Me...

Sound Engineer and Web programmer - skills include PHP, MySQL, JavaScript... a working knowledge of Linux, been using it for 17 years and I have forgotten more than I have learnt.

Raspberry Pi, Arduino, XBee and Lego NXT enthusiast. I love addressable LEDs making things and the internet of things.

Ham Radio

I became a Radio Ham about two years ago - The Swansea club don't run the course any more so I had to foot it down to the Carmarthen Club to do the course/exam. All they asked was that I joined their club, the membership fee is just £10 per year, not bad. I think there was a small fee for the exam. Anyway, I am MW6EWM now after passing my Foundation License. Onto the Intermediate next. The worst thing is they meet in the village hall in Cwmduad, but there is a decent little watering hole just over the road for the post club meet, I present to you the Afonduad Inn

Web Links / Resources

OK, thought I would add some web links to this page. Things I love and find useful and in no particular order

• Fascinating bloke and Pi enthusiast Dr Solly
• LM2596 DC-DC Buck Converters eBay (other suppliers exist!) Worth trawling through the list, some have LED Volt meters, others have current limiting etc. They all share the same qualities... Input voltage: 3.2V-40V, Output voltage: 1.25V-35V, Output current: 3A(max - you may want to add a heatsink) Bottom line, use those old PC power supplies that are gathering dust to charge batteries or to drive LED lights.
• Some Mac software for Ham radio. FLDIGI and GRIG are two pieces of software that can control radios or be used with SDR. GRig works with almost any CAT controlled radio while FLDigi is at home with SDR.
• Chirp is great for cloning radios. Chirp is cross platform too!