A Meshtastic node has been one of the toys of the moment over the last year, and since they are popular with radio amateurs there’s a chance you’ll already live within range of at least one. They can typically run from a lithium-ion or li-po battery, so it’s probable that like us you’ve toyed with […]
There you are at the surplus store, staring into the bin of faded orange, yellow, red, and black, boxes–a treasure trove of vintage vacuum tubes—dreaming about building a tube amp for your guitar or a phonograph preamp for your DIY hi-fi sound system. But, if you are not already in possession of a vintage, purpose-built […]
The legendary 6502 microprocessor recently turned 50 years old, and to celebrate this venerable chip which brought affordable computing and video gaming to the masses [AndersBNielsen] decided to put one to work doing something well outside its comfort zone. Called the PhaseLoom, this project uses a few other components to bring the world of software-defined […]
Your kid has a toy remote control fire truck. You have an RTL SDR. See where this is going? [Jacob] couldn’t resist tearing into the why and how of the truck’s remote control protocol. The entire process began with a basic GNU Radio setup to determine the exact frequency of the signal. Then a little […]
Using digital techniques has caused a resurgence of interest in VLF — very low frequency — radio. Thanks to software-defined radio, you no longer need huge coils. However, you still need a suitable antenna. [Electronics Unmessed] has been experimenting and asks the question: What really matters when it comes to VLF loops? The answer he […]
Sometimes the old tricks are the best. [Kevin] learned an old trick about using a ‘scope to sniff RF noise and pays it forward by sharing it in a recent video. He uses an oscilloscope. But does he need some special probe setup? Nope. He quickly makes a little RF pickup probe, and if you […]
For certain situations, older hardware is preferred or even needed to accomplish a task. This is common in industrial applications where old machinery might not be supported by modern hardware or software. Even in these situations though, we have the benefit of modern technology and the Internet to get these systems up and running again. […]
When [Tom Nardi] reported on NOAA’s statement that many of its polar birds were no longer recommended for use, he mentioned that when the satellites do give up, there are other options if you want to pull up your own satellite weather imagery. [Jacopo] explains those other options in great detail. For example, the Russian […]
Back in the day, an FM bug was a handy way to make someone’s annoying radio go away, particularly if it could be induced to feedback. But these days you’re far more likely to hear somebody’s Bluetooth device blasting than you are an unruly FM radio. To combat this aural menace, [Tixlegeek] is here with […]
Interested in playing with ultra-wideband (UWB)? [Jaryd] recently put together a fairly comprehensive getting started guide featuring the AI Thinker BU03 that looks like a great place to start. These modules can be used to determine distance between two of them to an accuracy in the order of 10 centimeters, and they can do so in […]