The KiwiSDR 2 online store is open for orders! Please visit kiwisdr.nz
GPS antenna trick
I am currently working to get the kiwiSDR that I provided to a Singapore friend working. It will be SWL-9V. It is a challenge as it is in an apartment which does not allow things outside the windows. I am doing it all by remote control, with a 13 hour time difference PM of my friend.
Initially, it appeared that the GPS puck was not going to be enough just placed on the window sill with a clear view north so we taped it to the glass and it got a bit better. The final fix was to place a piece of aluminum foil on the glass behind it. Easy fix!!
Initially, it appeared that the GPS puck was not going to be enough just placed on the window sill with a clear view north so we taped it to the glass and it got a bit better. The final fix was to place a piece of aluminum foil on the glass behind it. Easy fix!!
Comments
Ron
KA7U
Ron
KA7U
Got some good results with an active whip design from the 1970's (Burhans) and a similar mini-whip design (PA0RDT) might work equally well. The building lightning protection ground worked o.k. as counterpoise.
Initially I used 40 m RG-174 coax and changed to LAN cable later which gave improved EMI suppression. For the latter some small baluns with FT-50J toroids were made. The unused cable pairs were used for 2 orthogonal active loops.
With the torrential monsoon rains in SIN waterproofing is really a necessity. In Taiwan the typhoons are an additional concern and eventually destroyed my high building rooftop installation blowing away most of it while water came running down the LAN cable even though sealed with self vulcanising tape...
73, Ben
PS: sri, quite a bit of thread drift from GPS reception