A custom ESP32 build that subscribes to Meshtastic's encrypted MQTT topic, decrypts packets on the fly, and scrolls messages across a WS2812B 8x32 LED panel. Full build guide: parts, wiring, PlatformIO flashing from scratch, and MQTT setup.
I had the AD5X for less than a week. I hadn't done a second print yet. And I was already on GitHub reading about ZMOD. ZMOD is a community firmware mod for the Flashforge AD5X. It replaces the stock firmware with something you can actually get into: SSH
Eight years with the Anet A8, from MOSFET mods and melting connectors to retirement. A look at what it took to keep a notorious fire hazard running, and why the Flashforge AD5X is a better way to spend a weekend.
Seven years of silence, one heart attack, a marriage, a career change, and a travel habit. Catching up on everything that happened while the blog was dark.
Installing Ubuntu Touch on a Nexus 5 to use it as a portable RTL-SDR server. A walkthrough of what worked, what didn't, and whether it was worth the afternoon.
Turning a four-year-old Loftek LK5200 router into an RTL-SDR server by installing OpenWRT. Because why have a normal router when you can have a slightly cursed one.
Decoding POCSAG pager traffic on a Raspberry Pi with an RTL-SDR, shortly after getting an amateur radio license. A general class ticket, a Pi, and way too much time on my hands.
Setting up a BBS in 2019 for no practical reason other than nostalgia and underemployment. A trip back to pre-internet networking with a modern twist.
When the Anet A8's stock mainboard gave up on one stepper driver, the obvious fix was to replace the entire board with a RAMPS 1.4. A walkthrough of the swap, the firmware, and the inevitable wiring mistakes.
Adding Hyperion ambilight LEDs to a RetroPie and Kodi setup on a Raspberry Pi. Blinky lights that actually respond to what's on screen, including SteamLink.
Building a motion-triggered squirrel cam with a Raspberry Pi after finding the porch pumpkins under attack. A quick project that mostly already existed and just needed assembling.
A complete walkthrough of setting up RetroPie on a Raspberry Pi 3, from image flashing to controller configuration, working entirely in Linux.