Should I buy a Hermes Lite?

[Deep_ Coder]

Hey there everyone,

I just realised that the Hermes Lite 2 is back into production. I have just got my license a month ago (M7DOJ) and I was thinking to buy one of these transceivers so I can talk on HF. I currently have a Retevis RT-95 on VHF and UHF but I don't currently have a HF Radio. I would love to do FT8 and other things on HF so I need some advice.

Should I get a Hermes Lite 2 for the price of 289 dollars or 235 pounds or shall I get another radio for a cheaper price.

[Simon]

Yes it is good 

But not 289 add the filter pcb, enclosure, vat import duty and shipping 

More like £400 now..?? 

Also not an ideal starter rig unless you into sdr.

Ft450??

Simon g0zen 

On 10 Aug 2022, at 17:03, Deep_ Coder <stefan....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hey there everyone,

I just realised that the Hermes Lite 2 is back into production. I have just got my license a month ago (M7DOJ) and I was thinking to buy one of these transceivers so I can talk on HF. I currently have a Retevis RT-95 on VHF and UHF but I don't currently have a HF Radio. I would love to do FT8 and other things on HF so I need some advice.

Should I get a Hermes Lite 2 for the price of 289 dollars or 235 pounds or shall I get another radio for a cheaper price.

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[Christian Veith]

Hi there,

Depends what you want to do with it ;) grab the stuff and work portable is a bit umm awkward. You should grab something other. I've used it portable on field days, but you always need to carry your laptop.

When you want to do mostly digital modes like FT8,FT4, RTTY, PSK I think it's ideal even for beginners. I was my first HF radio. Just install your favourite SDR software, add some virtual audio cables, install fldigi and Wsjt-x and your ready to go. The pa is relatively forgiving with bad swr.

But it really depends what you expect.

Best regards

Chris, DL5CV

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[Jean-Baptiste GALLAUZIAUX]

Why not? I first used my HL2 with Quisk, WSJT-X, Fldigi and Freedv. Then I moved to SparkSDR, which is now my favourite SDR software as it integrates on one screen only everything I need, the other digital softwares (like WSJT-X and Fldigi) running in the background being called silently by SparkSDR and I can send CW from keyboard and have it decoded on the screen.

I use an Alexloop magnetic loop antenna and everything can be transported, when running "portable" inside the Alexloop backpack except my necessary laptop.

About the laptop, it's obviously cumbersome but I plan to buy a Raspberry Pi4 with its 7" screen enclosure, keyboard and mouse, which would make the whole less cumbersome and their exists a SparkSDR software (linux arm64 and armhf for rpi).

Power is provided by a small LiFePo 14V-3.5Ah battery, which provides more than 5 hours portable operation, more than my current laptop!

I achieved quite good initial results on FT8 : Australia, Japan, Thailand from New Caledonia, was heard on the East coast of USA. On other modes (CW and SSB) no contacts till now.

Well I enjoy this amazing piece of hardware.

73 - Pierre - FK8IH

[Chung Ung Kim]

If you are planning to mainly operate FT-8 mode I recommend to buy.

I have completed DXCC Digital within one year after I bought Hermes Lite 2 last year.

I have used only Hermes Lite 2 + 100W amplifier and Spark SDR software on a Window 10 Laptop.  My antenna is End-fed 22m long multi-band long wire installed near at outside window of 9th floor apartment house.  You can see my antenna in my page of QRZ.com.

I could make wonderful SSB QSO with very strong talk power and extremely good sound quality by using Power SDR software on the laptop.

73s - Kim- HL2IR

2022년 8월 12일 금요일 오전 9시 34분 7초 UTC+9에 jb.gall...@gmail.com님이 작성:

[Evan Hand]

Hi Stefan,

I have a Build 9 of the HL2.  It was somewhat tricky to set up the software, but it did function well once set up.

I would not suggest this as a first rig.  Full-function radios with digital mode capabilities are a little higher in price but do not require a computer for all situations as the HL2 does.  Regarding reviews, the Xiegu G90 seems to be the best bang for the buck.  I do not own one of them, so I can not speak from personal experience.  Ultimately I bought an Icom 7300 and am happy with it.  The Xiegu was not available when I purchased the 7300.

Above are my thoughts, and others will differ; to each his own.  It would help if you first thought through how you want to use the radio and then selected based on that criteria.

73

Evan

AC9TU

[Sid Boyce]

I would say go for it without a question.
I have used and still have more costly gear such as
HiQSDR+Preselector/10W PA, HPSDR Hermes + eb104.ru BPF + 300W PA but for
daily use it's the HL2 + KL505 PA + 1KW LPF board running 250W -- All HF
band SSB chasing DX.
73 ... Sid.

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Sid Boyce ... Hamradio License G3VBV, Licensed Private Pilot
Emeritus IBM/Amdahl Mainframes and Sun/Fujitsu Servers Tech Support
Senior Staff Specialist, Cricket Coach
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[n1ig anthony]

YES!!!

[Robert Benedict]

It has very good performance and is a good intro to modern SDR transceivers, but if you're into CW it is not ideal. Be aware that unlike most modern transceivers it does not have a CW keyer built in, so you will have to add one. Side tone latency is also an issue that can make it impossible to send code.  I use mine with an external keyer and SDR Console which has relatively low latency.

Also the low power out makes "talk on the air" SSB more difficult.

The standard good advice is to join a local club and talk to people about what you want to do. Hams are generally friendly and helpful. People are always buying and selling rigs and you can find good deals from people you know. At my club older rigs are sometimes given or "lent" (no return date) to new hams. Clubs also usually have rigs in the club house you can use to get experience and better understand what you like to do and how transceivers actually function.

  73

    Bob  KD8CGH