Getting an HF radio onto digital modes has always involved a certain amount of friction. You need CAT control so your software can read and set frequency, you need a sound card path in and out of the radio, and if you want to run a linear amplifier you need somewhere to key it, all through the one or two accessory ports most radios give you. The Xiegu DE-19 is a small box that collapses all of that into a single tidy package, and after using it to put a G90 on FT8, I think it is one of the more sensible accessory buys in the Xiegu ecosystem.
This is a review of what the DE-19 actually is, who it is for, where it shines, and where it will trip you up, with my own hands-on test of it on a G90 as the supporting evidence rather than the whole story.
What the DE-19 Is
The DE-19 is a digital interface expansion adapter. In plain terms, it is an external box that sits between a compatible Xiegu radio and a computer, and it bundles three things you would otherwise have to assemble yourself: a USB sound card for digital audio, isolation and amplification circuitry to keep the audio clean and the grounds separated, and the interface ports that carry CAT control and amplifier keying. All of it rides over one USB-C connection to the PC.
Functionally, it is Xiegu's more refined answer to the older CE-19. Where the CE-19 asked you to wire things up to 3.5mm plugs and do a bit of your own connecting, the DE-19 comes with dedicated cables for each supported radio and needs no soldering. It is the difference between a project and a plug-in accessory.
Who It Is For
The DE-19 is aimed squarely at owners of the Xiegu G90, G106, and X5105 who want to run digital modes such as FT8, FT4, SSTV, or MSK, and who would rather buy a finished solution than build a cable and chase down settings. It is a particularly good fit for two groups: newer operators who do not want their first digital experience to be a soldering session, and portable or field operators who value a single-cable setup that is fast to deploy and hard to get wrong.
It is also the natural choice for anyone who runs, or plans to run, a Xiegu linear amplifier alongside digital modes, for reasons that come down to a single port on the box.
The Standout Feature: Amp and Computer, Together
Most digital interfaces occupy the radio's accessory port, and that is where the compromise usually starts. On a G90, that same accessory connection is what a linear amp like the GPA-100 also wants. Plug in a typical interface and you have effectively chosen digital modes over the amp, or the amp over digital modes.
The DE-19 removes that choice. It provides a dedicated PA port that passes through to an amplifier, so CAT control and digital audio keep flowing to the computer while the amp is connected and keyed at the same time. In practice this means you can run barefoot when the band is easy and bring the amp online when it is not, without unplugging a single thing or rebuilding your station. For anyone serious about digital operating on a Xiegu radio, this is the feature that justifies the purchase.
Compatibility and Connections
The DE-19 works with the Xiegu G90, G106, and X5105 on the radio side, and passes through to Xiegu amplifiers including the GPA-100 and the XPA125B. On the box itself you get a USB-C port for the computer, a CI-V interface port, a dedicated PA port for the amplifier, and an ACC (Mini-DIN8) port for the radio, along with LED indicators for data transfer, USB connection, and radio connection status so you can see at a glance what is talking to what.
One honest caveat on the connection side: the included manual only prints a wiring diagram for the G106. There are no printed instructions for the G90 or X5105, so a first-time G90 hookup takes a little figuring out. The catch to know in advance is the CI-V cable, which is easy to misroute. It goes into the CI-V port on the DE-19 and then to the small port on the side of the G90 near the bottom, not to anything that looks like a computer port. Get that one right and the rest is straightforward. Radioddity also posts the connecting guides for all three radios on the product's download page, which is worth grabbing before you start.
Build and Design
For a $70 accessory, the DE-19 feels appropriately solid. The case is plastic but rugged, with rubber feet that keep it planted on a desk rather than sliding around when cables tug on it. The front-panel LEDs are genuinely useful for troubleshooting, telling you whether the USB link is up, whether the radio is connected, and whether data is moving or the unit is keyed. The only cosmetic gripe is that the silk-screened port labels do not perfectly line up with the ports beneath them. It is purely visual and has no effect on function, but it is the kind of detail a careful buyer will notice.
Software Setup: One Quirk to Know
Configuring the DE-19 in software is mostly routine. In WSJT-X you select the Xiegu G90 as the rig, pick the serial port the box enumerates, set 19200 baud with 8 data bits, 2 stop bits and no handshake, and use RTS for PTT. Xiegu also recommends backing the radio down to around 15 watts for digital modes, because the high duty cycle of something like FT8 generates far more sustained heat than voice modes and can stress the finals if run at full power.
The one thing that will genuinely trip you up is the mode setting. If the WSJT-X mode is not correctly saved as Data, the G90 keeps snapping back to plain USB mode on transmit, and plain USB cannot carry digital modes, only USB-D can. The fix is to set the mode to Data, click OK to actually save, then reopen the dialog before testing again; simply selecting Data and testing on the spot does not stick. This behavior is identical across Windows and Linux, so it is a software workflow issue rather than anything wrong with the interface, but it is the single most common thing new owners will get stuck on.
On-Air Performance
To put it through its paces, I ran the DE-19 on a G90 into a 20 meter quarter-wave vertical and got on FT8. Barefoot at 15 watts, on that particular evening, I could not break through the stations I called. That is not a knock on the interface, which was passing audio and control flawlessly; it is simply where a low-power digital signal into a compromise antenna runs out of headroom when the band is not cooperating.
This is where the DE-19's design paid off. I brought the GPA-100 into the chain through the box's PA port, dropped the drive to a couple of watts to tune, and came up at roughly 67 watts out. The very next call, to K4TMR, drew an immediate answer with a solid plus-three signal report. Contact logged. The takeaway is not that the DE-19 makes contacts for you, but that it lets the whole station, radio, computer, and amp, work together without any of the usual reconnection dance.
Fifteen watts alone came up empty. With the amp brought in through the DE-19's PA port, the very next call landed a clean, immediate reply, no cables touched.
The Downsides
Being fair to a product means being clear about where it falls short. Two things stand out, and notably, neither is about the hardware's core job.
First, the documentation gap. Shipping a manual that only covers the G106 is a miss when the G90 is one of the most popular radios this box is sold to support. It is not hard to work around, especially with the online guides, but a first-time buyer deserves better in the box. Second, the WSJT-X mode-saving quirk described above is the kind of thing that can eat an evening if you do not know the trick, though again it is a software workflow issue rather than a fault in the DE-19 itself. Beyond those, the labeling misalignment is the only real complaint, and it is cosmetic.
Value
At around $70, the DE-19 includes every cable needed to connect a supported radio and, separately, a compatible amplifier. That matters more than it sounds. Comparable interfaces frequently assume you will supply or fabricate the radio-specific cable, which either adds cost or adds a project. Factor in the sound card, the isolation, and the amplifier pass-through that would otherwise require additional hardware or compromise, and the DE-19 is priced right for what it delivers. For an operator who wants to be on digital modes reliably rather than tinkering toward it, that is money well spent.
Xiegu DE-19 Key Specs
What It Does
Combines a USB sound card, isolation and amplification circuitry, and radio/amplifier interface ports into a single external adapter for CAT control and digital audio over one USB connection.
Compatibility
Works with the Xiegu G90, G106, and X5105, and passes through to amplifiers including the GPA-100 and XPA125B.
Ports
USB-C for the PC, a CI-V interface port, a dedicated PA port for amplifier pass-through, and an ACC (Mini-DIN8) interface, plus LED indicators for data transfer, USB connection, and radio connection status.
In the Box
The DE-19 unit and the full cable set (accessory, CI-V, USB-C, and amplifier cable) needed to connect a supported radio and a linear amp.
Price
Around $69.99 through Radioddity, an authorized Xiegu dealer, backed by a manufacturer's warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Xiegu DE-19?
It is a digital interface expansion adapter that combines a USB sound card, isolation and amplification circuitry, and radio interface ports into one box, giving a G90, G106, or X5105 CAT control and digital audio over a single USB-C cable. It also passes through to an amplifier like the GPA-100 or XPA125B without tying up the radio's only accessory port. It is available from Radioddity for around $69.99.
What makes the DE-19 different from other digital interfaces?
Its dedicated amplifier pass-through. Most interfaces occupy the radio's accessory port, forcing you to choose between digital modes and running a linear amp. The DE-19's PA port lets the amp and the computer stay connected at the same time.
Does the DE-19 include the cables I need?
Yes. It ships with the accessory cable, CI-V cable, and USB-C cable for connecting to a supported radio, plus the cable used to link it to a linear amp. There is no need to source a radio-specific cable separately or build your own.
Why does my G90 keep switching back to USB mode?
This happens when the WSJT-X mode setting has not been saved. Setting the dropdown to Data alone is not enough; click OK to save it, then reopen settings and test PTT again. If it still reverts, toggle to None, save, then back to Data and save again.
What power level should I use for digital modes?
Xiegu recommends around 15 watts for digital modes on the G90, since the high duty cycle of modes like FT8 produces more sustained heat than voice modes, which can stress the finals if run at full power for long periods.
Is the DE-19 worth it?
For an owner of a compatible Xiegu radio who wants digital modes without building cables, or who wants digital and an amplifier running together, yes. At around $70 with every cable included, it removes the usual friction of getting on digital modes.
Conclusion: An Easy Recommendation
The DE-19 succeeds because it is focused. It does not try to be a universal interface for every radio on the market; it does one job, connecting a Xiegu G90, G106, or X5105 to a computer for digital modes, and it does that job cleanly and completely, cables included. The amplifier pass-through elevates it from convenient to genuinely valuable, letting a full station run without compromise.
The rough edges, a manual that skips the G90 and a WSJT-X mode quirk, are real but minor, and neither touches the core hardware. Weighed against a $70 price, a complete cable bundle, solid build, and a feature set that lets you run digital and an amp at once, they amount to things to know rather than reasons to pass. If you own a compatible Xiegu radio and digital modes are on your list, this is the accessory to buy.
A small, focused box that removes the friction from Xiegu digital operating. For the money, it is hard to argue with.
Get the Xiegu DE-19
The Xiegu DE-19 is available from Radioddity, an authorized Xiegu dealer, and ships with every cable needed to connect it to a G90, G106, X5105, and a compatible linear amp.
Shop the Xiegu DE-19 at Radioddity