Hobby Electronics meetup

[Lucia N]

Hi everyone,

I have started a Meetup group, the London Hobby Electronics Meetup, and it is already attracting lots of members. Would it be possible to make it a regular group at the Hackspace, for members and non-members, much like the Not Just Arduino and Hackoustic groups were? I had tried to start groups like this at the Hackspace before, but there was poor attendance. Meetup seems to attract a lot of people. The number of people per meeting will be limited if necessary to prevent overcrowding.

Lucia

[Mentar .]

I think that's a great initiative and thanks for taking it on!

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[Lucia N]

Glad you think it is a good idea. :-)

Which day/time would be good? Not Tuesday because of the open evening, and I can't make Thursdays. Maybe Monday evening, Friday evening or Saturday daytime?

[Adrian Godwin]

Maybe take over the Not Just Arduino spot, since it serves a similar audience and I think that's not so active these days. Then if people turn up for it, they'll still have something to do.

On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 11:32 PM, 'Lucia N' via London Hackspace <london-h...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Glad you think it is a good idea. :-)

Which day/time would be good? Not Tuesday because of the open evening, and I can't make Thursdays. Maybe Monday evening, Friday evening or Saturday daytime?

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[John Kavanagh]

I was gonna post to ask if there was anyone who could help me hack a PCB board... and I saw this thread... am I in the right place??

[henry.best1%...@gtempaccount.com]

Maybe. It depends on how you want to hack it.

If you want to etch a new board, there are a few people who can help you with that, in the space.

If it's just a repair, bring it in and we'll have a look at it.

If it's to be repurposed, then you may need someone with experience in what you want to do.

More detail would be useful.

I.e. What board is it and what do you want to do with it?

[Lucia N]

Would next Monday evening be OK? The group description is here:
https://www.meetup.com/London-Hobby-Electronics-Group/

[John Kavanagh]

Hi Henry,
Thanks for the reply! And apologies for my late one!
I am attempting to gain control of an electronic typewriter using a raspberry pi.
I thought this would be an ideal starter project but i can see it's not all that simple.
I looked at some writeups online and i can see it might require an oscilloscope to figure out the serial commands being sent.
I think I can work out a lot of it as I am a software programmer by trade but it's the physical stuff, the soldering, the oscilloscope usage, the r-pi libraries i'll need to use that I'd need most help on.
Any nudges in the right direction would be great!
Thanks,
John

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[henry.best1%...@gtempaccount.com]

John,

There are a few Pi (Python) programmers in the space. I'm an assembly language (about 25 years ago) and Arduino (C++) programmer, so I would be of little help.

I don't know of anyone that could help with the serial commands, but a post on this message board under that subject is likely to get you some interest. Make sure you mention the make and model of the typewriter. As far as I know, most accept standard ASCII codes. The Baud rate can be found by experiment.The older the equipment, usually the slower the Baud rate. The handshaking signals will be the most difficult to fathom out.

There is a 'scope (or two) at the space, but I cannot speak for the serviceability of it, though. I also would need some help in using it.

Again, there are people who can help with the soldering, myself included, but I suggest that is a skill you can be easily and quickly taught, so that you could do it yourself. I assure you that the burnt fingers will heal quickly. :)

Henry.

[John Kavanagh]

Hi Henry,

Thanks again! That was quick!

I actually meant raspberry-pi by r-pi, sorry bout that! And in that I was expecting that I would be using that to hijack the system with commands using C/C++ - of which I have no real experience - so any help with that would be great!

There is a tutorial doing the very thing on a very similar typewriter here: http://numist.net/post/2010/project-typewriter.html. (You can see that the arduino is a bit lacking for what is required). The code used is here: https://github.com/numist/project-typewriter.

Here is a very impressive project that goes way beyond mine: https://hackaday.com/2016/02/17/the-voice-recognition-typewriter.
The uninspired test just proves what most hackers are in it for the challenge. I'd say it was the last time it was used, haha.

John

[Nigel Worsley]

> There is a tutorial doing the very thing on a very similar typewriter here:
> http://numist.net/post/2010/project-typewriter.html.

That has the keys arranged in a matrix, which is what I would expect
pretty much all such typewriters to use. To drive it you could use a
crosspoint switch IC like this one:
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/microsemi-corporation/MT8809AP1/MT8809AP1-ND/4309754
Unfortunately that is only available in a hacking unfriendly PLCC
package, one of these would make it more manageable:
http://www.digikey.co.uk/products/en?mpart=PA0106SOCKET&v=315 But
rather expensive, might be worth sourcing one from China!

Nigle

[Lucia N]

Would it be OK for the group to meet on Monday at 7?

[Lucia N]

Today at 7, if anyone is interested.

[Lucia N]

On Monday (6th March) at about 7pm I am doing a session on the basics of electricity for hobbyists. Voltage, current and resistance, resistors, diodes, AC and DC, basic safety.

[Shaun Meehan]

I would love to come along for that.  

On 2 Mar 2017 11:26 p.m., "'Lucia N' via London Hackspace" <london-h...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

On Monday (6th March) at about 7pm I am doing a session on the basics of electricity for hobbyists. Voltage, current and resistance, resistors, diodes, AC and DC, basic safety.

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[Lucia N]

Hopefully see you there. :-)

[Sophia]

I'm coming too! Hope there is still space?
See you on Monday!

[Lucia N]

Yes there is space, see you on Monday. :-)

[Tom Murray]

If it's cool I'm in :) this looks wicked

[Tom Murray]

[Lucia N]

Yes you can join in. :-)

[Lucia N]

For anyone who came on Monday, here is the link to the Versal lesson:
https://versal.com/learn/ij1cbk/lessons/1

Next Monday there will be another meeting. Depending on who turns up, it may follow on from last time or be the same again.

[Lucia N]

Today (Monday) if anyone is interested.

[Shaun Meehan]

I missed the last one but am looking forward today's ;)

On 20 Mar 2017 1:18 p.m., "'Lucia N' via London Hackspace" <london-h...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Today (Monday) if anyone is interested.

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[Lucia N]

Meeting today (Monday 27th).

[Shaun Meehan]

Hi Lucia

I am not going to be able to make it today due to work running late :( I will have to wait till next week.  I am also going good to start this course and was wondering if anybody else is interested in doing it https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-1-basic-circuit-mitx-6-002-1x-0#!  

On 27 Mar 2017 10:47 a.m., "'Lucia N' via London Hackspace" <london-h...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Meeting today (Monday 27th).

[Shaun Meehan]

Is there a meeting tonight?

On 27 Mar 2017 6:13 p.m., "Shaun Meehan" <sh...@sillypoodle.co.uk> wrote:

Hi Lucia

I am not going to be able to make it today due to work running late :( I will have to wait till next week.  I am also going good to start this course and was wondering if anybody else is interested in doing it https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-1-basic-circuit-mitx-6-002-1x-0#!  

[Lucia N]

Tonight, if anyone is interested.

[Lucia N]

Tomorrow evening (Friday 14th) at about 7.15 onwards.

[Lucia N]

Today evening (Monday 17th), from around 7.15 onward. Basics of electricity for hobbyists. Voltage, current and resistance, resistors, diodes, AC and DC, basic safety.

[Lucia N]

Tomorrow (Monday 24th) at 7.15pm. Bring a project if possible. I will be making a flyback driver circuit.