My WEBSDr Is Now Online.

28-10-2017 9:41pm

SDR's are amazing and gives Ham operators the ability to hear how they sound or if they can be heard in pretty much any country. The Kiwi SDR's though compress the Audio a lot to save bandwidth so the Audio won;t sound nearly as good as it does on the Derby Websdr for instance which is only for top band. http://www.1942khz.net/ Hopefully they allow the user to select the Audio bandwidth in future updates.

I would really like the time to figure out and set up multiple antennas and the antenna switcher on my SDR, I have plenty of space but not time.

Fuzzy Clam · 28-10-2017 10:55pm

I've used your SDR and also the others like the Utwente SDR.
The Utwente one has a handy interface for use on a smartfone but I can't find any way of using yours on it.
Any tips please?

28-10-2017 11:17pm

I can use mine on IOS using Safari , however, it won't work if someone is on the three.ie Network for some reason despite the SDR being on three ! on IOS it won't work in Chrome.

I've never tried it with Android.

It's not as easy to use as the Netherlands SDR interface.

deaglan169 · 01-11-2017 10:09pm

first class receiver never really bothered with them before, but the interface is fantastic and the waterfall with peak signals excellent, the kiwisdr is impressive

01-11-2017 11:05pm

Yeah the Kiwi is a great SDR and pretty simple to set up and get online.

But, as with any Radio or SDR, it's only as good as it's Antenna, this is crucial and fun to experiment. I chose the Bonito Megaloop FX because too many people have the Wellbrook loops and there were not many reviews at all on the Megaloops so I decided to give it a go and glad I did. I was particularly interested in in due to it's flexible wire design compared to the rigid loops like the Wellbrook. It's easy to throw up in a tree which is exactly as I did. It has adjustable preamp gain settings and an FM trap to reduce overload from strong FM transmitters. RTE on 252 Khz Longwave can cause some overload on my SDR but it's not a big problem. You can get a rigid loop for the Bonito also and comes with 5 meter flexible wire and 10 optional.

I also could have saved lots of cash by installing a long wire antenna but while they are good for transmitting , they do tend to be noisier and they work best when tuned to the band you're listening to using an antenna tuner which is not practical with a Web SDR. The Bonito/Wellbrook loops do not require tuning and are ideal for Web SDR's.

I've also eliminate some switch mode power supplies causing lots of noise, those powering the SDR itself and the three broadband modem. And one arrived today for the Satellite receiver which was absolutely filthy, it's an Edision Optimuss OS 3+, a real horrid PSU but luckily it's an external supply. Should hope to connect it up in the next few days, week at the most.

The Electric car charge point is also another source of noise, not the car but the charge point, I hope to address this next year.

I've also thrown out an Iphone charger my Partner bought in the Airport, absolute hideous pile of dirt , whether the phone was charging or not it emitted a horrible amount of noise and I have to replace an LED light bulb , another horrible source of noise.

I do feel sorry for those in urban environments who can't eliminate a lot of noise but they'd be surprised at how much they can eliminate in their own homes.

One feature missing from many SDR's is Digital Radio Mondiale or DRM, this is digital on LW/MW/SW and sounds remarkable but you need a good signal, the benefit is it's immune to the modern noise or buzzing you might hear on these bands today and it doesn't require the internet, a feature I'm particular keen on.

Fuzzy Clam · 02-11-2017 12:06am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

One feature missing from many SDR's is Digital Radio Mondiale or DRM, this is digital on LW/MW/SW and sounds remarkable but you need a good signal, the benefit is it's immune to the modern noise or buzzing you might hear on these bands today and it doesn't require the internet, a feature I'm particular keen on.

DRM does require a good SNR, so not entirely immune to noise.
One of the early receivers, a Morphy Richards I think, had SNR issues due to the dirty PSU, something I think that was rectified in later models.

I've thought about setting up an SDR here, mainly for HF, as I've an antenna already up in the field behind the house which is sufficiently far away for it not to be affected by man made noise. Excepting the clicks from the electric fences.

02-11-2017 12:59am

Not just man made noise but also normal atmospheric noise, normal antennas are just noisier, they might pull in a greater signal but also noise compared to some loops.

Yes DRM needs a good signal where Analogue will still be heard but give enough noise and that signal could be too difficult to hear on analogue compared to Digital.

I would like to be able to set up the antenna switcher with the Kiwi but I don't have a lot of time to figure out how it all works. An antenna for each band would be great.

deaglan169 · 03-11-2017 7:52pm

i live in a small housing estate in rural location however i am plagued with noise on 40m ive switched everything i can in my house but think its coming from plasma tv next door, every Christmas im hoping to see a large box out for recycling with lcd on it... i was looking into a loop for rx as it can null the noise, i did however notice when i had my 40m doublet dropped due to high winds the receive was alot quieter as the house was shielding it

03-11-2017 8:12pm

It's not just Plasma TV's that cause this noise My next door neighbour in my old house has a LCD fluorescent back lit TV and it wiped out all my LW/MW/SW bands completely , it was horrific and could be heard at least 20-30 meters from the house on a battery radio.

My Mothers lcd fluorescent backlit tv is also very bad.

There are also Laptop power supplies, mobile chargers can be extremely bad, aftermarket Iphone chargers the really tiny ones I've had and binned because they were so bad, Cheap LED lighting is another.

Best thing to try is turn off power at the consumer unit.

03-11-2017 8:19pm

I forgot to add that Loops will make a difference but they are not the magic everyone thinks, get the Loop out doors as far from the house as you can, put it on a aerial rotator.

The Wellbrook loops get good reviews but I've heard them on SDR's and I'm not so impressed however, this could very well be due to them being in attics as they do not say, I've herd wellbrook loops that pull in good signal also that are quiet and free from interference.

icom · 06-11-2017 2:57am

Deleted User wrote: »

I can use mine on IOS using Safari , however, it won't work if someone is on the three.ie Network for some reason despite the SDR being on three ! on IOS it won't work in Chrome.

I've never tried it with Android.

It's not as easy to use as the Netherlands SDR interface.

I can listen to your SDR on my Lenovo Android tablet using Firefox, sounds great !

06-11-2017 3:05am

Thanks, enjoy.

30-12-2017 11:25am

What station is this on 503 Khz MW ?

http://emeraldsdr.ddns.net:8073/

I'm trying to locate some QRM that's effecting MW , not sure what it is and I may kill the power to the house to identify whether it's coming from the house or not. I'm in work at the moment and I have a feeling my 2 year old is turning on the halogen lights in the conservatory at times , the dimmer causes a lot of noise and sometimes he turns it down to the point you can not notice the lights are still on but the dimmer is causing a lot of buzzing so that's likely causing some of it at times. He's mad for switching on and off lights at the moment as well as getting his hands on my my radios..... I got him a cheap radio and do you think he's play with that ? hell no the Monkey !

Is anyone here still listening to my SDR ? I notice it's getting a lot more use.

30-12-2017 11:27am

I switched to 252 LW and of course it's the same station RTE Radio 1, but how come it's on this frequency ? it's obviously far away or very low power, possible Northern Relay ?

The transmission is actually out of the MW Band, so this is a strange one !

dxhound2005 · 30-12-2017 12:39pm

That is a spurious signal. Second harmonic of 252 is 504. I can also hear it in the background on the third harmonic 756.

http://www.pateplumaradio.com/genbroad/harmonics.htm

30-12-2017 3:11pm

Excellent thanks for that. 252 is quiet strong and over loads the SDR at times especially at night.

30-12-2017 11:48pm

What's that on 5780 Khz ? I tried some U.K Kiwis and it's not showing up ?

Unfortunately there's some QRM from my electric car charge point........ hope to rectify that early in 2018, only when it's plugged in, it's the charge point itself.

31-12-2017 10:43am

Picking up Radio New Zealand International quiet clear today on 9765 Khz.

Not bad considering it's the far side of the planet, what 20,000 Kms away and only 100 Kw ? That's why I love radio, so fascinating, internet radio ? meh, too easy and boring !

dxhound2005 · 31-12-2017 10:58am

5780 was on again from around 1am. It was a rebroadcast of material from a station called Radio Fax which operated way back. I have their QSL.

https://swling.com/blog/2017/08/lennarts-radio-fax-qsl-card-and-letter/

Obviously some hobby pirate in Ireland as the signal was very strong on my own receiver in Dundalk. I was in rural Cavan at Christmas and there were very strong signals on 4010 and 6235 relaying Coast FM from Tenerife. Could be the same transmitter on 5780.

I also heard another weaker test transmission on 3975 from a German station which is planning to broadcast to the Benelux, UK and Ireland.

31-12-2017 11:12am

Yes I heard 3975, good signal, http://shortwaveradio.de/

Good to hear another station on Shortwave.

Oh have you heard Brother Stair has been arrested and his Shortwave , MW service has been terminated ? one could not but be impressed as a Shortwave listener to hear one Man on so many frequencies day and night , that voice all us Shortwave listeners was so familiar is not gone probably forever.

Fred Swanson · 31-12-2017 11:20am

This post has been deleted.

31-12-2017 11:22am

Yep that's it, you should have seen one of the videos that's the center of the allegations, though looking at that I'd call it evidence........

31-12-2017 12:01pm

Radio New Zealand on 1161 Khz now, not as strong.

31-12-2017 12:03pm

I must experiment with a Dipole for maybe 49 and 31 meters and see the difference it makes. Getting time is another thing.

31-12-2017 12:14pm

RNZI is good on this SDR,(11610 Khz) interesting antenna but seems to be good only in the 25 meter band.
http://dl2sba.ddns.net:8073/

31-12-2017 12:19pm

http://kiwisdr.briata.org:8073/

Using a Windom antenna, interesting, good for Radio New Zealand International , and looks good on other bands too. Must investigate this antenna.

31-12-2017 12:49pm

Interesting the above SDR with Windom antenna is better above 9 Mhz and my Loop is far better below 9 Mhz, the Windom is very, very noisy below 8 Mhz. Lots of QRM.

I'd love to set up this windom antenna and get the antenna switch working for the Kiwi SDR but don't know how to get the antenna switch working with the SDR yet.

It actually isn't bad on LW.

31-12-2017 8:25pm

I'm picking up WWCR 2 In Nashville now on 12160 Khz much stronger than the SDR with the Windom antenna, isn't it so strange how it works, earlier he was picking up Radio New Zealand International a lot clearer.

Haha and guess who's on ? yes it's Brother Stair, I guess this will be the last night he will be on , probably paid until the end of the year so you can listen to him probably for the last time on SW, for SW history purposes of course.

01-01-2018 9:34pm

The Windom antenna can't really pick up WWCR 2 ( Alex Jones Show) while mine picks it up clearly with a bit of fading.

12160 Khz

http://emeraldsdr.ddns.net:8073/

The SDR with Windom Antenna http://kiwisdr.briata.org:8073/

12-01-2018 1:46pm

http://kiwisdr.briata.org:8073/

Radio New Zealand International Playing Christy Moore_Ordinary Man ! :-)

11610 Khz

My WEBSDr Is Now Online.

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