radhive

MPY Cassette Player V4: A Retro Cassette Player Reborn with RP2040 & MicroPython

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MPY Cassette Player V4: A Retro Cassette Player Reborn with RP2040 & MicroPython

Disclosure:This article reviews the open-source MPY-Cassette-Player-V4 project by jd3096, a heartfelt tribute to classic cassette Walkmans reimagined with modern microcontroller technology. We aim to share this creative maker project that combines nostalgia and practicality with the global electronics enthusiast community. Overview This article covers the MPY Cassette Player V4, an open-source RP2040-based DIY project designed … Read more

JingShi Desktop Clock: A Stylish ESP32-Powered Timepiece with Smart Features for Makers

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JingShi Desktop Clock: Stylish ESP32-powered smart timepiece with OLED display, featuring article title overlay "A Stylish ESP32-Powered Timepiece with Smart Features for Makers"

**Disclosure**: This article is a deep-dive review of the open-source JingShi desktop clock project by zhushengji. We believe in supporting the maker community by bringing hidden gems like this beautifully designed ESP32 timepiece to a global audience. Overview This article reviews the open-source JingShi (Quiet Stone) desktop clock, an ESP32-powered project designed by zhushengji. It … Read more

Electric Charge, Static Charge & Current

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an illustration showing pcb trace, with blue circles representing current and red circles representing static charge

Welcome back to our Electronics Basics series! In the last lesson, we got to know electrons—the tiny, negatively charged particles that make all electronic devices work. Today, based on that foundation, we’ll explore three core concepts: electric charge, static charge, and current. By the end of this article, you’ll understand the key concepts of these … Read more

What Is an Electron? From Atomic Structure to Electron Flow

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Illustration of glowing blue electrons moving through a circuit board with the title "Electronics Basics 01: What Is an Electron?"

Welcome to the first entry in our Electronics Basics series! To understand how your phone, computer, or even a simple flashlight works, you must first get to know the “star” of the show: the electron. Without the movement of these tiny particles, electronic technology as we know it simply would not exist. 1. Atomic Structure: … Read more

Lora Meshtastic Nodes Built from Scratch Part 2

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a solar meshtastic CLIENT_BASE Station deployed on balcony rail

In Part 1, we built Meshtastic nodes from custom made boards. Now in Part 2, we’ll turn one node into a permanent, always-on CLIENT_BASE station powered by solar, mounted outdoors on my balcony. This base station will act as the backbone of my local Meshtastic network, while the second node will be a portable tracker/handheld … Read more

Lora Meshtastic Nodes Built from Scratch Part 1

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meshtastic node esp32 custom board feature image

This article details how to build a fully custom Meshtastic LoRa mesh node from zero. It covers open‑source PCB design, component assembly, firmware compilation, 3D printed enclosure, and final configuration for off‑grid, long‑range communication. Overview Meshtastic is an open-source communication protocol that transforms affordable LoRa (Long Range) radio modules, typically powered by “ESP32” or “nRF52” … Read more

A Current Choke Balun with a 3D Printed Housing

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diy current choke balun 3d printed housing feature image

Overview: A vertical antenna is an unbalanced antenna, but it may still need a common mode choke balun to choke out the unwanted current flowing on the outer surface of your coax braid. Reasons for A Choke Balun: 1. Blocking Unwanted Radiation from the Feedline A vertical antenna uses the radial system (your elevated ground … Read more

A Ground-Elevated Vertical Based on 5.6m Whip — Improved

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ground-elevated-vertical-improved-5.6m-whip

Overview Days ago, I built a ground elevated vertical based on a 5.6m whip for SOTA and POTA activations. As the radials went above the ground, it didn’t cause huge ground losses due to the poor real ground near the antenna. The antenna works really great, with the linked counterpoise, you just used 2 radials … Read more

A 50-ohm Full-Wave Loop for 2m Band

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2m full-wave loop feature image

The full-wave loop antenna stands as a fascinating and effective alternative to the ubiquitous dipole, offering desirable characteristics such as gain of approximately 2dB over a dipole, a typically lower noise floor, and a closed-loop radiation pattern. Traditionally, a square or circular full-wave loop presents a feed point impedance in the range of 100-120 ohms, … Read more