A journal of hobbies
If there was only one type of electronics project I was allowed to work on, I think it would be clocks. I've made a few and I regularly get the urge to make more. I've been thinking about making one using an ESP32 and LCD display that synchronises with internet time servers.. That's how this... Continue Reading →
Back on 3 October 2023 I wrote about the issues I was having building a notifier that would send alerts to our house whenever the mailbox flap opened or someone entered our driveway. Building a smart mailbox: Challenges and unsolved issues. After 2 and a half years and more tinkering I have made some progress.... Continue Reading →
A while back I made a Tuning Wheel For SDR Radio on my PC Using an Angle Sensor. When plugged into a PC, this behaves as a mouse wheel. I'm using it as a tuning knob for SDR software. It works well but I was never very happy with the enclosure. I guess 'enclosure' is... Continue Reading →
We have developed a habit each Friday to go to our local Tip shop. They often have a few old speakers stacked in a corner. I don't need any more but I always have a look, just in case there is something special that wants to come home with me. Normally there are a couple... Continue Reading →
I recently came across a discussion on Reddit about MT6701 working modes, where someone referenced my earlier posts on using a magnetic sensor as a rotary encoder. That prompted me to look more closely at the different MT6701 modules currently available and how suitable they are as drop-in replacements for mechanical encoders. What's the point... Continue Reading →
I have a great deal of trouble laying out items for project front panels, particularly where multiple holes have to be aligned. I don't have a CNC router or other high tech tools. I just have old basic tools. I do have a basic saw bench but I think it is at least 70 years... Continue Reading →
I watch quite a bit of YouTube and over time I have found some I recommend following. BBC archive is one of these. It is an official archive channel from the British Broadcasting Corporation that curates and publishes historical BBC television content. I like the calm, slow, deliberate style instead of the modern fast-cut media.... Continue Reading →
I've been working on a SI4732 radio for nearly two months and it's finally finished. The SI4732-A10 is a cheap little IC that contains almost everything needed for an LW, AM, FM, and SW radio. It is controlled through an I²C interface. There are lots of radios out there based on this design, including the... Continue Reading →
Water is precious in Australia. Much of Australia is very dry and regularly has droughts. From 2017 to 2019 we had a particularly nasty drought. Where we live, the long-term average rainfall is about 763 mm. 2017 and 2018 had lower rainfall and then in 2019 it dropped to only 314 mm. Everything dried out.... Continue Reading →
Over the years I’ve tinkered with a handful of those inexpensive solar garden lights. One of my earlier experiments involved swapping the standard white LED for a red one, that ended up producing a surprisingly pleasing effect. This prompted me to revisit an old challenge, getting one to run a colour changing LED without instantly... Continue Reading →
Garry's blog 