I was all set and ready to script my way into hopes and daydreams of elegant linux reliability. It would JustWork™ right? Wrong…
Continue ReadingWhy Do We Use LiFePO4?
If you’ve ever wondered what LiFePO4 is about, why is it different from LiPo, and why not just get a cheaper SLA battery, hopefully this article has given you some insight into this modern battery chemistry.
Continue ReadingBattery Building Tools
What tools and supplies does it take to build your own Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery for ham radio? Here I will try to list and link some tools that I find essential.
Continue ReadingAmateur Radio Texting Using APRS
Experienced hams have been talking about using APRS messages for SMS texting to friends and family for a few years now. I was mildly interested but found messaging tedious on a handheld transceiver, as well as the brief privacy implications of APRS SMS registration a barrier to entry. However, when I finally bit the bullet and tried it out, especially with KI6NAZ’s revelations from using an Android tablet to compose messages (in Winlink), I realized that this is a fantastic and wholly viable option to traditional messaging when cell service is down in your immediate area. Hence, I present to you my documented findings of amateur radio texting using APRS.… Read More
Continue ReadingGetting Tired of Battery Posts Yet?
I know I am getting tired watching myself talk about batteries. But it’s just fascinating to me to refine the build and power management process of readily available LiFePO4 cells. There are so many kinds! And they keep improving. I guess I have China to thank for that, so much of Maker / electrical components can be found from inexpensive Chinese distributors, making it easier and easier to have your own DIY projects. Anyway, here’s the latest in my series of portable battery builds. I found some really cheap 7Ah cells on Aliexpress, and had to try them out. I don’t want to become “the Battery Guy” since there are… Read More
Continue ReadingFabricating Gear
As many on Twitter have seen (and are probably already tired of seeing), I got myself a budget 3D Printer. Several of my coworkers would come to work with their “latest print” and it would range from utilitarian to really cool movie prop reproductions. In my mind, this hobby was prohibitively expensive. Last I heard about 3D printers, the entry-level ones ranged in the $1500+ range. And all I was seeing from those early adopters (circa 2013) was plastic bow ties and other such useless figurines; not enough of a motivator to dish out that kind of cash. I carried this mindset even to just this month, where one coworker… Read More
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