Every radio needs what's in this box. The Xiegu G90 is a great radio, but I know that after a lot of field use it's going to start wearing out. The buttons will get worn. The volume control will start getting scratchy. That's just what happens to electronics over time. It might not be this year, but it is going to happen eventually.
That's why I love that Radioddity and Xiegu offer a spare parts kit for the G90. It's a box of the parts most likely to fail on this radio, and according to Radioddity they're original Xiegu parts, not generic stand-ins. I've already put this radio through its paces in my earlier G90 Field Day test, so I have a pretty good idea of how hard a portable rig gets used. Let's see what's actually in the kit.
Unboxing and the Included Manual
The first thing out of the box isn't a part at all. The kit comes with a nice little manual that shows you each part and where it goes in the radio. That sounds minor, but it matters. When you open a radio up two or three years from now, you're not going to remember which connector is which, and a technician who has never seen the inside of a G90 will appreciate the map too.
The idea behind the kit is simple: include the parts that commonly wear out. Radioddity says the list was put together from repair data collected by their maintenance department, which is the right way to build a kit like this. So let's go through the list.
Every Part in the Kit
The Encoder
First up is the encoder, the main tuning control. We know these encoders wear out over time, especially on a radio that gets spun through the bands for hours at a time. That's a good one to have in a drawer.
Push Buttons
Next are the small push buttons, the little tactile switches behind the controls you press. Those get a lot of use and they're a classic failure point on any radio.
Anderson Powerpole Connector
Then there's the Anderson Powerpole connector that sits on the back of the G90. It routes inside the radio and uses spade connectors to attach to the board, and you can see exactly how it connects in the included manual. Power connectors take a beating in portable use from constant plugging and unplugging, so it's nice to have a spare.
The Labeled Buttons
This next piece is my favorite: the labeled buttons. If you grew up with cars in the 90s, you know that buttons with writing on them eventually get worn down and look nasty. With a fresh set you can clean up the look of your G90 and make the labels readable again.
The Speaker
There's also a replacement speaker. Out in the field you might get water in the radio and damage the speaker, and dust working its way in will wear it out faster. Being able to swap it out is a real plus for a radio that lives in a go-bag.
Fuses, SO-239, and Headphone Jacks
Spare fuses are in here too. I'm not sure I'd call fuses a spare part so much as something you should already have on hand, but it doesn't hurt to have them in the kit. Next is the antenna connector, the SO-239. Then there are the headphone jacks for the side of the radio, and those definitely wear out.
Knobs
The kit includes the rotary knobs, a large one plus the smaller volume and multi-function knobs. Knobs crack, slip, and go missing, so it's great to have those.
Internal Signal Cables
The package list also includes two short IPX signal cables. I don't know if these wear out in normal use, but they're nice to be able to replace if they get moved around a lot. I have seen them break. The internal antenna cable in my SDRplay RSP1A broke and I had to replace it.
Common Mode Inductors and U.FL Sockets
Then you have the common mode inductors, the little wire-wound toroids. I don't really think those wear out, but Xiegu put them in the kit, so apparently they think they could cause an issue down the road. Last up are the U.FL sockets, the tiny RF connectors used inside the radio. I'll admit I mixed these up with the buttons for a minute in the video. They're small, and they do look alike in a bag.
Who This Kit Is Really For
So you have all these parts, and when the radio starts to get old you can replace them. But you might be thinking, "I'm not an electronics expert. I don't know how to repair a radio." That's fine. This kit is still for you.
Just having the parts on hand means you can take the radio to a qualified repair person and hand them exactly what they need. I've dealt with older radios, and I know how hard parts can be to find once a model has been out of production for a while. Buying them now, while they're available, so you have them when the radio does wear out and those parts are gone, is invaluable.
Radioddity also points out two practical things: the kit does not include tools, and installing parts takes some hands-on ability. A few of these items, like the power socket, involve working on wiring inside the radio. If that's outside your comfort zone, that's exactly what a repair tech is for.
You don't need to be the one doing the repair. You just need to be the one who bought the parts while they still existed.
Why Every Radio Manufacturer Should Do This
This is something every radio manufacturer needs to be doing. Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood, come on, you need to get on board.
In the commercial world, this is common. With Motorola, you can buy just about any part for a radio when it wears out and keep it in service. I want to see that come over to the consumer side. We have great radios, and they could last a very long time if we could get the commonly worn parts to keep them going. Xiegu packaging those parts into one kit for the G90 is a step in the right direction, and I'd like to see it become normal.
Kit Contents at a Glance
Here's the package list as published on the Radioddity product page.
Controls
One G90 encoder, three 3 x 6 x 2.5 mm push buttons, one set of G90 silicone (labeled) buttons, one large knob cap, and two small knob caps.
Power
One host side power socket (the rear Anderson Powerpole connector) with its wiring, plus three power cord fuses.
Antenna and RF
One antenna base (the SO-239 connector), two 15 cm IPX signal cables, five U.FL RF sockets, and two common mode inductors wound on 10 mm toroids.
Audio
One replacement speaker and two 3.5 mm stereo headphone jacks.
Documentation and Notes
A manual showing where each part goes in the radio. Parts are original Xiegu accessories for the G90. Tools are not included.
Frequently Asked Questions
What comes in the Xiegu G90 spare parts kit?
The encoder, three push buttons, the Powerpole power socket, a set of labeled silicone buttons, a speaker, three fuses, an SO-239, two headphone jacks, three knob caps, two IPX signal cables, two common mode inductors, and five U.FL sockets, plus a manual showing where each part goes.
Are these genuine Xiegu parts?
Yes. Radioddity states the parts are original accessories made by Xiegu for the G90, so they're the same components the radio was built with.
Does the kit include tools?
No. Radioddity notes that tools aren't included and that installing the parts takes some hands-on ability. If you're not comfortable with it, get professional help.
Do I need to know how to repair a radio to make use of this kit?
No. Having the right parts on hand means a qualified technician can repair the radio years from now, when the original parts may not be available anymore. That's the real value here.
How much does the kit cost?
At the time of writing, the G90 spare parts kit is listed at around $55 on Radioddity. Prices change, so check the product page.
Which G90 parts are most likely to wear out?
The parts you touch and plug into the most: the tuning encoder, push buttons, labeled buttons, headphone jacks, and knobs. The speaker can also take damage from water or dust in the field.
Conclusion: Buy the Parts Before You Need Them
Nothing in this kit is exciting on its own. It's an encoder, some buttons, a speaker, a handful of connectors, and a few parts I'm not sure will ever fail. But that's the point. These are the pieces that turn a worn-out G90 into a working G90 again, and they're available right now from the people who made the radio.
If you own a G90 and plan to keep it, especially if it lives in a field kit, this is cheap insurance. And if you're at Icom, Yaesu, or Kenwood and reading this, please take notes.
Is this something you'd buy to keep your radio going? And which radio has been your favorite, the one you'd hate to lose? Let me know in the comments on the video.
Get the Xiegu G90 Spare Parts Kit
Original Xiegu replacement parts for the G90, covering the encoder, buttons, power socket, speaker, connectors, and knobs, with a manual showing where each one goes.
Shop the G90 Spare Parts Kit at Radioddity