesn't expect miracles with a speaker this small. It does a good job for AM and FM signals, faithfully reproducing the human voice albeit with very, crisp tones. Wide FM signals, like those from the FM broadcast band and TV audio channels is OK.
Speaker volume is controlled by one of the front panel keys allowing a value between 0 and 20 to be selected. Values below 6 result in what is basically a muting effect. While reception of FM signals can be set as high as 18 or 19 without distortion, AM and FM signals top out at about 16 or 17.
And don't expect a lot of power output either. Small package, small audio. It's fine for use in a quiet environment at home within arm's length. But as soon as I took it outside, even the slightest noise was enough to drown it out. So don't leave home without the earphone!
To help conserve power and make the battery run as long as possible, there is a battery saver function which is enabled via the SET menu. It only kicks in to conserve energy when not scanning or searching and there has been no signal reception for 5 seconds. While the section on this feature provides no details on the time intervals involved, the specifications list a ratio of 1:4 which represents the amount of time spent awake and monitoring for signals compared to the time spent asleep (powered down to conserve energy).
Like it or not, eventually the batteries will get drained and when they approach the critical point, the low battery icon will appear in the upper right corner of the LCD. Once it appears, prepare to find an alternate power source quickly!
For all you forgetful types, there's an automatic power-off (APO) option which, once enabled, will automatically turn off the radio should you go off and forget about it. Available turn off times are 30, 60 and 90 minutes.
The squelch is controlled via similar means and even shares the same key as volume. Its setting ranges from 0 (forced open) to 5. I have been using a setting of 1 for the entire evaluation and it works great. Regardless of the band or receive mode, it didn't miss anything while staying closed when it should (a blessing compared to the poor operation of this control on my X10).
And I would say the squelch tail burst heard after the carrier drops is long and remains constant regardless of the squelch setting.
A very unique feature of the X2 is what it calls the bugging detector designed to help you detect if a wireless microphone is transmitting in the area. The basic concept is the detection of the electrical component feedback which occurs when a microphone is placed too close to a speaker providing the amplified output for it. Have you ever brought a microphone close to a speaker and noted the squeal that results? That's the feedback from the electronic components in the amplifier which is emitted as an audio signal of very high frequency (thus your squeal).
While this sounds all well and good and James Bond-like, it takes a bit more effort than simply pressing a button and sitting back to see what happens. First, you have to program the memory banks with the frequencies you think you're likely to encounter wireless microphones on. And you HAVE to use at least bank 0 for this function to work.
If you don't know many or your opponent is smart enough to use a non-standard frequency, then this nifty feature doesn't quite have the gleam you envisioned whilst drooling over the box at the store (or web page).
So let's say your opponent is a dimwit who has planted a wireless microphone they picked up at the local Acme Surplus shop so it uses one of the standard frequencies you've programmed into the memory banks. To start your wondrous adventure, you hold down the MONI key while powering up the X2. Once on, the X2 beings scanning the memory banks according to the link setup you programmed before turning it off in preparation for your bug hunt.
Your job is to now walk about the environment and pass the X2 by various items and such where you think a bug might be planted. Just keep in mind that the X2 isn't a screamer when it comes to scanning speed so if you plug a lot of frequencies into it to scan, be sure to sweep SLOWLY. Otherwise you run the risk of passing over a bug when you're scanning the wrong frequencies at the wrong time.
So, we're slowly scanning the room when the scanning stops, 'dC' flashes on the display (don't ask me what it stands for) and you hear a faint howling sound coming through the speaker. The likelihood is high that you've found a bug. To help narrow or broaden your search area, the SET menu provides a sensitivity setting which can be adjusted from 1 - 5 (3 is the default).
The manual lists a detection area of 18 - 24 square yards (15 - 20 square meters) which depends on the type of bug being used and its power output. I'm sure it will also depend on the type of antenna you use as well as the X2's receive performance in the frequency ranges being scanned for activity.
Overall I doubt that any scanner listener will ever have a use for this feature. And you'd have to be a pretty poor private investigator or government spook to buy an X2 to do your work instead of debugging devices which are made specifically for this purpose and are much easier to use.
One feature which is bound not to make it to the North American market in the 'T' version is the X2's voice inversion descrambler. Designed to invert the audio used by the scrambling feature of some cordless phones and public safety agencies (which is why it's illegal to have in the US) it is easily engaged on FM signals by pressing FUNC + SCRT. After this, the display shows the current inversion level and the up/down rocker allows you to select between one of 17 settings to select the level that best results in the clearest audio.
I was glad to see that the X2 does provide power-on resume meaning that a scan or search in progress when the radio is turned off picks up right where it left off when powered back on.
Like most microprocessor controlled receivers these days, the X2 provides two functions for resetting the radio. The partial reset is used to return all factory settings to their default values without effecting the contents of the memory. The full reset returns the radio to a state just as if you were taking it out of the box. If your X2 ever acts "funny," then try a partial reset to see if that's the cure. If not, you'll have to bite the bullet and suffer the hardships of a full reset to see if that will straighten things out.
And like more and more radios, the X2 provides a cloning function so that the entire contents of memory and all settings can be cloned from one X2 to another.
VFO
The X2 comes with a handy VFO which allows you to punch in any frequency you
want to receive and adjust the receive mode and step size as you see fit. The
VFO mode is accessed via the V/P/M key which cycles between this mode as well
as two of the memory modes. In VFO mode there are no letters or numbers in the
lower left corner.
The receive modes include AM, FM and WFM which will fill the needs for 99% of its 500 kHz to 1 GHz bandwidth. There are also a number of step sizes available, including the much desired 8.33 kHz now being phased into the air traffic control system over in Europe. Unfortunately the smallest step size is 5 kHz.
The X2 does have an AUTO mode which will automatically select the programmed receive mode and step size for the selected frequency. If you need to select another mode or step, then the MODE and STEP keys can be used to meet your specific needs.
To tune about the frequency spectrum, the up/down rocker switch is the control of choice. Single clicks move up or down by the currently selected step size. Holding it down ramps the frequency change fairly quickly.
To really move about in the large receive range, you'll have to make use of the 1 and 10 MHz keys. Simply hold one down while using the up/down rocker and you'll be zipping about easily! Using the 10 MHz key, I was able to go from 500 kHz to 1 GHz in about 6 seconds. So it is a fast and effective way of tuning without a keypad, once you get the hang of it.
For weak signal reception, the MONI key can be pressed and held to force the squelch open. You can also set the Squelch to 0 which accomplishes the same task without having to hold a button down.
Memory
The X2 has both preprogrammed and user programmable memories.
The preprogrammed memories are those which first users will learn to access while the in Easy mode. The V/P/M key cycles between VFO and these two memory modes. When in preprogrammed memory mode, PC appears in the lower left corner.
In this mode, you have access to three banks of preprogrammed values; AM broadcast, FM broadcast and TV audio channels. The BANK key is used to cycle between them. While the AM and FM broadcast modes are more akin to tuning within small frequency ranges, the TV channels are programmed into 62 appropriately labeled slots. Regardless of the bank chosen, the up/down control is used to cycle through the available frequencies.
Another press of the V/P/M key puts the radio into the user programmable memory are which is composed of 10 banks of 70 channels each. But it helps if you have something programmed into memory to begin with!
The programming of memory starts with the tuning of a frequency in VFO mode along with any adjustments to the receive mode and step size. With this done, FUNC is pressed to start the write operation. A look at the LCD shows that the bank letter and channel number have showed up along the left hand edge. The BANK key is used to select the desired bank and the up/down control to select the channel. The operation is completed by pressing MW.
Out of the box, it is not possible to overwrite a previously programmed channel because the SET mode's Overwrite feature is disabled. Most of us will immediately enable this feature but it does have its use. When performing a memory write, there is no indication if the memory channel you're about to program has something already in it or not. If you're the forgetful type, then it will probably be best to sit down once, program the memory, and then disable the Overwrite feature.
Once memory is programmed, the V/P/M key is pressed until the bank and channel indicators appear. At this point, the BANK key is used to select the bank and individual channels are selected using Up/Down. And once in a bank, you stay there. If you reach the last programmed channel in a bank, it simply wraps around to the other end. To go to any other bank requires using the BANK key.
The only attribute that can now be set on any memory channel is its SKIP setting. Pressing FUNC and STEP/SKIP while on a channel will lock out that channel (indicated on the LCD by the SKIP indicator) which effectively skips it in scanning mode.
There is also the ability to set the receive mode if the need should arise.
Erasing the contents of a channel is as easy as displaying the channel, then pressing FUNC and MW.
Scanning
While the Alinco terminology refers to all actions as scanning, this section
refers strictly to those actions which result in the change of frequency due to
the recall of values stored into memory.
Like its main competition, the IC-R2, the X2 provides for the scanning of just one or all memory banks. But while the R2 seriously hampers its owner by only providing these two options, the X2 allows up to 5 banks to be linked and therefore scanned together.
Going into SET mode, the bL setting is located. Up/Down is then used to select select between the five link memory (bL0 - bL4) and the BANK key is used to select the bank for each link.
Scanning is started by pressing SCAN while in memory mode. The LCD responds by displaying the last selected mode which is either single bank, all banks or linked. Up/Down is used to select this mode and then SCAN is pressed again to start it up.
While scanning the display updates continuously to show the bank and channel being tested for signals. Scanning all banks with my usual setup of frequencies, which includes everything from 42 to 860 MHz and both AM and FM, resulted in an overall scan rate of 10 channels/second.
At any time, Up/Down can be pressed to reverse the scanning direction.
The only setting left to tweak while scanning is how the radio responds after it stops on an active signal. There is a setting which allows either a timed or busy selection to be made. In timed scanning, the radio stops on an active signal for at most 5 seconds after which it resumes scanning. In busy scanning, the scan will not resume until the signal goes away.
In busy mode, after a signal disappears, the radio waits for two seconds before actually resuming the scan. In other words, it has a global delay which can not be disabled. Not too handy when monitoring trunked systems or those repeater systems where the mobiles and base used different frequencies.
On most radios, if the radio stops on an active frequency that is not desired, the user can usually press the lockout key to lock out the channel which immediately resumes scanning. Not so on the X2. Remember that while scanning, any keypress stops scanning (except for MONI and Up/Down). If one wants to lock out a channel, then FUNC + SET/SKIP can be pressed to lock out the channel, but this stops the scan so we have to press SCAN twice to get it back up and running again.
Searching
While the Alinco terminology refers to all actions as scanning, this section
refers to those actions which result in the change of frequency due to the
application of successive step increments. Most of us like to refer to this as
searching.
The X2 comes with 20 pairs of limit frequencies which are referred to as the Program Scan banks. Each pair can be programmed with a lower and upper frequency to search between. Unfortunately there is no concession to store a receive mode and step size so you had better hope that all your searches will use the preprogrammed settings of the radio's bandplan. Otherwise you'll have to manually select the mode and step in VFO mode before actually starting the search.
Programming the search limits is done the same as the programming of normal memory. Instead of a bank letter, you program A (lower limit) or B (upper limit). Instead of programming a channel, you select one of the 20 pairs (00 - 19).
To start the search, the radio is put into VFO mode and then the PS (Program Scan) key is pressed. Up/Down is then used to select one of the limit values which represents the range to be searched. Interestingly, selecting the lower limit will start an upward search from this limit while selecting the upper limit will start a downward search. PS is pressed again to actually start the search. While searching the decimal point flashes.
Besides the Program Scan searches, the X2 also provides a VFO search allowing this action to be done from the current VFO frequency using the current step size and receive mode.
Since searching is a scanning act, the busy/timer setting mentioned above for scanning holds for here as well. Unfortunately, unlike scanning, there is no way to link search bands together. While searching, Up/Down can be used at any time to reverse the current search direction.
Now, while Alinco likes to refer to searching as Program scanning, the act of locking out a frequency so that it is not tested during the search is called Search-pass (go figure).
Unlike most radios, the X2 does not allow for skipping of frequencies on the fly. If you desire to skip a certain frequency while performing a VFO or limit search, you first need to tune it in the VFO and then program it into the Search-pass memory bank. This bank holds up to 100 pass frequencies.
My empirical measurements put the search rate at 20 steps/second.
Priority
The X2 provides a bank of 8 priority channels. Unfortunately only one of them
can be selected for use at a time. Once enabled, the X2 sits on the VFO
frequency and every 5 seconds it quickly checks the selected priority channel
frequency.
No, there is no way to use priority while scanning or searching nor is a means provided for adjusting the sampling interval.
VHF/UHF Performance
My first performance test of finding the birdie frequencies turned out to be a
bit painful. I found 200 such frequencies spread across the entire receive
range: HF=17, VHF-lo=21, VHF-aero=0, VHF-hi=16, UHF-aero=36, UHF=27, 800=38,
and 900=45. The poor results obtained above 225 MHz are what put the damper on
things.
The next test was to strap on the stock antenna while at home and see what kind of problems were experienced with images and intermod. The overall results were very good with the only trouble coming from a recurrent TV signal which effected about a half dozen frequencies. The FM broadcast band was a bit overloaded and one cellular data image was heard just above the VHF aero band.
While testing sensitivity in the 935-940 band I picked up what I thought was a valid signal 939.050 but a bit of listening proved it was two hams chatting away. It seems they were actually on 442.150 so I broke out the calculator to do some arithmetic. Taking 939.050 and subtracting twice the 1st IF frequency of 248.45 came out right at 442.150!
Next, we traveled to a nasty part of town where I test all radios. Performing the same sweep with the stock antenna I noticed that VHF was well behaved but as we got into the 400s things began to take their toll on the diminutive X2.
Just a couple of cell images were heard in the upper 300s but around 425 things started getting active with pager images and cell/pager, TV/pager intermod. Starting around 485, data signals from trunking systems in the 800s were heard right up to 500 MHz.
Above 800 MHz, problems consisted of a dozen or so cell and TV images which stopped well before the 850s. Again, above 900 MHz, problems with various cellular and TV images were encountered right up to the end.
It was now time to return home and put the X2 up against its competition which I decided would be the popular Icom IC-R2 and AX400B (sold in Europe as the WS2000). I tested all three radios on a variety of signals between 43 and 938 MHz. Each frequency was tested using the same antenna on all three radios and usually several were used to help determine which radio could do it better than the rest.
The results appear in the table which follows. Radios were ranked from first down to last. If a signal could not be detected, a '-' is listed. If there was no discernible difference between radios, they tied for position.
| Freq | DJ-X2 | IC-R2 | AX400B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 72 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 76 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 89 | - | 2 | 1 |
| 92 | - | 2 | 1 |
| 97 | - | 2 | 1 |
| 102 | - | - | 1 |
| 108 | - | - | 1 |
| 117 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 124 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 127 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 132 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 145 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 147 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 151 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 155 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 163 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 257 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 308 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 410 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 451 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 453 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 460 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 464 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 488 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 494 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 852 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 856 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 861 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 865 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 869 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 879 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 892 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 902 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 936 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 938 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Adding the columns for each radio (and scoring a 4 for each '-') then dividing by the number of scores ranks the radios from first to last as follows: AX400B (1.6), IC-R2 (1.9) & DJ-X2 (2.4).
The poor showing for the X2 was in the FM broadcast band which probably isn't a source of distress for most of us. Even the R2 fell a bit in this region. Other bad areas for the X2 seem to be VHF-lo and 800 MHz were it consistently brought up the rear of the pack.
Overall the X2 is a very sensitive radio, just like the R2. But in most bands it was just a hair behind. And the figures posted here make it look like the X2 would be a good choice for mil air monitoring in the 225 - 400 MHz region.
HF Performance
With all manufacturers of wide-band radios throwing in receive coverage on HF
and medium wave (MW) bands to keep up with the neighbors, some are lead to
think they are getting it all in one handheld package. But if you're even
slightly interested in doing some HF/MW listening, one of these micro receivers
is about the poorest choice you could make for doing so.
As mentioned above, birdie testing found 17 such critters below 30 MHz so it's not likely you'll run across one often.
Testing the X2 on HF/MW alongside the R2 and AX400B proved that there's nothing magical hiding under any of their covers to aid reception in these regions. A few spot checks on a handful of frequencies put the AX400B in first place by a nose with the X2 and R2 tying for second.
Using the stock antenna, only the very strongest of stations were barely received. Hooking on a 19 inch whip help things quite a bit but to get the best reception, users will want to think about making their own wire antenna of several feet in length. These radios are just the thing if you want to see how well you can make them perform using home-made antennas!
Also, keep in mind that the smallest tuning increment is 5 kHz, you have no SSB capability, and the use of AM filters designed for 12-15 kHz spacing make for wide gates (thus lots of adjacent channel interference) when surfing the crowded HF bands at night.
| Category | Score | Out of |
|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity | 15 | 25 |
| Selectivity | 5 | 15 |
| Interference rejection | 5 | 20 |
| Coverage | 85 | 90 |
| Channels | 15 | 15 |
| Channels per bank | 5 | 15 |
| Ease of use | 20 | 20 |
| Scan/Search speed | 0 | 10 |
| Receive modes | 5 | 15 |
| Step sizes | 20 | 25 |
| Conversion | 10 | 10 |
| Audio | 10 | 20 |
| Antenna | 5 | 20 |
| Construction | 10 | 20 |
| Size | 15 | 15 |
| Search | 20 | 35 |
| Attenuator | 5 | 20 |
| Auto-store | 0 | 20 |
| Search frequency lockout | 10 | 15 |
| Backlight | 10 | 30 |
| Alpha-tagging | 0 | 20 |
| VFO | 10 | 10 |
| Squelch tail | 5 | 10 |
| Priority | 20 | 20 |
| Delay | -10 | 15 |
| Hold | 0 | 10 |
| Rotary Control | 0 | 10 |
| S-meter | 10 | 10 |
| Power-on resume | 10 | 10 |
| Computer Interface | 10 | 20 |
| Tone Decode | 0 | 15 |
| Battery indicator | 0 | 10 |
| Channel count | 0 | 5 |
| Tape record control | 0 | 5 |
| Clock | 0 | 5 |
| Timers | 5 | 5 |
| Weather programmed | 0 | 5 |
| Weather alert | 0 | 5 |
| Data skip | 0 | 5 |
| Bank delete | 0 | 5 |
| Bank sort | 0 | 5 |
| Total | 330 | 660 |
| Total | 50 | 100 |
The X2 is well constructed and easy to use which will be a big plus to the new kids on the block who just have to have the latest electronic gizmo to start off with. Seasoned veterans should have no problems slipping right into their usual monitoring regimen and finding useful niches in its application.
Those with poor eyesight or who are all thumbs will want to steer clear of this one. It can be tricky to handle (the added bulk of the EDH-27 makes it much easier to maintain a better hold) and some will complain about above average birdies and UHF interference. Others will groan over the LCD backlight or weak audio. If you're out and about, you will NEED to use the supplied earphone (earbud, really).
When all is said and done, it does seem that good things do come in small packages. The micro-sized X2 is no exception.
Recommendations
After reading the introduction of this review, you get an idea of the
dizzying array of choices that are available in today's market when it comes
to selecting amongst the smallest of receivers.
Alinco has put a feather in their cap by being able to claim the title of the smallest, wide-band receiver. It has a good feature set yet remains easy to use. The biggest hurdles buyers will have to get over are the weak audio, micro-display and having to use the earphone when out and about; the price you pay for palm-sized reception.
While the X2 is now available to the European community, recent developments seem to indicate that the X2 will be here in the US next month and probably sell for just under $300. It also appears that the voice inversion descrambler feature will be available on the US model (I don't know how Alinco pulled that one off; is the FCC on vacation?) so that may be a strong buying point for some.
The most popular micro-sized receiver these days, by far, is Icom's IC-R2. It is compact, feature laden, has excellent and strong audio, runs on 2 easily replaceable AAs and is a super performer (what we want the most when buying a good receiver). And it seems that Icom knew it would be a BIG seller so they introduced it at a rock-bottom price ($220) whereby the vast quantity moving off the shelves would quickly give them back their investment.
Another strong point for the R2 is its CTCSS decode and search feature. This becomes more and more important as more and more of us have to deal with the urban jungles and encroachment of strong pagers and cellular towers. It's also nice that the R2 come with a (cheap and finicky) belt clip. It's keypad can't hold a candle to the X2 but its display is much more "roomy." Too bad it's hamstrung by the all or nothing bank scanning approach. But it does scan much quicker.
Also in this class of receivers are the Welz WS2000 and Commtel COM510 (really a WS1000). Like the X2, they have very small displays, no standard belt clip and scan at a pathetic rate. Like the R2, they run off of two AAs, have scan banks which can only be scanned individually or all at once, and have rotary controls (which I do miss on the X2). Audio power and fidelity is also better since they have more room for a larger speaker and perhaps strong audio amplifier. Unfortunately, these radios are only available from European vendors which puts a damper on buying for many US hobbyists.
The only other radio that is directly comparable is AOR's AR16. Another poor turnout by AOR, its discontinued status in the US earlier this year only helps potential buyers avoid this unworthy entry.
Another model which is quite popular but not quite in the same class is the new VR-500 by Yaesu. Priced a bit higher ($350) you definitely get more for your money. The radio is larger and thus sports a large LCD and full keypad. Not only is HF reception much better, but it also has SSB and down to 50 Hz step sizes! It is well built, has good audio, rotary control and runs a long time on 2 AAs. 8 character alpha-tags are a big plus which go along nicely with the 10 scan and 10 search banks.
Drawbacks of the VR-500 are very poor 800 MHz filtering and no memory channel lockout! But if you can get past these warts, you're likely to fall in love and enjoy countless hours together. Again, you get what you pay for and the VR-500 does a very good job at delivering.
That brings us back to the X2. Most will simply love it for its size and ultra portability. Just give the small display and weak audio their due consideration before plunking down the cash/plastic on the counter. Just remember that no one radio does it all and the very nature of the X2's diminutive size means that a price has to be paid somewhere.
Overall, I think the R2 is a slightly better buy based on price. Those who have to have the latest and greatest, voice inversion descrambling and/or conceal it anywhere-ability that the X2 offers will be willing to fork over the extra $50 to be part of the latest scanning "in crowd." Taken for all its worth, buyers will undoubtedly find many sparkles in this little gem.
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If you are interested in purchasing one of these radios or simply want more information, please stop by their web site, or write Jonathan at info@javiation.co.uk.
| Copyright © 2010 by Richard J. Wells |
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