uBITX revised.

When HF Signals marketed the uBITX early December 2017, customers leapt in and ripped them off the shelf. Who could imagine the small Test facility in India that VU2ESE had setup trying to cope with the unexpected demand, or the women having to wind and test the toroids, churning them out at speed without breaking a finger nail. Even one type of toroid used had to be substituted, for another, as the world ran out and they couldn't be sourced easily, but still the uBITX production somehow was kept on track. A total to date of over 6000 uBITX PCBs sold, with very few bugs reported, apart from one batch with the faulty WX branded TDA2822 audio amp that hit the fan and must of caused an awful headache at the time.

Now that manufacturing has now caught up with demand, and there is no time lag on ordering, the uBITX becomes ex stock along with some new modifications and a new revised r4 PCB.

Could the uBITX get any better well certainly it looks like it does!


Here are the changes from Ashhar Farhan reported today on Groups.io:

1. A new, low distortion audio amplifier made from discrete transistors. This is one is optimized for head-phones and connecting to PCs for digital modes. It does work with the small speakers as well. Builders with the earlier versions can try this audio amplifier as an outboard amplifier.

2. The audio thump issue during T/R switching has been fixed.

3. At 28 Mhz, the output is about 4 watts. (this involves a single capacitor change from the earlier PCB).

4. I have included some 'jump' points to add interesting stuff like CW filters to the board. There are a large number of test points to help you debug and understand the board. 

All in all, the changes are 'backward compatible' . That is, you can hack these changes to the previous boards to get in the new functionality. I have updated the circuit diargrams on www.hfsignals.com. 

The earlier board's circuit diagram has moved to http://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/ubitx-r3-archived/

The bad news is that we had to bump up the price of the board by 20 dollars. We fought long and hard to keep the price down. My personal ambition was to keep the price inside (or at) $100. This is price rise has to do with three things : The recent changes in the Indian import duty and sales tax; Our own increasing costs to preorder the parts. Lastly, we also increased our payout to those who wind the coils, assemble and test the boards. They were working at the same rate for the last two years. It was about time. 

The new boards cost $129 USD with shipping. $139 USB with DHL option. 

The good news is that from now on, these boards will be available on order. The waiting queue is gone.

On a personal note, I am happy with the new audio. It is so much sweeter and cleaner on the headphones.  Far less fatigue after hours of CW work. I am also using the FT8 extensively, I have bagged almost twenty countries, testing the new firmware.

uBITX now on back order.

The uBITX kit as I predicted, proved so successful when it went on sale on Saturday 9th December, by Monday 11th, Asharr Farhan was telling us all on the BITX20 group, current stock of the first uBITX production run was exhausted!


Demand has just outstripped supply, by what the thinking was there was enough stock to last for 2 months?

Anyone ordering the uBITX now, will not get shipped until after at least the 25th December. This is now being flagged up when you come to order.

Did the uBITX  become more successful overnight than the ICOM IC-7300, did it sell more in it's first days of sale? Or does it say to the main three radio manufacturers, you missed a market for a plain no bells and whistles multiband radio that everyone can afford and muck into and understand?

One thing for certain Asharr Farhan has proved without a doubt that he has been the first to achieve and do this, putting into mass production a multiband rig at a price point that everyone can be part of and enjoy! I am sure as well as the uBITX there is a lot more to come from HF Signals in the future!


Well done VU2ESE!

uBitx price $109 !!

It's a fast and changing world and it appears I cannot write things quick enough at the game of Amateur Radio Blogging!

uBitx pcb complete with plug in display and raduino.

Tony G4WIF has just pointed me to the price of $109 for the uBitx and a new website!

I have just read what Asharr Farhan has said on the BITX20 group. The price will rise to $129 after Christmas, due to production costs, hiring more people etc. 



Of course I have just ordered mine!


Checkout here for details: http://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/ubitx/


Hope you all enjoy getting one just as much as I enjoy writing about these things.



73 Steve

uBitx multiband HF

A  new HF transceiver from India is about to take to market, offering multiband operation 10 through to 80metres, with the inclusion of the WARC bands and general coverage receive.

Asharr Farhan the designer of the BITX20 and BITX40 has been working on the uBitx project for quite sometime.  Demonstrations, and circuit details have been made available freely to anyone on his website Phonestack.com since early Spring 2017, for those who wished to scratch build the transceiver.

But Farhan, not resting on his recent success of producing the single band BITX40 (40m) transceiver, that introduced many to HF for a small price point of "$59" including a recent addition of stable DDS, which he called the Raduino. VU2ESE has now put the uBitx into production, and I understand will be made available soon from his HF Signals website for purchase. (Currently the website only shows the current 40m radio for sale).

Above, a recent tested production run of uBitx transceiver boards.

The uBitx will offer CW and SSB, with 10W output from a pair of IRF510's.  Arduino derived stable DDS using a Si5351 for all the local oscillators.

What you will get in the package will be a fully built and tested board.  My guess is it will be sold with a similar hardware package that was included with the BITX40, which will include the wiring hardware, connectors, pots, power and BNC connectors for the antenna etc. All you will have to do is wire it up, add a speaker and a case to complete the project.


The price for the uBitx has yet to be announced? But again my guess is it will be one of it's major success stories that will take the HF world by storm and introduce many to the affordable world of HF operation. Of course, I expect it will cost more than the BITX40, but you will be getting access to most of the HF spectrum, for something until now that has proved undeliverable to those on small budgets. 

Exciting times, keep watching HF Signals for further details.