Malachite SDR Radio

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scanhermit
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Malachite SDR Radio

Post by scanhermit »

Has anyone tried one of these?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003 ... mainSearch

If so, are they worth investing in?
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Andy
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Re: Malachite SDR Radio

Post by Andy »

They look pretty neat, but watchout for rubbishy Chinese copies. There's only one 'real' Malachite apparently, developed by RX9CIM.
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Auldgeek
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Re: Malachite SDR Radio

Post by Auldgeek »

scanhermit wrote: 26 Feb 2022, 11:39 Has anyone tried one of these?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003 ... mainSearch

If so, are they worth investing in?
Pretty sure this is one of the Chinese variants. Not sure how good or bad they are. I would recommend going directly to the original designer, but as he is in Russia, chances of acquiring the real thing are slim to none at the present time I would have thought. You never know though.

I enquired back in the Summer and at that time, he had several options, from a PCB right through to a fully assembled and tested receiver.

Here's the link to the original designers website.

https://rx9cim.ucoz.ru/publ/radiopriemn ... p/1-1-0-19

Best of luck whatever way you go. :thumbup:
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securityguy
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Re: Malachite SDR Radio

Post by securityguy »

These look like great toys, even if the sensitivity/selectivity is questionable on the Chinese knockoffs, still probably worth the money. I fancy this one https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001658133304.html
I wouldn't buy direct from the Russian source, though, not now anyway.
scanhermit
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Re: Malachite SDR Radio

Post by scanhermit »

Thanks chaps, very useful posts. I think I'd prefer the real deal to a knock-off but, as you say, it's a bad time to be buying Russian.
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Re: Malachite SDR Radio

Post by scanhermit »

Nice new Malachite website: https://malahiteam.com/en/
Piggly
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Re: Malachite SDR Radio

Post by Piggly »

I have a genuine V2 unit and it is very useful and capable. It's a bit odd in how it operates and the interface is somewhat awkward but the receiver itslef works very well.
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Re: Malachite SDR Radio

Post by paulears »

You guys make me smile. Chinese = rubbish and knockoff and terrible vs Russian is wonderful and trouble free?

Seriously, most of the reviews find the two sources so similar, but a few reviews show the Chinese versions have better internal shielding, while the Russian versions are continually updated.

Realistically, Russian electronics has historically been technololgically forward but let down by poor quality control, but the entire point of SDR radios is the software is the key feature. The Chinese software versions are often not as up to date.

The term 'knockoff' and counterfeit suggest adidas and Nike trainers, where subs standard products juts look similar, Here, we are really talking about clones - but as the designs seem to be tweaked and honed by lots of people, not just the Russian firm, they're not really copies. The software is the same, but the hardware has different knobs, features and differences.

People like Icom - have some products and internals made in China, then programmed and assembled and screen printed in Japan. It makes it very difficult for them to call Chinese brands fake, when their radios are made in the same factory. Country of origin is an indicator, but cannot be applied across a countries whole output. So many well known and historic US and UK brands are made in China now. Some are crap and the usual key is the price. If it's very cheap, it probably is rubbish. There are clear knockoffs/counterfeits - I've had some, but there are also decent products.

I'm more concerned sending money to Russia at the moment. I don't do Politics, but we have Ukrainian refugees here - nice folk from the ones I have met. That means I won't be sending my money to Russia any time soon.
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Re: Malachite SDR Radio

Post by scanhermit »

Hope you don't get any Uighur refugees ;)
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