{"id":1071,"date":"2021-10-02T10:30:10","date_gmt":"2021-10-02T10:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jameshatton.co.uk\/blog\/?page_id=1071"},"modified":"2023-04-25T22:30:19","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T22:30:19","slug":"stem-projects","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.jameshatton.co.uk\/blog\/stem-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"STEM Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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    I’ve spent years managing projects in a professional capacity so, yes, this may appear a little formal but I assure you, I don’t have a Gantt chart lurking somewhere – it’s just messy folders with links to webpages, JPEGs and PDFs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The page lists the projects I am working on, the ones I’m about to start, the ones deferred and the ones completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In Progress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Retro Pi Phone<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Repurpose vintage GPO 706 phone as VoIP phone with Alexa<\/a>; using Raspberry Pi. (Almost complete – awaiting USB soundcard). Some difficulties with consistency of rotary dialler pulse mapping (not debounce time, no).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I suspect Google will consolidate their many communication platforms so I may hold off on the VoIP part for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Arcade Machine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I am using a Raspberry Pi 3 board to make a full sized retro arcade machine. The MDF frame is assembled, a monitor in situ and the controls are in place. I am using an old PC PSU to give 5V and 12V rails and I have (as of Apr ’23) got a small 12V amplifier. Just need some 3 inch speakers (with grills) and some perspex (a large cheap picure frame from a charity shop) for the front and it will be almost complete. The final touch will be printing graphics on vinyl so there’ll be some photshoppery\/ilustrator and convincing a printers to let me print copyrighted graphics – I think it’s okay for personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Use 3D Printer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Need to fire up the Rep Rap and test all is okay. Be good to fit CNC and laser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Vintage AV<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I am currently restoring a music centre (record player, tape deck and FM radio), a couple of reel-reel and super-8 projector. I’m also fixing up a mini B&W portable TV and soldering on a composite input.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Brownie Pi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I recently acquired a couple of old Brownie cameras and with film so pricey, I decide to fit one of them out with a rapsberry pi and camera etc. Thee cameras are so commonplace, I don’t feel it is ‘sacrilege’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Ready to Start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Build a Sundial<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The study of sundials is Gnomonics – good book from the 70s called “Sundials: Their Theory and Construction”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Weather Station<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Build a weather station (wind, rain, temp, humidity, pressure, soil moisture\/temp, air quality, UV) that sends updates to the web for logging. Lots of projects have been documented – no need to reinvent the wheel – reaspberry Pi foundation has documented one<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Acquire HAM radio license.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n