KU4BY’s KiwiSDR

Welcome to My KiwiSDR Station

These are my publicly accessible KiwiSDR shortwave receivers. They’re live 24/7 and available to anyone interested in listening to HF radio signals from around the world.

Whether you’re into shortwave listening (SWL), amateur radio, or just want to see what’s out there on the airwaves, you’re welcome to tune in. Click on the buttons to launch them. They’ll open in a new tab.

Both receivers are currently online but I have noticed an increase in QRM over the past couple of months. I found a spot in the coax where one of my Husky puppies decided to see how it tastes so I do need to replace the feedline. Of course the antenna I’m using isn’t optimal for full HF reception and you can see that in the waterfall is you zoom all the way out.

I had a nearby lightning strike about a month ago and it took out both beaglebone boards, my solar charge controller, and my batteries. I have since replaced the beaglebones but I am running off of a filtered power supply instead of solar and batteries. When I disconnect the antenna, all traces of noise disappear so I’m pretty confident that the noise is not local.

I am still investigating and trying different things to reduce the noise and will try to block access to the receivers before testing.

My KiwiSDR Setup

Here’s a quick overview of what I’m running:

  • 2 KiwiSDR capes on a BeagleBone Black (KiwiSDR1) and a BeagleBone Green (KiwiSDR2)
  • GPS antenna for accurate timing
  • Antenna for KiwiSDR 1 is a Hustler 6-BTV Vertical at about 30′ AGL.
  • Antenna for KiwiSDR 2 is a W6LVP Magnetic Loop Antenna mounted on a rotor. (Rotor control not currently available for online use for obvious reasons… haha)
  • Ferrite chokes and RF filtering to cut down on noise
  • Housed in a shed out in the yard
  • Connected to an Orbi access point out in the shed.
  • Currently powered by a 120VAC to 12VDC power supply through a 12VDC-5VDC DC-DC converter. ( Amazon Associate Link to the converter here: https://amzn.to/3UbcfeH)
  • Previously powered by battery charged by solar but batteries have died.

What You Can Do With It

  • Listen to international shortwave broadcasts
  • Monitor amateur radio HF bands
  • Decode CW, FAX, RTTY, NAVTEX, and more
  • Use built-in TDoA to geolocate signals
  • Track utility transmissions and military comms

Need Help or Want to Chat?

Got questions about setting up a KiwiSDR or need help picking parts? Hit me up on my Contact Me page and I’ll be happy to share what I’ve learned.