blinry

Computer science, art, game design. Values autonomy, creativity and curiosity. Polyamorous. Introverted, organized. Humanist. Recurse Center alumn. Feelings: @nibryl

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npub1xh9fh6cs7c5zhhz330pz4s5kdwg44aq7xu33f6ylxtedkjj6g6ysvuazuf

NIP-05 Address

blinry_at_chaos.social@mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsrtj5mavg0v2ptm3gchs32c2txhy267s0rwgc5az0n9ukmffdydzgpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0wd68ytnsw43qz9nhwden5te0wfjkccte9ec8y6tdv9kzumn9ws27agcx

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relay.mostr.pub

relay.primal.net

relay.noswhere.com

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Last Notes

2024-08-19 20:14:41

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@npub1kry…3ps6 I think it can lean back a bit, like in overnight buses!

2024-08-19 20:09:10

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We're first going north, following the Hudson river.
The seats are big and comfy! But the train seems to be booked out.
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/990/496/359/431/526/original/e63ccfafa55d2a92.jpg

2024-08-19 20:02:19

Today, I get to start a train trip I've always wanted to do: Going from New York to San Francisco!!
This map shows that first section of the trip. I'm taking the "Lake Shore Limited", an overnight train. Will arrive in Chicago in around 20 hours, and amazingly, that's the only time I'll have to change trains!
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/990/469/453/740/849/original/85a2ee03cffe7938.jpeg

2024-07-26 19:16:16

I'd like your recommendations for a light-hearted sci-fi series or movie, with relatable characters who like and support each other, and develop their relationships in interesting ways!
A lot of sci-fi is so dystopian and involves lots of fighting, which is something I'm not really into.

2024-05-09 13:19:51

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@npub1el9…wpyf See the rest of the thread, or this blog post :) https://blinry.org/50-things-with-sdr/

2024-05-09 09:47:16

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Put the cheese in plastic wrap, and chill it in the fridge for a few hours – it will firm up quite a bit.
Done! :) If you try it, let me know how you like it, and send pictures!
This is a style of cheese alternative that I first found in Spain. It doesn't try to imitate cheese made from animal milk, and instead does its own (delicious) thing.
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/410/481/488/619/350/original/e3cd5ca1b792590b.jpeg

2024-05-09 09:43:30

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Almost done! Shape it into a wheel, and try not to snack to much, because it's already so delicious at this stage!
Finally, I like to roll the cheese in roughly-ground black pepper, which adds an extra kick to it!
If you'd like a less intense version, you can use other herbs or spices – I've once used dill, and that was very tasty! Oregano could also be nice.
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/410/456/777/041/329/original/39cc8fa3fe359737.jpeg

2024-05-09 09:37:14

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Blend until you get a consistency like crumbly ice cream with chunks! :D
The trick here is not to blend too much, or let it get too hot – otherwise, the result will be more like a cream cheese.
So put the blender on a rather slow speed, take breaks, or stir it in between.
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/410/447/072/314/284/original/14d3f54056240a59.jpeg

2024-05-09 09:34:19

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Put all ingredients (except the pepper) in a blender.
You could also use an immersion blender, maybe you'd need to stir it up a couple of times with a spoon.
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/410/431/359/488/814/original/d8028a407d9c6e56.jpeg

2024-05-09 09:30:31

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This time, I used distilled vinegar concentrate, with you need to dilute 1:4 with water to get to an acid content of 5%.
But I've also used rice vinegar in the past. Any other vinegar should work, as well.
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/410/420/464/850/174/original/6cb4fd438a383115.jpeg

2024-05-09 09:28:02

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This is what we'll need:
- 300 g roasted, salted cashews
- 1.5 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp mustard
- black pepper
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/410/400/597/561/285/original/69e73ff2910cde09.jpeg

2024-05-09 09:23:01

You might've heard this concern about veganism: "I couldn't live without cheese!" 🧀
And indeed, the vegan cheese that's available in supermarkets is often… not great so far.
So I wanted to show you how to make a simple, quick & cheap cheese from cashews! It's tangy, savory, and has lots of protein!
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/410/334/783/970/884/original/7f60fd40b02564db.jpeg

2024-03-16 16:55:13

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Super happy with my Framework laptop by the way!
The module system is great. I printed a snack drawer today! Now I can always take three peanuts with me!
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/106/413/291/822/112/original/5f71b7ce9a3f8190.jpg

2024-03-10 20:10:11

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So, was this project in fact a gateway drug to getting an amateur radio license?
Yeah, probably. I'd love to transmit something and experiment more! :D
In Germany, a new license class will be introduced this summer, that'll allow you to send on the 10-meter, 2-meter and 70-cm bands (the "N class").
In fact, there's a really good online course that teaches you everything you need to know: https://50ohm.de Highly recommended, even if you're not planning on getting a license.

2024-03-10 20:02:58

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Here's some things that I haven't tried or that haven't worked:
- Receiving digital voice modes (SDRangel should be able to do it, but I couldn't figure it out)
- Receive something from the ISS
- Use the GRAVES radar to detect meteors (couldn't detect it)
- Receive videos on ham bands
- Receive Iridium satellites
- Listen to pirate stations
- Receive Cubesats
Also, doing things with Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Zigbee could be fun, but I'd need a more expensive receiver for those frequencies.

2024-03-10 19:57:08

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And with that, … 🥁 … I'm officially done with my "50 things to do with a software defined radio"! 🎉
This was seven very intense days, where I've learned a lot of new things about radio waves and the many things they can be used for!
I'm proud! I'm tired! I'm amazed that all those things I received are all around us, everywhere, all at once! :O
Thanks for following along, everyone! I'll probably make a blog post and/or talk out of this series, sometime in the future!

2024-03-10 19:48:50

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50: Go mobile!
Just now, I was wondering whether there are any Android apps for controlling SDRs.
And it turns out, the software I liked best this week, SDR++, has an Android version since a couple of weeks! \o/ https://www.sdrpp.org/nightly
So now I can go track down the source of some of these strange signals! :3
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/073/117/027/488/847/original/a8eec89128df1f90.jpeg

2024-03-10 18:49:07

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49: Listen to marine radio
We've been over this. Not allowed in Germany. Don't do it. ⛔
But if you're in the US, you can even purchase a marine radio, and use it to transmit! :D

2024-03-10 18:43:32

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48: See how high you can go in the frequency spectrum
My SDR stick has a maximum sampling rate of 3.2 megasamples/s, so by Nyquist's theorem, that means that the highest frequency it can theoretically measure is 1.6 GHz.
It seems pretty quiet up there, probably because I lack proper antennas. I found these three lines in an amateur band, but they probably originate from the stick itself, or another device.
So the highest-frequency thing I've received is ADS-B at 1090 MHz (see entry #5)! 🎉
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/072/834/938/224/263/original/833875a5a00f9c32.png

2024-03-10 17:27:36

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47: See how low you can go in the frequency spectrum
This was a fun exploration: What's the lowest-frequency broadcast I can receive?
The RTL-SDR Blog V4 stick I'm using has a neat feature – a built-in "upconverter", which is enabled automatically when you try to listen to frequencies below what the chipset supports. This allows it to receive down to ~500 kHz!
The first stations that are comprehensible start at 1 MHz for me.
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/072/564/458/589/210/original/cc5ff2908379955d.mp4

2024-03-10 17:03:27

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I spent ages trying to build my own decoder in GNU Radio. But I wasn't familiar with it at all, and I eventually gave up. Still, that seems to be the software you wanna learn for tasks like these!
By the way, how the ground stations work is fascinating: In my case, it's a "Doppler VOR": It transmits a static frequency via amplitude modulation, and adds another signal that moves around in circles, so you get a Doppler frequency shift.
If you compare the two, you can calculate the angle!
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/072/469/613/750/812/original/0e55a27def0a797d.png
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/072/470/063/686/066/original/95edb38ca810d73b.png
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/072/470/618/990/361/original/2be773fb7f56d5d7.png

2024-03-10 16:59:32

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46: Receive navigational aids for airplanes
There are ground stations that emit a signal that allow calculating your angle relative to it! If you receive two, you can determine your position.
I hear the one close to Hamburg! SDRangel has a decoder, of course! It outputs angles between 210° and 230°, which is pretty good! Don't think they are meant to be used from the ground.
The neat navigational map is from https://skyvector.com!
(Thanks, @npub1ytl…ae4t!)
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/072/444/750/781/074/original/5029b31e8a681a21.png
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/072/449/624/483/067/original/273232dae2961991.png
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/072/451/254/512/339/original/408727dc40cc80cc.png

2024-03-09 18:57:39

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Side note: I wonder why some signals in that band are warped like the one at 433.96 MHz here!
At first, I thought "Ah, Doppler effect again, it's coming from a moving car!" But if that'd be the case, that car would be moving at over 700 m/s…
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/067/248/504/260/465/original/24108965ac1d0455.png

2024-03-06 15:17:39

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Didn't find the sonde. But something that might be even better – a friend!
On my way back, will report more soon. Data volume is used up, smartphone battery is empty.

2024-01-26 18:32:27

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Things I like:
The 3D performance of the integrated AMD GPU is a huge step up from the X1!
The aluminum body and the keyboard feel really nice.
The BIOS boots super fast!
I like the 4:3 screen ratio.

2024-01-26 18:27:32

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First impressions of the #Framework laptop (in comparison to my previous X1 Yoga Gen 5)! First, the bad things:
Under load, the fan is really loud.
The speakers sound a bit tinny/compressed.
At first, I was extremely distressed because the Ctrl + Fn keys are swapped, but thankfully, you can revert that in the BIOS.
I miss the trackpoint. :( Think I'll have to learn even more keyboard shortcuts.
When I tried attaching two external screens via a docking station, the Framework crashed :O

2024-01-25 14:59:36

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... and the bezel. I got a green one! 💚
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/111/817/180/885/217/534/original/472610c438fa94b5.jpg

2024-01-25 14:58:39

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Next, we attach the keyboard and the touchpad...
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/111/817/177/051/865/853/original/6937d84623d6dee1.jpg
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/111/817/177/137/910/291/original/50cad6f6d97df42f.jpg

2024-01-25 14:41:31

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Let's install the RAM! I got 2 x 16 GB from a different vendor. My last laptop that had swappable RAM was my first Thinkpad 14 years ago.
I really hope that in another 10 years, we'll think of swappable laptop parts as totally normal again...
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/111/817/109/751/324/791/original/8d2084ad3c2b8d40.jpg

2024-01-25 13:17:20

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I like how all components have links to documentation! Importantly, they publish the specifications of all the used connectors on GitHub: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/111/816/778/730/721/387/original/64ed7a12adeba675.jpg

2024-01-25 13:13:10

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Here's the main component! Excited to peek inside...
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/111/816/762/356/158/156/original/863f87ebe05e5ccc.jpg

2024-01-25 13:11:02

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Not super happy about the choice of Torx screws, as I feel I won't always have one at hand. But at least the prodvide a screwdriver! :)
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/111/816/753/985/379/871/original/412c4cdc3307eb8a.jpg

2024-01-25 13:08:33

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The keyboard, the display bezel, the main device itself, and the "expansion cards" all come in their own boxes.
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/111/816/744/163/282/822/original/a7d1afed1f3856f6.jpg

2024-01-25 13:04:38

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I'm greeted by a small envelope in the lid of the box, which contains... stickers! \o/ And a QR code leading to the assembly guide.
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/111/816/728/775/454/167/original/c6b0fc8cdda2abd9.jpg

2024-01-25 13:01:52

My Framework laptop is here! ✨ It's a modular, repairable laptop that I've been hearing really good things about!
This is the "DIY edition", so let's assemble all the pieces together!
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/111/816/717/948/459/641/original/16fc06f9b5120dc9.jpg

2024-01-18 18:22:25

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Here are the biggest questions on my mind right now (let me know if you have thoughts)! #electronics
- How could I make the device cheaper? The Sunrise CO2 sensor costs 50 EUR per piece. The other components will be really cheap, but I need a good, low-power sensor. The SCD41 is cheaper, but draws an average of 450 uA (compared to the 16 uA of the Sensair).
- How could I minimize the power/time for refreshing the e-ink display? Use a smaller screen? Use a Memory LCD instead?

2024-01-18 18:10:18

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My plan is still to design a design a PCB that integrates all required components, and make the result available as open hardware.
Having fresh air around you means you can use your own brain cycles better! <3

2024-01-02 15:14:37

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@npub1p4c…xvkf I found this sensor with an average current of 45 uA! https://senseair.com/products/power-counts/sunrise/
For the power consumption in sleep mode, what are usual measures to keep the current low? Does it depend on the microcontroller?