Author Archives: Trick

Solderless programming a DFM17 radiosonde

Earlier this year I caught my first three DFM17 radiosondes and shortly thereafter discovered gx1400’s dfm_hamradio project (which I’ve been working on) and the Recessim wiki page covering basics for how to hack the device. I “dead bug” soldered wires … Continue reading

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Retrieved my first two radiosondes

I have been nerding on weather balloons for years now, and the amazing radiosonde_auto_rx project blew my mind when I first ran across it. Back then it was in it’s infancy with a handful of listeners, many of which were … Continue reading

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Introduction to ESPHome

I’ve long been a tinkerer of home automation: Since moving to the US in 2019 and buying my first home, my old X10 modules came out of storage. I quickly realized that a whole world of development has happened in … Continue reading

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IO91 -> EN51…NW6 1UE -> 60137…51N -> 41N…2001:8b0:da4::/48 -> 2601:249:902:50a1::/64 (completing the circuit)

“There and Back Again, a hobbit’s tale by Bilbo Baggins and The Lord of the Rings by Frodo Baggins. You finally finished it.” – Sam “Not quite. There’s room for a little more.” – Frodo Completing the circuit We just moved back … Continue reading

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HAB flight 3: two payloads, some success, and more failure

This post is a bit late given the launch was two months ago, but hey, I’ve been busy. We had a baby last year, and I’m moving to the US this month. Launch day, site, people We launched on Sunday … Continue reading

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HAB flight 2 “EAGLE”

Why the name Eagle?  Good question.  I’ll explain in a bit. You know it’s good luck when the day before the launch, you get this comic sent to you by your mom: What’s new with this flight? This flight is … Continue reading

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First high-altitude balloon flight: lots learned

What is High Altitude Ballooning (HAB)? Build a computer with a GPS receiver and a radio transmitter, attach it to a big balloon full of helium, and let go.  It rises up into the atmosphere, and as the air gets … Continue reading

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My first radio contact from a high altitude balloon

I’ve been watching – with awe – the number of high altitude balloon (HAB) launches there are here in the UK, and thinking about building my own and sending it up.  Last month I went up to Cambridge for the … Continue reading

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Iceland – Aurora Borealis

These photos are best viewed while listening to Island Songs (Ólafur Arnalds). Last night we saw a spectacular show of the aurora borealis.  There aren’t any words to quite describe it.  We saw the first glimpses around 9 PM (Iceland … Continue reading

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Iceland – Day 1

We’re staying in Iceland for the next week – in a somewhat rural area north of Selfoss, right about here: https://goo.gl/maps/S14d9aPQX6S2 We couldn’t appreciate the landscape’s beauty last night having arrived at midnight.  However the stars were incredible.  Fans of Heavens … Continue reading

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