I’m a designer, technology enthusiast and licensed radio amateur, operating under the M7VXJ. callsign
This site serves as a record of my experimentation with radio telegraphy, electronics and other related projects.
I also create visual effects and 3D animation as silico.studio and my 3D prints are avalable to purchase from physis.shop
Radios
Antennas
Tinkpad T490
Screen Replacement
Having fixed a number of laptops in the past, I can say the ThinkPad is by far the easiest to service.
I’ll also be installing an NFC (Near Field Communication) board once the parts arrive...
Hack-RF One
3D Printing
When in the field, I store it in the Pelican 1040 Micro Case. This case is waterproof, dustproof, and crushproof, which makes it ideal for carrying sensitive electronics. The only problem is that, without something to hold the device in place, it can shift around inside and accidentally press the buttons.
To solve this, I designed a simple 3D printable mounting plate that attaches to the lid of the case. It keeps the HackRF One PortaPack H2 securely in place and stops it from moving around. It’s a small tweak, but it makes transporting the device much easier.
You can check out the printable file here.
Noaa 19 APT
137.100 MHz
Hack-RF
The image quality is better than in my previous attempts, thanks to the upgraded HackRF SDR (software-defined radio), which offers a significant improvement over the RTL-SDR, when using the same V-Dipole antenna tuned to 137mhz.
Seeed Colab
Meshtastic
T1000-E
Together we are bringing two of my accessory designs for their T1000-E meshtastic device into mass production.
As of today, both the SenseCAP T1000-E Protective Case and the SenseCAP T1000-E Charging Puck are available for purchase directly from Seeed’s online store.
This partnership should simplify access for international buyers, especially those outside the UK, by reducing shipping costs and improving availability.
Callsign Patch
3D Printing
I included a number of holes around the periphery of the patch so that thread could be used to more securely attach a strip of adhesive hook-and-loop tape to the patch itself.
L-Band Satallite
Antenna
I bought it used and did not realise it was missing the feed-point reflector - the small assembly where the signal is actually focused.
Rather than write it off, I decided to take a shot at building my own replacement, with the intention of eventually tuning the antenna to recieve transmissions from L-band satellites.
I created a 3D-printed enclosure around the antenna itself and used aluminum plate to make the feed-point reflector.
Right now, it's a bit of a work in progress. I haven’t tested the performance with any proper RF tools yet, but I plan to do some testing to see how well it works in practice.
Noaa 15 APT
137.000 MHz
RTL-SDR
Tracking Weather Satellites
137.000 MHz
RTL-SDR
The amount of noise makes me think that there is alot more work to be done to isolate the radio from background EMF interference.
Dipole Radiation Pattern
Artwork
These renders are aesthetic illustrations and do not portray any useful information, normally scientific visualizations would show dB levels as graduating hues, for this creation I was only interested in the geometric forms.
Conversations Part I
Artwork
It was my interpretation that the artists was representing the conversations that invisibly intersect the landscape between radio towers as a positive force that connecting people’s lives.