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Top 3 Best Budget HF Radios In 2024

Looking for the best cheap high-frequency radios? You’re in the right place. Today, we’re breaking down the top three affordable HF radios that deliver great performance without breaking the bank.

First, we have an excellent option that’s compact yet powerful, perfect for those who need portability and advanced features on a budget.

Next, we’ll look at a versatile and user-friendly radio that offers fantastic value with features that stand out in its price range.

Finally, our top choice boasts a robust design and impressive capabilities, making it our pick for the best budget-friendly HF radio.

So let’s get started

Number 3. Xiegu X5105

Xiegu X5105 is a small powerhouse that combines practicality and advanced features. Designed with portable operation in mind, it’s a good affordable hf radio for those who don’t have the budget for a more powerful hf radio.

Covering a wide frequency range, the X5105 can receive from 500kHz to 30MHz and 50MHz to 54MHz, and it transmits on the 160 meters to 6 meters amateur bands. It’s versatile, supporting modes like CW, AM, USB/LSB, and FM. Also its compact size and lightweight design make it ideal for portable use.

One of my favorite features is the built-in automatic antenna tuner (ATU). This thing is a lifesaver in the field, tuning a wide range of antennas and storing tuning data for quick retuning. Setting it up as portable station is a breeze, even with a mismatched antenna.

Battery life is another strong point. The built-in 3800mAh battery can power the radio for up to 8 hours, which is great for those long outdoor sessions. However, be prepared for a long charging time — it can take up to 10 hours to fully charge from dead.

The 3.6-inch dot matrix LCD is easy to read in both daylight and darkness, providing all the vital info you need. The backlit buttons are a nice touch for night-time operations, too.

Performance-wise, the X5105’s receiver is good for its price. It’s sensitive, and the DSP noise reduction and notch filter work effectively. The internal microphone delivers clear sound, and you will not need to use an external mic most of the time.

However, it’s not all perfect. CW operation is where this radio falls short. It’s quite frustrating to use for CW, and FT8 mode isn’t much better. The internal speaker is weak, so you will usually rely on headphones for better sound quality.

Charging time is another downside. While the battery life is good, waiting 10 hours for a full charge can be a pain, especially when you’re eager to get back on the air. There are also some RF feedback issues, particularly with digital modes.

In summary, the Xiegu X5105 is a solid choice for portable HF operations. Its compact size, built-in ATU, and long battery life make it a great field radio. Just be aware of its limitations with CW and digital modes, and the long battery charging time.

To sum up what I like is the…

Compact and lightweight
the Built-in automatic antenna tuner
the Long battery life
the Easy-to-read display
and the Effective DSP noise reduction

On the downside…

there are Issues with CW and FT8 modes
Weak internal speaker
Long battery charging time
and it’s Prone to RF feedback issues

Number 2. Xiegu G90

Xiegu G90 HF Radio isn’t just a cheap HF radio that you buy solely for the price. The G90 has enough capabilities to stand its own ground. The price tag is the cherry on top of all that this radio has to offer.

The compact unit measures 1.77-inch (L) x 4.72-inch (W) and has a depth of 8.26-inch. That alone will give you plenty of flexibility to install or place this radio where you want it, but Xiegu goes the extra mile here.

It has four extension handles that can screw into the sides of the radio (front and back). Additionally, the front panel (face plate) is detachable. The radio comes with a DB9 cable to make this possible. All these features and capabilities bode well for the convenience of installing this radio.

The front of the Radio has a few buttons and a few knobs, but it’s dominated by the large color display. This LCD shows plenty of information like frequency, volume, signal, standing wave, and more. It even has a waterfall to display the frequencies.

However, this isn’t a touchscreen and not nearly as advanced as the displays you’d see on ICOM IC7300 or Yaesu FTDX10. Then again, these models cost almost two to three times more than the Xiegu G90.

When it comes to performance this radio tops out at 20W. Eventhough other HF radios generally have a max transmit power of 100W, for a unit that has portability in mind, the 20W output is pretty decent.

Though it might be lacking in a few aspects, Xiegu doesn’t feel like it misses out on a lot. I like that a lot of functions for the radio can be handled with the included microphone. Apart from the conventional buttons, the microphone has a few dedicated function buttons and two configurable buttons.

You can adjust the built-in antenna tuner for the radio completely through the microphone. Speaking of the built-in tuner, Xiegu’s tuner appears to be a very impressive one. Many users find it absolutely fun. The tuner will work with anything metal and use it as a decent antenna.

Well, there’s bound to be some loss if you don’t use a proper antenna, but still, the built-in auto tuner deserves appreciation.

On the left side of the radio, you’ll find room for two interfaces. One of these is the standard 3.5mm audio jack where you can attach the headphone of your choice. Alternatively, you could also attach your choice of speakers here for better, clear audio.

The other spot is for the “self-defining interface”. Simply put, you can use this spot for firmware updates or for connecting this radio to a computer.

Overall, this is an excellent radio that punches above its weight. While it falls into the budget category, Xiegu G90 HF Radio isn’t a cheap pick. Rather, it’s a cost-effective and feature-rich option.

Number 1. Yaesu Original FT-891 – Our Top Chooice

Yaesu FT-891 is a powerful mobile HF radio and it can be a decent base station, eventhough it works better as a mobile rig. It’s compact, feature-packed, and has plenty of options to work with.

The face of the radio is dominated by a large screen and a large dial to its right. This large knob is quick to grab attention. Plus, Yaesu allows torque adjustment here, so you can have it as heavy (or light) as you want. Moving the dial does feel pretty good!

With the little real estate that’s left here, Yaesu has managed to find enough room for various buttons and knobs, including a few buttons on top of the screen. This way, all the controls remain visible and easily accessible.

It helps, since the control head can be separated from the body for ease of installation, or even security and safety purposes. Separating them will require the purchase of Yaesu’s kit, though the overall process is straightforward and fairly easy.

Interestingly, there is no visible room for the microphone’s RJ45 connector on this transceiver. You have to slide the control head to find the connector for the microphone. This sounds like a hassle but it’s quite an innovative use of real estate.

The radio comes with a microphone with a plastic body. It has decent build quality and enough heft to feel good in the hands. The audio quality is good as well.

The transceiver has a sturdy casing and feels robust and durable. There’s also a stand at its bottom, which makes it suitable for tabletop use. However, in this setup, you will have to consider spending more money on additional accessories like an external sound card and external tuner.

Overall, eventhough it’s not perfect it remains one of the best budget hf radios with remarkable features and that makes it our top choice!

So what do you think? Which of these is the best cheap HF Radio for you?

Or do you think another affordable hf radio is better?

Tell us in the comments below.