Hackaday Podcast 158: Phased Array Physics, CRTs Two Ways, A Micro Microcontroller, and a Surgically Implanted Red Herring [Hackaday]

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Join Editor-in-Chief Elliot Williams and Staff Writer Dan Maloney as they take a look at the week’s top stories, taken straight off the pages of Hackaday. What happens when you stuff modern parts into a 90’s novelty PC case? Nothing good, but everything awesome! Is there any way to prevent PCB soil moisture sensors from being destroyed by, you know, soil moisture? How small is too small for a microcontroller, and who needs documentation anyway? We also cast a jaundiced eye — err, ear — at an electronic cheating scandal, and if you’ve ever wondered how phased arrays and beam steering work, gazing into a pan of water might just answer your questions. We also share all our soldering war stories, and hey — what’s with all these CRT projects anyway?

Take a look at the links below if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!

Direct Download (52 MB, but sounds like at least 58 MB!)

Episode 158 Show Notes:

News This Week:

• Turning plastic gloves into hot sauce – YouTube
• Big Chemistry: From Gasoline To Wintergreen

What’s that Sound?

• How are you with old school arcade games? Test your memory, or your RetroPie collection, this week!

Interesting Hacks of the Week:

• New Part Day: Smallest ARM MCU Uproots Competition, Needs Research
  • No Caffeine, No Problem: A Hand-Soldered Chip-Scale Package
• Pulling Off A CRT Transplant Doesn’t Have To Be Tricky!
• Bend It Like (Sonar) Beacon With A Phased Array
  • Shader – Shadertoy BETA
  • On Point: The Yagi Antenna
  • Hackaday Supercon – HunterScott : Why Phased Arrays are Cool and How to Build One
• 90s PC With Modern Parts Throws Many Off Track
• Soil Moisture Sensor Coating Lessons Learned The Hard Way
  • Vinduino, a wine grower’s water-saving project
• Surgically Implanted Bluetooth Devices Don’t Help Would-Be Exam Cheats

Quick Hacks:

• Elliot’s Picks:
  • 3D Printed Mechanical Contraption Shows Live Weather Forecast
  • Old Portable TV Becomes Unique CRT Cyberdeck
  • DIY Super-Bright Outdoor TV With Watercooling
• Dan’s Picks:
  • Better Kerf Cuts With A CNC Bit
  • Split Flap Display Tells Us The Word
  • Need To Probe Circuits? Remember About Clothespins!

Can’t-Miss Articles:

• You Can Find Military Radars On Publicly-Available Satellite Data
• Ask Hackaday: What’s Your Worst Soldering Job?
  • Key To Soldering: Pace Yourself
  • A Conversation with René Martinez – Tales from the Road