KiwiSDR: Wide-band SDR + GPS cape for the BeagleBone Black
KiwiSDR 2:
Updated 19 August 2024
Access KiwiSDR receivers here
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List/map of receivers:
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SNR scores:
Beagle root and debian account passwords
Did your Kiwi not have a Beagle/Linux root password set and now it's asking for one?
Recent security changes have automatically applied a password to any root or debian account passwords that were blank/unset.
The new password set is the Kiwi's serial number as shown on the admin page network tab or as written on the the Kiwi circuit board
(or as written on the bottom of the enclosure with KiwiSDR 2).
For some versions of KiwiSDR 1 the password might be the same as the Kiwi admin password.
The debian account password might also be the default "temppwd" if the password change process failed.
Also note that with Debian 9 and later logins using the root account are no longer enabled by default.
Instead, login using the debian account and "sudo su" to get a root shell.
Purchasing a KiwiSDR:
Recommended accessories:
- SDR front-end filter from Turn Island Systems, Paul WB6CXC
Extremely sharp 30 MHz lowpass filter. Plus a two-stage "shelving" filter that
progressively attenuates signals below 10 MHz to help with Kiwi ADC
overload problems (e.g. attenuates -20 dB on the MW band).
- CATSync - external rig synchronization tool from Oscar, DJ0MY
- W6LVP magnetic loop
Reviews:
- Tech Minds: YouTube review video
- Bjarne, Arctic DX,
The KiwiSDR:
Impressions,
Additional thoughts
- RTL-SDR.com: In-depth review,
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Frank, HB9FXQ,
hamspirit.de,
"Blick unters Federkleid des KiwiSDR",
("Look under the plumage of the KiwiSDR"),
German,
English translation
- Fernando, Fenu-Radio, German, English
- John, VE6EY, KiwiSDR server from ZL/KF6VO
- Ron, KA7U, blog post
- Bob, VK5FO, blog post
Media:
- Latest news and information on the KiwiSDR forum
- Introduction to using the KiwiSDR
- Comparison: KiwiSDR / SDRPlay RSP2 / HackRF One
- Original Kickstarter campaign with video
- Listening/operating tools
- Klingenfuss Publications for 50+ years, the world's leading publisher
of books and databases for professional shortwave (HF) radio monitoring
New
(includes extensive info about using third-party decoder software with KiwiSDR)
- SuperSDR: Kiwi waterfall viewer with CAT support by Marco, IS0KYB
New
- Map For Ham by Diego, IU1FIG, an incredible map application
- rx-tx.info preview/table/map of WebSDR, OpenWebRX & KiwiSDRs
- KiwiSDR map/player for Android by frantsch
- KiwiSDR sound client for Mac by Black Cat Systems
- On Mac, stream directly from Kiwi to virtual audio or
output device, e.g. speaker/headphones without using browser
- gr-kiwisdr GNURadio support for KiwiSDR by Christoph Mayer
- kiwiclient project by Dmitry and the Kiwi community
- Python tools that connect and process Kiwi audio and waterfall data
- kiwirecorder.py: Kiwi audio to .wav files including IQ files with GPS timestamps
- Used by the KiwiSDR TDoA extension
- Used by WsprDaemon by Rob Robinett, AI6VN
- Used by DigiSkimmer
an FT8/FT4/WSPR skimmer
by Michael, BD7MQB
- kiwifax.py: An alternative to the Kiwi FAX extension. FAX saved as .png file
- Dynamic SNR map by Marco, IS0KYB
- Map and column-sort list of Kiwis by Peter, VE3SUN
- KiwiSDR map with
day/night overlay
(legend)
- KiwiSDRs ranked by
SNR score
- AM/FM web streams worldwide:
Radio.garden
- TDoA: Radio direction finding via crowd-sourced Time Difference of Arrival
- WsprDaemon: A robust decoding and reporting system for WSPR
by Rob Robinett, AI6VN, and the WSPRDaemon community
- DRM: Digital Radio Mondiale (note DRM is now built-in to the Kiwi)
- Articles
- Kiwi-related blogs
- Other blogs of interest
- YouTube
- Videos sorted by relevance, upload date
- Funkwelle, KiwiSDR Webempfänger (auf Deutsch, in German)
- Elektronik, Amateurfunk hören ohne Empfänger (auf Deutsch, in German)
- Rob Robinett, AI6VN, Introduction to the KiwiSDR, HamSCI workshop 2019
- Maxwell, W3LLA, unboxing & introduction
- Andrew, KB1UIF, metal enclosure unboxing
External DRM software using Kiwi IQ mode: (note DRM is now built-in to the Kiwi)
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AM stereo C-QUAM using SoDiRa and Kiwi IQ mode: polemtube
(note C-QUAM is now built-in to the Kiwi)
- Tony, VK3KKP, SDR radio receivers
- Gary, M0TIG, how to connect and setup
- Ron, KA7U, adjusting the waterfall and AGC
- Tommy, N1SPY, unboxing
- Gilles, OfficialSWLchannel, demo
Projects using KiwiSDR: