Sun Jan 14 02:51:49 PM CET 2024

picoaprs vs t-twr

On the left a PicoAPRS V1, on the right a T-TWR APRS VHF. Nearly the same functionality, maybe I will 3d-print a yellow case for the PicoAPRS V1 (alrady saw a stl on yeggie).


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: HAM

Sun Jan 14 02:49:37 PM CET 2024

old batteries LR44

I know old malfunctioning batteries like AA and AAA. Today a LR44... (in the middle).


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: private

Wed Jan 3 10:05:42 PM CET 2024

redkey usb

New tool: A redkey usb v5.

Boot it and overwrite disks with it. Same could be done with a live linux system, but the redkey has an own graph user interface.


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: computer

Mon Dec 25 06:10:44 PM CET 2023

rezeptfrei

Normally it makes no sense to filter e-mail on specific words/triggers, instead use bayes filters.

But after some weeks of observation (word) filters on the subect of pharma e-mails should work, they use "rezeptfrei" in different variations with underscore and hypens:


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: computer

Fri Dec 22 05:06:14 PM CET 2023

toughbook HDD

Comparison: The cage of a panasonic toughbook for the hard drive, euqipped with a heating to ensure operation with deep temperatures (not really necessary with driveless SSDs at all).


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: computer

Fri Dec 22 05:04:25 PM CET 2023

beep beep beep

Always fun: Searching the sensor which indicates low battery - and keeping in mind, that they are all the same charge and maybe also the same battery level :-)


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: private

Wed Dec 20 05:15:07 PM CET 2023

gyroscope

Yesterday in IKT2: Soldering gyroscopes with the class. Gyro switch to turn the light on, four different color LEDs. Different resistors were no problem at all.


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: school

Wed Aug 23 03:38:12 PM CEST 2023

mail notifications in real

My current project: A notification when the post(wo)man puts something in my mailbox (not e-mail, "real" mail :-) ).

My approach: A WIFI PIR motion sensor in the mailbox, connected with my home WLAN. Batteries should work for apprx. 6 months.

Notifications would work via the app on my cellular phone, but I don't want to run the app always.

My solution: The PIR sensor idles most of the time, but (for sure) it connects to the WLAN, when a motion is detected.

Can be found in the log of my core router:

ab:cd:12:34:EF:12@mywlan: connected, signal strength -83
ab:cd:12:34:EF:12@mywlam: disconnected, extensive data loss, signal strength -83

Means I only need a script in my router, which checks for the WLAN registration of this MAC address and sends an alert:

:if ([/int wir reg pr co wh mac-address:ab:cd:12:34:EF:12] = 1)
do={/tool e-mail send to=my@adress subject="postkasten aktiv"
from=router@email body="postkasten aktiv"
} else={

And it works :-)


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: computer

Thu Aug 17 10:28:11 AM CEST 2023

SOCs and PSUs

In the past the problem with raspberries was dying (wear-levelling) sd-cards, therefor changing the sd-card is my first "fix"

but with using better and bigger sd-cards the problem shifts: this year I already replaced a PSU for a raspberry 3b and now for a odroid xu3. main problem for analysis "on the site": the PSUs still deliver a little bit of power, the power leds of the SOCs are working, but under load the PSUs break down.

I use "oversized" PSUs for the raspberries (1 or more ampere) for not using them "on the edge", replacement is easy.

More difficult the replacement for the odroid xu3: 5v/4ampere with a hollow plug.

On the left: Broken PSU for the odroid xu3
On the right: New PSU with the same specifications

And I wrote about that topic before in 2018:
http://bernd.priv.at/blog/archives/2018/08/#e2018-08-29T21_21_05.txt
http://bernd.priv.at/blog/archives/2018/08/#e2018-08-22T00_52_36.txt


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: computer

Sun Aug 13 12:52:31 PM CEST 2023

OGN loads

Two receivers for FLARM/OGN today: The one on the mountains working really hard, getting a lot of beacons from all directions, from south tyrol to bavaria.

The one in the valley: Idleling, not much traffic here in Wattens, only a few gliders.


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: HAM

Sat Aug 12 02:28:12 PM CEST 2023

paging

A big advantage of a DAPNET pager: If you are working to get some devices online, you don't need to have a look into the laptop as the pager messages you. Also helpful to be alarmed if a devices goes down again.


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: HAM

Wed Aug 9 10:54:32 AM CEST 2023

mikrotik analysis setup

Analysis setup for malfunctioning routing radios mounted on a pole: A spare routing radio (two here, one for 5 GHz, one for 2 GHz), a power injector, short ethernet cables and a DC12680 battery. So you can just try (on the pole) if the power supply/cable is the problem or the routing radio itself is broken. Normally I preconfigure the routing radio before testing, so it could be used as a replacement "on the fly".


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: HAM

Wed Aug 9 10:52:18 AM CEST 2023

maintenance on the tops of the mountains

Some lessons learnt from the two last sessions:

1) If a odroid XU3 is malfunctioning and you suspect the emmc/sd-card: Have a look at the power supply unit first (second time now I carried the odroid xu3 with me into the valley and had nothing to do). After 5 years the memories faded away: http://bernd.priv.at/blog/archives/2018/08/#e2018-08-22T00_52_36.txt

2) If you have a routing radio which stopped working, take another routing radio, another cable and power injector with you and try the analysis. If all fails: Unexpected, but the ethernet port on the switch was "dead"... so repatching necessary.

3) If another routing radio stopped working and the spare part doesn't ork either, check the cable. Maybe some cows were hungry.

4) If a sensor doesn't transmit weather data, change the batteries. If it still doesn't work, replace it (was an ELV ASH-2200, now replaced by an ELV S300TH)

Pictures: Some of the equipment prepared, destroyed ethernet cable, old weather sensor PCB and n-connectors in the sun


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: HAM

Fri Aug 4 02:14:24 AM CEST 2023

raspberry imager

Nice tool to install an operating system on a raspi: Raspi imager. With this tool you can install a raspian OS headless and define the credentials for SSH.


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: computer

Sat 22 Apr 2023 06:25:01 PM CEST

small repair

Today: Replacing the 9v block battery clip of a VTLAN3 Lan Tester. Only 5 mins of work, but now the lan tester works again :-)


Posted by Bernd H. Steiner | Permalink | Categories: computer