Powernumpty

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Powernumpty
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  • Kiwi BBAI software installation instructions [updated 4-Mar-24]

    Would it be worth adding "connmanctl disable wifi" to the basic instructions?
    If someone is not interested in the Wifi dark arts they could at least turn it off.

    BTW 36hr, 14wspr 1.5GHz
    Stats: 0 dropped, 0 underruns, 0 sequence, 0 realtime
    rz3dvp
  • Kiwi BBAI software installation instructions [updated 4-Mar-24]

    Project needs a "Thermal Cape"
    I've ordered some bits as my scrap box only has a couple of heat pipes and both need a lot of work, would get round the space issue though.
    This is just waiting for some themally conductive double sided tape plus a pad for the PMIC and a bit more inspiration on physically retaining at the network end.
    G0LUJHB9TMCrz3dvpWA2TP
  • Kiwi BBAI software installation instructions [updated 4-Mar-24]

    Looking at how close some tiny SM components are to the fixing locations some small physical revisions wouldn't hurt too.

    I stuck my old laptop heatsink down and fired it up without a fan, it took a long time to do anything but gradually headed up to about 51C before I went back down to the room it is in (open no case right now) and put a 12V fan at 8V over it, back to the PC and I thought I'd messed up as it was still showing 47C.
    It takes an age to change with that much copper on it, small improvements take about five minutes to fully reflect.
    Should be good once I actually duct a fan for it.

    Glad to hear the Odroid is working so well, I think I take advantage of that one most days.

    --later--

    Stuck it back in the 2U rack case, case fan only but now blowing in the same direction as the fins (distance about 2" 50mm, no ducting).
    Clocked it up to 1.5GHz (don't intend to leave it there) 14 wsprdaemon channels running and it levelled out at 43/44C. the room is probably 4C colder than the 1GHz run with supplied heatsink.

    WA2ZKDG0LUJ
  • Kiwi BBAI software installation instructions [updated 4-Mar-24]

    Looking at how close some tiny SM components are to the fixing locations some small physical revisions wouldn't hurt too.

    I stuck my old laptop heatsink down and fired it up without a fan, it took a long time to do anything but gradually headed up to about 51C before I went back down to the room it is in (open no case right now) and put a 12V fan at 8V over it, back to the PC and I thought I'd messed up as it was still showing 47C.
    It takes an age to change with that much copper on it, small improvements take about five minutes to fully reflect.
    Should be good once I actually duct a fan for it.

    Glad to hear the Odroid is working so well, I think I take advantage of that one most days.

    --later--

    Stuck it back in the 2U rack case, case fan only but now blowing in the same direction as the fins (distance about 2" 50mm, no ducting).
    Clocked it up to 1.5GHz (don't intend to leave it there) 14 wsprdaemon channels running and it levelled out at 43/44C. the room is probably 4C colder than the 1GHz run with supplied heatsink.

    WA2ZKDG0LUJ
  • Kiwi BBAI software installation instructions [updated 4-Mar-24]

    Project needs a "Thermal Cape"
    I've ordered some bits as my scrap box only has a couple of heat pipes and both need a lot of work, would get round the space issue though.
    This is just waiting for some themally conductive double sided tape plus a pad for the PMIC and a bit more inspiration on physically retaining at the network end.
    G0LUJHB9TMCrz3dvpWA2TP
  • Kiwi BBAI software installation instructions [updated 4-Mar-24]

    Project needs a "Thermal Cape"
    I've ordered some bits as my scrap box only has a couple of heat pipes and both need a lot of work, would get round the space issue though.
    This is just waiting for some themally conductive double sided tape plus a pad for the PMIC and a bit more inspiration on physically retaining at the network end.
    G0LUJHB9TMCrz3dvpWA2TP
  • Channel Button

    Hi Martin,
    That sounds better, assuming the tags are all tidy, for some reason I make hard work of editing them quickly (must try harder, wonder if there is a good video on youtube..).
    It was mainly for channelised frequencies and was thinking in fairly narrow terms (image bodged at lunch).
    But now you say it going up down the tags seems an interesting feature that could have more uses if we could filter or swap out the current tag list.

    What hit me was how hard it currently is to step one channel of our crazy off-set UK frequencies like 27601.25 to 27611.25.
    Obviously there is little happening round here on the CB but I have fond memories of the band.

    I dabbled with controlling the Kiwi by Midi controls from a phone (TouchOSC) some bits were easy but I gave up at entering frequencies.

    Cheers
    Stu
    ChrisSmolinski
  • Channel Button

    Fully aware am I that this won't go anywhere I just want to throw it out there.

    There are up and down arrow by the frequency input, they must come from a list created as we use the Kiwi.
    If there was a C "Channel" button the user could switch to an admin defined "text file" list of frequencies and displayed names.

    E.G. if the user wants to go to UK CB channel 1 rather than having to enter
    27601.25 they click C and select "UK CB 01", Rather than 27405, "Cept CB 40"
    For downconvertors S number for 2m Channels, U for 70cm.
    As part of the channel selection it could overide the largest step to fit channels or half channel (like 12.5kHz on 2m listing)

    ChrisSmolinski
  • Seeed Metal case and GPIO connector

    Filtered - 15W RS 449-770 or 212-7848 (plug/socket etc.)
    To be honest I only know as when work clear stuff out to make space I can't bear to see some things trashed and I have some filtered 9-ways from that box.
    I think the C is between 330-1000pF.
    WA2ZKD
  • Antenna recommendation for listening to faraway DRM broadcast inside a city

    On the Alibaba links -
    When I say "No" I mean you may pick up some signals but very few.

    1. No (mainly higher end of HF, not much use)
    2. No (mainly for HF single band use, low efficiency)
    3. Yes that work but will be HUGE so no good for your location
    4. Just about work - but only if you could get it outside on a mount clamped to a balcony

    As modern apartments are full of electrical noise it pays to get an antenna outside, or has "Nulls" for pointing at noise sources to reduce the affect, or antennas that can be tuned to the frequency you want.

    I'd say a wideband magnetic loop as Bjarne suggests is your best hope of reception.

    One other option you could try (if you can put something outside) is a short fibreglass/bamboo/wood pole holding a long piece of wire dangling out of the window (pole to keep it off the wall).
    If you do use the green connector on the Kiwi the ground side also needs connecting to something as a "ground" - try different things like plumbing, something metal but decent size.

    With HF the antennas need to be long, using a bluetooth/wifi/vhf antenna on a HF radio is like trying to write with a pen that is half a milimetre long.
    mahaju