HPR4502: Cheap Yellow Display Project Part 3: Reverse beacon network

Hacker Public Radio

Hello, again. This is Trey. Welcome to part 3 in my Cheap Yellow Display (CYD) Project series. You can find Part 1 in episode 4472 and Part 2 in episode 4488. We previously left our handy hero searching for a solution to an amateur radio signal propagation dilemma, while he is trying to become proficient with Morse code. The CYD technology is simmering in the back of his brain – an answer in search of a problem. Hah! I love trying to create the feel of a vintage radio or television series with the intro and outro for these episodes. But I am by no means the hero. I am simply Trey – a grumpy old man and tinkerer. Instead, the real hero in this episode is Keith VE3SVQ-THE SHAKY KEY on YouTube. So.... Let's see. Where were we? Oh yes. I have been trying to learn Morse code -.-. --.- -.-. --.- (CQ CQ) That was me, tapping out "CQ CQ" in Morse code using the practice set I keep on my desk. This consists of a set of code paddles, connected to an Arduino Nano, which I built several years ago based what I learned watching Code Practice Oscillator; Aka: The Three Arduinos on Jmhrvy1947's YouTube Channel, and based on the code from his GitHub https://github.com/jmharvey1/ArduinoCPO . I did need to make modifications, both to support the Ardunio Nano on which I chose to run it, and for my own sanity, as the way that I learned to write code for Ardunio is very different. I focus on readability and flexibility. You can see these changes on my own GitHub ( https://github.com/jttrey3/PracticeOscillator/blob/main/PracticeOscillator.ino ) Anyway, I have been studying. I have been watching videos. I have been practicing. I might actually be learning some of this stuff. If you are interested in more details about the resources I am using, leave a comment for this episode, or drop me an email using the address in my profile, and I may record an episode about it. The result is that I have been learning. But also, the google and YouTube algorithms have bee