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johns-az.bsky.social
JohnS_AZ
@johns-az.bsky.social
260 followers 310 following 2K posts
Democrat Progressive Agnostic Humanist Married Geek (he/him) near Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Majorly into electronics hardware, minorly into embedded software.
Scrap/surplus auctions are my happy place.
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johns-az.bsky.social
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Next Month's Phoenix Hardware Happy Hour Thursday, December 11th, 2025
Find full details at:
www.meetup.com/hardware-hap...
Hardware Happy Hour (3H) Phoenix (metro), Thu, Dec 11, 2025, 7:00 PM | Meetup
If you have an electronic project you'd like to show off, bring it! (Just for the record, we talk a LOT about software too) If you have a project that has you stumped, br
www.meetup.com
November 16, 2025 at 10:57 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
November 13, 2025 at 5:53 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
See you tonight???
Phoenix Hardware Happy Hour
7pm @ GCC
www.meetup.com/hardware-hap...
Hardware Happy Hour (3H) Phoenix (metro), Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 7:00 PM | Meetup
The Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College has been great!, so we're staying with them. You can find out more about them and the location at: [https://tech
www.meetup.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:31 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
Don't Forget! This Thursday!
This Month's Phoenix Hardware Happy Hour Thursday, November 13th, 2025 Find full details at:
www.meetup.com/hardware-hap...
Hardware Happy Hour (3H) Phoenix (metro), Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 7:00 PM | Meetup
The Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College has been great!, so we're staying with them. You can find out more about them and the location at: [https://tech
www.meetup.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
This Month's Phoenix Hardware Happy Hour Thursday, November 13th, 2025
Find full details at:
www.meetup.com/hardware-hap...
Hardware Happy Hour (3H) Phoenix (metro), Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 7:00 PM | Meetup
The Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College has been great!, so we're staying with them. You can find out more about them and the location at: [https://tech
www.meetup.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:14 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
Pushing this for one of my favorite small-press publishers; bcubedpress.wordpress.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:45 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
(see alt text)
So, we have a second refrigerator that is probably on the order of 35 years old. Last week, the City of Mesa surplus department had a few fridges that were only about 7 years old, certainly MUCH more efficient, and looked to be in great shape. Won one for a great price. The argument around here now? I find the drawer labels really funny and want to keep them. Lisa wants them gone. 🙂
October 27, 2025 at 3:22 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
So after a few days of utter failure, I ordered a little +10dBi whip antenna and threw the whole #meshtastic node up on the roof. Immediately, 40+ miles range out of the thing! Gain and elevation count!! Now, time to build it into a more permanent form. :-)
October 27, 2025 at 3:46 AM
johns-az.bsky.social
Way too far for me to ship this thing. Any vintage computer collectors in Virginia(USA)? Auction lot: "Radio Shack Trs-80 Model 4 Computer With Accessories"

ctbids.com/estate-sale/...
Radio Shack Trs-80 Model 4 Computer With Accessories
CTBids | Online Estate Sale Auctions
ctbids.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:36 AM
johns-az.bsky.social
Floundering around trying to get this Meshtastic stuff to work.
October 24, 2025 at 4:39 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
Got my flag for Saturday. :-)
October 15, 2025 at 9:02 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
Harvested a cool display this morning that should be fun to get going. :-)

40X2 VFD, 8.5"X1"
October 15, 2025 at 5:46 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
Phoenix Metro folks...

The Technology Education Collaborative is hosting a free Rayhunter Workshop Wed Oct 15 @ 6pm. A senior staff for the EFF will virtually make a presentation about the technology, and how to set up your own Stingray detector.

Get full details here: techedcollab.org/home/
October 13, 2025 at 9:09 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Phoenix Hardware Happy Hour
Thursday, November 13th, 2025
Meeting at the Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College, 40th St and Washington in Phoenix.
Find full details at:
www.meetup.com/hardware-hap...
Hardware Happy Hour (3H) Phoenix (metro), Thu, Nov 13, 2025, 7:00 PM | Meetup
The Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College has been great!, so we're staying with them. You can find out more about them and the location at: [https://tech
www.meetup.com
October 10, 2025 at 6:44 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
T O D A Y !
Phoenix Hardware Happy Hour
7-9 pm Thursday, October 9th, 2025
Meeting at the Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College, 40th St and Washington in Phoenix.
Find full details at:
www.meetup.com/hardware-hap...
Hardware Happy Hour (3H) Phoenix (metro), Thu, Oct 9, 2025, 7:00 PM | Meetup
NOTE CHANGED LOCATION ! ! ! The Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College has been great!, so we're staying with them. You can find out more about them and th
www.meetup.com
October 9, 2025 at 2:32 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
DON'T FORGET!
Phoenix Hardware Happy Hour
This Thursday, October 9th, 2025
Meeting at the Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College, 40th St and Washington in Phoenix.
Find full details at:
www.meetup.com/hardware-hap...
Hardware Happy Hour (3H) Phoenix (metro), Thu, Oct 9, 2025, 7:00 PM | Meetup
NOTE CHANGED LOCATION ! ! ! The Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College has been great!, so we're staying with them. You can find out more about them and th
www.meetup.com
October 6, 2025 at 10:26 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
New toys in the mail!
Now, let's figure out this #meshtastic thing. :-)
October 6, 2025 at 4:20 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
So, do you bid on a 200 pound lot of boat anchors just to get the HP counter/timer with Nixie tubes??
September 22, 2025 at 11:19 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Phoenix Hardware Happy Hour
Thursday, October 9th, 2025
Meeting at the Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College, 40th St and Washington in Phoenix.
Find full details at:
www.meetup.com/hardware-hap...
Hardware Happy Hour (3H) Phoenix (metro), Thu, Oct 9, 2025, 7:00 PM | Meetup
NOTE CHANGED LOCATION ! ! ! The Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College has been great!, so we're staying with them. You can find out more about them and th
www.meetup.com
September 17, 2025 at 4:42 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
Huh.
TIL that facebook marketplace has a ton of old 3D printers in the $30-$70 range. Granted, older models that likely need repair, but not a bad way for someone to dip their toes into that water. Further, ~$40 is a steal just for the parts for a DIYer!!
September 16, 2025 at 4:52 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
It was very interesting to learn, last night at Hardware Happy Hour, that the most common 1990s credit card terminals ran on a complete, embedded Z80 system, including an RTC and a 1200-baud modem.

I need to snag a couple of these. :-)
September 12, 2025 at 3:54 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
T O N I G H T ! ! !
Phoenix Hardware Happy Hour
Thursday, September 11th, 2025
Meeting at the Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College, 40th St and Washington in Phoenix.
Find full details at:
www.meetup.com/hardware-hap...
Hardware Happy Hour (3H) Phoenix (metro), Thu, Sep 11, 2025, 7:00 PM | Meetup
NOTE CHANGED LOCATION ! ! ! The Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College has been great!, so we're staying with them. You can find out more about them and th
www.meetup.com
September 11, 2025 at 5:24 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
DON'T FORGET!
Phoenix Hardware Happy Hour
This Thursday, September 11th, 2025
Meeting at the Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College, 40th St and Washington in Phoenix.
Find full details at:
www.meetup.com/hardware-hap...
Hardware Happy Hour (3H) Phoenix (metro), Thu, Sep 11, 2025, 7:00 PM | Meetup
NOTE CHANGED LOCATION ! ! ! The Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at Gateway Community College has been great!, so we're staying with them. You can find out more about them and th
www.meetup.com
September 8, 2025 at 2:56 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
mastodon.social/@JohnS_AZ/11...
JohnS_AZ (@JohnS_AZ@mastodon.social)
Attached: 1 image It's funny. I grew up alongside LEDs, which became practical in 1962 when I was 2. For 30 years, there were red and green ones, and occasionally yellow ones. Great for building traf...
mastodon.social
August 30, 2025 at 6:00 PM
johns-az.bsky.social
Half an inch of rain overnight, cool low 80s morning, perfect for a hive check.
Lisa does the checking part. I do the lift the heavy as hell boxes part. :-) (honey weighs a LOT!)
August 29, 2025 at 3:47 PM