Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Latest news of the FX-4CR and my dialog with Yu

Yu BG2FX and I have exchanged a lot of emails over the past week; all of them cordial and respectful - and with an increasing amount of understanding taking place.

For my part, I ultimately wanted to understand how a designer could offer up a radio with flaws that were obvious, as well as others that were not so obvious (RF spur, CW issues). These are things beta-testing normally takes care of.

Yu is currently having 500 PC boards in the FX-4CR re-worked. Forty people who received the problematic boards are being asked to send them back, at Yu's expense, for modification.

With our email dialog being personable and friendly, I felt comfortable asking outright: How did this happen?

I really don't know what I was expecting to hear as an answer, but Yu's heartfelt reply struck a chord in me with his transparency and with his willingness to allow me to share it here. Thank you, Yu.

I have every expectation that the FX-4CR will quickly evolve into the radio I was hoping for.

Firmware updates will fix some issues; the re-worked board will fix others. And I've sent Yu my (very short) list of mostly ergonomic changes he might consider. I won't bother with the details of that list here except to say that they are all firmware fixable.

Yu's response to my question:

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I understand what you're saying, but I can't. I was alone, and I made mistakes even when assembling the FX-4CR, such as forgetting to install the amplifier module and forgetting to adjust the current. I work like an assembly line of one person, I even wonder how such a stupid problem can happen, but it does happen. This is just one example. And these RIT defect issues that you mentioned. You know the whole FX-4CR requires a lot of logic, and yes, I'll test it while debugging, and it looks normal.

Then I would ignore this RIT because it is normal. Then I spent all the time testing other operations, and after dozens of firmware changes, RIT may have been re-affected and changed long ago [unintentionally]. But I still didn't pay attention to it, because before that, I judged it to be normal. Because I'm not a real operator, I don't know CW operations. A long time ago, I tried to get someone else to help test other products. In fact, it does not do much. Many defects were not found.

I only have one programmer, and this programmer, like me, is a farmer. But programmers rarely operate commercial shortwave radios, so he is very unfamiliar with the operation functions of shortwave radios, and many operation logic is written according to his own ideas, and it can be said that some operating logic is anti-human. I had to correct him, but sometimes he was very stubborn. I don't think I'm a particularly logical and planning person, and I'm not even as good as most DIY makers.

I feel tired every day now, mentally, to assemble FX-4CR, to solve various problems, to purchase more components, to package and ship, to record the delivery address and phone number of each order in detail, to avoid errors.

So what you said, why not solve these problems before shipping. Yes. That's what I want to do. But maybe it can be done in the next year, is that really the case? Won't there be another problem in the next year's time?

I'm not a business, I'm not a communications equipment manufacturer, I'm like many DIY product authors, find problems to solve. If the firmware is defective, fix it. The FX-4CR is not perfect, and maybe many people will hate it,I can only try to do my best, I can't satisfy everyone, and I can't make everyone like it.

I thank you for finding the problem and letting me fix it. I wish you all the best.
    

73,
YU BG2FX

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As I said, the transparency of Yu's reply illustrates the human element in the process of radio design, radio marketing and the cultural differences that come into play when trying to present a finished product to a global market.

It's obvious that Yu is working hard to produce a transceiver that will be well-received.

Based on receiver performance, he is on the cusp of bringing a truly awesome radio to the hobby. And with POTA becoming so incredibly popular, the upcoming Gen 2 of the FX-4CR is going to become the go-to rig for many.

There is an FX-4CR in my future, once these things are ironed out.

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11 comments:

  1. Yu's comments sound like an apology and even more like an appeal for help. Perhaps readers of this situation can find ways to help. I would if I knew enough about modern radios, but I've been away so long that I doubt I would be useful. However, one thing I see, from a software engineering background is the value of "unit tests." Every project needs to include a formal series of tests, one or more for each function, enough to assure that the product is working correctly. Then comes the discipline of walking through the collection, or the "unit" every time a change is made. That way, a forgotten element like the RIT function won't be missed. Going through those unit tests not only finds things that might have been overlooked, but also adds the confidence of knowing that the product works (or did the last time the tests were run).
    I hope he can find some additional testers and get out from under the stresses that he mentions.

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  2. A few observations from reading your blog posts and being an owner of the FX-4CR.
    When I purchased the rig, I knew upfront that it appeared Yu is a hobbyist and was basically a one man operation. I never expected the transceivers to be perfect out of the box, so to speak. This isn't a large corporation like ICOM or Yaesu. It was always thought firmware updates would be needed to improve on the performance and any issues that came up.
    To your point about better beta testing before the rig was shipped, I can agree as Yu acknowledged. I'm sure it would have been much less costly to him, in the long run, to send out a few FX-4CR rigs to beta testers than it now is to pay for 40 motherboards being shipped back for modifications and the 500 that also have to be reworked. However, looks like it's just him and a programmer so I'm sure he's learned from this experience.
    Finally, I'm in the FB group for the rigs Yu sells. He already released a firmware update that addressed your initial issue with RIT and has announced a new firmware update that will correct the CW issue over 22 wpm. This is all within a week after being notified of the issues. Do you think you were a little hasty in sending your rig back and getting a full refund? I get what you're saying about not wanting to be a beta tester on a $550 piece of equipment, but it looks like the two major issues with the FX-4CR for CW were fixed in less than a week and now you don't have a rig to further test and give your thoughts.
    Great blog and great interaction between you and Yu. Thank you for your honest evaluations. Hope you will repurchase this rig and let us know if all the issues have been resolved.
    73, Nikko

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    1. Hello Nikko,

      Thank you for your perspective.

      As far as sending the radio back - if the issues get resolved, the refund will have been temporary. I like the radio enough to buy it again once the issues are resolved...but, for $550, I'll have to know they are resolved, not think that they will be.

      It might also be relevant to mention that I sent the radio back at my own expense ($44 with insurance). Yu asked me twice for shipping reimbursement info but I insisted on picking up the tab for that.

      It would have had to go back anyway for the board modification. Regarding the firmware updates, I never could get the FX-4CR to connect with either of 2 Windows PC's. I use these two PC's (with STM32Cube) to regularly update the FW in my nanoVNA and tinySA - without connectivity with the FX-4CR, I would never have been able to apply FW updates that would have fixed the other issues.

      I didn't send the radio back for any single reason, but for several - all of which I'm hopeful will be resolved so I can *happily* own one.

      73,
      John

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  3. That was a classy move on your part, paying for return shipping. I hope, in the future, Yu will reach out to guys like you to test his new transceivers before releasing them. In the long run, it will save him money even if he pays to ship a radio out and pay to have it returned after testing.

    I didn't have any issues doing the firmware update on a Windows 11 laptop. Also know someone who did the update on a Windows 10 machine. Another guy did so on a Linux machine. Perhaps you had a defective USB like Brad, AB4BA.

    Hopefully, the issues have been or will be resolved. Look forward to seeing your updated review if so. I've had great reports from SSB contacts with the FX-4CR.

    73,
    Nikko

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  4. John,

    I think we all have to decide for ourselves what is acceptable in a radio and what isn't. A CW issue with the FX-4CR I have on order is not something that will impact me, but for others it is a critical issue. Rather than you or Yu getting upset or name calling you both handled it well and it is great to see. Often I see people taking these things personally and not working together. Once I get my FX-4CR I will test and report the results of my results for things like AM modulation characteristics, harmonics IMD via an LP-700, etc.
    73, Jim
    AC9YY

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    1. I'm looking forward to the results of your tests, Jim. My 2nd FX-4CR is on the way, with the latest FW and the board mod.

      73,
      John

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    2. John,

      I have my unit, but Yu released new firmware last night, so I will update after work and do some testing. The one slightly annoying thing for SSB phone I noticed is a delay going from TX to RX such that I can miss the first word or two of a response to me. I will test that too with the new firmware, but it is not listed as a fix.

      73,
      Jim

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    3. Jim, can you (or anyone here) confirm that the leading dit issue has been fixed:

      Turn the CW speed of the internal keyer up to 25wpm and listen to the rig's output on a distant webSDR receiver as you send an I or and S, for example. Do you receive the same letter on the webSDR receiver that you keyed in? Or is the leading dit "sometimes" missing?

      73,
      John

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  5. I see a lot of FX-4CR-2 on eBay. Are those authentic?

    73,
    Choong

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    1. From Yu:

      "Since I often receive emails asking to buy FX-4CR on AliExpress and eBay, I would like to state that FX-4CR does not have any authorized agents at this time. All buyers who purchase FX-4CR on AliExpress and eBay in case of after-sales problems or complaints. I do not assume any responsibility or are responsible for settlement. The only purchase with after-sales service and guarantee is www.bg2fx.com Please tell each other, thank you"

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    2. Thank you. 73, Choong.

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