Stream the Antenna: A look into the Xiegu 6100 as a Field Radio for Regional Communications, by GuerrillaLogistician

Editors note: this is an incredibly in-depth look at the Xiegu 6100. I highly recommend following GuerrillaLogistician (@glogistician on X.com) for more banger content like this. The Xiegu 6100 is available on the Brushbeater Store.

Reference – 6C Radio Room

@glogistician on X.com

+127 days since spectrum warfare went kinetic somewhere in the Utah mountains. Corbett Pulled out the SOTABEAMS Travel mast he was given and a linked dipole antenna.  He had no idea about all this technology and was given an introductory course by his friend before things started falling apart.  Honestly, he wouldn’t be out here, but the wireless Telegraph operator was actually working on repairing several radios for the contras in the area. As this was a transmit-only operation today, all the wireless Telegraph operator had to do was program the 6100 and give Corbett a basic tutorial on how to transmit. They reviewed everything and used a dummy load to go through every single step, and with this little radio, his already encrypted message was ready to go. The contras in the area had been playing a cat-and-mouse game for a while now, just like U-boats of World War II.  His primary Wireless Telegraph operator had been passing vital messages, transmitting Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) over the mountain range to other groups, and terrorizing the direction-finding units in the area.  With the signal going nearly vertical and coming back down, it was tough to get a bearing as the signal seemed to come from everywhere at the same time. He knew that he would be taking some risk on this operation regardless because other wireless Telegraph operators, or WTs for short, had been snatched up. WT operators had specific ways to prove they were authentically free and clear of manipulation by the enemy, so when they were captured and forced to transmit, the Contras knew right away.  In addition, the burning of previously used OTPs meant messages couldn’t be decoded.

The best part about the new digital radio systems was that it was very hard for the enemy to define who was transmitting beyond the region they were in most of the time. The downside was even with NVIS sky wave transmission, a local direction-finding team could possibly find them if they got supremely lucky. Corbett, in charge of a good chunk of the local contras, had started sending out screening forces for the WT operator to protect them and the assets. The only difference today was he was the one operating the radio much like the WT operators for the SOE.  He didn’t even need to know what the one-time pad was for the message, as he just had to hit the transmit button.  He only had a vague idea of what the message might be about. This segregation between the operator and the transmitter produced an extra layer of security that the SOE didn’t have at the time. The Germans could track you in many ways including how you keyed up your radio and could individually tell which operator was transmitted by the sound of the Morse code. They called it a person’s fist, but nowadays, with the radios being totally digital, there was absolutely no way to differentiate between two people with identical digital radios. What made things even harder for the people trying to DF the contras was that some ham radio operators still had followed the new laws prohibiting transmitting with wireless radios. This meant transmissions happen randomly, and the WT operator and Corbett assumed they were also encrypted messages from preppers and the like.  Some of them got caught and publicly paraded around by the ruling party.  It was sad, but rarely were they actually part of the Contra Units.  Any WT that actually was connected to the Contras would end up vanishing, although they would transmit false reports from time to time.  Corbett wondered if they were tortured to death or just in a hole somewhere.

To prevent ending up like those poor preppers and Ham Radio operators who refused to follow the laws, special instructions were established to protect the WT operator or anyone he sent out to transmit his messages.  Each time they went out, they would transmit at a different location to cause more issues with the DF teams in the area; changing times and locations made it almost impossible to be located. With that said, there are only so many places that you could actually transmit and then transit home while preventing most of the ground wave signal.  Corbett had no idea the difference between ground waves and sky waves or even NVIS. He just knew to trust his wireless Telegraph operator, who had preselected several spots that would make it far more difficult to detect them.  They also transmitted NVIS sometime between an hour after sunrise and no later than an hour before.  They were making sure never to have any pattern on location, time, or even digital mode; they were making DF teams pull their hair out, and Corbett loved his WT who was so invested in screwing with the enemy.  Today, though, they didn’t need a laptop, which was a bit easier on Corbett.

After setting up the radio connecting the linked dipole to the expandable travel mast and stretching out the antenna properly to mitigate ground waves just like he was taught, he turned on the radio and waited the allotted time. As his communication window came up, he went into the digital setup and sent the pre-programmed message. The little machine had an H-250 dog bone attached to it, and Corbett listened as the encrypted message leaped out of the machine onto the wires above him. Mario watched the area with binoculars as Corbett focused on the task.  Scanning the scrub for people and also far enough away that his AR-152 couldn’t be heard if there were any transmissions, Mario kept a vigil, knowing Corbett would be preoccupied, especially now. Mario was focused on the team’s security forces while they completed their task as efficiently and quickly as possible. As the machine ended its transmission, Corbett watched the screen that was pre-set up to decode the digital mode it had been set in. Within moments he got a transmission of 2 letters. These letters corresponded to numbers he had transmitted along with the message which were part of a SARNEG.  Checking to verify the SARNEG was correct, he knew the message was received, and he didn’t need to retransmit the message or worry about a compromised receive from the other end. Shutting down the radio, he started to pack the 6100 away carefully before collapsing the mast he was using for one end of his link dipole. He waved at Mario, and both of them quickly wrapped up both ends of the linked dipole, which they shoved into Corbett’s bag.

As they completed this task, they started moving down the trail away from the transmission location. Even if some DF team had gotten lucky, they planned to be out of the area well before any response could come. Armed with their AR-15s and small packs, they moved back towards a location previously designated for their small two-man team. Once there, they would join with two other people, making a four-man team, and they would stash some of the supplies they used as camouflage for the operation. Corbett was reasonably satisfied that he hadn’t heard any shots yet, but they were never out of the woods until they got back into town and blended in with the population. One of his good friends made the point that while he got some great training from Brushbeater, the one thing he felt was lacking was the critical nature of the exfiltration. After so much kinetic conflict, Corbett agreed with his friend and wished that NC Scout had pushed him a little bit harder.  Regardless, they had gotten trained up by the hot forges of combat, and he was reasonably satisfied they had pulled off another transmission without being caught. He’d hoped he’d pissed off somebody who was trying to find them today, and hopefully, they would make a mistake he could capitalize on later. Along with other cell leaders like Bryan, the region had turned into a black hole of resources and personnel for the enemy.

From decades ago to now, modern radios have gotten smaller and smaller.  People would have killed for one of these radios in previous wars, and knowing the US Gov, something comparable would cost thousands and probably weigh 20+ pounds, built with proprietary plugs that only fit unique government-made cables.  Now we have this in the world of COTS (Common Off The Shelf), which I can’t wait to teach my friends and guys I’m giving loaner radios to.

Portability and capability are critical facets of being a force multiplier.  While there are radios out there, like the TX-500, the IC-705, etc., that have capabilities beyond the Xeigu 6100, the goal of this radio for those in a partisan operation is function, concealment, and value.  Mixing the size of this with the cost allows the common man to not only afford the force multiplier but also for it to be reasonably useable.  In the past, radios were cumbersome in the field, many the size of most people’s day packs and weighing as much or more than the gear they carried.  As tech advances, radios and gear have gotten smaller.  This radio won’t make you a Wireless Telegraph operator from WWII or a fancy RTO for the modern-day Satcom guy out of the box.  A big lesson in radios, just like in firearms, is that your performance doesn’t come from the diameter of the round, which we could compare to Watts or the looks of the gun. It comes from the barrel or, in this case, the antenna, the operator’s skill, and the ionosphere.

The Xiegu 6100, with its unique features and affordability, is an interesting HF platform for the G-Unit and RTO in the field. It’s important to note that not all of us are made of money, and not all of us can afford a TX-500 or IC-705.  Budgets must be made, and while that is going on, we also must be able to function in the field.  The G90 is a fantastic, affordable radio that works as a vehicle mobile radio and base station and can be run as a pack radio in a pinch. However, when we have a bit more money, want to drop weight, and opt for a smaller, stealthier system, the 6100 and 6200 fit better.  Even with the support of an external battery (not required but should be brought), the pack-down size is excellent.  This means the radio can be protected more quickly in the field.  So, let’s first cover why I went with the 6100 over the 6200, which, on paper, is a better radio.  The price… that is the only reason.  The 6200 has an external battery you can replace with spares instead of cabling in power in the field.  The 6200 has some interesting WFM and aviation listening qualities that are out of the box, and I am sure at some point, this radio will be jailbroken to work on nearly every band.  So, I will not conclusively end your debate on which to buy.  The 6100 saved me some cash, and I also got to grab some mid-range thermals simultaneously.  When I get a 6200 to play with, I will probably write a similar article on that machine.  Here is what is different below. Have fun with your debate.

If you have decided to get the 6100, read on. For those who chose not to get the 6100 for better benefits, sorry, you must wait for a 6200 review. The belt is tight right now, so don’t hold your breath.  I can’t prove it conclusively, but let me put it this way: the 6200 should, even if it can’t do it right now, be able to do whatever the 6100 can do and then some.  Also, the external battery system allows you to hot swap in the field, the memory being 4x bigger on the 6200 allows for more software upgrades in the future as well, and the larger receive spectrum is very useful.  If you have the money, by all means, grab the 6200.

https://x.com/GLogistician/status/1850518217812299785

Updating Your Radio

Firstly, you will update to a stable version. Xiegu is notorious for putting out updates that cause issues with their radios. Nothing is more painful than breaking the device that you just purchased. I would do a quick Google search to verify that no problems are present with the current patch.  Sometimes, I let new patches sit around for a few weeks before installing them, especially with this company. Here is my recommendation:

You will need a micro SD card and two items of software.

Here is a video with the complete guide:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4UwFldVzs

Download ETCHER

This is the first piece of software you will need:

https://etcher.balena.io/

Click Download Etcher, which should be a green button.

Once you download this, you will need the firmware on a micro SD card.

Download Firmware

https://www.radioddity.com/pages/xiegu-download

Click on the 6100 and download the latest firmware. I also recommend you download the cable drivers and extended manual for later.

Now, use ETCHER to find the SDCARD.dif and burn it to your microSD card.

Install Firmware

Once that is burned onto the card, insert it into the card slot on the radio.

PLUG-IN an external battery or the power plug (If you don’t, you may have issues)

Turn on the 6100 and let the software run completely until the unit’s screen shuts off. (If you read the screen, it will count down from 3)

Take out the SD card and turn on the radio.

You should see SYSTEM SETTING. Click the button under it, which will take you to a screen.

Use the lower left knob and rotate it until you highlight FIRMWARE UPGRADE, then click on the knob.

Next, there should be software highlighted in blue, a file with .xgf, and click the button for UPGRADE.

Exit the system settings, and you will be good to go.

WIDEBAND MODIFICATION
(DO THIS ONLY ON A PRIVATE HOME NETWORK)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdv44jhp1go

Goto SYSTEM SETTING

Use the lower left knob to click WLAN

Then click WIFI SWITCH to turn on the wifi

Now click CONFIG

Use the lower left knob and rotate until the Password is highlighted on the right.

Click KEYBOARD

Type in your password using the lower left knob

Hit CLOSE

Hit CONNECT

(Note that DHCP and Auto Connect should be on)

Once connected, find your device on your home network and its IP address. Follow the instructions in the video below. I used the same software and password to get into the radio, so be warned: This radio is vulnerable when WLAN is on. Host: Unique to your setup Username: root Password: 123 Port: 22 should get you in and running.

You will take a file called xgradio.conf and editing with notepad. You will see “fullband-tx=disable” change disable to enable

Save it, then upload it back onto your radio.

If you do everything correctly, your radio will now transmit everywhere it can receive. You will see a red icon in the top left corner that says F-TX.

Go into your SYSTEM SETTING > WLAN > WIFI SWITCH (it should be off now). You need to keep that RF signature down to keying up only.

Congratulations, you just gave another Sad Ham basting of brown sugar; the tears and screaming about the FCC should be forthcoming.

TX and Decode without a computer BPSK, RTTY, and CW

One of the nicest things about these radios is the ability to operate certain digital modes without a computer.  This means you don’t have to bring another device, power that device, and protect that device.  While this is a bit of a pain to set up, this would have changed many clandestine operators’ lives.  Not only do you have a reduced footprint of gear needed, but you also have to be able to set messages, get to your transmission point, and hit the play button, having loaded your message long before in privacy.  That means you could, in theory, encode a message, load the radio, and then even send someone else to transmit, and even if captured, they have nothing.  You can also make changes to your messages in the field.  Lastly, you can also decode messages sent to you, which are typed out on the screen.

MSG>Selcet which MSG1-5>Keyboard>Type your message>SAVE

Selecting between BSPK and RTTY is easy. Press APP>Modem>Mode

Press APP>Modem>Press MSG>Then select a message (when you select the message, it will start transmitting).

This will also let you tune into a specific frequency and decode messages.  Again, this allows you to send out a new guy to receive messages and for you to decode it later.

***INSERT PICS***

https://x.com/GLogistician/status/1850518177672835284

ROOT & PASSWORD

Theoretically, if your radio never goes on the network again, you will never need to change the password. However, I think you should change the password. Here is how: Watch this video, and you should be ready.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2tzERxDsao

PuTTY download

https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html

Remember: root Password: 123  and to change password: (New Password)

It should be a simple, fast fix.  Also, in system settings, you have WFSERVER with some settings you can change; I changed the Password on mine to something different from the root login.

DIGITAL

So, let’s discuss digital a bit.  Anyone who has taken NC Scout’s class (or at least read his book) should know why digital technology is so important.  That said, let’s review the basics. Digital information may be intercepted by anyone listening and decoded by the same software, so we must not take it as purely unbreakable encryption. This is because ham radio operators use this often and within the legal limits of the FCC. I prefer this method because it makes it difficult for others to find out what you are transmitting, error correction techniques in several digital types, and, most importantly, the shortening of transmission time. The time it would take for somebody to read a trigram out to another over the radio and verify it digitally will allow this to happen and generally a tenth of the time. Couple that with the ability to do NVIS, which compounds the issue of the hunters to track you down. While nothing is impossible if you follow the PACE plan, never transmit the same way on the same frequency, and move locations, it will be extremely difficult to find you. This includes state actors with DF technology; even if they have aircraft overhead, it is still very difficult. If you have any questions on the validity of this, check out how Russia and Ukraine have been doing with catching idiots on the radio. You can also track down some books on the subject as well. So, how do we get the 6100 to work? What software should we get?

WARNING – If you don’t know how to look at your COM port or have issues with the software, verify your COM port selection. Every computer is different; sometimes, this can change on startup.  Anytime something doesn’t work, verify and test comm ports using your device manager.  Make sure your computer didn’t change things up on you for some reason.  This means if you are in the field, BRING A DUMMY LOAD.  Make sure things operate before TXing.

FLRIG + FLDIGI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF_A3J6eFig

FLRIG is the software that allows FLDIGI to operate. It is the connection from the computer to the rig that allows FLDIGI and FLMSG to work. It would be best if you had FLRIG on and set properly PRIOR to turning on the other software.

This is the go-to software for most people who are running digital in the 1st place, and it has numerous digital modes to choose from. This video alone should help you understand what you are supposed to do to get it up and running, even though it’s a little out of date.

Once you download and install FLRIG and FLDIGI, open FLRIG and let’s configure the system. Connect your radio via the DEV USB-C plug (no, I don’t know why it’s called DEV) and set your mode to L-Dig or U-Dig for lower or upper sideband digital.

Config > Setup > Transceiver

Now, under the Xcvr tab, look for the X6100. Use the lower-numbered COM port that represents the radio (check the device manager on Windows to verify, plug and unplug the radio if needed). Set Baud:19200. Check 1 Stop Bit, RTS +12 V, and DTR +12 V. Set the Poll interval to 500. You should then be able to hit the Init button and connect to the radio.

Now turn on Fldigi, and let’s configure this.  First, we start with Configure > Rig Control > Flrig

Make sure both boxes are checked and the Poll Interval is 200

Now go to SoundCard > Devices and set Capture and playback to (USB Audio Devices)

That should get you working, but you are going to need some more info on FLDIGI and all the stuff available on the software

A video on FLMSG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwsXApXXO0Y

 WSJT-x FT8 & JS8CALL

Ok, so I have had mixed results with JS8Call and WSJT-X, with WSJT-X being less picky and I am not sure why.  Both seem to work usually, but a few times, it didn’t, so I have to set up my dummy load and do a test first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3deah6BkRM&t

FT8/JS8call Settings for Xiegu x6100: CAT CONTROL:

1. Select Xeigu x108G in the DropDown menu
2. Select Proper Comm Port. Baud Rate 19200
3. Data Bits: Default and Eight work
4. Stop Bits: Default and One work
5. Handshake: Default (Don’t Change anything else)

RIG OPTIONS: 1. PTT Method: CAT

2. Mode: Data/Pkt
3. Split: None
4. TX Delay 0.2s
5. Leave other defaults, including the “Hold PTT…” checkbox at the bottom (unchecked). AUDIO Input and output need to be set to USB Audio Device!

HDSDR your computer SIGINT setup

I have not tested this, but this was something I came across this; for those of you looking to run the 6100, possibly in a SIGINT roll, this video might be right up your alley.

R1CBU – FIRMWARE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6IJJpwvf0Y

This is some newer firmware, which only requires you to insert an SD card into the machine and run the software from it.  It might be worth it if you look into flashing the image, which is very similar to updating your 6100.  I haven’t messed with it, but I want people to be aware of this.  The other reason I bring this up is that different people have made software that will allow you to run the 6100 in digital modes without a laptop.  This saves the space and weight of the laptop, but more research should be done. You guys might find value in this, and with your previous knowledge above, it might make your life easier in the field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faqbIOCUodM

Last but not least, here is a reference guide for the 6100, just like the NIFTY guides.  I recommend you look for one when it comes out, but until then, here is one from the UK.

https://wiki.oarc.uk/_media/reference:x6100_cheatsheet_-_v0001.pdf

What else do I need?

I recommend a backup battery and a small dummy load to test things without transmitting, especially in the digital space.  The radio comes with a cable to adapt for plugging in external power sources.  While it has a wallwort to charge the radio, you would need a better, less noisy power source if you want to run the radio long term.  Realistically, everything should be adapted to Anderson power poles, which are foolproof in the dark, but spade connectors and a battery/charger combo off from Amazon are fine.  I did a similar thing for the G90 in a previous article.

The second is the need for an antenna.  Look, so many people are overwhelmed with radios as it is, and I get it, but get the guerrilla’s guide to the Baofeng and make your own damn antennas.  A dipole is easy;, later, you can build a linked dipole like Historian and I like.  The types of antennas and cost savings will be worth it, but if you just can’t be bothered or are concerned, you can get a SOTABEAMS linked dipole.  They are lightweight, compact, and excellent. They have a few versions, but I recommend the 20, 30, 40, and 80-meter builds.  This antenna covers your NVIS frequencies and is a great starter antenna.  That said, build your own damn antennas Brushbeater sells much of what you need to do this in the first place.