LIGHTNING?

fredradfredrad
in Installation, Antennas and Interference

Hello Friends

Possible lightning damage. I was just checking stuff and my KIWI was missing on the world-wide map. Something killed the power supply and the SDR. "rigged" a known good 5VDC proper polarity into the SDR and there is no life.

Are these little guys worth repairing?

It was nice while it lasted.

Fred KC4MOP

Comments

  • G8JNJG8JNJ

    Check the DC input ferrite CMC filter (T301) on the KiWi board, a small grey rectangular item, just behind the socket, that is the item that most often tends to get blown up.

    If it has blown open circuit, the easiest fix is to remove it from the board, and solder two wires in place of the existing coil windings.

    There are several references to this in this forum, you may find more information by using the search function.

    https://forum.kiwisdr.com/index.php?p=/discussion/comment/19011

    Regards,

    Martin

  • jksjks

    Yes, definitely check the CMC as Martin and the link above describe.

    Another thing to try: Separate the two boards and power the BBG alone via a USB-A to USB-micro cable and an old cell phone 5V USB-A output power supply (1A is fine). The USB-micro connector is the only way to power a standalone BBG.

    If the BBG doesn't start up and show activity on the 4 blue LEDs then it is possible the lightning strike took out the BBG and not the Kiwi board. And only the BBG needs to be replaced at a relatively moderate cost of US$50. This has happened with a fair number of people now so it might be worth trying.

    If the BBG seems okay then contact us and we have a solution for selling you a replacement Kiwi board (although we lose money doing so).

  • fredradfredrad

    hello I appreciate the help ....but you're asking me even with a headband magnifying glass to get into micro surgery with something I know nothing about. Can I go to your website and buy another I guess SDR 2.....somewhere on the KIWI site they are still for sale?

  • fredradfredrad
    edited June 22

    I went to KIWISDR.NZ and bought an SDR 2.......$463 with MW filter....DX Engineering wants $519USD

    I hope getting the new KIWI back online will be easy and wonderful again. I'll incorporate a better system to protect the radio

    Fred

    KC4MOP

  • KU4BYKU4BY

    I had a nearby lightning strike take out both of my receivers (V1 and V2) and my cheap Harbor Freight solar charge controller last week. The receivers both shutdown right after the strike. Neither the BBB or the BBG would even light up when power was applied and the cape removed. I replaced the BBB for the Kiwisdr1 and the cape still appears to be fully functional. I'm looking for a good deal on a BBG before I get that one back up and running. The beagle bones must be supersensitive to nearby strikes as I also have a Raspberry Pi 3B out there that I use as an ADS-B receiver and it was unaffected. Everything out there is grounded to a ground bus connected to an 8' copper rod buried about 7.5'. It definitely wasn't a direct hit, but it was close...

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