Jeff
@gadgets.life
"Retired" computer storage architect https://gadgets.life
I'm transforming my 10-acre farm near the Twin Cities into a sanctuary where technology and creativity converge.
Ex-Enterprise Architect
CoCoRaHS, Metro Sky Warn & Sky Watcher (MN) 2025/2026
I'm transforming my 10-acre farm near the Twin Cities into a sanctuary where technology and creativity converge.
Ex-Enterprise Architect
CoCoRaHS, Metro Sky Warn & Sky Watcher (MN) 2025/2026
Pinned
Jeff
@gadgets.life
· Mar 30
I post a weekly blog about the stuff I did. I'm going to expand on various topics as well since I have lots of content behind each of the entries. gadgets.life
Dropped a new summary on Gadgets.Life. Lots of Pi cluster work, radio/SDR experiments, network upgrades, automation projects, and general homestead tinkering. Good chaos.
gadgetsdotlife.wordpress.com/2025/11/14/s...
gadgetsdotlife.wordpress.com/2025/11/14/s...
Summary: Late April 2025 to Now
Summary: Late April 2025 to Now What I’ve actually built, explored, debugged, or re-architected since April 18th. Apologies for no updates. It’s been a dense stretch of weeks with lots of hands-on …
gadgetsdotlife.wordpress.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Dropped a new summary on Gadgets.Life. Lots of Pi cluster work, radio/SDR experiments, network upgrades, automation projects, and general homestead tinkering. Good chaos.
gadgetsdotlife.wordpress.com/2025/11/14/s...
gadgetsdotlife.wordpress.com/2025/11/14/s...
At just over a mile from 21D here in the Twin Cities metro area I can tell when Airventure is close as the warbirds stop in for fuel or just to do some practice - radials and Allisons and Merlins making pleasant noises overhead.
#AirVenture #Warbirds #airshow
#AirVenture #Warbirds #airshow
June 29, 2025 at 6:34 PM
At just over a mile from 21D here in the Twin Cities metro area I can tell when Airventure is close as the warbirds stop in for fuel or just to do some practice - radials and Allisons and Merlins making pleasant noises overhead.
#AirVenture #Warbirds #airshow
#AirVenture #Warbirds #airshow
Reposted by Jeff
Republicans may lie about what's in their budget bill but the numbers sure don't.
June 29, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Republicans may lie about what's in their budget bill but the numbers sure don't.
Reposted by Jeff
This is your reminder to sign up for @racketmn.com. You want an independent outlet that's skeptical of power and highlights under-covered stories around the city? You got one! Support it!
You'll be surprised at how central it becomes to planning your social calendar.
You'll be surprised at how central it becomes to planning your social calendar.
May 29, 2025 at 4:43 PM
This is your reminder to sign up for @racketmn.com. You want an independent outlet that's skeptical of power and highlights under-covered stories around the city? You got one! Support it!
You'll be surprised at how central it becomes to planning your social calendar.
You'll be surprised at how central it becomes to planning your social calendar.
Reposted by Jeff
Happy Birthday to my pal, John Cena, one of the primary reasons why making Peacemaker is more fun than anything in the world.
Love you, my friend.
Love you, my friend.
April 23, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Happy Birthday to my pal, John Cena, one of the primary reasons why making Peacemaker is more fun than anything in the world.
Love you, my friend.
Love you, my friend.
This week was one of those mashups where half my brain was buried in Python scripts, while the other half was dragging to-do lists out of dusty bins. From container tech and chainsaws to contact cleanup and shallow wells, I had my hands in just about everything. gadgets.life Friday April 18th.
April 19, 2025 at 6:51 PM
This week was one of those mashups where half my brain was buried in Python scripts, while the other half was dragging to-do lists out of dusty bins. From container tech and chainsaws to contact cleanup and shallow wells, I had my hands in just about everything. gadgets.life Friday April 18th.
Reposted by Jeff
Rigged up a thing so my kid can change the color of her bedroom using her marker set!
April 4, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Rigged up a thing so my kid can change the color of her bedroom using her marker set!
Busy week at the bench: Zigbee relays, 3D plaques, squawk bots, USB-C deep dives, image classification, and vintage XT networking. Full Friday roundup now live on the blog → gadgets.life #makerlife #homeautomation #retrocomputing
April 4, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Busy week at the bench: Zigbee relays, 3D plaques, squawk bots, USB-C deep dives, image classification, and vintage XT networking. Full Friday roundup now live on the blog → gadgets.life #makerlife #homeautomation #retrocomputing
I post a weekly blog about the stuff I did. I'm going to expand on various topics as well since I have lots of content behind each of the entries. gadgets.life
March 30, 2025 at 6:30 PM
I post a weekly blog about the stuff I did. I'm going to expand on various topics as well since I have lots of content behind each of the entries. gadgets.life
Neat, you can get a Pebble watch again! repebble.com
We're bringing Pebble back!
Eight years later, you still can't beat a Pebble
repebble.com
March 20, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Neat, you can get a Pebble watch again! repebble.com
Planning a 70' Rohn 25G tower with the house having a 6" wall wood foundation. Even when guyed, can tower's sway still impact the foundation, like causing bulges as the concrete shifts? Safe distance tips? Base would be 2x2 x 4' deep concrete with rebar, 24 inches from the foundation wall. Advice?
March 12, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Planning a 70' Rohn 25G tower with the house having a 6" wall wood foundation. Even when guyed, can tower's sway still impact the foundation, like causing bulges as the concrete shifts? Safe distance tips? Base would be 2x2 x 4' deep concrete with rebar, 24 inches from the foundation wall. Advice?
Reposted by Jeff
My mother got 97 percent on one of her first printing assignments now for college credit. If you know a senior 62 or wiser, encourage them to either audit classes at the University of Minnesota for free or take credit for $20 a credit hour.
March 3, 2025 at 3:20 PM
My mother got 97 percent on one of her first printing assignments now for college credit. If you know a senior 62 or wiser, encourage them to either audit classes at the University of Minnesota for free or take credit for $20 a credit hour.
False Spring in Minnesota. The ground is squishy and the grass slides over a still-frozen layer of ground as you walk on it.
February 26, 2025 at 11:59 PM
False Spring in Minnesota. The ground is squishy and the grass slides over a still-frozen layer of ground as you walk on it.
Reposted by Jeff
Recent events have been a tragic reminder of the importance of a fair and thorough investigation when things go wrong. We sat down with the NTSB's Sean Payne to find out how the board conducts air crash investigations from start to finish. www.flightradar24.com/blog/how-to-...
February 13, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Recent events have been a tragic reminder of the importance of a fair and thorough investigation when things go wrong. We sat down with the NTSB's Sean Payne to find out how the board conducts air crash investigations from start to finish. www.flightradar24.com/blog/how-to-...
Cold & clear skies mean some great solar generation today - consuming 4,100W and generating 20,420W at -6F today about 45 minutes before peak sun. The system production for the day was 108.92 kWh.
January 19, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Cold & clear skies mean some great solar generation today - consuming 4,100W and generating 20,420W at -6F today about 45 minutes before peak sun. The system production for the day was 108.92 kWh.
Deer visitors in the fresh snow.
December 22, 2024 at 5:11 PM
Deer visitors in the fresh snow.
Reposted by Jeff
Airport dogs rule
December 20, 2024 at 5:28 PM
Airport dogs rule
Reposted by Jeff
NEW: Legislation that would bar the United States government from spying on journalists—except under rare, specific circumstances—is currently stalled in Congress.
Now, with only weeks left to legislate, press advocates are urging Senate Democrats to pass the bill, known as the PRESS Act.
Now, with only weeks left to legislate, press advocates are urging Senate Democrats to pass the bill, known as the PRESS Act.
Senate Democrats Are Running Out of Time to Pass a Shield Law to Protect Journalism
The PRESS Act, which would protect journalists from government spying, enjoys broad bipartisan support and has passed the House—but it’s unclear whether the Senate will take it up.
www.wired.com
November 14, 2024 at 6:49 PM
NEW: Legislation that would bar the United States government from spying on journalists—except under rare, specific circumstances—is currently stalled in Congress.
Now, with only weeks left to legislate, press advocates are urging Senate Democrats to pass the bill, known as the PRESS Act.
Now, with only weeks left to legislate, press advocates are urging Senate Democrats to pass the bill, known as the PRESS Act.
Reposted by Jeff
The gentle animals are part of Portland International Airport's effort to counter travel stress with soothing elements from nature.
Anxious at the Portland airport? Beni the Llama is here for you, spreading joy
The gentle animals are part of Portland International Airport's effort to counter travel stress with soothing elements from nature.
www.npr.org
November 4, 2024 at 11:02 PM
The gentle animals are part of Portland International Airport's effort to counter travel stress with soothing elements from nature.
US folks: If you've voted, here is a link where you can check if your ballot has been received. If it has not, you can request another from your election offices or vote on election day with a provisional ballot. It's too late to mail so drop it off in person
www.vote.org/ballot-track...
www.vote.org/ballot-track...
Track Your Ballot or Ballot Application - Vote.org
Ballot tracker tools for all 50 states. Find the status of your ballot.
www.vote.org
October 30, 2024 at 2:19 PM
US folks: If you've voted, here is a link where you can check if your ballot has been received. If it has not, you can request another from your election offices or vote on election day with a provisional ballot. It's too late to mail so drop it off in person
www.vote.org/ballot-track...
www.vote.org/ballot-track...
Europa Launch: uploaded at 9428 x 5303 pixels, mosaic made from screen-caps during launch feed earlier today - thru core stage separation. Using AndreaMosaic www.andreaplanet.com/andreamosaic/
Pretty sure it'll get compressed horribly here so I included a zoom to the rocket section of the mosaic
Pretty sure it'll get compressed horribly here so I included a zoom to the rocket section of the mosaic
October 14, 2024 at 4:33 PM
Europa Launch: uploaded at 9428 x 5303 pixels, mosaic made from screen-caps during launch feed earlier today - thru core stage separation. Using AndreaMosaic www.andreaplanet.com/andreamosaic/
Pretty sure it'll get compressed horribly here so I included a zoom to the rocket section of the mosaic
Pretty sure it'll get compressed horribly here so I included a zoom to the rocket section of the mosaic
Very faint northern lights here last night near Minneapolis
October 8, 2024 at 1:17 PM
Very faint northern lights here last night near Minneapolis