For those who are looking for a new radio. For several days, HRO has special prices posted for many nice rigs.
For example, a new Yaesu FT-8900, quad band FM mobile radio with cross band repeat is only $289.99. IC-7300 is only $1,279. FT-891 - $649. TS-480HX (200W version) is only $994. More here.

Obviously I'm not affiliate with HRO but wanted to mention this. I'm tempted with a special price on IC-4100 but can't spend the money right now.

Usually you pay the same price at the hamvention from HRO booth but they charge OH sales tax too. It's cheaper to get it online.

I just bought a CS-108G+ from connect systems on a hamvention sale.

It is an Xiegu 108G custom for Connect Systems,  20 watt QRP rig and they have it on sale for $400. My first contact on it was tonight with K8SDK mobile driving to hamvention from Michigan. I thought that was pretty cool. It is the rig I am going to take on a cruise, battery operated since I don't have a balcony room.

I was reading the manual, considering it for digital modes.  Snorted my drink when reading past
the possible faults.  Not often you see a trouble shooting section the includes
"Smoke comes from equipment"

I've heard too many horror stories about Chinese radios and would not be surprised. Their warranty is another story. Never buy one directly from China! You will have a better chance with a US based seller.

Hence Ordering a Branded Connect Systems Radio  from Connect Systems, a US company.

You mean unlike the horror stories from US manufacturer MFJ selling products of loose screws, unconnected wires, and bad solder joints?

Yeah I have had my eye on the X108G for a while, but the price is a bit high for a Chinese radio. When a "good" HT costs $150 or so (FT-60) and a Chinese Baofeng costs $35 or so, I'll need that Chinese Xiegu X108G to be in the under $200 range when it's competing for the same market as $650-$750 HF radios like the FT-817 and FT-891.

Not saying it's a bad radio (like I said, I've been watching them), just saying that the reason I'm willing to roll the dice on the Baofengs is because the price is WAY cheaper than the competition. With the X108G I'm not seeing a price low enough to make me balk at 20% more or so to get a well established brand.

If the price doesn't come down (and maybe there is enough engineering and materials in there that it can't) I won't get one. 

I hear that, but it is almost half price at $400. No way I would pay the normal price of $600.

and it's 20 watts, not 5

Yeah the sale price is definitely better. And 20W is a bonus. Still not quite where I need it to be to bite. I have been seeing more hams talking about them in the Facebook groups and other forums, more so now than when the first ones (X1M) came out. The Baofengs are ubiquitous now, but it has to be because of the price point.

When someone makes a $200 full featured HF radio, you will see them everywhere just like the Baofeng HTs. I guess what I mean is, when they can get an HF radio into the "throw a spare one in the truck tool box" price range, then they have really got my attention. And I think that price range is around $200, just because of feels. 

Chill out dude, I was talking about Chinese warranty. My buddy bought two Chinese 50W, 2m and 220 rigs and was bragging about the low price. Both radios quit about a month later. Guess what? No warranty. The seller in China would not even return his e-mails. I told him to spend $20 more and get the radios from a US retailer but he would not listen. Now he does.

Yes, MFJ is not known for top notch quality but they have decent warranty. Honestly, I own and have owned many MFJ products and never had a quality issue. Their case design is stuck in the 1980's era but they are the only US manufacturer who only caters to the ham radio market. It's hard to justify a high dollar research and development budget when they only sell a very limited amount and have a lot of different products. Their prices are very reasonable too, considering that they don't take advantage of cheep foreign labor and production costs. They don't copy other manufacturer's products either. In my opinion, this alone deserves a lot of credit.