Operating outdoors: external battery options for KiwiSDRs
Hi everyone!
I got my ham radio operator license and callsign last year and I live in a small apartment in an urban environment where QRM is a problem.
Like many others, portable is about the only operation mode I consider as I begin exploring this hobby.
While I get that the KiwiSDR is more of a fixed radio I
hope it is OK if I ask.
Hopefully it will not come across as a too silly
question (considering these are my first steps and that my electricity and electronics knowledge is growing day after day
Would it be possible to power the KiwiSDR with an external battery?
I am thinking of two options:
1) powerbanks (Anker Power Core II 20000 mAh) with a USB to 2.1mm male barrel jack cable
2) LiFePo4 batteries (any of the Zippy batteries so widely available for and popular between QRP and SOTA operators) with a power conditioner.
Both options would supply the 5VDC and 2.5A required by the KiwiSDR - I think.
The first option can be put together without any tinkering: just purchase and connect the parts.
The second one is more involved as it requires replacing the proprietary connector in the battery and designing and assembling the fused voltage down-converter.
On the upside, it would also serve as a general purpose battery for other portable radios.
If it is indeed possible to power the KiwiSDR with an external battery, how long do you reckon it would last?
SWLing and CW and digital mode decoding would be the main activities.
Cheers!
PS: here's some items I came across while searching
https://www.adafruit.com/product/2697
https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/wsprlite-power-conditioner-kit/
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/zippy-flightmax-4200mah-4s2p-30c-lifepo4-pack.html
https://www.amazon.de/Anker-PowerCore-10000mAh-Powerbank-externer/dp/B01LQ7MQG6/
I got my ham radio operator license and callsign last year and I live in a small apartment in an urban environment where QRM is a problem.
Like many others, portable is about the only operation mode I consider as I begin exploring this hobby.
While I get that the KiwiSDR is more of a fixed radio I
hope it is OK if I ask.
Hopefully it will not come across as a too silly
question (considering these are my first steps and that my electricity and electronics knowledge is growing day after day
Would it be possible to power the KiwiSDR with an external battery?
I am thinking of two options:
1) powerbanks (Anker Power Core II 20000 mAh) with a USB to 2.1mm male barrel jack cable
2) LiFePo4 batteries (any of the Zippy batteries so widely available for and popular between QRP and SOTA operators) with a power conditioner.
Both options would supply the 5VDC and 2.5A required by the KiwiSDR - I think.
The first option can be put together without any tinkering: just purchase and connect the parts.
The second one is more involved as it requires replacing the proprietary connector in the battery and designing and assembling the fused voltage down-converter.
On the upside, it would also serve as a general purpose battery for other portable radios.
If it is indeed possible to power the KiwiSDR with an external battery, how long do you reckon it would last?
SWLing and CW and digital mode decoding would be the main activities.
Cheers!
PS: here's some items I came across while searching
https://www.adafruit.com/product/2697
https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/wsprlite-power-conditioner-kit/
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/zippy-flightmax-4200mah-4s2p-30c-lifepo4-pack.html
https://www.amazon.de/Anker-PowerCore-10000mAh-Powerbank-externer/dp/B01LQ7MQG6/
Comments
I hear, then, it is indeed possible to power it using commodity batteries.
I'll pay attention to the cable losses (which of course I had completely overlooked!), hopefully I'll find a commercial one that is short enough to provide small losses.
@jks how sensitive is the KiwiSDR to voltage changes and what is the recommended voltage range for operation?
Yet another thing I overlooked is the discharge properties of the powerbanks. I know LiFePos show a very stable voltage output throughout all the discharge cycle (which fits the needs of ham radios) but honetly I have no clue about how the 20.000mAh powebank would do.
@KA7U which source of power did you use together with that TENINYU cable you posted?
Cheeers!
EA2EOU