There are many cheap ($5-20) USB RTL-SDR devices you can find on Newegg or Amazon that have an unexpected extra of being able to pick up broadcast radio. This is a handy feature, and in fact we can even read ham-radio frequencies by changing the bandwidth and frequency to read. There are excellent howtos on the easy installation of GQRX for just listening to the radio and setting your frequency and listening, and that’s a good way to start with testing your device. In this post I’ll show how to read and listen to radio using just Python and the Python RTLSDR library, which will show a lot more detail in how decoding radio works, and lets you run a clean interface to listen or record radio.
Continue reading “Reading Amateur Radio Frequencies with RTLSDR device and Python”Setting up AREDN node with Ubiquiti Nanostation with Ubuntu
If your area has other ham-radio operators that are using an AREDN network, an Ubiquity router is a great way to connect to the local LAN network. Note that you will need:
- An amateur radio license.
- An Ubiquity Nanostation (the “loco” one is cheaper but it has less range 🙁 )
- POE outlet to 2-ethernet adapter (included when you buy a new Nanostation)
- Two ethernet cables (You will want at least one outdoor-rated cable if you will put it outside, which will likely be necessary for good signal.)
Continue reading “Setting up AREDN node with Ubiquiti Nanostation with Ubuntu”
Candy-throwing Robot with Arduino, recycled parts, and Dlib
Looking for a fun way to hand out candies at your local harvest fair? In this howto I show how to use a wood frame and old computer/printer parts to build a robot candy thrower:
https://www.instructables.com/id/Candy-Throwing-Robot-With-Arduino-Recycled-Parts-a/