The Boondock Echo is basically a radio answering machine, letting you record and play back received audio. It has some other neat features like speech to text, keyword alerts, and transmit options as well. This video was just a quick test of the latest Boondock version. This one has some features that I suggested, as well as things people suggested in teh comments from my prior video! Namely, it has more off-grid and offline features, and can be used without an internet connection or cloud tethering. While I didn't test every feature, I found a couple more use cases for this tech. First, for unattended monitoring of an unknown frequency (in this case, a supposed ham repeater from 2012) to see if and what traffic is there. Second, to record and keyword-search a large amount of radio traffic, like from a police / fire scanner. If you're a reporter looking for newsworthy keywords on radio traffic, or want to keep an eye out for a certain name or address in scanner traffic, this could be a way to do it. Thanks again to the Boondock Echo team for sending me one to try out! Here's my previous video about the Boondock Echo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYZ3HJT-xr8&t=810s You can find the project here: https://www.boondockecho.com/ And more documentation here: https://docs.boondockecho.com/boondock-echo Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is another portable satellite dish I found for free, a Winegard "Trav'ler" Ku-band antenna on a 3-axis mount. I'm hoping to do some weather satellite experiments with it, similar to what I've done with Winegard Carryout and Dish Tailgater antennas in the past. Fortunately it has a programming interface that I can use to get into the firmware and screw around with settings. I can also drive the dish directly from the console and (theoretically) aim it at things other than TV satellites. This video is just the first look at the thing, I will hopefully do more cool stuff with it in future videos. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I motorized a Tuggy sandbox last year, then the state told me it's not a legal boat! So Instead, I made it an R/C toy, that just happens to tow other boats! We took Tuggy out for a trip on the lake recently and it works great to tow around multiple kayaks! This video is sponsored by EcoFlow, who sent me the batteries for this project. You can find them at the links below: https://bit.ly/4gBYOyp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCNJB1HH?maas=maas_adg_D0D712B636C9DF55FB07CC830E8DB9AA_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Code: EF12VSAVEIT #EcoFlow #12VLiFePO4Battery #12VoltageBattery @EcoFlowTech: the link is https://www.youtube.com/@EcoFlowTech Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

The Sandland restroom is in danger! Or it could be, so I made an alert to let people know when it's occupied. That way no accidents happen! Some of the parts I used for this project include: R/C module: https://amzn.to/3N03yQK Timer: https://amzn.to/3zpL1ud Strobe light: https://amzn.to/3zAAXym Audio module: https://amzn.to/3TLeVzH Relays: https://amzn.to/3U9iaS3 Reversing circuit: https://amzn.to/47FalJj Solar battery bank: https://amzn.to/4gXQlWp And of course I got a lot of random parts from https://www.ax-man.com/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Every year I complain how terrible small gas engines are, but this year I've gone electric! I ditched my cranky, unreliable Remington weedwhacker and went with a Greenworks 40V battery unit. This isn't a sponsored review, I went out and bought this myself, but so far I love it! I got the STF309 unit: https://www.greenworkstools.com/products/40v-cordless-string-trimmer-2111702 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This thing is honestly kinda boring and useless. Sorry in advance for wasting 8 minutes of your time if you watch this 😅 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Here's some random stuff I got in the mail this month! And cameos by the cats, because one of the letters requested more cat content! (The cats have their own channel @donnyfluff ) Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is a follow-up to my first Inmarsat terminal video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOvUxoA7Ngs) where I got an outdated satellite phone system working with even older landline phone equipment. In this one I'm making some more random calls and seeing what the platform can do. People keep confusing @peterfairlie2296 and I with each other, as we both have satellite-related content. I've been watching his videos on satellite telephone calls, so now that I have my own I just had to call him with it! I even tried to use a Flipper Zero, which Peter has showcased on his channel. Sadly the Flipper didn't work very well. I also called someone who uses a Starlink phone connection, just to see what a ground to geostationary to ground to low-earth-orbit to ground connection sounds like. It was even more laggy, but the audio quality was great! Finally, I tried the system from a moving vehicle. Unfortunately the audio quality was the worst when moving, either due to the antenna constantly moving to stay locked on the satellite, or due to the speakerphone, or both. This is an Inmarsat / Glocom antenna using an L-band (~1500mhz) link to geostationary orbit. The lag time is pretty bad, especially when calling other satellite phones! It does work for Internet as well, but the service is slow, high-latency, and very overpriced. I wouldn't recommend using this for anything, as it's kind of old technology that can't compete with modern satellite systems. I just wanted to give it a try while it's still available. You can find part 1 here: Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This video looks at hacking the first three generations of Winegard TV satellite antennas. I've been able to get into debug menus on the original G1 and the G2, although the G3 is proving problematic. Both of the first two models need an RS-232 to RS-484 adapter and a special 6-pin phone cord to interface with the service port on the control board. You can then send commands and receive antenna data using a Linux "screen" command, like "screen /dev/ttyUSB1 57600". (I'm using a USB-to-serial adapter as well as the RS485 adapter). The G1 wants a baud rate of 57600 and the G2 wants a baud rate of 115200. The G2+ has a really interesting command called "skymap", which appears to do the same thing as my microwave imaging code. If anyone knows more about this program, I'd be super interested to hear about it! The G3 does not have a phone port, only a USB A jack. I have not been able to interface with this the way I could with the Tailgater brand's USB port. If anyone knows how I can get a debug console on a G3 Carryout, I'd love to know! Here's an article I wrote for the AMSAT Journal about this project: https://saveitforparts.wordpress.com/2024/03/19/my-mini-radiotelescope-made-it-into-the-amsat-journal/ My Python code for microwave imaging / radio astronomy with a Winegard dish: https://github.com/saveitforparts/Carryout-Radio-Telescope/ And some more information about the adapter cables: https://saveitforparts.wordpress.com/2023/12/29/another-portable-radio-telescope/ Cyberdeck build: https://youtu.be/bSJSktT07bo?si=5FXJxZcMkvKlDam1 Microwave imaging dish at Open Sauce 2024: https://youtu.be/7tK0WXkz45U?si=2zUbvbebTe77cKym More Winegard G1 hacking: https://youtu.be/4a2HjE11DcQ?si=Z5CNqez3yBobZwVM Original Tailgater microwave imager: https://youtu.be/lVOTZxNCgTM?si=4IfCjlBOvF8BKTjp Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Lately the power grid seems to be wearing out, when I first moved to Minnesota we almost never had power outages, and I never really used my old generator. Recently however, we've been having more and longer outages, as well as more and larger storms. So when Powersmart offered to send me a generator to review, I figured it was a good time to try it! You can find the Powersmart 4500W generator here: https://bit.ly/3AUY4E9 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Voice phone calls are so last century... so lets see if we can make some with a 1973 handset, a DTMF keypad from the 1990s, and a satellite terminal from 2009. I tried giving @userscott a call in the UK and it worked great! This is a Glocom (Hughes) GX-10, and uses the Inmarsat network of geostationary communication satellites. It has an array of helical antennas for L-band inside a small radome. I've been seeing a lot of Inmarsat equipment available lately for cheap / free. It seems to be going obsolete as Starlink and other modern providers take over the satellite communications market. People sometimes confuse me with @peterfairlie2296, check out his channel for more satellite phone stuff! Big thanks to an anonymous donor for sending me the Inmarsat terminal (you know who you are :-) ) Also huge thanks to my Patreon supporters & Youtube members for helping me make sound financial decisions like this. A SIM card for less than an hour of talk time and 5.5MB on a 15-year-old satellite phone was not cheap! Fortunately the service is still available, I'm not sure if cell phones from 15 years ago would even work today! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I've previously toured the St. Paul Ax-Man location, today we're checking out the Fridley branch! These are great stores for DIY projects, crafts, electronics, inventions, and just about anything, really! They have industrial surplus, science and medical surplus, military surplus, a little of everything. My previous video on the St. Paul store can be found here: https://youtu.be/U-uJPIhAUu4?si=diIZCJVUVDa0YypP And Ax-Man's website with store locations and hours can be found here: https://www.ax-man.com/ St. Paul 1639 University Ave. Fridley 1021 E. Moore Lake Dr. St. Louis Park 8134 Minnetonka Blvd. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Recently I had the chance to go flying with a viewer and local pilot (Thanks Andy @pilotman012!). I brought along a Meshtastic node to try some wireless messaging from the air. At 2,000ft, we were basically a really tall antenna, and I could get mesh chats to go a lot farther than I could at ground level! I also did a few other Meshtastic experiments in this video, it's essentially a follow-up to my first video on the subject (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WRNTkbRuCI). Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

People often ask in the comments why I don't have a pickup truck for all the junk I hoard and boats I haul. I actually owned a pickup briefly, but I never found it all that useful. I lost it in an accident a few years back and have always owned Subarus since then. My Forester hauls everything I need, plus it has more seats! No offense intended to any truck owners out there! I just don't personally find a need for them. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is my first try at receiving data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). Designed in the 1960s & 70s, these supported spy planes and spy satellites by monitoring weather and cloud patterns around the world. Since early reconnaissance satellites used film, the government didn't want to waste any on overcast areas. The DMSP satellites were declassified in the 1970s, but the radio signals are still encrypted for most of their orbital path. They only switch to clear transmissions when over the poles and over the Northern part of North America. I had mixed luck decoding some of these. In particular, I couldn't reliably receive DMSP when the satellites were passing Southbound over the US. I'm not sure if this is a quirk of my antenna hardware or just how the system operates. I had the best luck on Northbound passes, but the encryption only switched off above about 40 degrees North Latitude, so I could see the Great Lakes and points North. I'm using a modified C-band TV dish, a fold-up model generously provided by a fellow ham radio operator. My feed is a loop of copper wire inside an old aluminum dish, tuned for 2.2GHz. (I've since learned that this might not be ideal for circular signals, as the loop actually has linear polarization) I also tried a helical feed designed by @dereksgc, I had mixed luck with it but didn't realize until later that I was only receiving Northbound passes. You can find info on building helical feeds here: Some archival footage is from "The DMSP History", published by the US Government, used as public domain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3TSQx7RKtg A lot of technical documents on the DMSP system can be found here: https://eogdata.mines.edu/products/dmsp/#docs Orbit animations are from the @usradioguy Vlog (used with permission): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvIygYeR_sI You can find lots of useful satellite info at https://usradioguy.com/ I used a couple devices in this video, including the HackRF One (https://amzn.to/3yNXWWe) and RTL-SDR v4 (https://amzn.to/3SWO7fC). The RTL-SDR is cheaper but has fewer features than the HackRF. For S-Band signals I used an MMDS device to amplify and down-convert 2.2GHz. I used one like this (make sure to get the "1998" version which uses a 1998MHz Local Oscillator): https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802523781806.html I also used a Bias-Tee like this one to power my MMDS: https://amzn.to/4dwbFQy (There are other options like this which don't require soldering: https://amzn.to/4fPZksb) For recording radio signals I use SDR++ (https://www.sdrpp.org/) and for decoding I use SatDump (https://www.satdump.org/) If you're interested in trying easier satellite reception, I have a video about NOAA weather satellites here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icADyjm3PBE And I have an intro to L-band satellites here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5DyJHMw7aY Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is a follow-up to my review of the xTool P2 laser (https://youtu.be/NrEwM9DR4y0). Several people commented that it seemed better for a small business than for home use, so I wanted to try both options! While I don't plan to sell things myself, I did make a bunch of products for a future fundraiser raffle. I also tried timing how long it took to create a custom product from scratch (under 6 minutes for a simple coin or tag!). I think the xTool P2 is great for hobby and DIY work as well. It's way faster to set up and align jobs than my old lasers, and it saves a lot of time in prototyping and rapid fabrication. This makes things like signs, control panels, laser-cut parts and models, etc really easy for your own projects or for a workshop or retail operation. This is a sponsored review, but I genuinely love how easy and fast it is to prep and layout projects on this unit! Alignment was always the slowest part of using earlier lasers, and this thing automates most of that process. The only downsides I've found are the weight (~100lbs) and noise level, but those aren't really issues for my projects. It's actually nice to have a big heavy machine that keeps its calibration and remains accurate even with the occasional bump or vibration of a garage environment. If you'd like to check out the xTool P2, you can visit one of the links below, with coupon code "xToolPartner" for $80 off. US: https://www.xtool.com/?ref=lxgmjrsp&utm_medium=5306&utm_source=influencer EU: https://www.xtool.eu/?ref=lxgmjrsp&utm_medium=5307&utm_source=influencer UK: https://uk.xtool.com/?ref=lxgmjrsp&utm_medium=5312&utm_source=influencer France: https://fr.xtool.com/?ref=lxgmjrsp&utm_medium=6589&utm_source=influencer Germany: https://de.xtool.com/?ref=lxgmjrsp&utm_medium=6578&utm_source=influencer Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is something I picked up at a surplus auction for about $60. I'm trying to find more info on it, so if anyone happens to know the specs for a Fujinon EPT-10 PTZ mount, I'm all ears! This might show up in a future video as an antenna rotor or something, I haven't quite figured out what to do with it yet. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is another obscure special-purpose computer that I picked up at an auction for $5. Usually these things aren't very useful beyond their intended industry, but I got it to do some limited web browsing and play Doom. It has a flash drive with Windows XP Embedded, so it's a little more useful than some of the other single-use computers I've come across lately. This was mainly designed for small-time, non-technical users to live-stream sports, concerts, education, government proceedings, etc. The system has a video capture card and a simple touch interface. Unfortunately it's from 2012, so it encodes into extinct formats like Flash, and only in very low quality. I still don't really know what to do with the thing, other than tear it down for spare parts. Throw your suggestions in the comments! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Drones are fun, infrared thermal cameras are fun, what happens when you combine them? An airborne thermal camera can find humans and animals, locate caves, scout your house for heat leaks, and do all kinds of other fun things! Normally these cost around $5,000, so they're normally only used by police, military, or rescue teams. I wanted my own thermal drone for closer to a $500 budget. Thanks to HikMicro's thermal camera products, a little duct tape, some zip ties, and a used drone from @gardenfork, I finally have one! You can find the Hikmicro Mini2 camera for Android here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP8SG388?maas=maas_adg_346BAD1320412866963B531E094783F1_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas And you can find the Pocket Wifi camera here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XWXS3P3?maas=maas_adg_65E5CA40B59865887892725A5BB8D789_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas I'm still working on the legal paperwork for this contraption, because it's definitely too heavy to fly without registration and licensing. Until then, here are some test runs indoors in my surplus geodesic space radome! More information about the Sandland radome can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abR1BJ4_ea8 Sandland tunnels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0gG5eJcVaw Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I don't usually do UFO / paranormal stuff, but people keep asking about this TV show called Skinwalker Ranch. I checked out a few episodes and tried to find some of the radio signals they supposedly encounter. While I didn't have much luck finding aliens or secret aircraft, I did come across some interesting stream gauge transmissions! Thanks to Nooelec for the HackRF One! You can find it here: https://amzn.to/3SyBg2V You can find the Nooelec LaNA here: https://amzn.to/3WHxCWZ And the SAWbird GOES here: https://amzn.to/3WLMaoI Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This former brewery cave has been completely remodeled and opened to the public. Strains of the Earth is a Cannabis dispensary in Jordan, MN, located in the former Schultz & Hilgers Brewery. The new owners have fully remodeled this historic building, including the sandstone cellars carved into the bluff. We got permission to check out the caves, including some of the normally off-limits areas. While the majority of the tunnels are open to the public, there are some hidden and less developed spots, as well as a few mysterious sealed passages. Some of these are rumored to date from Prohibition, and may have been used for bootlegging and other nefarious deeds! Check out Strains of the Earth at https://www.strainsoftheearth.com/, including more information about the caves at https://www.strainsoftheearth.com/jordan-historic-caves Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

The xTool P2 is a 55W CO2 Laser, which is great for engraving and cutting projects at home or at your shop or small business. This is a big, well-made unit that blows away all the small diode lasers I've tried out. It features an all-in-one enclosure with built in water cooling, air assist, and exhaust fan. The software is super flexible and can just about replace Photoshop for all the design and layout work. The two internal cameras and auto-positioning features are fantastic, and really speed up the process of laser engraving. It can cut and engrave wood and acrylic, engrave painted metals, and can even mark stainless steel. I used this for everything from making signs, marking my name on electronics, making custom coins, coasters, and home decor, and even engraving a curved stainless steel flask. If you'd like to check out the xTool P2, you can visit one of the links below, with coupon code "xToolPartner" for $80 off. US: https://www.xtool.com/?ref=lxgmjrsp&utm_medium=5306&utm_source=influencer EU: https://www.xtool.eu/?ref=lxgmjrsp&utm_medium=5307&utm_source=influencer UK: https://uk.xtool.com/?ref=lxgmjrsp&utm_medium=5312&utm_source=influencer France: https://fr.xtool.com/?ref=lxgmjrsp&utm_medium=6589&utm_source=influencer Germany: https://de.xtool.com/?ref=lxgmjrsp&utm_medium=6578&utm_source=influencer Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I found a free spot welder and can't get anything to weld. Is it broken or am I just useless at welding? It definitely goes zap, but doesn't seem to join anything together. The manual is long on metallurgy of exotic alloys and short on garage-level how-to instructions. Should I turn this into a railgun or try to actually use it as a spot welder? What would I even use a spot welder for? Feel free to leave suggestions in the comments! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

The Minnesota DNR said my modified sandbox is legally a toy, not a boat. So I doubled down by making it a radio controlled toy! Now Tuggy can pull barges around, and if the barge happens to be my kayak, that's perfectly legal, right? Tuggy now has full radio control, a louder horn, and only occasionally catches on fire. I even dumpster-dived a zombie child Halloween decoration to be the new captain. Honestly I'm pretty sure this thing is more of a hazard to navigation than before, but at least it's not a "boat", so the DNR should be perfectly happy! Original Tuggy build video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKPx86pFYvI DNR smackdown video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO-Cf_5Q2aY Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

The Osborne model 1 is described as the first commercially successful portable computer. Weighing in at nearly 25lbs and sporting a 5" screen, it wasn't really all that portable or convenient, but it did inspire many successive portables, luggables, and laptops. I recently got ahold of one at an estate auction, and it's in great shape! I did have to replace the vintage power supply capacitors, since those almost always fail on these old computers. I also replaced a faulty floppy drive with a Gotek disk emulator, and made some other small adjustments. And no, as far as I know, it can't play Doom :-( In fact it does almost nothing modern at all, and is kind of a giant pain to make compatible with anything modern! I did manage to get a few programs onto it, and we might re-visit this in the future. For now it's mostly a fun novelty and a neat way to look at vintage tech. Some of the resources I used when working on this computer include: GoTek Floppy Emulator: https://www.ebay.com/itm/234259341532?var=533862749973 3-D printed adapter for the GoTek: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2217061 Kermit disk image (bottom of the page): https://blog.nroach44.id.au/snippet-osborneone-kermit.html Richard Loxley's blog about Osborne file transfers: https://www.richardloxley.com/2018/04/27/osborne-restoration-part-16-transferring-cpm-software/ I'd also like to thank Iso-Tip for sending me their cordless soldering iron. It made the capacitor replacement super easy! You can find them at https://iso-tip.com/ (Use code SMART24 for 15% off!) You can also see my retro-inspired luggable cyberdeck build here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSJSktT07bo Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Just a quick update from the last dumpster diving video, with more random treasure! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This was just a quick video with a big old security camera I got from University of Minnesota re-use (https://facilities.umn.edu/our-services/waste-recovery-services/reuse-program/reuse-program) It unfortunately came with the wrong proprietary interface connector, so I can't see if it powers up (I was too lazy to hack into the wires directly). Instead, I tore it down until I have the parts I want, and the parts I'll hoard for later! This is what the Saveitforparts channel is all about! Even though I don't have an immediate use for any of the components for this, I'm going to keep them for future projects. I'm trying to save as much as I can from going into a landfill. Stay tuned for possible future uses of the parts in this, especially the pan/tilt mechanism! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I picked up a used e-ink writing tablet that the seller claimed had some screen burn. Turns out that's just what e-ink looks like before it's refreshed, and there's no actual damage or burn at all! This is NOT a sponsored review, as I paid for this thing (again, used, and cheap!). However, I do really like it so far! It's not 100% like writing on paper, but it's pretty close. It's much nicer for note taking than a regular tablet or older e-reader. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Here on the Saveitforparts channel, I try to save as much old stuff from the landfill as I can! While I'm just one person, FreeGeek is a nonprofit organization doing this on a city-wide scale! They take donations of unwanted and obsolete tech, repair and re-sell what they can, and ethically recycle the rest. This video is a fun behind-the-scenes look at some of FreeGeek's operations, and interviews with several staff members about their departments. It's also a fun look at some of the strange retro computers and technology they encounter! Big thanks to the FreeGeek Twin Cities staff for inviting me to visit and film their operation! You can find them online at https://www.freegeektwincities.org/ or in person at 2537 25th Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55406 (Open afternoons Wed-Sun). Also shout out to @RetroTechToys who's also FreeGeek's technology trainer! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Recently I've been struggling to learn about and use the microwave "S" Band. This is where Wifi lives, as well as a few interesting satellites. My existing equipment isn't quite good enough to pick up these frequencies, but Nooelec kindly stepped in with some help! They sent me a HackRF One and a LaNA amplifier, which I'll be using in the follow-up to this video! You can find some great Nooelec products at https://www.nooelec.com/store/ or at the links below (these give me a small commission): HackRF One: https://amzn.to/3yF2Rsj LaNA: https://amzn.to/3x3WONj NanoVNA v2: https://amzn.to/3R59r1p Ham-it-down: https://amzn.to/3VgGa6z I've also used some of these Nooelec products in other videos: SAWbird+NOAA (for VHF satellites): https://amzn.to/3Vix60N SAWbird+GOES (for L-band satellites): https://amzn.to/3WWCNmn Check out @dereksgc for more S-band info, antenna designs, and other fun satellite stuff! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

A follow up to my classic basement train videos from years ago! Kyle and Scott are back to construct another railway around everything they can. The videos of the old O-scale version of this can be found below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLy_J99119s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUKUuDAnMpY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75mr3G2tmoo Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Recently I picked up a couple Model 100 laptops, including one with a very strange expansion unit. This is apparently a "SoundSight Bubble Memory" from 1984. It was a somewhat rare add-on that gave the computer an additional 128k of memory (up from a max of 32k). While I have not been able to find any information on the Bubble memory online, I did figure out how to interface with it! The associated ROM chip needs to be activated by running "CALL 63012" from BASIC. The user then has a "Bubble" program that lets you view different RAM pages and load/save files to and from the Bubble unit. I was hoping to also use a TPDD Backpack drive (https://www.soigeneris.com/tandy-tpdd-2-backpack-drive-2), but ran into issues with the two Tandy 100s I have. One appears to have a bad memory chip, and the other is such an early model that it has the wrong modem resistors on the serial port. Because of this, I also couldn't connect either of them to a modern computer via serial port. That might have to wait for a future video when I have time to re-solder some resistors. The Tandy Radio Shack (TRS-80) model 100 is considered by some to be the first "true" laptop, although there were a few other contenders like the Epson HX-20. The series was followed by the model 102 and 200, all of which I actually had when I was a kid in the 90s! They were based on the Kyocerea KC-85 from Japan, and there were a few compatible clones like the NEC PC-8201 and Olivetti M-10. Accessories included a tape drive, floppy disk drive, acoustic modem, printers, etc. There were also many aftermarket ROM expansions and custom software for various uses. These were very popular with travelling salesmen, writers, reporters, and others who needed a computer outside of the office. Big thanks to FreeGeek Twin Cities (https://www.freegeektwincities.org/) for providing one of these laptops and the Bubble RAM! Backpack how-to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3es0NLJmd2c More Backpack documentation: https://github.com/Jeff-Birt/Backpack I found a ton of TRS-80 software on http://www.club100.org/, so if and when I get the serial port working, I can try out all kinds of games, sound and graphics programs, etc! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Open Sauce 2024 has been called an "Adult Science Fair", although it's not *that* kind of "Adult", unless you count a certain chess project. It's a convention for makers and inventors and creators to get together and show off all their weird projects, crazy ideas, and fun toys! This was the 2nd year the convention has been held, and the first time we attended. It's hard to describe just how crazy and overwhelming the event was, so just check out the video for a small taste! We exhibited the Miniature Radio Telescope, which you can find in some of my other videos like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVOTZxNCgTM You can find more info and get tickets for next year at https://opensauce.com/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

The DIY pump car is still having some issues, this was supposed to be a test before taking it on a longer trip, but the test revealed more work to be done! We also got hassled by a nosy neighbor who didn't like rail vehicles using railroad tracks! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is a bonus project / display for Open Sauce 2024. I tried to make a scale (in distance, not size!) model of satellites in geostationary orbit. Just a quick demo of the actual distance to TV satellites, GOES, etc. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

My old cyberdeck computer had some issues, so I built another one! This is custom designed for radio and satellite experiments. It's also intended to be part of my exhibit at Open Sauce 2024 (https://opensauce.com/). The case is a Pelican 1430. The computer is a Raspberry Pi 4B, with 7" touchscreen. The front panel is laser-cut from HDPE, you can find the file here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6672979 The "drive bays" are 3D printed from this design: https://www.printables.com/es/model/25301-customizeable-box-with-lid/files The bottom bay holds the main battery (a Voltaic V-88), and the upper bay holds a small tackle box of accessories like cables and adapters. An additional battery fits under the keyboard. A mouse and AC adapter also live in the lid, all stored in places with velcro tape. You can see my old v1 cyberdeck project here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8XOqrKBM5w And more about the Microwave Imager project here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVOTZxNCgTM and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzRaPsXi61c Code for the microwave imager is here: https://github.com/saveitforparts/Tailgater-Microwave-Imaging Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

So I finally tried that Meshtastic thing people have been talking about. It's a short-range communication system for text messages that operates on unlicensed frequencies, so it's legal for anyone to use. Apparently I seem to be the only person in my neighborhood who's using it! Since I can't find anyone to message with, this is mostly a build and brief overview video for the Lilygo T-Deck. This is the basic T-deck (without the 3-D printed case): https://amzn.to/3x6IfJ2 I've ordered some more LoRa modules to play with (https://amzn.to/3Vi17N6), so hopefully I can get more out of this in the future. Even if I'm the only person in my area with one of these, I can potentially use it with some of my old Pocket PCs or something. Stay tuned for possible updates! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This video started as an attempt to make my satellite tracker into a radio telescope, but ended up just being an update to the tracking system. I added solid state relays, an LCD screen, and a separate power input to avoid some of the USB reset issues. I tried writing some code similar to my miniature radio telescope project (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVOTZxNCgTM) but I still haven't figured out the code for that! There will likely be more updates on this project in the future! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Since it's tornado season in the Midwestern US, I figured we should make sure the dome is secure! Last week we put in half the rebar anchors and most of the reinforcing plates, and this weekend we got all but two of the outer plates done. We also did some of the inner ones and drove in twice as much rebar. Hopefully the thing is now secure against normal thunderstorms! It probably still wouldn't stand up to a tornado, but we'll just hope that doesn't happen! More dome backstory here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abR1BJ4_ea8 Assembly video here: https://youtu.be/dvrlMOF-CfY Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Last fall we went up to Carp, Ontario, to pick up a surplus radome! This came from a former NATO satellite facility, which is now used as a radio observatory. While I'm not exactly sure where this particular dome was used, these are frequently found on radar towers, satellite ground station downlinks, and radio telescopes. They provide protection from the weather for delicate antennas and other hardware. This one was manufactured by "Electronic Space Systems Co", probably in the 1980s. It's 18ft in diameter and 16ft tall. I'm planning to install an old satellite TV dish inside and use it as both a radio telescope and satellite Earth station. You can see some of my other satellite and radio telescope experiments here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7oeYj_v9VwcFCSM-M6l9eCMxAt1ydAkc First, we had to figure out how all the triangular panels went together! The layout is somewhat of a random pattern to improve radio transparency, so it's not as simple as just bolting every triangle to any other triangle. The thing was basically a giant 3D puzzle! While it did come with instructions and some pieces were labeled, it was still a challenge to build! Initial assembly took 3 days with an average of 5 people. We still have some final tightening and waterproofing to do, but that will be another weekend! Check out the original video about picking up the dome from Canada, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abR1BJ4_ea8 And Part 2 of the project here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnMzm3_N9KA There will be more updates in the future, so stay tuned for more! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Last year I reviewed the original Creality Falcon 40W laser engraver and had a few concerns about it. This year, Creality has a new upgraded version, the Falcon 2 Pro. They've fixed a lot of the issues I had, including a much better enclosure and improved airflow and reliability. The laser is very powerful and fast, I was able to do most of my engraving and cutting projects in under an hour per design. The included 1.6W low-power laser as a great bonus, and engraves much more detail on delicate surfaces than the main 40W laser. The only real downside of the Falcon 2 Pro are the built-in material support slats. They aren't as good as a traditional honeycomb support, and don't allow materials to be held down. For any warped or heat-sensitive materials like wood or plastic, the slat system doesn't work very well. The smoke extraction and safety features on this were great. The addition of a built-in webcam and internal light were also really nice improvements, and overcome some common issues of other lasers. You can find the Falcon 2 Pro at the links below: https://s.zbanx.com/r/j7eTqcJPlalW Code: FNPALL10 https://store.creality.com/products/falcon2-pro-enclosed-laser-engraver-cutter?aid=zbkol01 Code: FALP40W YouTube: https://youtube.com/@FalconLaserOfficial

I've just finished a major upgrade to my DIY satellite ground station. This involves a larger (7ft diameter) dish for geostationary GOES-East. I also moved my QFH antenna that receives Polar-Orbiting NOAA and Meteor satellites on VHF frequencies. This project had some ups and downs, as do most of my builds! I'm using as much second-hand and free equipment as possible to keep costs low. The big dish was a former C-Band television antenna that I found on Craigslist, someone wanted it out of their yard. The L-band feed for GOES is an old coffee can or "cantenna", similar to what you'd use for long-range Wifi. The QFH antenna is one I built from plumbing parts a while ago, in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM99A1uUprQ You can also see some of the other antennas in prior videos, such as my rectangular TV dish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JeGe2Gqswk and my folded-dipole UHF antenna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMOXBfkpRfk Some of the software I'm using for this project includes: - Goestools (https://github.com/pietern/goestools) - Satdump (https://www.satdump.org/download/) - SDR++ (https://www.sdrpp.org/) - Raspberry-NOAA V2 (https://github.com/jekhokie/raspberry-noaa-v2) - Vitality-GOES (https://github.com/JVital2013/vitality-goes) I found Carl Reinemann's how-to guide for Goestools very helpful: - https://usradioguy.com/programming-a-pi-for-goestools/ NOTES: I used a TV coax cable instead of a USB extension cable described in the above guide. I'm also not using syncthing as described in this guide, and I had to make one other change to the Autostart section. In rc.local I added "sleep 10" (without quotes) just above the two calls to goesrecv and goesproc. Also thanks to @dereksgc and some of his associates for suggestions along the way! Some of the hardware that I actually purchased includes: - RTL-SDR (https://amzn.to/44GnpMY) - SAWbird+NOAA (https://amzn.to/3wEmGiL) - SAWbird+GOES (https://amzn.to/4agArSB) - Raspberry Pi 4 B (https://amzn.to/4akSl6w) (You'll need two if doing both types of receiver!) - External Bias Tee (https://amzn.to/44Garyy) (optional) (Buying from these links give me a little cut without charging you more, they're a great way to help out my channel!). Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

We took a break from digging sandstone caves to explore a real natural cave in Missouri! This one has some great formations, wildlife, and even ancient saber-tooth cat tracks in the mud! Check out our sandstone tunnels here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmGVyzXiF5g Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

People often ask if they can do anything with a modern TV dish, the small kind with the offset feed that you find on may rooftops these days. While most of these are too small to do much beyond commercial television, the slightly larger ones are a little more capable. I recently got ahold of a ~40" Channel Master dish, and swapped out the Ku Band LNB for a cheap L-band feed antenna. This lets me pick up the GOES-East satellite that sends down weather images and data 25/7. While I won't be using this particular dish permanently, it was a fun and quick experiment. I've previously done this with a smaller TV dish, but I had to make the reflector bigger with cardboard and foil tape, so it wasn't permanent! That video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK8mFrxxSbY I'm using a Software Defined Radio (SDR) and a filter/amplifier tuned for this and other weather satellites. You can find them at the links below (I get a small cut as an Amazon affiliate, so it helps the channel!) RTL-SDR: https://amzn.to/3IHhj4Q SAWbird+GOES filter: https://amzn.to/4chZeI5 Vivaldi Antenna: https://amzn.to/3v7KQBA Log-Periodic Antenna: https://amzn.to/3TiLCnj Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Since folks keep asking what they can do with their little rooftop TV dish, I figured I'd better do a video with one! This is actually a little smaller than most, it's designed to be a portable, fold-up satellite antenna for use on the go. I modified it for use in the microwave L-band (~1.7ghz), using some scrap wire and pipe, a beer can, duct tape, zipties, and hot glue! I'm using a Software Defined Radio (SDR) and a filter/amplifier tuned for this and other weather satellites. You can find them at the links below (I get a small cut as an Amazon affiliate, so it helps the channel!) RTL-SDR: https://amzn.to/3IHhj4Q SAWbird+GOES filter: https://amzn.to/4chZeI5 More info about building the Helical Feed: https://sgcderek.github.io/blog/beginner-hrpt-guide.html 3D printed antenna support: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4980180 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is a 1953 Pedal Generator, British Army surplus. I found it at a local estate sale and just had to hoard it! The thing still works, and I was able to charge up a small 12v battery with it. The entire unit folds up into a backpack, and is surprisingly easy to carry around and to use. While I wouldn't want to pedal it all day it does juice up batteries as well as giving me a workout! This might show up in some future videos where I'm doing off-grid radio and satellite stuff, I haven't quite decided yet. In the meantime it's going to become part of my fallout shelter artifact corner in the basement. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

To follow up on Part 1 of this project, I finally got an operating system onto my Honewell Thor tablet! Unfortunatley, that OS is Windows CE, one of the least useful or effective operating systems ever made. It also appears to be a RAMdisk type of operating system, so any user changes vanish if the thing reboots or the power is lost! Overall this isn't a very exciting video, it's just me failing to get vintage tech working! Maybe for the next video I'll try out something better and more useful than a Honeywell product... like a TRS-80 laptop or maybe a rock :-) Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

The Kaiweets KTI-K01 is a pretty basic handheld thermal camera, offering simple controls and a straightforward interface. It has a nice large screen and comes with a rugged carrying case. Unfortunately, the camera lacks a video mode. While it does have Wifi, it can't stream real-time video to an app or computer. This is an OK basic camera for anyone who just needs to take thermal infrared photos and doesn't need any extra features. You can find the KTI-K01 at the links below: 10% off code: ZPZYTJJZ $40 coupon: Apply on product page (Save 10% plus $40 in total) Date of expiry: 2024-6-30 Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKP5KKMW 15% off code: SIFP15 (Available sitewide at Kaiweets.com and it never expires.) Buy from official store: https://kaiweets.com/products/kti-k01?sca_ref=5883966.pHC6Qc0SVd Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I picked up a couple Honeywell Thor VM1 industrial computers 2nd-hand. After a couple weeks of screwing around with them, the only thing I can get to work is Doom! I haven't been able to get a real OS onto it or run much other software successfully. These seem to be one of those proprietary overpriced gadgets designed to go in a landfill as soon as they're past their original use. If anyone has suggestions or other ideas for it, I'm all ears, but first I need a way to get an operating system on there! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I picked this thing up really cheap, thinking it was a morse code flasher light. It turns out it's something a little more rare, a "Metascope" from the US Navy. It used a light-charged phosphor screen and mirror system to detect infrared lights for night-time signaling. While the phosphor is sadly too decayed for it to function any more, it's a really cool piece of vintage tech! I had no idea these things even existed until I bought one! More info here: http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/IRmetascopes.html Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I've heard about these new-fangled Oscilloscope things for a while, so I finally bought one... from 1946! This is about the smallest, simplest, and cheapest scope I've ever seen, so I figured it'd be a good starter for someone like me who has never touched one before! This is a Philco Junior Scope. It uses vacuum tubes, has a tiny CRT display, and only has 7 controls. I was able to do a couple interesting things with it, like evaluate power bank inverters and look at audio waveforms. I'm looking for recommendations for a next step in my oscilloscope journey! What should I look for? What features are vital and which are unnecessary? What can I do with one that would help me with the type of projects I do? Suggestions are welcome! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

The 2024 total solar eclipse was amazing! We had planned to view it for a while, but at the last minute I added some very amateur radio astronomy to the mix. While I didn't necessarily get any real scientific data, I definitely attracted a lot of questions at the campsite! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

We're back at Sandland for some more tunnel digging! And since the actual digging is getting kind of repetitive and boring, we did a bunch of other stuff too! I keep collecting realistic fake skeletons and bones, so we've been building a DIY catacomb! Now I can finally make a stupid reaction thumbnail for one of these videos :-D Check out Sandland and other hobby tunneling in this article! https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-02-03/dig-if-you-will-the-underground-world-of-hobby-tunneling?embedded-checkout=true I highly recommend these demolition hammers for sandstone digging and general smashing stuff, they're cheap and actually hold up to underground mining for a few years before they wear out! https://amzn.to/3PHz9Ze (I usually put 100 micron screen over the air intakes to help save the motors from all the sand). Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Here's another random filler video! In this one we have random junk that I might be using in future videos. Also, thanks to viewer DJ for taking pity on my lack of audio skills and sending me a wireless mic to try out. Now I just need to figure out how to use it! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I recently checked out EITClub's BizGlobeLink SIM Card. I've previously used their SIMs in off-grid security cameras, but now I'm trying them out in a mobile hotspot. This is a business-oriented product from EIOTclub, designed for companies who need a secure 4G hotspot. I found it worked better than my cell phone out at Sandland, where network service can be spotty. It also worked underground in the Sandland tunnels (with the help of another repeater and antenna on the surface). You can find more about EIOTClub's products here: https://www.eiotclub.com/?ref=eocCWzabB96HYD AmazonUS: https://eiotclub.market/xjt 10% discount code: sfp10OFF Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

The latest Russian weather satellite is back in operation after having some initial startup issues. It took longer to come fully online than prior satellites in the Meteor series, so hopefully it doesn't have any ongoing issues. For now I can receive it on both VHF (LRPT) and L-Band (HRPT), although I haven't been able to decode any of the data from the LRPT signal. Check out this video for more about receiving L-band satellite signals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5DyJHMw7aY Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is a gadget I found at FreeGeek, a local computer salvage and recycling outfit (https://www.freegeek.org/). It's an Atlantic Research "Interview 40A", Serial Data Analyzer. It's from the late 1970s and was designed to test and troubleshoot serial port connections. Unfortunately, I can't get the darn thing to work! There's no video either from the on-board CRT or the external video out. The most it will do is power on, show some lights on the front, and occasionally beep at me. If anyone has any ideas for how to revive it, I'd love to hear suggestions! If I can't bring it back to life, then I might turn this into some kind of cyberdeck. I already have a few ideas along those lines. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

People often ask me to do step-by-step how-to videos on some of the satellite projects I show. While I'm still not a real expert on this, I've done my best to show the basics of L-band signals. These can be received with a simple small dish, a Software-Defined Radio and LNA/filter, and some free software. The process is a little more complicated than VHF satellite reception (which I showed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icADyjm3PBE). However, it's not terribly complex, and the images are a little better than what's available on VHF. Here are some other great guides that can help with this: https://usradioguy.com/hrpt-satellite-tracking-and-capture/ https://gist.github.com/JVital2013/ed848cdd92900777eee849dc74186b2c https://sgcderek.github.io/blog/beginner-hrpt-guide.html @dereksgc also has some great videos about this on his channel. Nooelec sells an all-in-one hardware bundle, including antenna, SDR, and LNA. This is everything you need (other than a computer and software) to get started! https://amzn.to/4ah2WQt You can also buy parts individually, and make your own antenna. I personally like the RTL-SDR Blog series of Software Defined Radios: https://amzn.to/4a4AjWI If you buy an SDR separately or already have one, you will also need a SAWbird GOES LNA: https://amzn.to/49TtI1k If you already have a Wifi grid dish, you can modify it like this: https://usradioguy.com/optimizing-wifi-grid/ If you're building your own dish, the sgcderek link above has some good info. Or you can go REALLY cheap the way I did with some of these projects: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM84sSXFL0Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW6ogJS768Y You can find the right position for your antenna feed on the dish here: https://www.analyzemath.com/parabola/focus-of-parabola-calculator.html And you can find 3D printable helical antenna parts here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4980180 Free software that I use includes: Gpredict: https://oz9aec.dk/gpredict/ SDR++: https://www.sdrpp.org/ SatDump: https://www.satdump.org/ I also use Stellarium, which isn't free and is somewhat flaky, but was the only thing I could find for Android that gives an AR tracking view: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.noctuasoftware.stellarium_free&hl=en_US&gl=US Websites I use for satellite finding and tracking include: https://www.n2yo.com/ https://www.satdump.org/Satellite-List/ If you'd like to support videos like this, buying from the Amazon links above will give me a small commission (at no extra cost to you!). Or check out the links below! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Spoiler Alert: Nope! This was a frequent viewer request in the comments, so I figured I'd better try it since I had a big mixing bowl! Unfortunately it's just not the right shape to work as a satellite dish. Not a very exciting video, but if you're bored you can watch me fail at something for 5 minutes! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I've been casually collecting some old mine lamps and lanterns, including a few Justrite products, some carbide lamps, and even an old oil lamp. I figured I would clean some of them up, get them working, and compare how they look in the dark! More information on Carbide here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_carbide Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I'm working on a book version of my Alaska shortline railroad project (available here: https://saveitforparts.wordpress.com/projects/lesser-known-and-obscure-railroads-of-alaska/). This really has nothing to do with the channel or my other videos, but it is one of my ongoing projects. And this channel is kind of a video tour of all my projects and hobbies, so why not include this one! I've been working on this off and on since about 2013 at least. Wow, was that over 10 years ago now? People often ask how I have time to do so many projects, but when the projects take over a decade to get somewhere, is it really that impressive? 😅 I'll make sure to follow up on this when it gets to be an actual book! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I was looking forward to trying out the latest Russian weather satellite, launched in late February. However, it seems to be broken! (Edit: It's working again! https://youtu.be/ZhwCDevcCAQ) Meteor M2-4 is part of a series of low-Earth-orbit meteorological satellites, similar to the US NOAA POES series. It should be transmitting live images of the Earth on both VHF and L-Band microwave frequencies. These can be picked up by amateurs and low-budget weather stations on the ground. More info is available here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteor-M_No.2-4 https://usradioguy.com/satellites/meteor-m-2-4-launch/ https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/meteor_m_n2_4 Apparently this satellite worked for a few days after launch, but has now gone silent on the frequencies I can observe. It might still be active on S-band or other radio bands, but the live images seem to have stopped. This satellite might come back online, the Meteor series has a history of technical issues, slow deployments, and radio problems. The previous satellite M2-3 had some early issues and is now working better. If this satellite comes back to life, I might try listening to it again in the future. In the meantime, I have some videos on other weather satellites and space hobby experiments, so make sure to check those out! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is a project I've been working on for a while: automated satellite tracking! The system uses an old security camera pan/tilt mount to aim a small parabolic dish. It's run by an Arduino microcontroller, I think this is the first time I've actually tried one of those for anything useful! The system can be controlled from standard ham radio software like Gpredict or Satdump. I based much of this project on the SARCNet rotator Mk1, found here: https://www.sarcnet.org/rotator-mk1.html Instead of the Aptinex Tricac board, I'm using four 5v relays: https://amzn.to/3TokZ1g The PTZ mount is a Pelco unit I got from Ax-Man Surplus. I actually found most of the parts for this project at Ax-Man, you can find them here: https://www.ax-man.com/ I'm also using this sensor module: https://amzn.to/48COTDu I use a software-defined radio to listen to the satellite transmissions: https://amzn.to/3TolB74 And I have a SAWbird+GOES filter/amplifier on the antenna feed to maximize the signal from L-band satellites (~1.7ghz). https://amzn.to/4bXZgEZ (Buying from the Amazon links gives me a small commission and doesn't cost you any extra! It's a great way to support content like this!) The dish is a surplus 5.8ghz Wireless network antenna that another ham gave me. The feed is a helical L-band design based on this: https://sgcderek.github.io/tools/helix-calc.html Software I'm using includes: Gpredict: https://sourceforge.net/projects/gpredict/ SDR++: https://www.sdrpp.org/ SatDump: https://www.satdump.org/ This system could easily be modified for Hamsat / Cubesat use with other antennas. I have a few old security camera mounts around, so I'll probably modify another one in the future to have 2m/70cm antennas for Amsat / space station repeater operation. It could also be used as a small radio telescope, basically a step up from the Tailgater and Carryout telescopes I've been playing with (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a2HjE11DcQ) Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

People sometimes ask how I get satellite dishes for free. Well, you just have to look around! There are lots of C-band dishes going unused, and people often want them removed from their yard. If you're willing to do the disassembly and removal, you can often get them for free! I've found them on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other classified-type sites. If you don't see anything listed, you can always post a want ad offering to remove it, and sometimes people will suddenly remember they have one! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

When I made a satellite dish out of foil tape and an umbrella, everyone asked if I could do the same with emergency thermal blankets. I decided to give it a try, along with a few other viewer suggestions of metallic spray paint and reflective photography umbrellas. I was surprised to find that the thermal blanket glued to an umbrella actually does work! I built this quickly and not very carefully, so it could definitely be done a little better. In addition to the umbrella, thermal blanket, and spray glue, I used the following hardware for this project (these links give me an Amazon commission): Software-Defined Radio: https://amzn.to/3IsvJFL L-band Filter / Amplifier: https://amzn.to/4a50WL8 PCB Antenna feed: https://amzn.to/48MDTDJ SMA antenna adapters: https://amzn.to/490CedX I also used the following free software: SDR++ https://www.sdrpp.org/ Satdump: https://www.satdump.org/ Parabolic Dish calculator: https://www.analyzemath.com/parabola/focus-of-parabola-calculator.html More information on receiving GOES satellites can be found here: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-com-goes-16-17-and-gk-2a-weather-satellite-reception-comprehensive-tutorial/ And here: https://usradioguy.com/goes-satellite-imagery-reception/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Recently I was contacted by the ground controller for the UmKA-1 or RS40S cubesat. It's a small educational satellite assembled by a Russian high school, originally for astronomy but also for amateur radio. They wanted to send me a message at a specific time in the satellite's orbit and see if I could receive it. This took a couple tries, but eventually I got an SSTV picture from the cubesat. I was also able to decode some of the telemetry signals and look at the satellite's electrical system details. This is the first time I've tried to do anything with a cubesat, so it was kind of neat! Some more info on the satellite is here: https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/umka-1.htm The decoding software is here: https://github.com/Foxiks/UmKA-1_Telemetry_Decoder I had more luck with this software to decode telemetry (along with the Soundmodem package from the github link): https://sputnix.ru/en/satellites-sputnix/for-radioamateurs To decode the SSTV signals, I used this software: https://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmsstv.php I used this antenna: https://amzn.to/3UXQdxK I like the RTL-SDR Blog series of software defined radios for stuff like this: https://amzn.to/3Ig3t9a (if you buy stuff from these links, Amazon gives me a commission) Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Here's something from the prehistoric area of my college days, a digital camera that takes floppy disks! This is the Sony Mavica MVC-FD85. It lets you save a whopping 10 pictures on 3.5" floppy, or 15 whole seconds of video in three grainy 5-second clips! I have fond memories of these things from back in the year 2000. I used to check them out from the technology desk at the campus library, since I couldn't afford my own. While they kind of suck compared to modern cameras, I took plenty of photos with the things. When I found one at a garage sale I had to pick it up! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

A few years back I got ahold of a big UHF Folded Dipole antenna. This thing seems to be tuned for around 415-500mhz, so it should work for the amateur 70cm band as well as business band. Back in 2021 I started filming a video about it, but then left it lying on my roof for 3 years. This appears to be something like a DB420 8-Bay antenna, about 20ft tall (plus the extension to roof level). Now that we don't have winter any more, and it's 50F in early February, I'm sticking the thing onto my garage. I'm also attaching an old Baofeng handheld radio and the Boondock Echo answering machine device that I've mentioned before (more info here: https://www.crowdsupply.com/boondock-technologies/boondock-echo) The antenna seems to work really well at picking up distant ham repeaters, and will be the first part of my new antenna farm on the garage roof! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

I decided that SMS and chat apps are far too convenient, so I made my own texting system with some old Pocket PCs and 2-way radios! This lets me send and receive messages and files wirelessly. No cell phone, Wifi, or network required! This wasn't exactly an easy project, as it took a few days and a few trips to the surplus store to get it all working. However, it was a lot cheaper than doing the same thing with a microcontroller or mesh network! The whole project cost about $50, including the old radios, old PDAs, and random junk that went into it. The PDAs I'm using are Motorola MC55A PocketPCs running Windows CE. I found several NBT radio modems at Ax-Man surplus (https://www.ax-man.com/). I combined those with '90s-era color dot radios (Business Band / MURS). The Pocket PC connects to the modem with a serial port cradle and null modem adapter. The modem connects to the radio through the speaker and mic jacks. Software I used was Terminal CE (https://www.venea.net/web/terminal_ce) and MobileVT (https://www.mobyware.org/windows-mobile-6-1-classic-device-1776/connection-ftp-tag/mobilevt-download-8434.html) I found that one terminal app worked better for sending and one was better for receiving. I used 300 baud, N/8/1, and I have all the flow control (CTS / DTR) turned off. Range with the business band radio is OK but not great (a block or two in the city, or about a mile in open country). The external antenna on the backpack version might have longer range. The modems are a Bell 202 style, converting serial data into audio tones with AFSK encoding. They can theoretically handle up to 1200 baud speeds, but I've kept everything at 300 baud to make it simpler and more reliable. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is a quick look and review of some wireless mics I've been testing out. So far I have not found a great one, the best option seems to be a desktop receiver that's tethered to wall power. Thanks again to @gardenfork for the Canon camera! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

One way I get new parts and projects is by dumpster diving. Here are a couple things I've discovered in the trash this year. Some of this stuff might show up in future videos, but some of it is just random parts and projects for the hoarding pile! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Recently I bought a "ConnectPort X5" satellite system from Ax-Man Surplus, and wanted to see what it does. In this video we're opening it up, poking around at all the parts inside, and then messing with the on-board computer and communications systems to see what it does. This is the type of rooftop dome you'd see on a semi truck or other vehicle, allowing fleet owners to track and monitor their trucks and cargo. It has an Orbcomm satellite modem, GPS, Wifi, Xbee, Cellular modem, Ethernet, Serial port, and some other sensors and interfaces. The hardest part was finding the power inputs for the weird interface block. This didn't come with any hardware documentation, although the software documentation on the web panel is very extensive. If anyone has suggestions for a way to use or repurpose this, please let me know in the comments! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Several viewers have asked about my storage and organization methods recently, and it even came up on a Hackaday Hack Chat! You can see the chat transcript here: https://hackaday.io/event/193731-the-hoarders-dilemma-hack-chat Storage and organizing is always kind of an ongoing process for me. Things move around, I get new junk, I use some junk, and I have to rearrange stuff on occasion. Since I have a small house I try hard not to get too overwhelmed with "stuff"! I have a tendency to save a little bit of everything, just in case I need it. Sometimes that leads to cool videos, but if I'm not careful it just leads to clutter and stress! I'm a big fan of NSF-style metal shelving. I also like clear bins, milk crates, plastic food service bins, basically any containers that I can organize "stuff" into. This video also has a sneak peek at a couple gadgets that should be showing up on the channel in the next few months. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This is a very late update on some 2023 garden projects, so late that it's probably getting released in 2024! I've had a lot of projects and videos on the to-do pile, so not everything got finished in a timely manner last year. Anyway, in this one we're cleaning out gutters (for rain that never happened!), and preserving some cedar with a Japanese technique called Yakisugi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakisugi). We also ended up setting up some irrigation systems for the garden, although I did that in a rush and didn't really film much of it. Hopefully next year we can document more of the garden and yard projects and put together something a little more coherent! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This one is NOT a paid review, I went out and bought new cameras with my own actual money! And I think it was worth it, this camera system is a big upgrade from my older system! It's a 16-channel Reolink Network Video Recorder with 12MP cameras, some of the highest consumer resolution currently available. On the down side, the VGA port on the device didn't work, but I dug up an HDMI projector for the initial setup. On the plus side the software is really intuitive, the camera quality is great, and the installation is super easy! You can buy this same system here: https://amzn.to/48Nedr3 (I get a commission from Amazon if you use this link!) Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Just as I did when I had Teespring merch, I'm following up after 6 months to see how the Spreadshirt stuff holds up. So far, it's much better! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Here's another weird thing I bought for $5 at an auction! It's a Seco GIS Backpack, containing some differential receiver stuff. More info on Differential GPS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_GPS See more of the cats here! @donnyfluff Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

That's right, it's another year-end clip show! Woo, filler content! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Recently Vevor sent me their 30L Ultrasonic Cleaner, the first one I've ever used. It's designed for cleaning small, complicated objects like tools, engine parts, jewelry, watches, etc. I ran it through some of the dirtiest stuff in my garage, including an old hand drill, seized-up lock, dirty file, and even a jammed carburetor. I found it performed really well at removing dirt and grime from tough-to-reach areas. It proved especially helpful with the carburetor. I hate carbs so much that I've been just throwing away my dirty ones and replacing them. Thanks to the Vevor ultrasonic, I can now save more carburetors from the trash! You can find the Vevor 30L Ultrasonic Cleaner here: US site: https://s.vevor.com/bfQMTU CA site: https://s.vevor.com/bfQNIT EU site: https://s.vevor.com/bfQNI4 And you can use code: VVMH5%OFF for 5% off on all their products. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

This was a project to modify a Winegard Carryout satellite antenna into a microwave imager and miniature radio telescope. It's similar to my prior project with a Dish Tailgater antenna (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVOTZxNCgTM) I used a string of serial cable adapters to get a console on the Carryout dish brain, then I could control it with a Python program. The dish moves through a specified angle and elevation range and takes a signal reading at each position. These can be combined into an image of the sky where each pixel is a radio signal. Then you can "see" things like satellites and radiation patterns. The prior version only used the onboard Ku-band receiver on the dish. This version replaces the LNB with an RTL-SDR (Software-defined radio) and L-band antenna. Other radio bands could be used, but microwave probably works the best. I'd like to turn this into a Wifi imager eventually. I did some brief experiments with Wifi (S-band) using a downconverter, but I didn't get very far with that. My best images so far include an Inmarsat geostationary satellite, navigation satellites, and Iridium comm satellites. All of these can be "imaged" with the dish, although they appear a little different due to the relative speed of the dish and the satellite! For example, Iridium showed up as one long streak (kind of like a time exposure picture). GPS / Gallileo / Beidou showed up as many small points on an orbital track. Inmarsat showed up as fixed a point source in the sky. I have a writeup on my website with more information about this project here: https://saveitforparts.wordpress.com/2023/12/29/another-portable-radio-telescope/ My code is available on Github here: https://github.com/saveitforparts/Carryout-Radio-Telescope/ You will need an RS-232 to RS-485 adapter. I used this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CXY9S6M?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzgabeemer-20 Used satellite antennas like this often show up on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other used sites. They're worth about $25-$50USD. Sometimes people ask more, but I just wait until they go unsold for a month and the price drops, or wait for someone else to list one cheaper. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Recently I tested the Creality Falcon 2 40W laser engraver and cutter. It offers twice the power of any other laser I've used so far! I did have a few issues along the way, but after some consultation with tech support, I was able to get it running more reliably. I had to adjust a few things and update the firmware to avoid some air flow and tilt sensor errors. The cutting speed and power is good, and the initial setup is very fast. I also liked the multiple foot mounting options and the smoke tent enclosure (I believe that's an optional extra, but is a good idea!). You can check out the Falcon 40W laser at the link below: https://s.zbanx.com/r/7SA48Uxa7Smp And use code: FALCON for a discount. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Check out gadgets and devices I like at https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts

Some random ghost towns and ruins we visited on a trip to the Death Valley area. This is kind of the leftover footage from my mine exploring video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRJcCpZQS-M) and we also have some Area 51 stuff here: https://youtu.be/9FPeIIAzwsc) More Ballarat footage from 2021 can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVqgqYgmeXM Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Sometimes I screw up when making a video. OK, I screw up a LOT when making videos! For every 10 minutes you see, I've probably filmed at least an hour of footage! Here are some of the bloopers, mistakes, outtakes, and other behind-the-scenes things that got cut along the way. Because it wouldn't be the Saveitforparts channel if I didn't save some of the cut footage to re-use! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

On a recent trip to Las Vegas and Death Valley, we ended up driving completely around Area 51! The whole perimeter of the base has become a bit of a tourist trap with a gift shop at every junction. I'm pretty sure we bought Area 51 stickers in at least 4 different towns! In addition to alien tourism, I snooped on a couple satellite signals and spotted a few Area-51 sights like Janet Airlines. We also checked out an abandoned-ish Cold War radio facility and had our GPS jammed by mysterious forces! We also spotted some fighter jets and listened to them doing practice runs on the radio. Yes, this is a silly video, and no we didn't find any UFOs, other than the one made from satellite dishes at the Little Ae'Le'Inn. Maybe next time we can contact E.T. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Finally, the train layout we've all been waiting for! Or at least the start of it, this is going to take a while before it's a full loop! I took a bunch of cheap plastic holiday trains and installed them in the walls of my underground sandstone speakeasy, the "Sand Bar". Thank you to #EIOTCLOUB for sponsoring this video and supporting Sandland with their 4G SIM cards! You can check them out below: https://www.eiotclub.com/?ref=eocCWzabB96HYD Amazon: https://noxl.ink/VTVdCv Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

After building a variety of klunky, slow, and fragile railroad vehicles out of trash, I finally have one that works reliably and is fairly fast! This one is a pump car modeled on antique railroad inspection vehicles. It uses human power to get up to almost 10mph, or about as fast as my earlier electric railroad cart. Please note that all the railroad tracks shown here are abandoned, disused, and disconnected from any active lines. There's no physical connection between any of these rails and a working railroad. They've been abandoned for at least a decade, and some of the tracks have already become part of public parks and bike trails. The rest will probably be ripped up soon. Still, I have to recommend you don't try this at home! Thanks again to https://www.railriders.net/ for the wheels, they work way better than anything I've been able to make myself! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Recently Creality sent me one of their latest 3D printers, the Ender 3 V3 KE. This one features auto bed levelling, built-in touchscreen, Wifi, and a bunch of other cool stuff! Since I have a little experience with 3D printers now, I know what's too much for some of them to handle. I decided to throw all my toughest prints at this thing to see what it could do. Tricky overhangs, tall springy things, fine detail, large flat surfaces, all the stuff that's given me trouble on other 3D printers. The Ender 3 seemed to handle it all pretty well! You can find this 3D printer at the links below: Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CF89JHSJ?maas=maas_adg_43CF4650A895A9C7B8ED3934A104EC42_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CF88S7J4?maas=maas_adg_B0982502C77B7200341E046E6305EDB3_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Amaon Canada https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CJ2WSWR3 Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CJBYNJXF Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've been doing a lot of VHF, UHF, and microwave radio stuff lately, and I almost forgot about the lower-frequency stuff! Most of my Software Defined Radios (SDRs) can't go below 30mhz, which was the hot part of the radio dial a century ago. Fortunately there's a product that will boost these lower-frequency signals up to where an SDR can see them, the Nooelec Ham-It-Up. This is NOT a sponsored review, although I did get one of my Ham It Up units from a viewer (thanks!). In addition to that one, I'm also trying the Nano version which I coincidentally bought around the same time. You can find these and other radio gadgets I like on my Amazon store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts (I get a commission if stuff sells from here, but it shouldn't cost any different to you!) You can find the custom bandplans I mentioned here: https://github.com/Arrin-KN1E/SDR-Band-Plans And you can learn more about the Ham-It-Up unit here: https://support.nooelec.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005812474-Ham-It-Up-Upconverter Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Algolaser's Delta 22 offers a pre-assembled laser engraver that's *almost* ready to go out of the box. It still needs a few setup and adjustment steps, but you can be using the system in about 20-30 minutes. I had a little trouble with belt tension, but Algolaser's tech support was very helpful in walking me through the belt adjustments. This system lacks automatic focusing and doesn't come with a guide to power and burn time settings. However, it does have a very nice air pump that both cools and clears the laser module, plus it has a built-in LCD screen and onboard Wifi. If you'd like to check out this or other Algolaser products, you can visit: https://c.gearberry.com/r/C9tLVJLOoKO8 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Boondock asked me to beta test their new Echo device, and didn't even ask me to do a video... so I did one anyway! The Boondock Echo is essentially a radio answering machine. This gadget uses an ESP32 system to record audio from a two-way radio and act as a time-shift message center. It has a cloud service with speec-to-text and keyword notifications. It can transmit and receive, functioning as a repeater in addition to a recorder. The system has a few features that are still in development, and it still a bit of a prototype, but it's kind of a cool product! You can find these at https://www.boondockecho.com/ You can find the crowdfunding page at https://www.crowdsupply.com/boondock-technologies/boondock-echo Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've reviewed a few power banks, but Allpowers has consistently been one of my favorite brands. I've brought their other models camping and on road trips, they're super convenient for charging cameras, phones, and other devices on the go. The Allpowers S1500 is one of their larger models, offering 1092W of storage and 1500W of continuous power output. It's big enough to run small appliances during a power outage! You can check out the Allpowers S1500 here: https://iallpowers.com/?ref=tGjCP3B-CjwzUp Code: saitpa Save 10% Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is part 2 of my attempt to find treasure in my back yard! (Part 1 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxxDdyPW-qg) Old news articles claim that gold was once found on this very spot! Even if that legend proves untrue, there should still be an old privy or trash pit somewhere in the yard. Those can have all kinds of fun bottles, coins, and other artifacts. Previously when we dug around in the yard, we found coins, bullets, knives, bottles, buttons, belt buckles, and all sorts of neat antique stuff! Unfortunately, we didn't find much on this try, and the most promising spot is over 5ft deep. I don't want to dig that deep by hand. Perhaps one of the mini-excavator companies like @agt_industrial, @SaferWholesaleCom, @krequipment, @nicosailexcavator, @tmgindustrial4545, @wallemac7778, etc, would consider sending me a cheap mini-excavator to review? I'll promise to destroy my yard with it and do some fun product testing! Then once I've found the buried backyard gold, we can see what kind of damage a mini digger would do at Sandland! A ground-penetrating radar would also be interesting... I'd love to try building one, but so far none of the DIY projects I've seen ever get quite as far as a finished product. Everyone seems to give up around the 80% mark. There seems to be something about that tech that doesn't lend itself well to home builders. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

We've been out to Death Valley National Park a few times, exploring mines and ghost towns in the surrounding desert. This year we found a few ne (to us) locations to check out! This video is going to be mostly mines (and some natural landform stuff). There will be some other videos with more of the ghost towns and other things we saw! Please note that mine exploring can be dangerous, and should not be attempted without proper safety equipment, training, and experience. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Recently North Korea launched a "spy satellite" known as Malligyong-1. Is it actually a working satellite, or just a political stunt? I took a look on several radio bands and couldn't find any evidence of this satellite doing anything. I also spoke with some satellite experts who haven't been able to find signals either. Has it failed? Never properly deployed? Is there another frequency I could use to listen for it? If you have any details, let me know in the comments! More information on the satellite can be found at the links below: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malligyong-1 https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=58400 https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/malligyong-1.htm And some news about the launch is here: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-flags-plan-launch-satellite-rocket-between-nov-22-dec-1-japan-says-2023-11-20/ https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-spy-satellite-japan-5e16266707e0e4034eca022fde44ffa7 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Orbcomm is a satellite provider focusing on Internet of Things (IoT) data. They collect and distribute short messages from small terminals all over the world, like shipping containers, vehicle trackers, remote sensors, etc. Since these satellites are on VHF frequencies right next to the NOAA weather satellites, I can pick them up with my existing QFH antenna. The actual data you can see from these isn't super interesting, since everything is encrypted. All you can really get is the satellite position and some basic telemetry in cleartext. It's still kind of neat to be able to say you did it! I used this software to decode the signals: https://github.com/fbieberly/ORBCOMM-receiver/tree/rtl_tcp More information here: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/orbcomm-receiver-new-open-source-software-for-monitoring-orbcomm-satellites/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've been trying to find a use for this weird old industrial tablet, but it's too slow and proprietary to do much. I recently installed Linux and Kiwix to make it a portable, offline Wikipedia reader! This is kind of like the Hithhiker's Guide (from the series of the same name), a portable, searchable guide to everything! Kiwix should work on most devices, including phones, tablets, Windows, Mac, and Linux. It seems like a cool way to re-use old gadgets that you have lying around. You can find the Kiwix software here: https://kiwix.org/en/applications/ And library files here: https://library.kiwix.org/#lang=eng Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Here it is, the challenge nobody asked for! Can I get L-band satellite data using an umbrella covered in foil tape? It turns out, yes I can! I was able to download images and weather data from GOES-East, NOAA satellites, and Russian METEOR satellites. I also got a little bit from some other satellites but the signals weren't as good. Here's the stuff I used (these links give me a commission if you buy stuff through them, but the price to you is the same!) Umbrella: https://amzn.to/3FEpY6t (any umbrella should work) Foil tape: https://amzn.to/46RBNCk (This is actually cheaper at a hardware store, and you'll need 3 rolls!) Antenna feed: https://amzn.to/46UMvrQ Software-Defined Radio: https://amzn.to/45Yg8qK Filter/Amplifier: https://amzn.to/479SjgL OTG adapter (if using a phone): https://amzn.to/40fCLFX Antenna cable: https://amzn.to/46QiFVn SDR++ software: https://www.sdrpp.org/ Satdump: https://www.satdump.org/ I also used Stellarium for aiming, but I still don't really love it. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is an old Robot Research Model 70 Slow Scan Television Monitor. It takes SSTV audio tones and turns them into a picture! For ham radio in the 1970s, this was a big breakthrough. Today it's mostly a curiosity, as SSTV formats have evolved to include new-fangled stuff like color! I picked this up at Free Geek Twin Cities (https://www.freegeektwincities.org/), a local computer thrift store and recycling business that has some really cool stuff! They're also a great place to drop off your unwanted tech if you're in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area. Some of the SSTV images and data I'm using come from the following sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3k6Xt30Z7g https://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/sstv.html @5UP7 Channel has some good stuff on this! More info on this device can be found here: https://www.rigpix.com/textandimaging/robot_7080.htm https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/robotresea_sstv_slow_scan_television_monitor_70a.html The cats' channel is here! https://www.youtube.com/@donnyfluff Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Occasionally my real job has a bunch of junk to get rid of, and sometimes I can find useful stuff before it all goes to the landfill. In this case, it's a marginally-functional utility trailer. For those wondering about the cars and bikes shown in the video, my work did find homes for some of it. Unfortunately, the rest is too far gone to be of any value beyond scrap metal. That's probably why it got abandoned in the first place! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Recently I visited a former secret bunker in Ontario Canada, which is now a Cold War museum. We were picking up a geodesic radome from the nearby satellite station (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abR1BJ4_ea8) and the bunker looked to cool to pass up! This is just a quick run through the public parts of the bunker, unfortunately we didn't have time for more than a brief visit. If you're in the area, it's well worth a visit of several hours! You can find info on the Diefenbunker, as well as some virtual tours of areas we missed by visiting https://diefenbunker.ca/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I found this gizmo at Ax-Man Surplus, a great spot for weird and obscure gadgets! Unfortunately this meter seems to have been designed and built in a rush by someone with no concept of design or maintenance. I wasn't able to get it working, so I guess it's just going to be a source of future parts! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Earlier in 2023 I went up to Canada to buy a geodesic radome (more info here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abR1BJ4_ea8). Since this is a larger project, it's likely going to take several videos to get it all assembled. It also might not be put together until next spring. This video is just a progress update on the dome project, where we move it up the hill closer to the final assembly site. For more info on the radio observatory project in Ontario, check out this video: https://youtu.be/sadM0qzmMfU And for more on the nearby Diefenbunker, see here: https://youtu.be/5lMdjTUMXtI What was it like driving 1000 miles with a U-haul full of ridiculous stuff? See here: https://youtu.be/rHKiPOzD77c Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This was just a quick look at the sun during the October 2023 eclipse. I built a couple simple viewers, but didn't get to see all that much due to cloudy weather. I also checked out some of the ham radio bands with my software-defined radio. An eclipse like this can change the way radio waves propagate around the earth, so it brings out a lot of amateur operators and experimenters who want to see how far they can reach. Hopefully I'll have more from the next eclipse in the spring of 2024! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

In this video I'm trying (again!) to get some L-band satellite signals with a re-purposed wireless networking dish. I've got a helical antenna feed made of scrap wire and a cookie can, a software defined radio, and a Nooelec SAWbird+GOES filter to boost the L-band signals. I initially tried using my MobileDemand tablet / "mini cyberdeck", but it turned out to be too slow and laggy to record High Rate Picture Transmission (HRPT) data streams. A regular modern-ish laptop worked much better for that. I'm using SDR++ to record the signals (https://www.sdrpp.org/) I'm using SatDump to decode the data into imagery (https://www.satdump.org/) Here are some resources I've found helpful for doing this: https://sgcderek.github.io/blog/beginner-hrpt-guide.html https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=sgcderek&page=1&type=things&sort=relevant https://wettersat.bplaced.net/equipment.html https://usradioguy.com/ The hardware I'm using can be found here: RTL-SDR: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMKB3L47?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzgabeemer-20&creativeASIN=B0BMKB3L47&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.155I0QIXWTB54&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_d_asin SAWbird+GOES: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K1M39H4?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzgabeemer-20&creativeASIN=B07K1M39H4&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.155I0QIXWTB54&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_d_asin And you can find more gadgets I like on my Amazon page (I get a kickback from this as an affiliate): https://www.amazon.com/shop/saveitforparts Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This started as a re-edit of one of my earliest videos, the weedwhacker motor canoe. It kind of turned into a rant about disposable culture, trash, and recycling! For more context, a few years back someone ditched this broken canoe in the parking lot at my office. I took it home, patched it up and made a couple videos about it. They were successful enough that (if I wanted), I could buy a really nice canoe with the ad income on those videos! Here are the original videos on this project: Part 1: https://youtu.be/gfeZ5O4G0SA Part 2: https://youtu.be/I_ZizFzBHls Part 3: https://youtu.be/XPCJivzBraM Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

A former NATO satellite terminal near Ottawa is becoming a scientific instrument, thanks to the efforts of the Canadian Center for Experimental Radio Astronomy. This group is refurbishing and modernizing the 1970s-era satellite dish into a radio telescope. It's a big job with a lot of tasks to complete, but they've already started doing some science with the dish. I visited the CCERA and its home at the CSS Building in 2023. I talked with group president Marcus Leech about the project, their goals, and radio astronomy at the amateur level. Related to this video, I also picked up a (much smaller!) geodesic dome, which will become a future Sandland radio observatory. You can find that video here: https://youtu.be/abR1BJ4_ea8 You can find more about the CCERA at https://www.ccera.ca/, and the facility at https://www.cssbuilding.ca/ If you'd like to help CCERA with a donation, click here: https://gofund.me/29c87cc8 You can also learn more about amateur radio astronomy at https://radio-astronomy.org/ Thanks also to @SimpleElectronics for providing some footage for this video! Parts of this video were filmed on location at the Diefenbunker, Canada's Cold War museum. I'll probably be doing another follow-up video on the bunker since it's so big and interesting! You can find more about it here: https://diefenbunker.ca/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

In late 2023 I moved a geodesic dome from Canada to Minnesota. This required renting a truck, and we chose the company everyone thinks of for truck rentals. So what was it like? The truck itself was fine, but actually renting it was a series of hassles and annoyances. Nothing too terrible or big, but just an ongoing low-level inconvenience dealing with anything relating to the company. From surprise charges to last-minute changes, poorly-defined agreements and deals, inconsistent website info, pretty much everything you'd except from a generic faceless corporation I guess. (By the way, this is what we moved: https://youtu.be/abR1BJ4_ea8) This is not a sponsored review, all rental services were paid out of pocket. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This one is a bit random, we've got kayaking, wildlife, caves, etc. (Skip to 3:05 if you just want to see the cave!). This was a paddling trip on the St. Croix River, along the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin. It's a fun area with a lot of interesting critters, geology, and groundwater. We don't get as many natural caves in this part of the state, but there are one of two along this section that are pretty neat! Supposedly these have been used for everything from Native American campsites to bandit hideouts. We also saw a mink (7:03), eagles, osprey, herons, turtles, and we even found some snapping turtle eggs! (1:54). This section of river has several interesting bridges, including a former railroad swing bridge (still in use for tour trains, but it no longer swings). There's also a high railroad bridge and the ruins of an old stone bridge. We may have more boat trip videos in the future, but we'll be back to projects and DIY stuff soon! If you like my "OSHA Approved" shirt, you can find it at the link below! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This fall I went up to Ontario, Canada, to pick up an 18ft diameter geodesic dome! This was at a former NATO satellite facility near the Diefenbunker, outside Ottawa. (The big white dome on top of the building is still in use, so we just got a smaller one :-) We're planning to install this at Sandland for use as a radio observatory and general cool looking lawn ornament, probably in the upper field near the fast food playland that we picked up previously. Huge thanks to Marcus Leech and the Canadian Center for Experimental Radio Astronomy (https://www.ccera.ca/) as well as CSS Building Inc (https://www.cssbuilding.ca/) for hooking us up with this! The CCERA is refurbishing the big satellite antenna at Carp into a radio telescope. I'll be doing a follow-up video with more info on the organization and their facility. They're all volunteers, and as with most science things, they can always use more funding! If you'd like to help CCERA with a donation, click here: https://gofund.me/29c87cc8 Parts of this video were filmed on location at the Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War museum. I'll probably be doing another follow-up video on the bunker since it's so big and interesting! You can find more about it here: https://diefenbunker.ca/ Thanks also to @SimpleElectronics and Tim Skinner (https://timpossible.photography/) for helping out with this project! Stay tuned for more videos about this project, coming soon! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This video is kind of all over the place and doesn't really have a theme. It's just a collection of assorted Sandland things like working on the tunnels, bringing out more tools and materials, tech support on some cameras, trying the satellite scanner again, etc! Unfortunately the satellite scanner ran out of power, there wasn't enough sun for the solar panels. I don't yet have an update on our "UFO" phenomenon from last time! I'm also still fighting with one of my Spypoint trail cameras. I really like these and I've bought a few that work really well (I have a review video somewhere that talks about them). Unfortunately, I can't get the latest one to work, and their "tech support" consists of some guy in another country who tells you to count the batteries. Stay tuned for more Sandland projects, we have some really good ones coming up! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Just some very quick looks at small lava caves in California. We didn't have the proper gear for this, we just happened to be nearby and heard about the caves. I don't recommend exploring caves without safety gear like helmets, knee pads, gloves, and proper shoes! We were underequipped and didn't fully explore these due to the lack of equipment. Stay safe out there! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've been trying to find a use for my ~30" parabolic dish, which is light enough to fit on an old motorized camera mount for aiming. After experimenting with a variety of center feeds, I was able to receive data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) #16, with views of North and South America. I also played around with the big fold-up dish some more, it gets a better signal as it's much larger, but despite being "portable" it's still a little clumsy to work with. The feed that worked best for my little dish turned out to be a miniature 3-element Yagi antenna made from wire scrap. The middle dipole is about 83mm total, the director was 66mm, and the reflector was 87mm. Each element was 22mm from the next. As usual, I'm using an RTL-SDR Blog v3: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMKB3L47?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzgabeemer-20&creativeASIN=B0BMKB3L47&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.155I0QIXWTB54&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin&th=1 And a Nooelec Sawbird+GOES Filter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K1M39H4?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzgabeemer-20&creativeASIN=B07K1M39H4&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.155I0QIXWTB54&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin (As an Amazon affiliate, I receive commissions for any purchases at the above links). I'm also using SDR++ (https://www.sdrpp.org/) and Satdump software (https://github.com/SatDump/SatDump) Antenna SWR tuning is with a Nano-VNA V2: https://www.ebay.com/itm/353177205291 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've tried melting and casting aluminum in the past, with a DIY furnace made from bricks and scraps. That never quite worked right, but now Vevor has sent me a real melting furnace to try! The furnace worked great, aside from some warping of the lid and trouble getting it started (I needed to give it more gas at first). It melted aluminum cans, scrap, and even brass much faster and more reliably than my old furnace! If you'd like to purchase one of these, check out the links below: Code: VVMH5%OFF (5% off on all products) US site: https://s.vevor.com/bfQt5L CA site: https://s.vevor.com/bfQuut Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've been hearing about this little gadget for a while and decided to try it out. This is NOT a sponsored review by the way, I bought this myself to see if it would be useful for any of my projects. So far I'm kind of disappointed with the thing. It does a bunch of stuff... sort of... but I already have single-purpose gadgets like a frequency counter, microchip scanner, and RFID reader/writer that work better. The radio module also seems inaccurate and somewhat restricted. For all the hype around this thing, I can't really think of a practical use for it! Let me know in the comments if you have any ideas (legal please :-) ). Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

The UeeVii wireless bridge lets you use wired internet across a long distance without actually needing to run wires! I used a set to connect my garage to my house, so now I have gigabit ethernet out there as well as inside! This is a sponsored review, but I try to be fair and balanced in the pros and cons of all the devices I looked at. The only trouble I encountered with this was figuring out how many hose clamps to use, and logging in to the admin page. Eventually both of those things were resolved. The unit works right out of the box and is pretty convenient to install. It also seems to be very easy to scale and expand your network with these, each unit can operate on multiple channels with individual SSIDs, IP addresses, passwords, etc. Check out more about UeeVii here: CPE5824 Link: https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Outdoor-Ethernet-High-Gain-Waterproof/dp/B0BQMH33YT Mount link: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Wireless-Bracket-Wall-Mounted-Outdoor/dp/B09Y56M6Z9 Use code UEEVIICPE for 15% price off. (Valid date: 2023-9-8 00:01 PDT to 2023-10-8 23:59 PDT ) Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Recently I spotted a strange "UFO" with my homemade radio telescope / microwave imager. I've used this imager before to spot television satellites in geostationary orbit, but this unknown object was something new to me. Spoiler Alert: I was able to determine that I'm probably seeing a geosynchronous (but not geostationary) satellite in an inclined / elliptical orbit. Specifically, I think this is the AMSC-1 telecom satellite, which is in a type of orbit designed to cover high latitudes like Northern Canada. These types of satellites don't seem to show up too often on my telescope / imager setup, since they're not as common and aren't usually aimed directly at my location. This is the first time I've managed to spot one (if that's what I'm seeing), so it seems kind of rare to catch it with this particular equipment! Folks might also ask if this "UFO" could be the sun or moon producing microwave signals, but those were both off to the left of the scan, not where the mystery signal showed up. It's also probably not a reflection / side lobe / "lens flare", I do get those, but they show up as rings around the main signals, and in fact this mystery signal has its own faint ring around it. Since my dish takes 3-4hrs to do a full scan, this also isn't something fast like a plane or low-orbit satellite as those don't show up on my imager (I'm essentially taking a very long time exposure). I'm still planning to upgrade / rebuild this mini radiotelescope device in the future, hopefully with more flexibility to pick up different frequencies. That should let me see even more satellites (and maybe other space stuff!). This website is a great resource for finding satellite orbits, and helped me figure out what I was most likely seeing: in-the-sky.org/satmap_planetarium.php Some other online tools I use are: https://www.n2yo.com/ (satellite orbits and predictions) https://satbeams.com/ (satellite signals and stauts) https://sky.rogue.space/ (3D visualization of different orbits) https://space.skyrocket.de/index.html (satellite general info) https://www.dishpointer.com/ (where to aim a satellite dish) Specific info on AMSC-1: https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/amsc_msat.htm https://www.satbeams.com/satellites?norad=23553 https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=23553 Info on inclined / elliptical geosynchronous orbits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclined_orbit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geosynchronous_orbit Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This one is a quick Q&A based on common questions I get on the channel. It's mainly for channel members and Patreon supporters, but might get released to the general channel eventually. Speaking of Q&As, maybe I should do a more formal one where people send in questions. Let me know in the comments if you like that idea! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

In addition to the VHF signals I've looked at before, many weather satellites also use something called HRPT (High Resolution Picture Transmission) on a microwave frequency. This is a little more challenging to detect, and requires tracking low orbit satellites as they pass by. After a LOT of struggling and failures, I was finally able to record and decode some of these higher-res satellite images. Ironically, the antenna feed that worked best was something made from coathangers and putty! I may try to follow up on this in a future video, since there are many more satellites that use this system, not just NOAA 19 which I used here. Some possibly-helpful links: Satellite pass calculator: https://www.n2yo.com/ Nano VNA V2: https://www.ebay.com/itm/353177205291 Calibrating and using the VNA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ti218ZUgaE Mini QFH Antenna kit (kinda sucks): https://www.ebay.com/itm/384774467100 Mini QFH antenna info: https://www.dd1us.de/Downloads/QFH-Antenna-Kit%20for%20L-band%20rev1.pdf QFH Antenna calculator: https://www.jcoppens.com/ant/qfh/calc.en.php Ground Plane antenna design (worked better!): https://m0ukd.com/calculators/quarter-wave-ground-plane-antenna-calculator/ Satdump software: https://github.com/SatDump/SatDump SDR++ Software: https://www.sdrpp.org/ Possible source for folding satellite dish: https://sub-lunar.com/products The following affiliate links give me a commission if you buy from them! RTL-SDR Blog V3 Software Defined Radio: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMKB3L47?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzgabeemer-20&creativeASIN=B0BMKB3L47&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.155I0QIXWTB54&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin&th=1 SAWbird+GOES LNA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K1M39H4?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzgabeemer-20&creativeASIN=B07K1M39H4&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.155I0QIXWTB54&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Checking out a Yeti Nano by Blue Microphones. I got this along with some other random auction stuff, so it's not a sponsored review. It's just something I wanted to try out for voiceovers. Turns out it doesn't sound all that great and is kind of a hassle to use. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Usually I politely decline when people offer to send me their old junk, as I have plenty of my own! However, occasionally a few things do make it through. This time we've got a box from @gardenfork as well as a few anonymous viewers (thank you!). There's some old tech, some random bits and pieces, and who knows what else! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Some small sea caves along the Oregon coast, as well as a visit to America's largest sea cave system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Lion_Caves) Some aerial videos are from the Oregon Shorezone project, used under Creative Commons CC-BY-SA (https://www.oregonshorezone.info/) Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This was supposed to be an easy use for those thermal cameras I've been reviewing, but it turns out to be really hard to map the heat distribution on a grill! For one thing, the flame is too hot for most of the cameras to handle. Then when you can see it, all you see is the flame. If you put something over the flame to spread out the heat, it kills the fire. All in all, this one is basically a failed project. Maybe we can try it again some time with better methods! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Recently Nornvin sent me a 1500W battery pack, but instead of doing a review I figured I'd build something with it! I pulled out an old sailboat hull I was hoarding, stuck on some old solar panels and a cheap electric trolling motor, and away it went! Originally I was planning to do a canopy / Jungle Cruise style boat, but @PeterSripol already did that, so I figured I'd make something different! Also I wasn't sure how much that would affect the center of gravity. Since Ax-Man Surplus had some lightweight fuel tank pod things, I used those for outriggers. This is probably one of my more successful projects, at least on the first try! Usually my DIY prototypes need a little more polishing and refining, but so far the solar boat seems pretty solid. I can run the 12v motor on setting 3 (about 3mph) with just the lighter plug on the Nornvin unit, or I can go up to level 5 (5mph) using the jumper cables (I do have to keep hitting the boost button if I do that). This is a fun boat for small lakes and areas where gas engines are banned. We might take it out on some other Twin Cities spots in the future! You can find Nornvin's battery pack here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCVMH6F6?ref=myi_title_dp There's currently a discount from the regular price of $1299 to $799 The only downside of the Nornvin pack is that it doesn't come with many cables. You can find the solar cable here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CPY91PN The dual spiltter for multiple panels is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09N9B1D1F And the jumper cable adapter is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8SWF9M6 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Since my 1hr Fishdome video (https://youtu.be/r9jbrmdKUQQ) had some positive reviews, here's another one of the fish pond! Just 1hr of the pond, the fish, and wild birds bathing in the pond and filter wetland. Music: 1: Light Awash 2: Drone in D 3: Infinite Perspective 4: Comfortable Mystery 1 - Film Noire All by Kevin MacLeod (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSZXFhRIx6b0dFX3xS8L1yQ) Comfortable Mystery 1 - Film Noire by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Finally a 2023 update on the jet boat project! It's been a struggle to find time between all my other projects and distractions, but we have been poking away at this for a while! In this installment we're removing the Berkely jet drive (again!), messing with the electrical system, and doing some other minor chores. This video is sponsored by aolithium, who sent me a LiFePO4 deep-cycle equivalent battery pack. It's a modern take on the 12v battery that includes built-in BMS, temperature sensors, and Bluetooth! You can check them out at: https://shrsl.com/463rj and use code "saveitforparts" for $30 off! I'd also like to mention JB Performance Jets, who is not a sponsor but is a pretty cool source of marine jet drive parts! You can reach them at 818-890-1867 Stay tuned for more Jet Boat updates in the (hopefully) near future! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've attempted to build a few wind generators in the past, but they never worked very well. Fortunately, Vevor sent me their FT500 model to try out! It's surprisingly affordable at only $126. The compact size made it easy to install, and it's fairly simple to assemble and wire up. I did get confused a bit by the manual and wiring diagram, fortunately you don't really need them to get it all put together. So far it's worked in winds from 5-50mph, and is rated up to 123mph (less than the max recorded in my area, not counting tornados). I've been using it to charge a 12v battery for off-grid use. You can find the wind generator at https://s.vevor.com/bfQm7N and use code: VVMH5%OFF for 5% off on all VEVOR products. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

By popular request, here's my attempt at a "simple" how-to starter guide for weather satellite decoding. This was surprisingly difficult to put together, taking me several days and multiple attempts to get it right. It also ended up being over 20 minutes long! According to my recent polls, you the viewers want more satellite stuff and longer videos, so hopefully this fits the bill! The satellites we're looking at in this video are NOAA's polar-orbiting series, NOAA 15, 18, 1n 19. More information about these can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_Operational_Environmental_Satellites The satellites transmit data on a variety of frequencies, the easiest for us to use are in the 137mhz VHF range. You can hear these with most ham radios, police scanners, or certain handheld radios that cover VHF bands. You can also use a software defined radio (SDR) connected to a computer. A basic antenna works fine, but a slightly better antenna are the old TV "rabbit ears" set sideways in a "V" shape. The video has two methods for receiving and processing satellite images. You can just use a cheap handheld radio and your cell phone (method 1), or you can use an SDR and computer (method 2). I'll include some more links to all the hardware and software involved, as well as other walk-through guides. (I find it helpful to read multiple guides and watch multiple videos when learning a new hobby or skill like this, as one source might miss a detail or be hard to understand). Hardware and gadgets I mentioned: - Baofeng radio: https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV-5R-136-174-400-480Mhz-1800mAh/dp/B074XPB313/ - Fancy antenna for Baofeng (optional): https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BTECH/dp/B00KC4PWQQ - Software Defined Radio and antenna kit: https://www.amazon.com/RTL-SDR-Blog-RTL2832U-Software-Defined/dp/B0BMKB3L47 - SAWbird+NOAA AMplifier / Filter (Optional extra): https://www.amazon.com/Nooelec-SAWbird-NOAA-Ultra-Low-Applications/dp/B07TWPR871 Software: - Android Wave Editor: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.sbaud.wavstudio&hl=en_US&gl=US - SDR++ (Windows, Mac, or Linux): https://www.sdrpp.org/ - GQRX (Alternative to SDR++, Linux only): https://gqrx.dk/ - SDR# (Another alternative, supposedly easier to use but more hassle to install): https://airspy.com/download/ - SatDump (for decoding recorded signals): https://github.com/SatDump/SatDump - NOAA-APT (alternative to Satdump): https://noaa-apt.mbernardi.com.ar/ - WXtoIMG (Another alternative decoder): https://wxtoimgrestored.xyz/ - Raspberry-NOAA v2 (For Raspberry Pi, advanced option!): https://github.com/jekhokie/raspberry-noaa-v2 Alternate pre-installed image version: https://www.qsl.net/do3mla/raspberry-pi-images.html Website for calculating future satellite passes: https://www.n2yo.com/ Website for decoding wav recordings of satellite signals: https://apt.open-weather.community/ Here are some additional helpful resources and guides: - NOAA APT Satellite guide: https://noaa-apt.mbernardi.com.ar/guide.html - Another guide: https://usradioguy.com/noaa-apt-reception/ - Official NOAA howto guide: https://noaasis.noaa.gov/NOAASIS/pubs/Users_Guide-Building_Receive_Stations_March_2009.pdf - And another walkthrough document: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/NOAA-Satellite-Tracking-and-Decoding-Guide-V2.pdf - V-dipole antenna setup: http://rfelektronik.se/manuals/Datasheets/DIY%20137MHz%20WX-sat%20V-dipole%20antenna.pdf - QFH Antenna build (advanced option): https://usradioguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/20200307-How-To-Build-A-QFH.pdf Saveitforparts t-shirts (like the one I'm wearing!) and other merch can be found at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've found a few obsolete Amazon Kindle tablets at garage sales and surplus sales and whatnot. Usually they're about $5 for the oldest e-ink type and $10-20 for the ones from the last decade. With all this old tech floating around, it would be nice to bring it back to life and do something useful with it! So what can you do with an old Kindle? I've tried: -Reading books! (Obvious I know, but they are still good for that!) -Reading old magazines from the Internet Archive (free back issues!) -To-do lists and shopping lists (works but kinda meh, paper is still easier) -Watching Amazon video (amazingly even the 2011 model can do this) -Youtube videos! This was the hardest thing to accomplish! After poking around with multiple old Kindle tablets and accidentally updating a couple (which makes them much less useful), I was able to get Youtube onto a couple of them. It's a lot of hassle and honestly, probably not worthwhile. I just hate to see these things rotting away in the junk drawer or getting thrown in a landfill, so it's nice to make them do something new and interesting! Note that I got all of these used and didn't sign up or agree to anything on them. If you bought one of these things directly from Amazon, you might technically be breaking some obscure user agreement by doing any non-Amazon stuff. These days you never really "own" anything you buy from a big tech company, and they'll constantly be trying to coerce you into throwing away the old one and buying a new product. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Yes, it's another product review, but this one is actually going into a future satellite antenna project! I'm using Elecrow's new "CrowVision" 11.6" touchscreen along with a Raspberry Pi and stepper motor hat to control an RV antenna. This one is a work in progress, I'm still in the early concept phase. Hopefully the full project video will show up later this year! You can find more about the Crowvision 11.6" screen here: https://www.elecrow.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=crowvision Elecrow also has a promotion for PCB&3D Printing & Acrylic Laser Cutting services: PCB&3D Printing&Acrylic Laser Cutting Special Promotion link: https://www.elecrow.com/special-offer.html?idd=5 Raspberry Pi purchase link：https://www.elecrow.com/mcu/raspberry-pi.html?cat=123_raspberry-pi-main-board?idd=5 Raspberry Pi 4 B Giveeaway drawing: https://gleam.io/d3nd3/raspberrypi-4-model-b-giveaway And you can find more great DIY products and parts at https://www.elecrow.com/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Our fish pond has some ongoing water loss due to evaporation, animal use, plant use, and occasionally good old fashioned leaks. To save on carrying a million buckets from the rain barrels, I built a pre-treatement system and refill reservoir for city water. Tap water first goes into the blue barrel, where we add 10ml of Aqua-Safe per ~50 gallons. That neutralizes the Chlorine and Chloramine that could hurt fish and snails. As needed, we dump the treated water from the barrel into the fish pond via an underground pipe. I'd like to automate this with a series of filters and float valves, but ran out of time to do that for this video. Maybe later in the summer, or next year, we'll have a more hands-off pond management system! More about the pond here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1fSLt87-Vs And some other recent work here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe-HirPVuxc Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Yes, this is a review, but it's a pretty darn cool product, and one I'll be using for future project videos! The TwoTrees TS2 is a 20W laser engraver/cutter that's perfect for a relatively small garage workshop like mine. It can engrave wood, plastic, rubber, leather, and metal, and can cut wood up to about 1/4". It's fantastic for making signs, stencils, plaques, awards, coasters, keychains, and more! It's also capable of cutting out puzzle or flat-pack designs to create 3D objects from thin plywood! I found this to be a highly capable and flexible machine that did almost everything I tried. The only drawbacks I could find are a slightly steep learning curve, and a lot of smoke when cutting wood. Those can be solved with extra practice and a good vent fan. You can find this product on TwoTrees' website at: https://bit.ly/3K0aOeo Coupon Code： SFP100 TS2 20W assembling video: https://youtu.be/J1KmLBGpN_0 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is kind of a throwback to the 1800s, a human-powered pump railroad car! This type of handcar is often seen in old movies, cartoons, and games, but they were a legitimate rail vehicle 150 years ago! Mine is made with wheels from Railriders.net, who were so interested in my railroad speeder projects that they donated a used set. Big thanks to them for making this video possible! You can find their products at https://www.railriders.net/ As with all my railroad vehicle projects, this is being done on completely abandoned tracks that are physically disconnected from any other rail line and are not used by any railroad. Some of the tracks were left as decoration in a local park, and others are on the way to becoming a bike trail. As this is a part 1 video, we'll have some follow-up with improvements and hopefully longer trips! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is the smallest thermal camera I've ever seen! It also comes with a macro lens, which is a cool addition. It goes great with a tiny Android phone like the Palm. The camera has a good temperature range and a very intuitive interface. It's easy to use but also has some professional features. I had a few minor issues, the camera didn't work with an older Android phone (it's designed for Android 9 and above with OTG). It also saves photos and video in an obscure part of the phone's memory, so you'll need to copy files out manually if you want them on your computer. Links from the seller: Get 20% off discount during the 2023 Amazon Prime Day Sale: US: For Android device: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BG72B2RJ?ref=myi_title_dp For IOS device: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BHY4PN7R?ref=myi_title_dp UK: For Android/IOS devices: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BG72B2RJ?ref=myi_title_dp&th=1 DE: For Android/IOS devices: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0BG72B2RJ?ref=myi_title_dp Get 10% off discount in Pergear: Code: P2PRO0602 https://www.pergear.com/products/infiray-p2-pro Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Since last week's video on this satellite got a lot of interest, here's a follow-up! I wanted to address the most common questions from last time and correct a couple minor errors. I also wanted to try some different techniques of listening to this satellite, including different frequencies and other antennas. More information on the satellite here: https://usradioguy.com/satellites/meteor-m-no-2-3/ More info on the image scanner system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whisk_broom_scanner This is the type of rooftop antenna I use, connected to an SDR and Raspberry Pi computer: https://usradioguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/20200307-How-To-Build-A-QFH.pdf This is my current favorite software-defined radio for general experimenting: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-blog-v-3-dongles-user-guide/ For better 1.7ghz / HRPT reception, I use a SAWbird+GOES filter/amplifier gadget: https://www.amazon.com/Nooelec-SAWbird-GOES-Ultra-Low-Applications/dp/B07K1M39H4/ The folding satellite dish is a "Cyberex CN7500". I don't think they've been made since the '80s, but this company makes something similar: https://sub-lunar.com/products I'm mostly recording satellite signals on Linux using rtl_fm, with the following settings (these might not be the best in every situation, I'm still learning how to do this!): timeout 15m rtl_fm -M raw -s 120000 -f 137.1M -E dc -g 48 -p 1 (right angle bracket) raw_dump.raw I'm then using sox to create a wav file: sox -t raw -r 120k -c 2 -b 16 -e s "raw_dump.raw" -t wav raw_dump.wav And then I process that wav file with SatDump: https://github.com/SatDump/SatDump I also tried streaming from my computer with the SDR and antenna, using rtl_tcp as follows: rtl_tcp -f 137.1M -s 250000 -b 16 -a (ip address) And then connecting from the Recorder tab in SatDump. That seemed to work pretty well. I was told SDR++ works better as the streaming source, but could not get it to install on my Raspberry Pi. More info on HRPT and antennas here: https://sgcderek.github.io/blog/beginner-hrpt-guide.html I've also tried LeanHRPT, but I did my recording wrong for that: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/leanhrpt-a-set-of-tools-for-the-manipulation-of-hrpt-data/ (UPDATE: I heard that Meteor M2-3 switched BACK to 137.9mhz after I made this, but who knows which frequency they'll finally settle on). Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've heard of inflatable car jacks, usually on late-night TV between ads for questionable diet supplements and novelty pillows. I never thought I'd see one of these ridiculous things in the wild, until Ax-Man found one! This one isn't really a review or sponsored video, since this thing is probably worth negative money. It's more of a look at a weird and wacky product that Ax-Man gave me since they couldn't think of anything better to do with it! It turns out the inflatable car jack concept is just as stupid as it sounds. The thing takes up as much space as a real jack, is harder to use, slower to use (if it works at all), more dangerous, and makes my engine very unhappy. This is just all around a useless and unsafe product! Fortunately, Ax-Man could tell that just by looking at it, which is why they WON'T sell you one! For potentially useful products, check out https://www.ax-man.com/ or https://www.ebay.com/str/axmansurplusstores Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Recently the owner of Sandland was in a car accident and it's thrown things for a bit of a loop. He's recovering, but digging and volunteer organizing have gotten a little disorganized. We have a GoFundMe running to help him out with immediate expenses as he navigates the American insurance and medical industries: https://www.gofundme.com/f/slim-jims-accident-recovery (All donations go directly to Jim, not to me, this channel, or Sandland). Much like our digging schedule, this video is a bit of a mess! We've got Sandland and Sand Bar projects all over the place in no particular order! We're expanding the bar, expanding the closet, making the manhole deeper, fixing broken stuff, using new haulage routes, catching up on old footage, and just generally trying to do everything at once! With the owner recovering from his accident, more of the volunteers are helping out wherever they can. Stay tuned for future Sandland updates and projects! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

My last video on Russian Meteor satellites was pretty popular, so I did a follow up now that another satellite in this series has been launched. This one is brand new, going into orbit June 27th of 2023. It replaces the older Meteor M2-2 that suffered damage earlier this year and stopped transmitting on 137mhz. I had a lot of trouble getting the signal from this one recorded and processed, and there are probably things I could have done better. What seemed to work best for me was: 1: Looking up pass times on n2yo.com 2: Recording the signal on 137.9Mhz during the pass, with a RTL-SDR v3, SAWbird-NOAA filter, and QFH antenna connected to a Raspberry Pi computer (timeout 15m rtl_fm -M raw -s 120000 -f 137.9M -E dc -g 48 -p 1 raw_dump.raw) 3: Converting that output to a wav file (sox -t raw -r 120k -c 2 -b 16 -e s "raw_dump.raw" -t wav raw_dump.wav) 4: Opening the wav file in Satdump, using pipeline for Meteor M2-x LRPT, and using frequency offset of 1 and DC blocking on. Satdump-ui seemed to work more reliably on a Linux desktop than Windows. Satdump can be found here: https://github.com/SatDump/SatDump Raspberry-NOAA v2 (which may eventually have an automated script for this): https://github.com/jekhokie/raspberry-noaa-v2 QFH Antenna instructions: https://usradioguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/20200307-How-To-Build-A-QFH.pdf More info on Meteor M2-3 Satellite: https://usradioguy.com/satellites/meteor-m-no-2-3/ My prior video on Meteor M2-2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_QpKGK0tuE Prior video about my Cyberdeck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8XOqrKBM5w Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This one is a product review, but also a bonus Sandland visit! We're checking out the tunnels with a rugged thermal camera from Vevor to see what things look like. It's a great way to find caves by looking for temperature differences, and you can even use it to navigate underground without any other light source! I mentioned not being able to open the video files created by the camera. Vevor suggested using a program called Handbrake, shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oltoOSAziU&t=385s Vevor links: Code: VVMH5%OFF (5% off on all VEVOR products) US site: https://s.vevor.com/bfQjMI CA site: https://s.vevor.com/bfQmUz AU site: https://s.vevor.com/bfQkLD EU site: https://s.vevor.com/bfQmUH (Without visible light version) DE site: https://s.vevor.com/bfQmUV (Without visible light version) Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I'm a sucker for oddball computers, so when I saw this gizmo show up at a surplus sale I just had to have it! The MobileDemand T7200 is a Windows 7 device, running on Intel Atom processor with fairly old specs but lots of accessory options. There are ports all over, an add-on keyboard, pen input, camera, barcode scanner, etc. I've tried a few things like field programming radios, maintaining cameras and 3D printers, and general tablet "stuff", but still haven't found an ideal use for the thing. If anyone out there has a suggestion for how to use this, let me know in the comments! If I like your idea it might show up in a future video. Otherwise I'll be hoarding this for when I eventually need a handheld tablet with a serial port! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

EIOTCLUB sent me one of their prepaid SIM cards for use in wireless devices. It's pretty simple to set up, and lets me run an off-grid remote security camera. You can purchase EIOT SIM cards here: www.eiotclub.com EIOTCLUB Direct: https://bit.ly/3r0STh1 Amazon US：https://amzn.to/3phIPzB Amazon CA:  https://amzn.to/3EHhNWH #EIOTCLUB #EIOTCLUBSIMCARD Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

The Otofix D1 Lite is a self-contained wireless OBDII code reader system, including a bluetooth interface and rugged tablet. It's great for checking and servicing your car, with a variety of apps for diagnostics, system settings, etc. It also includes a built-in customer and vehicle database for use in a commercial shop. Otofix Links: Link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/144460652510 Coupon: MOTOR-D1LITE Extra $20 off Offer valid: Jun 26, 2023 - Jul 7, 2023. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Since everyone else has already launched or sunk or melted down their silver play buttons, I decided to do something a little different! I hooked it up to a NanoVNA and it just happens to resonate around 250-260mhz. That means I can use it as a Satcom antenna to listen to US Military satellites! Since the FLTSATCOM units were launched in the 1970s before security was invented, most users today are truck drivers in Brazil. I've done another video about the phenomenon here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT2i7mFpFxM By itself the play button isn't a very good antenna, but when it's hooked up to a satellite dish it actually works! I could hear Portuguese voices on various Satcom transponders, probably truck drivers and loggers using it as an informal CB radio system. Thanks to everyone who helped me hit 100k! My cats have their own Youtube channel @donnyfluff, go check them out and help them hit 1,000 subscribers! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

A few years ago we dug a pond in the back yard and put some goldfish in it. The filter system was designed as a "natural" swamp or bog, with water bubbling up through filter media and plants. Over time the plumbing developed some leaks and we started losing water through various spots. Originally all the pipes were underground and equipped with heat tape for the winter. Unfortunately this seems to have failed, so we've had to switch over to mostly above-ground piping. In this video I'm digging out the swamp pond, replacing the dirt media with gravel, and re-doing some of the pipes. It's more documentation than how-to, although if anyone's curious about our design I did throw in some diagrams and build photos. We'll have some more pond videos coming up, including an automatic refill system, so stay tuned for those! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This little gadget measures Electric, Magnetic, and Radio Frequency fields. I was curious to see how it works and what I could use it for. Unfortunately I couldn't find much of a guide to actually using these for anything in real life, most of the info online seems to be from questionable sources. The unit itself does seem to respond to electrical fields, static electricity, strong magnets (but not fridge magnets), and various radio devices. You can find the Olmlmo EMF Meter here: https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Frequency-Rechargeable-Radiation-Inspections/dp/B0BX5MJNNP 5% Discount Code:KBMRWWW3, effective date is Jun19, 2023, 12:00 AM PDT - Jun25, 2023, 11:45 PM PDT. #Olmlmo #emfmeter You can find more information on EMF at the following links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMF_measurement https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf/index.cfm https://www.ehs.iastate.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/manuals/emf.pdf Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is another portable power station and solar panel combo I tried out. I've been happy with the Allpowers brand before, they seem to be decent quality and have a well-thought-out design. The R600 is a 600W, 299Wh LiFePO4 battery with wireless charging, UPS mode, dual AC output, 4 USB outputs and 3 DC outputs. It can be charged from a solar panel, wall adapter, or vehicle lighter plug. As far as my review, the only issues I noticed were a somewhat loud fan, and a Bluetooth app that wanted too much information. The other features on the power bank were great, and I really appreciated the flexibility in power input and output options. You can find more information or purchase one of these units below: R600 Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZSD95M9/ref 10% Off code: JDIB5S2C R600 power station Allpowers site: https://reurl.cc/qLkjyD Allpowers solar panel: https://reurl.cc/AAdmn8 20% Off coupon code: 2US20 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is both a video and a question to the audience: What can we do with these things? Best/worst answer might show up in a future video! They're about 50" in diameter and 67" long/tall. Made out of similar stuff to inflatable boats. Best part is, they only cost $45! You could make a pretty huge raft with four of them for under $200! Other suggestions so far have included: - Terrible rope swing (which we test in the video!) - Salvage sunken boats - Ninja jousting platforms - Paintball bunkers - Boat racing course - Tow behind a car and try to hit targets - Holiday decorations - Giant water wings - Excavator tetherball - Tackling dummy - Your idea here????? Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've been a fan of the August Schell Brewing Company since I moved to Minnesota. They have a beautiful historic brewery in the small town of New Ulm, and they're the 2nd oldest family-owned brewery in the US. In addition to their historic line of brews, they also produce the popular Grain Belt line of beverages. Since many historic Minnesota breweries used sandstone caves to store ice and beer, I was curious what Schell's might have underneath their property. It turns out that part of the cave complex still exists, and is still used for barrel aging beer! We were able to take a peek at what's left of the original caves, and learn some of the history behind them. This video is more history / interview than most of my usual projects. If you'd like to see more videos like this focusing on local caves or other historic spots, let me know in the comments! You can find more info on Schell's at their website, https://www.schellsbrewery.com, including brewery and cave tours! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Aferiy recently sent me their T200Pro power bank and 100W solar panel for review. This one is a little more basic than some of the battery power stations I've checked out. The battery technology is older and there are no extra features like UPS mode. On the plus side, this one offers more USB outlets and a quieter fan. I experienced a few issues with this one. Aferiy was very quick and professional with their replies to some of my feedback. For example, after seeing the shipping damage in my video, they said they will use double boxes in the future. They also said they'll correct some of the typos and confusing information in the manual. (For example, the blink mode on the light requires a long press, which isn't clear from the manual). I was quite happy with the solar panel's output on a partly-cloudy day, it maxed out the 90W that the power bank can take as input. The only issue was a missing cable to connect the two, but I was able to use the two car adapters instead. 1.Product Name: AFERIY Portable Power Station 200W / 224Wh URL: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3CSQS5K Reg.Price: $299.99 Final Price: $164.99 Code: 45saveitforp Start Time: 06/12/2023 Expiration Date: 06/30/2023 2.Product Name: AFERIY Solar Panel 100W URL: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZ7XW5WQ Reg.Price: $199 Final Price: $159.2 Code: 20saveitforp Start Time: 06/12/2023 Expiration Date: 06/30/2023 AFERIY official website:https://www.aferiy.com/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

In this video I'm listening to the amateur (ham) radio repeater on the International Space Station (ISS). This is pretty easy to do with just a $20 radio, and is really quite fun! I don't often do pure "how-to" videos, since I'm usually filming myself learning a new skill or process and I'm not an expert at most of the stuff I do. However, a bunch of people asked if I could make this simple and understandable, so that's what I've tried to do! I'm also trying out some slightly more complicated space radio things, such as a directional antenna and an antenna aiming system. These aren't really needed for listening to the ISS, but I'm hoping to use them on some other things like cubesats in the future. Here are some additional helpful resources: ISS frequencies and operational status: https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html Station tracking and pass prediction: https://www.n2yo.com/ Station tracking on Android phone, with live AR view: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vitotechnology.SatelliteTracker&hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1 Info on amateur radio, a great way to learn more about topics like this: http://www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio More info about listening to the ISS (on another frequency) with a scanner or ham radio: https://swling.com/blog/tag/how-to-listen-to-the-international-space-station/ Radio programming software: https://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Home (Requires a USB programming cable) Antenna tuning with NanoVNA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJYeFpiqY8c And here are some links to some of the equipment I used (these aren't sponsored and I'm not getting a cut from any of these, you may be able to find them cheaper on eBay or other sources as well!). Cheap handheld radio (Please note its usually illegal to transmit with these without a license, depending on frequency / location) https://amzn.to/3Lsyt7J Nagoya antenna: https://amzn.to/3Sd8ncw Directional Yagi antenna: https://www.amazon.com/HYS-Antenna-400-470Mhz-Outdoor-Two-Way/dp/B0829SS82P https://amzn.to/3WwjFva NanoVNA: https://www.ebay.com/itm/175675394706 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This spring I built a Catio fo our little monsters Donny and Fluff (who have their own channel @donnyfluff ). It's made of cedar 2x2s covered in chicken wire and screen, with internal platforms spiraling up from ground level to nearly 10ft tall! This has been a big project taking several weeks to complete, but it's been well worth it! The cats love to climb around out there and watch wildlife. We'll probably be adding things to the catio like hammocks and ramps and other accessories in the future, which I might show on the other channel (https://www.youtube.com/@donnyfluff). Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

The Oupes 600W power bank is a portable LiFePO4 battery with multiple charging and output options. It has Sine Wave AC out, Dual USB A, USB C, 12v lighter socket and two 12v barrel plugs. It can be charged from your wall and/or USB adapter, from your car, or from a solar panel. This is a sponsored review since Oupes sent me this to test. I tried to give it a fair and honest trial run, and I didn't find anything to complain about. The device does lack some of the fancier features of other power banks I've seen, with no wireless charging or bluetooth, but for me those aren't important. It weighs in at around 15lbs, and is fairly convenient for camping or bringing on the go. I took it out camping and it worked great to inflate an air mattress, charge up phones and drone batteries, light up the tent, etc. You can find more about the Oupes 600W power bank at the links below: Official link: https://bit.ly/45ES9xL Discount code: saveparts (10% OFF applies to all products on the official website) Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094W1V7XC Discount code: saveparts (10% OFF applies to all 600W products) Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Ever since my satellite videos became popular, a certain percentage of commenters have been of the... not-round-earth persuasion. In this video, we're investigating if the Earth really does travel through space atop a vintage Ford Fiesta inside a giant fish. We also interview some birds to see if they're secretly government drones, and we try to determine if Florida exists. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've raved about the wonders of Ax-Man Surplus on this channel before, and I've devoted several videos to weird random things I found there. By popular demand, here's a video tour of the store! Ax-Man sells a little bit of everything, from industrial equipment to science gadgets to government surplus to random unidentifiable knick-knacks. You can find electronics, motors, gears, cloth, tape, toys, beakers, lights, crafts, radio parts, tools, art, luggage, media, clothes, housewares, hardware, and tons of other stuff. There's a wide array of regular categories as well as random rotating oddities and one-off items. The store has supplied my projects and enabled my hoarding habit for over a decade. Ax-Man didn't technically sponsor this video, as I contacted them to ask if I could film there. However, they were very enthusiastic and helpful and even dug out some old historic photos and info about the building! They also had some ideas for future videos and projects on my channel, which should be showing up in the near future! If you'd like to visit Ax-Man in person, their stores are located in: St Paul: https://goo.gl/maps/nWjv137xTpDRJQHu5 Fridley: https://goo.gl/maps/P6LKPhABCWiAkwAh8 St. Louis Park: https://goo.gl/maps/ejMRVw5Jjau4BGJC6 You can find them online at https://www.ax-man.com/ And on eBay at https://www.ebay.com/str/axmansurplusstores Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've been meaning to learn about microcontrollers like Arduino and ESP-32 for a while. Then Elecrow contacted me and offered an all-in-one ESP32 terminal to test out. You can find more about this terminal here: https://www.elecrow.com/esp-terminal-3-5-inch-320-480-spi-tft-capacitive-touch-display-with-ov2640-camera.html?ann In addition to electronics devices like this Elecrow offers 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC, and PCB services. You can find more products and services from Elecrow at https://www.elecrow.com/?ann Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

After I appeared on the @gardenforkradio podcast, Eric sent me some of his old stuff! Because I definitely don't have enough of my own old stuff already! This is actually a pretty generous care package, including a camcorder and a Raspberry Pi! They're both older, but that's just perfect for this channel! I think Eric's old camera might be a little better than my current one, it certainly has less sand in it! Check out Gardenfork's content at: https://www.youtube.com/@gardenfork and https://www.youtube.com/@gardenforkradio And you can listen to me babble about dumpster diving and redneck projects on the podcast at https://youtu.be/8vWEHLXBydA Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've been dabbling in astronomy lately, and this telescope was so bad that it almost turned me off the hobby completely! This is NOT a sponsored review, I wasted a whole $50 of my own money on this thing, and I kind of regret doing so! Yes, I got this 2nd hand with some wear and tear... however, I also have a 3rd or 4th hand telescope that's 60+ years old, also has wear and tear... and is 200% better than this thing. I guess they really did make things better in the old days. This is the rare project where I couldn't even find useful parts to recycle. The Solomark telescope is so bad that there's nothing I can really re-use! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is another partial teardown and attempt to interface with a Winegard satellite dish. This one is a Carryout G2+ model, slightly different than the Dish Playmaker we messed with before. It's also a bit different from the Tailgater and VuQube models we've messed with in the past. While I wasn't able to connect to the Wintegard over USB or serial port, it does have some possibilities for re-use. The stepper motors could be controlled with a Raspberry Pi, and the receiver could be replaced with an RTL-SDR. That means we could do more scan projects like our mini radiotelescope in a prior video. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Almost every spring, there's an event known as the "Hundred-Mile Garage Sale" along the upper Mississippi River. Stretching from Red Wing to Winona in Minnesota, and from Fountain City to Prescott in Wisconsin, both sides of the river have sales and swap meets and all kinds of fun cheap junk! Sales like this are a great source of cheap / free parts, projects, tools, etc. It's perfect for a channel like mine where almost everything is recycled! I especially like the free piles, and this year we found more free stuff than we bought! The sale adventure was sadly cut short by thunderstorms and rain, but we managed to collect at least a couple interesting finds. Some of this junk will probably show up in future videos on the channel. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

The TC001 is a portable thermal camera that plugs into your phone. It's a great way to quickly check your house, appliances, electronics etc for unexpected hot or cold spots. It also has some interesting industrial and scientific features right in the Topdon app, including constant thermal monitoring and graphing. I found the TC001 to be really convenient and easy to use. It needs very little setup beyond downloading the app, and the controls and settings are fairly intuitive. The only downside is the lack of a dedicated landscape mode. The camera also ships with a desktop adapter cable so you can use it with your computer. The Windows software is a little more basic and doesn't seem to have as many features as the Android app. It would still be handy for classroom or office use. I used the Topdon imager to spot animals at night, to see heat and cold leaks from my household equipment, and of course to check out my cats in thermal vision! It's a really fun little device. It's also more portable, higher resolution, and more convenient than some of the larger handheld thermal cameras I've tried in the past. This would be perfect to bring camping and look for wildlife. It would also be ideal to put in your pocket and bring to a job site for monitoring building design, electrical systems, or science experiments. Topdon also sent me the following coupon codes, if anyone is interested in picking one of these up for themselves: TC001 (Andriod version): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7LMB22Q 5% Code: 05H5QDQH From 5/12 12:01 AM PDT to 5/18 11:59 PM PDT TC002 (IOS version): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYHP8KM9 10% Code: AWBYIL6L From 05/12/2023 12:01 AM PDT to 05/21/2023 11:59 PM PDT Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is a follow up to my Tailgater satellite dish microwave imager (Part 1 here: https://youtu.be/lVOTZxNCgTM). In this video I've increased the resolution, attempted to repair a second antenna, and tried out some suggestions from Github users. While only some of these things have been partly successful, it still seemed like an interesting follow up. The original project involved converting a portable satellite antenna into a microwave imager or Ku band "camera". This motorized dish scans and records signal strength to create a heat map of microwave radio energy. It's great for seeing satellites in geostationary orbit and creating images from reflected microwave energy. More information on this project is available on my website: https://saveitforparts.wordpress.com/2023/03/29/a-cheap-and-relatively-easy-microwave-imager-radiotelescope/ The code (including the latest high-resolution updates) is available for free on Github: https://github.com/saveitforparts/Tailgater-Microwave-Imaging Recently @TheHardwareNerd has been doing a similar project. Check out his first video here: https://youtu.be/i_LbI49jbR0 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Just a quick update on all my free semi-working 3D printers. I've moved them into the house for the summer, as I've learned PLA doesn't like humidity and the garage can get pretty humid. I had to make some space in the basement, but there's finally a home for some of my electronic crafting junk! Now I just need to learn 3D modeling and figure out how to incorporate 3D printing into more of my projects! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This was another obsolete gadget I bought because it looked interesting. It's a 90s-era industrial computer designed for intventory tracking, barcode scanning, timeclock use, etc. The brain is a VG-230 Palmtop processor, and it has a little CGA screen, dual PCMCIA slots, miniature keyboard, and rugged case. Unfortunately it's not all that useful these days, and has been made even less useful by the prior owner cleaning out the firmware of any interesting programs. If I could get it to talk to a serial port I could theoretically install DOS or a terminal emulator. However, I haven't had any luck getting it to communicate via RS-232. I'm currently looking for ideas for this, the leading one being to gut it and replace the insides with modern hardware. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is the sad tale of what happens when a professional dumpster diver tries buying a new, name-brand product! (I don't have a project or build in this video, it's just me complaining for 5 minutes :-) ) Way back in 2021 I bought a Craftsman weedwhacker, recalling ye olde time when that brand meant something. After it broke on the 3rd use, I tried another thing people used to do in the olden days: A warranty repair. That was the last time I ever saw the weedwhacker. It's now March of 2023, and for 15+ months the repair place either lost it, gave up on it, or otherwise didn't do anything. After calling them monthly for updates, I finally got a check in the mail from the manufacturer. Meanwhile, I probably spent more than the check is worth driving between stores, sitting on hold on the phone, etc. I guess this is one of those learning experiences, now I've learned: - Name brands mean nothing but higher prices - Warranties are a waste of time and money - Buying anything new is for suckers! So it's back to my dumpster diving and garage sale ways! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Recently Olight sent me one of their products to test; the Marauder Mini flashlight. This light offers 7,000 lumens of power with multiple modes in a rugged, waterproof package. The controls and lens are sealed, and the charging is via magnetic cable, so there are no ports or holes in the case. It's conveniently small and portable, and held up well to real-world testing in some underground tunnels. Get your Marauder Mini: https://www.olightstore.com/s/LNVD7U Use 10% coupon code when shopping in the Olight store: SIFP10 (not valid on sales items nor X9R) And you can check out other Olight products, including headlamps, tactical lights, and tools, by visiting their website https://www.olightstore.com/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Ax-Man surplus in St. Paul is probably my favorite store, along with their branches in Fridley and St. Louis Park. I buy everything from project parts to camera junk to mysterious-but-cheap gizmos just because they look cool! (This video isn't sponsored by Ax-Man, but I still highly recommend them as a source of infinitely cool projects, parts, and "stuff"! Check them out at https://www.ax-man.com/ ) This particular "thing" had no identifying marks on it, but only cost $2.95, so of course I bought it! After tearing it apart and doing some Google Image sleuthing, I've determined it's most likely a "Scientific Atlanta Surge-Gap Drop Amplifier", a device for improving cable TV signals. I can probably use it with my SDR and radio stuff in the future. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Introducing a new (yes NEW) Saveitforparts Merch Store! For both people who actually want to pay money to wear my MS Paint designs! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

In this episode we're making some connections between tunnels! Sandland's new 3rd entrance adit is now linked up with the underground donut room, sand bar, and mazes! In addition we've connected the utility crawlway with the bar drift, so we have a way to route pipes and wires deeper into the underground system. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

In this video, we're checking out the Andonstar AD207S-Pro Digital Microscope , available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4V95946 This is a sponsored video, but I always try to be fair and balanced with my product reviews. I found the Andonstar microscope to be much better than a traditional microscope, and much easier to film with! The unit is ready to go after some minor setup, and you can get started looking at the example slides included with it, or your own samples. You can save HD video and high res photos to an SD card, the quality looks great. It's perfect for amateur science, education, crafts, electronics, and more. If you want to do more rigorous scientific things with it, you can download Andonstar's software to calibrate measurements, overlay grids, change more settings, and import images directly into documents. If you'd like to buy one of these, the Amazon page is: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4V95946 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Recently the local Fox station found out about my snow bar (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGr1kfQGb30) and decided it was newsworthy! The piece can be seen here: https://www.fox9.com/news/st-paul-man-turns-pile-of-snow-into-backyard-bar Immediately afterwards, August Schell Brewing Co (https://www.schellsbrewery.com/) contacted me, as I had some of their Grain Belt Premium beer in the video. They were kind enough to send me a free case and some cool merch! I just wanted to say thanks to Schell's Brewing, and to Maury Glover with Fox 9. It's been an interesting spring! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I tend to use a lot of 2nd-hand products on this channel, including behind the scenes to do the filming! Right now my main camera is a Sony Handycam HDR-CX440 that I found 2nd-hand. I also recently bought a used Canon Vixia HF10, so I decided to see how the two compare. On paper, the Canon has better video specs: Sony HDR-CX440 Canon Vixia HF10 Sensor: 1/32" 1/5.8" Resolution: 2.9 Megapixel 3.3 Megapixel Zoom: 30x Optical 12x Optical Light: 6 lux 3 lux Battery: 1240mAh Up to 3000mAh Memory: 8GB (plus Micro SD) 16GB (Plus SD Card) The Canon also offers more physical features and expansion options, including: - Hot shoe - Built-in light / flash - External mic jack - Threaded lens adapter However, the Sony has a better zoom range, better wide-angle lens, and is much more user friendly and convenient. The Canon is a little clunky and awkward to hold and operate. It also has more hoops to jump through when downloading video onto your computer. Personally, I prefer the Sony Handycam, but I'll keep the Canon Vixia around as a backup for when my clumsiness inevitably destroys the Sony. I might also use it for scenes where I need an external mic or a specialty lens. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Today we're opening up another portable satellite dish to see what's inside. In the past we've looked at a King Dome, VuQube, and some Dish Tailgater units. This one is a Winegard Playmaker, another entry into the field of "gadgets you bring to the sportsball game to watch sports while you watch sports". Unfortunately I wasn't able to do much hacking with this dish, as it doesn't play nice with USB the way the Tailgater did. I also had no luck upgrading the firmware. The one bonus of this design vs the others is its use of standard stepper motors. It would be relatively easy to convert this to use a Raspberry Pi or other microcontroller for a custom antenna project. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Recently I traded some of my portable satellite dishes for this 1980s version! It's a Cyberex CN-7500, approximately 7.5ft diameter, made of reflective mesh or netting with fiberglass ribs. It folds up much like an umbrella, so you can store it out of the way when not in use, or potentially take it on the road. While there aren't as many satellites still using C-band, you can find NASA TV feeds and a few other free television channels out there. It took some fiddling to get the dish aligned just right, there are a lot of variables like LNB skew and focal point in addition to the normal azimuth and elevation. I was also somewhat limited in which satellites I could aim at, since winter has left my yard half blocked with a giant snow pile. I'm looking forward to trying more experiments with this in the future. I have some ideas for more weather satellite and NOAA data downloads, radio astronomy, ham radio stuff, etc. It's a really nice addition to my growing pile of obsolete radio and space hardware! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

If you'd like to help dig cool underground tunnels, check out Sandland! The website is tunnelcity.com, or you can email [email protected] or check out the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sandland-181721285219560 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I converted a portable satellite antenna into a microwave imager or Ku band "camera". This small motorized dish scans around and records the signal strength to create a heat map of microwave radio energy. It's ideal for viewing satellites in geostationary orbit, finding RF leaks in a room, or creating images from reflected microwave energy. The hardware I used is a Dish "Tailgater" antenna, the 2014 version with onboard USB A port. I've seen other version of this antenna with different (or no) USB port, but this is the one I was able to connect to my computer and control with serial port commands. More information on this project is available on my website: https://saveitforparts.wordpress.com/2023/03/29/a-cheap-and-relatively-easy-microwave-imager-radiotelescope/ I've also put my code onto Github, free for anyone to use! https://github.com/saveitforparts/Tailgater-Microwave-Imaging (If you do use my code, I would love to hear what you did with it!) I would like to thank @forTodaysAdventure for helping with some Python code ideas. I would also like to mention a similar project by @thethoughtemporium using custom hardware and a larger satellite dish. That video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeah3fFYlnA&t=36s Professor James Aguirre has also imaged satellites with his Mini Radio Telescope (MRT) project, available here: https://github.com/UPennEoR/MiniRadioTelescope I used the website https://sky.rogue.space/ to visualize orbits and satellite locations. (prior .space url had an issue, but this one seems to work). Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

We got a LOT of snow in Minnesota in 2023. So much that my backyard snow pile grew to record size. What better use for a big pile than to tunnel out a backyard speakeasy? Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

You may have heard of the Very Large Array out in New Mexico, a field of big radio telescopes / satellite dishes for radio astronomy and research. This is my first attempt at building my own, much smaller version at home! This didn't turn out all that successful, probably because I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to antenna theory and proper tuning. Hopefully I can do a followup on this in the future! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

We're getting all fancy now, with a 2nd-hand green screen from a local auction! Suggestions for how to use this are welcome. So far my only real idea is to become an evil weatherman and send out fake forecasts! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I upgraded the infrared thermal camera on my Rasperry Picorder to an MLX90640 sensor (previously I was using an AMG8833 sensor with less resolution). After a few false starts and a possibly faulty sensor unit, I got the thermal camera mostly working. I still have a few issues to iron out, for example it doesn't want to work below 0 degrees C. Hopefully we can address some of those problems in a follow-up video. I also have a few more sensors and gadgets that I'd like to add to this device, such as RFID. Those will also be a future video! The thermal sensor I'm using (the one that works) is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QCT423T (I would recommend avoiding the cheaper ones on eBay, as the first one I got seems to be defective). The code I'm using to visualize sensor data can be found here: https://www.instructables.com/MLX90640-IR-Thermal-Camera-Working-With-Raspberry-/ I also tried these two methods / scripts, but couldn't get them to run on this picorder (Tom Shaffner's code worked on another Pi with a bigger screen, so maybe my LCD hat is just too small). https://tomshaffner.github.io/PiThermalCam/ https://everythingsmarthome.co.uk/building-a-raspberry-pi-thermal-imaging-camera-mlx90640-guide/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

#shorts Big thanks to railriders.net for hooking me up with some used wheels to try out! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Fellow Youtuber @ryanfrogz gave me his old 3D printer, which had a few issues. It's a Monoprice Maker Select V2, essentially a cheaper Prusa i3 clone (uses the same profile in Cura). I've actually used Monoprice products in the past, they're one of those import companies that's legit-ish enough that they don't randomize their name every month ;-) After fixing a jammed print head, replacing the cooling fan, and doing a few other small repairs and adjustments, I was able to print a test file. It compares decently well to my other two used 3D printers, and is certainly quieter and less annoying than the NoiseMakerbot. I still like the antique Printerbot the best, but I need to print new gears for it! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

The S200 from Allpowers is a great little battery pack for on-the-go charging. It helped me top off my drone batteries and cell phone while vacationing at a cabin in the Minnesota woods. I was then able to quickly recharge it with the Allpowers 60W solar panel kit. This is a sponsored review, but I would genuinely recommend this product for camping, hiking, boating, etc. I was impressed with the capacity, power output, and charging options. The battery and solar panel kit can be found here, with discount code! ALLPOWERS S200 Portable Power Bank: http://bit.ly/3Y7A7zq 15% off discount code: 2OT15 You can find more Allpowers products on their website at https://iallpowers.com/ You can also find them on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/stores/ALLPOWERS/page/CC91E5CF-7DCA-4996-A10D-9DAA81BC9740 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is kind of a catch-all video for the last year's worth of pond-related stuff. We had some filter and cattail issues, some racoon invasions, and other minor pond trouble. Other than that, the pond is still doing well, and is still attracting lots of birds and wildlife! Pond intro and construction photos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhtb-Wgocm4 Fishdome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdJxGaG5POg Water plants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IknPxYRsEw Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Back in the 1970s the US launched a number of satellite radio repeaters to geostationary orbit. They neglected to put any kind of access control or security on these, so criminals, hackers, and random radio users have taken them over. If you have an SDR or even a handheld radio that can tune in ~250-270mhz, you can listen in as well! The most common traffic you can hear on these "FLTSATCOM" satellites appears to be truck drivers in Central and South America. Supposedly they're also popular with loggers, drug smugglers, and others! I heard a few users speaking what I think is Portugese, but I'm not 100% sure. Please note that I am not transmitting or sending anything to these satellites, and I would not recommend anyone else do so. It is still illegal to use these if you're not an authorized US government employee! I've omitted or obscured a few details about how people access these satellites. I did find that a directional Yagi antenna tuned for ~255mhz worked pretty well for receiving signals from these satellites. I made it from scrap wood, scrap metal rods, and my existing antenna aiming mount made from an old security camera. I noticed the most traffic in the ~260-264mhz range, but the use pattern and timing might vary. Maybe in the future I'll try looking for pirate SSTV signals! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I don't usually publish the failed projects, but I had enough footage from this one that it's maybe semi-interesting? Or maybe it's just filler. Either way, here's 7+ minutes of not much happening, with occasional fire! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

After doing a number of satellite and radio astronomy experiments, I finally got tired of my old briefcase full of tangled radio gear. I dug through my collection of broken computers, old wires, spare parts, and other junk, and assembled an all-in-one space cyberdeck! This system combines most of my satellite and software-defined-radio gear into one portable platform. The hardware includes: - Touchscreen computer - RTL-SDR radio - Various filter / amp modules - Various WiFi modules - Satellite Meter / digital video player - PTZ control for my older dish pointers - LNB power injector - King-Dome / Vuqube control - Panel-mount port interfaces Software includes: - Q4OS (simple, low-resource Linux) - GQRX (standard SDR software) - Gpredict for satellite tracking - GOEStools, WXtoIMG, etc for weather satellites The system is fairly modular and expandable, with most major components simply stuck in with velcro tape. If I want to swap modules for a different experiment, I can just pop them out and replace with something else. Some of the parts I used include: - Datalux Tracer computer (found for $1.00 at a police auction). - RTL-SDR Blog v3 (https://www.amazon.com/RTL-SDR-Blog-RTL2832U-Software-Defined/dp/B0129EBDS2) - Wideband LNA (https://www.amazon.com/RTL-SDR-Blog-Wideband-Amplifier-Powered/dp/B07G14Q6XX/) - Talentcell 12v 6Ah battery pack (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ME3ZH7C) - Snpurdiri 60% keyboard (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097T276QL) - AC600 Wifi adapter (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z31W68W) - GTMedia v8 Satellite Meter (https://www.amazon.com/GT-MEDIA-Satellite-Measuring-Adjusting/dp/B0B4B84SLV/) - Old Dell PCMCIA wifi card - Old Broadcom Mini-PCI wifi card - King-Dome remote (None of these were sponsored products and I bought all of this myself) I'm planning to do a variety of projects and experiments with this system and my various 2nd-hand satellite antennas in the future. Stay tuned to see what I come up with! *Please note that my use of the term "hacking" refers to using hardware and software for unintended or experimental purposes, not anything unauthorized! I am not breaking, pirating, or transmitting anything. I'm simply poking around at old satellite hardware to see what can be freely and legally done with it! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I bought another mystery device from AxMan Surplus! This one is a vintage "Alnor Pyrocon", essentially an early analog probe thermomenter. After cleaning out the nasty rotten foam inside the case and swapping out the thermocouple tip, the thermometer works great! I'm not sure if I'd actually want to use it for cooking, but it sure looks cool! You can find Ax-Man stores in St. Paul, Fridley, or St. Louis Park MN, or online at https://www.ax-man.com/ (I am not sponsored by them, I just buy half my stuff there!). Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

In December 2022, Sandland was featured as the cover story of the ICMJ Mining Journal: https://www.icmj.com/magazine/december-2022-vol.-92-no.-04/ Our friend John Norman writes for the Mining Journal and included Sandland in his article on soft-rock excavation. Most of the articles are about mining for valuable minerals, but in our case, the value is the tunnels we create! We've also been moving right along with our 3rd access / haul tunnel, and further improvements like a 2nd booth in the underground Sand Bar. For more info on the ICMJ Mining Journal or to order a copy, check out https://www.icmj.com/ or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ICMJminingjournal/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

We've been digging tunnels through sandstone for a few years now, and this is the main tool I like to use. It's made by XtremePowerUS, and is their Model 61102, 1400W demolition hammer. While it looks a bit like a hammerdrill, it doesn't technically have any rotary or drilling motion. It's more of a handheld electric jackhammer. I've found that these work great under hobby mining conditions. They dig the sandstone quickly and efficiently, and they hold up pretty well to the conditions. We do use some minor modifications like a 100-micron screen over the air intake, which helps keep sand out of the motor a little longer. Eventually the sand still gets in there, but it lasts a few years this way. You can find these on Amazon, eBay, or other sites. Make sure to get the 1400W version, there are some other models like a 1000W and 1200W that don't offer the same power and impact energy. Again this is NOT a sponsored review and I'm not getting any compensation for this video, I just really like these tools! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I picked up another used 3D printer, a Makerbot Replicator Mini. This is only my second 3D printer, the first being a diy-ish Printerbot from 2012 made out of laser-cut wood and zipties. Comparing the two printers, I had a LOT of trouble getting the Makerbot to even work. The software provides little to no status info and is very mysterious. The printer tends to crash and lock up a lot. It worked better after I threw away the plastic fish tank tube that is supposed to feed the plastic stock in, that seems to be mainly designed to cause filament jams. It also worked better to uninstall the latest version of MakerBot Desktop and roll back to version 3.6. Even with these modifications, the thing was VERY loud and very flaky. It took a whole day to get anything recognizable to print with it. It also smells a bit worse than the old 2012 printerbot, both have a burning plastic odor, but the Makerbot is worse. It also wastes a lot of filament on useless "rafts" at the base of the print. These seem counterproductive, as the raft tends to pop off the blue tape and distort the print. I have never done a raft on the older printer and so far I've seen no reason to ever use a raft, but the Makerbot doesn't let you disable those. All-in-all, the Makerbot seems to be mostly junk. There was no effort put into software design or testing, and little to no effort put into smooth or quiet hardware. The 2012 Printerbot (aka, pile of hardware store scraps) wins hands down on almost everything I did. This isn't a sponsored review, and didn't really start out as a review, but it kind of turned into one! 2/5 stars for Makerbot Replicator Mini, 4/5 stars for the wooden Printerbot. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

A compilation of projects and footage that never quite made it to a final video! This includes things that broke or crashed along the way, stuff that never quite worked right, projects that didn't pan out, or other footage that never really made the cut. Is this another dreaded end-of-year filler video? Maaaaybe? But it does have lots of unseen footage, behind the scenes stuff, and commentary on why certain projects didn't work or didn't get finished. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

It's that time of year again, time to look back on 2022 with a good old-fashioned clip show! This is a selection of some of my best projects from the past year. I'm noticing a heavy Sandland / tunnel theme emerging, with surprisingly few boats this year! Maybe I need to get back to basics and slap a lawnmower engine into a kayak, for old-times sake. Make sure to stay tuned for more nonsense in 2023! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is a bit of a catch-all video for recent progress on my underground speakeasy. We've been expanding the tunnel, testing out new tools, and dealing with winter weather as well as rodent invasions! In this one I checked out a new 1700W jackhammer, the "Monkey King Bar". It does bring some rock-breaking power, but isn't very convenient or ergonomic, so it won't get used much. We also started a second booth in the bar for additional seating. The recent snowstorms across the Midwestern US left a very pretty landscape behind, so I made sure to sneak in some calming drone footage in the middle of all the digging :-) Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Snow shoveling sucks, and my snowblower never works right, so I took the next obvious step: Install a flamethrower on my mini potato tank! See the original tank video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytdgCsqjA-A Jingle Bells and Jingle Bells 7 by Kevin MacLeod are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100187 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I have a bunch of 90's-era New Bright train sets, the kind that would go around your tree or holiday village. They're not great trains, but they're actually decent for use outside or underground since they're 90% plastic without much that would rust. I'm planning to build a layout around the inside of my underground "Sand Bar" that we're digging in sandstone bedrock (more info here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgINZBG3NgU). Since the original track segments have limited options, I decided to try 3D printing some of my own. I'm not a very good 3D modeler, so I'm mostly just downloading G-scale track from Thingiverse and scaling it down to S-scale (51%) to match the New Bright trains. They *kind of* work with some trimming, sanding, and fiddling! I'm not putting the files online since my edits honestly aren't very good, and are customized to what my ancient and slightly broken 3D printer can do. If you want to do this yourself, I suggest looking for the Lionel Polar Express track by Malamaker on Thingiverse, and scaling it to 51% for Dickensville / Wintersville / Western Express toys. Your mileage may vary depending on your printer, and you might still have to do some cutting and dremel detailing like I did! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

As a follow-up to the DNA Sequencer I bought earlier this year, it turns out there's not actually much useful science it can do. At least not without spending a fortune on chemicals and supplies. If any labs or researchers out there are interested in a 2009 Apollo 100, shoot me an email (gabe @ saveitforparts.com). Otherwise this is going to get chopped up for spare parts whenever I get bored of looking at it! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I was given an early model 3D printer to experiment with, this is my first attempt to fire it up and print things. In fact it's my first direct experience with 3D printers at all! This thing is mostly a kit design where everything is made from the simplest and cheapest materials. Sounds like something I would build! It was already assembled when I got it, so now I don't need to tear apart my DNA Sequencer to build a 3D printer! This Printerbot seems to mostly work, aside from a few design issues. Certain parts unscrew themselves if too much plastic builds up. It also can't print very complex shapes and isn't super accurate, so I might keep this for simple designs of relatively flat things. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

When you're building an underground bar in sandstone, you're not limited to just two dimensions! In this episode we're digging downwards from the bar floor and installing a real manhole and lid! Check out the Sandland playlist for other Sand Bar videos! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7oeYj_v9Vwecgm8avly5Mpa44N7trovD Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Here's an update on the 1962 Dorsett Catalina project. We haven't had it out on the water at all this year, but we are still working on it! I have a bunch of parts ordered from California, I've gotten some things rebuilt, and we've chased out the critters living in it! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

The #shorts version of the rocket turret! Full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txtk3_MP6mc Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is the longer, more relaxed version of the Sandland Trail Tour (https://youtu.be/saWXOUyCTio). No narration and no time compression on this one, just walking around Sandland with some background music. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Here's a tour of some of the aboveground parts of Sandland (since I'm usually focusing on the tunnel digging!). We have a variety of trails around the property made by various people, as well as stairways, signposts, and even a "bus stop" in the middle of the woods! I filmed this entirely with my slightly-broken DJI Osmo (The "drone head on a stick" camera). The preview screen on that camera doesn't work, so I couldn't really see where I was aiming. Therefore a few shots have weird framing or are aimed a little high, sorry about that! This was partly a test to see if the Osmo has real-world uses, and it seems like it does if I can just remember to tip it down slightly, or hold it lower. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Introducing the Sail Train! Or possibly the fail train, given how much trouble I've had with this contraption! After seeing photos of sailing rail rigs around the world, I decided to try it myself on a local abandoned railway. I attempted to build a few different sail rigs, including sloop, square sale, and lateen / crab claw. Unfortunately none of them performed all that well. Also, the amount of wind needed to move this little cart is the same amount of wind that shreds my tarp sails and breaks my spars. This might be our last railroad project for a while, as the abandoned track we use for testing is being torn up! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I checked out some more TV antenna products from Antop USA. This time I have the AT-300SBS HD Antenna, the AT-415B 720° UFO, and the AT-740 5G LTE Filter. I did a little more investigation this time, checking out the signals on an RTL-SDR and opening up the AT-415 to see what's in there! All three units seem to do what they claim. The UFO antenna is optimized for a wide area (vs distance), so would be good for a moving vehicle like an RV or boat. The flat panel pulls in a few more channels and is optimized for indoor use, it also does a good job picking up FM radio signals. The LTE/5G filter does a good job of filtering out signals outside of the digital TV range. As with all my reviews, I try to be fair and honest and point out the bad as well as the good. I couldn't actually find much to complain about with these units! Antop has provided a few coupon codes, valid through the end of 2022: 1）AT-300SBS: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094CS3Z1J 10% discount off: L9AWG6J6 AT-415B: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K6HMFZ6 15% discount off: PH3Y92ZP 3）AT-740: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B749PGNL 10% discount off: 3J54W5M7 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've experimented with a few cell-phone-based trail cameras for remote areas, and the Spypoint Link Micro series is one I really like. In this video I'm looking at both the current (LTE) model and the older ("4G") model. If you're thinking of buying one of these, note that "4G" on the front doesn't actually mean cellular 4G, it was just some marketing gimmick and was actually 3G (which no longer works in the US). If you want one that works with modern cellular providers you'll need one marked "LTE". I've also had a few issues with payments to the Spypoint company, based in Canada. Sometimes I have to call my bank to pre-authorize Canadian transactions. Other than those issues, these have been a great series of cameras, and I've bought and installed several. I would recommend these to anyone looking for a reasonably-priced remote camera for wildlife scouting, security, research, weather monitoring, time lapses, etc. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This installment of the Sand Bar underground speakeasy is a bit of a catchall for random video clips. In this one we're extending the bar cave, mixing up cement mortar with expired beer, starting a new tunnel adit, and testing out some new safety equipment. Hopefully part 8 will have more of a cohesive theme and focus on one particular project that we have in mind. Stay tuned for that! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I bought a surplus DNA Sequencer for under $100! I don't know how to use it yet, or if it's even fully working, but it's still pretty cool! In this video, we do some unboxing and initial tests to see what it has and what it might need. The system is an IntegenX Apollo 100 from around 2009. It includes the lab-on-a-chip sequencing units, fluid-handling Tecan robot assembly, pressure and vacuum module, control computer with software, and some other bits and pieces. While I don't yet know how to clone any extinct animals, create mutant monsters, or even check my ancestry or geneology, I can still say I own a DNA sequencing lab! Stay tuned for future videos when we (hopefully) figure out more about what this thing can and can't do, how to operate it, and what we might need to do something interesting with it. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

In honor of the spoopiest holiday, we're taking pumpkin carving to the next level! Can we carve pumpkins with fireworks? Can we light jack-o-lanterns with fireworks? Watch the video for this extremely scientific investigation! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Since our cats Donny and Fluff are somewhat popular, they've started their own Youtube channel! "Donny and Fluff's Cat Toy Reviews" is, well, pretty much what it sounds like! There will also be reviews of cat furniture, activities, and other stuff! It's not necessarily all products, and not (so far) sponsored reviews, just random things our cats enjoy playing with! Check out the Donny and Fluff channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClWG7A36aJU_h0nhAZKwauA Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Some further experiments with self-contained portable satellite dishes. These are the type you'd find on the roof of an RV, a boat, or at a tailgate party. In this video I'm checking out two similar units, the Dish Tailgater and VuQube VQ1000. The VuQube model is interesting because you can manually aim it with a wireless remote. This makes it easy to point at different satellites. The Tailgater is one I've played with before, but this time I found a way to aim it via computer. This is something that will return in a future video, since computer control gives me a lot more options to do cool stuff like radio astronomy! I also tried receiving some things like Starlink beacons using a B-Band adapter (I'm still not sure why that works) and L-Band signals with a modified GPS antenna. There will definitely be more updates on this stuff, since I'm having a lot of fun snooping around on space signals! I might have to build a dedicated computer for some of the satellite things I mess with, so that's a possible future video as well! Stay tuned (ha!) for those... Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Somehow I've gone 20+ years without checking out Digital TV! I grew up somewhere without broadcast TV and then just started watching streaming content once the Internet got big, so I've never really bothered with the whole television thing. Now, thanks to some review antennas from Antop Inc, I'm finally going to see what all the fuss is about. In this video I'm reviewing the AT-406BV (Flat Banel Mini "Big Boy") and the AT-400B. Both are designed for indoor or outdoor use. The 406 model is a little smaller and seems more suited to indoor use. The AT-400 is much larger and works better outside. It gets a few more channels than the small one. I was surprised to find that both work well inside my house, which is notoriously bad at blocking radio signals. If you'd like to purchase one of these, you can use the following links and coupon codes: AT-406BV:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098DHHWFG 10% disscount off: TM2RJY9L AT-400B:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LSPKWUS 10% disscount off：KB8XOKAK (Coupons expire December 31st, 2022). You can also visit https://antopusa.com/ for more products, signal maps, and additional information on their antennas. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I sent my homemade ROV down a flooded abandoned mine to see what's in there! The ROV is made out of PVC with a good amount of zipties, duct tape, hot glue, pool noodles, and other junk. It currently features a Gopro mount and a fishing camera for navigation. It's driven from the surface using a DIY control panel and powered by a 12v battery running over ethernet cable. I've previously used this device to check out some flooded caves in Minnesota. Please note that mine exploring and especially mine diving is dangerous to do in person! I'm SCUBA certified but not cave diving certified, so I'd never do this myself! That's why we sent the robot to check it out instead. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

If you've followed my channel for a while you've seen my monorail and tunnel projects. These are happening at an off-grid property with no electricity, so it's the perfect spot to test this portable power station! The Bluetti EB3A is a 269Wh LiFePO4 battery bank with 600W pure sine wave inverter built in. It can output DC and AC, and charge phones and devices wirelessly or via USB. The carry handle and built-in lantern make it a great camping accessory! It can also act as a UPS or emergency battery backup for your home or office. The EB3A can be recharged from a wall outlet, from a vehicle, from solar panels (sold separately), or by a combination of methods. I tried out the EB3A in the camping cabin (old monorail) and in our tunnel system at Sandland. It performed well with small power tools and electronic gadgets, and it's much more convenient then a DIY solar charger or setting up and starting a gas generator. You can find the Bluetti EB3A on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/BLUETTI-Portable-EB3A-Recharge-Generator/dp/B09WW3CTF4 You can also find other Bluetti products, accessories, and package deals on their website at https://www.bluettipower.com Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This is a review for the Ebitcam Q34 Outdoor Wifi security camera. It's a basic home security camera with aimable pan-tilt (PTZ), multiple night vision modes, and motion alarm. I found it to be a decent entry-level camera for home use. The alarm siren is a little too quiet for a big yard or wide outdoor space, but it would work fine in a hallway or at a front door. The spotlight does a good job illuminating a medium to large size yard. The controls and cloud storage are easy to use and the manual and setup instructions are good. The camera works well day and night, in dry weather and in rainy weather. You can find this camera on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3S2vweY Main features: 2K Super HD IP65 Weatherproof Infrared & Full Color Night Vision modes Spotlight & Alarm Siren 355° View with 120° tilt 24/7 Recording to SD Card and/or Cloud Storage

I've been working on fixing up an old telescope, and getting some photos and video with it. In this episode I built a mount for my Sony Handycam, so it could film through the scope. We also took the rig out to Sandland, my friend's off-grid property where we parked an old monorail train. The monorail makes a good astronomy base camp since it already has red lights installed! More about Sandland here: https://youtu.be/F1AsKn48gYM Pt 1 of the telescope project: https://youtu.be/9bhCtbrfdKQ And Pt2: https://youtu.be/YRSpV_x4ZVA Some radio astronomy experiments: https://youtu.be/7ZsXTs9asmI Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I took my Raspberry Pi auto tracking turret and replaced the dart blaster with 100 firework rockets! This seems completely safe, OSHA-approved, and definitely won't land me on any sort of watch list. Since none of my friends are dumb enough to take this thing on, I pitted it against my worst drone, with surprising results! The turret uses Open-CV and a webcam to find and aim at moving targets with stepper motors. Then it unleashes whatever is attached via a relay. Some people have used this code for airsoft or paintball turrets. Check out my previous setup with this AI turret (foam dart blaster) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPUXLV-Lr_8 And you can see it used as the ultimate Roomba accessory here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYaZxG5tqUw Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I went to Ax-Man surplus again and picked up this... thing. It looks like a prop from a Sci-Fi movie, but is actually an early remote thermometer device! After some cleanup and fiddling I even got it to work! This is a Leeds & Northrup model 8623 from the 1960s. It measures temperature by matching an internal light source to the flame color and then reading off the scale dial. Some additional information is available here: https://physicsmuseum.uq.edu.au/optical-pyrometer-model-no-8622 The weird liquid-filled H-shaped thing inside is apparently a "Standard Cell", which used to be a way to measure voltage very accurately. More information here: http://physics.kenyon.edu/EarlyApparatus/Electrical_Measurements/Standard_Cell/Standard_Cell.html I might pull this device out again if I try more aluminum casting, as it could help me fine-tune my mini can-melting furnace setup. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

If you have an off-grid property or a large yard that needs security, check out the Xega 3G/4G LTE Cellular Security Camera! It's a wireless outdoor camera with built-in solar charging, remote controlled pan/tilt, PIR motion sensor, infrared night vision and white-light spotlight, 2-way audio, and push motion notifications. I found that this camera sent good quality video, even at the lower SD mode. It was especially good at night. The infrared night vision and the spotlight mode were fantastic for a large outdoor area. This would easily cover a typical yard, or even a small farm field. It would be great for wildlife scouting, protecting a garden from pests, or watching for intruders. Setup and installation were very easy. The app was pretty intuitive and the controls were simple. As far as problems or issues, I did have the app lock up once, and sometimes the motion was laggy if I had a poor cell phone signal. Those seemed like minor problems to me and didn't really affect the usability. This is a sponsored video and I received a demo unit for testing. However, I tried to be fair and honest with it, and I would say this is a good camera from everything I've seen. I intend to keep using mine, as soon as I figure out how to reload the SIM card (prepaid SIMs are a bit of a mystery to Americans, but I know they're available). You can find this security camera on Amazon in the US or Europe: US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B28ZZYVS?ref=myi_title_dp DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0B28ZZYVS?ref=myi_title_dp FR: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0B28ZZYVS?ref=myi_title_dp UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B28ZZYVS?ref=myi_title_dp ES: https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0B28ZZYVS?ref=myi_title_dp IT: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0B28ZZYVS?ref=myi_title_dp You can also find it on the manufacturer's website here: https://xegatech.com/products/xega-4g-lte-cellular-security-camera-solar-powered-outdoor-camera Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

European estates in the 18th and 19th century often had garden features known as "follies" (buildings with no purpose) or "grottos" (artificial caves"). Since our DIY tunnels at Sandland could fit these definitions, maybe it could be called a folly as well! We checked out some follies and grottos in the gardens of Versailles in France recently. I also stuck in some stock photos of other examples, some of which resemble stuff we're doing at Sandland! A few notable ones (including some open to the public) are: Williamson's tunnels: https://williamsontunnels.com/visit-the-tunnels/ Forestiere's Underground Gardens: https://undergroundgardens.com/ Ra Paulette's Art Caves: http://originnewmexico.com/sandstone-art-caves-origin-new-mexico/ The Forbidden Corner: https://www.theforbiddencorner.co.uk/ Boomeria: http://www.boomeria.com/tour/tour.html Scott's Grotto: https://scotts-grotto.org/ Margate Shell Grotto: https://www.shellgrotto.co.uk/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've found another use for the homemade Rasperry Pi tricorder I built last year. This time we're using the LNB from a satellite dish to pick up KU-band radio beacons from Starlink internet satellites! While we can't actually get internet this way, we can watch the progress of satellites across the sky and see recently-launched Starlink "trains". The LNB I'm using is a "Universal" type, available here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/234269625431 See more about my Picorder project here: https://youtu.be/61bYX7lj7LE Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

When this property with a private cave popped up for sale, I knew I had to check it out! The house is built onto the side of a sandstone bluff, and has a tunnel in the backyard leading into the cave. (Technically it's an artificial cellar like the ones found under historic breweries, but local terminology refers to these as "caves"). I'm not sure what this cave was originally used for. The design reminds me of a fallout shelter, and the house is from the 1970s. However, the cellar / cave could be older than that. Previously I've investigated other properties with caves and tunnels, such as this one in Rochester: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm560PrsE5Y I'm also helping to dig DIY sandstone tunnels in Wisconsin, check out this link or search my channel for Sandland to find our more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1AsKn48gYM The listing for the property can be found here: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/407-Mill-St-E_Cannon-Falls_MN_55009_M84275-73396 If you're interested in buying or touring the house, call Dan Linder with Exp Realty at 612-597-5456 (I'm not sponsored by or affiliated with them). Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

We recently visited the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris. It's a fantastic steampunk-esque science museum showcasing inventions and technology from the 1700s to the 1900s. While it's (probably) not intentionally steampunk themed, the relative lack of much modern technology gives it a really retro feel! I would highly recommend this museum to anyone visiting Paris. It's large enough that you can easily spend a half or full day wandering around inside. the displays and models are very informative, some of them are even designed as teaching aids. I saw a few cool things in this museum that might show up in future Saveitforparts projects! It's definitely a good inspiration for any amateur mad scientist! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

In a previous video I fixed up an old telescope, but I didn't have a very good tripod or base for it. Rather than try to re-create the missing equatorial mount this is supposed to have, I built a simple Azimuth / Elevation base or Dobsonian mount. This simple and relatively straightforward telescope base lets me quickly aim at planets, the moon, etc. I was even able to get some recognizable shots of Saturn and Jupiter this time! (I'm hoping to upgrade my photography / video options with the telescope in the near future). The telescope OTA (Optical Tube Assembly) is a 1960s Criterion, 6" reflector with some upgrades and modifications done by a previous owner. My video of repairing and initially testing it can be found here: https://youtu.be/9bhCtbrfdKQ I based my Dobsonian mount roughly on the one shown in the December 2019 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine (pg 72). Another version (that's simpler in some ways) can be found here: https://10minuteastronomy.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/how-to-build-a-dobsonian-mount-for-a-5-inch-telescope/ A slightly fancier version of this mount can be found here: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/how-to-build-a-dobsonian-mount/ Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Another installment of the underground Sand Bar I'm building in the Sandland tunnels! This episode is a mix of stuff from the summer, including closet expansion, wall / door frame construction, more digging with angle grinders, and random surface updates. Stay tuned for more in the coming months! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

#shorts While eating lunch in Paris we watched this full-size tour bus trying to make a turn for 30+ minutes. Rather than trying to back up or take another route, they did everything they could to get around this corner. The passengers all got out and moved parked cars, picked up scooters, bent street signs out of the way, etc. Who knows if they made it around the next bend, or if they're still stuck somewhere to this day! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

After messing around a bit with radio astronomy in prior videos, I'm finally doing some visual astronomy! I picked up a pile of old and broken telescopes at an auction, with this one being the most complete. It's about a 6" or 152mm aperture and has various modifications like the mirror positions and eyepiece holder. After some cleaning and adjusting, it seems to work! In this video I'm trying a basic Azimuth / elevation platform made from an old security camera PTZ mount. It's not really strong enough for the telescope's weight, but it does let me roughly position and aim the thing. I'll probably do a part 2 video with a better (or at least different) mounting system. Saveitforparts t-shirts (including the OSHA shirt seen here) and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

A quick review of the Reolink E1 Pro security camera. Featuring pan/tilt control and two-way audio, this is a good basic indoor camera for security or monitoring kids/pets/etc. I found it easy to set up and use, with pretty much every feature I could want! This isn't a paid or sponsored video, I just like to review gadgets when I actually buy them instead of hacking them together out of junk! This Reolink camera will be replacing the prior webcam I made out of spare parts in this video: https://youtu.be/7xD0LlSvc54 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've picked up yet another old satellite dish, this time a Hughes Internet Earth Station. These are the ones you see on gas station roof tops, in fact I got it from an auction at a closed gas station!. After some experimentation it seems this dish is terrible at weather satellites, but really good at picking up FTA (Free to air) TV! This old one is big enough that it gets more FTA channels than a typical modern satellite dish, but it's only optimized for horizontal polarization. I had to twist the whole thing 90-degrees to get vertical channels. Unfortunately, as I found with my prior FTA video, 90% of free satellite TV is home shopping, various religions, foreign government propaganda, or some combination of those. It took a lot of fiddling and fine-tuning to get anything worth watching, but I eventually found a satellite with educational, nature, and cartoon channels. I do still have a bunch of other satellite dishes lying around, hopefully I'll get to those in a future video. I kind of rushed through this one just so I could get the dish out of the yard and onto my roof. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Just a quick video of an outdoor bar / serving table thing made from random junk I had lying around. It's not the prettiest but it's an excuse to stop hoarding weird materials and actually use them for something! Check out my underground bar project here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wciu_Qnhlu4 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

We've been cleaning excess cattail reeds out of our garden pond this summer. I heard they were edible, so I decided to give it a try! (The "corndog" seed puff part isn't the edible part, the roots are!). Spoiler alert: they don't taste like much and don't have a lot of edible content beneath all the extra "stuff" in the root. We probably harvested them too early to really get the full yield. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This summer we visited London and stayed aboard a canal boat! It was a cool (and cheaper) way to get a room in central London. While the boat didn't actually cruise around or leave the mooring, we got to experience a little bit of canal life in the UK. This was an accommodation we found on AirB&B (https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/52420230). While it was definitely small and a lot of the utilities were somewhat "unique", it worked great for two people on a budget. (This trip is also why I haven't gotten around to some larger projects yet in 2022. There will be possibly a few more travel videos and then hopefully I'll have time to get back to building junk out of trash!). I really enjoy canal boating channels like @CruisingTheCut and @FoxesAfloat , so hopefully some day we can come back to the UK and actually spend time cruising around! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Shorter cut of the Sandland underground tunnel digging process. This shows the excavation through sandstone rock, hauling the sand, and dumping the mine train via aerial tramway. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Since my Sandland tunneling videos tend to get a lot of comments and questions, I decided to interview the owner! Eric has been digging tunnels and designing mazes underground for over a decade at Sandland. He has some big plans for the future and is always looking for volunteers to help! You can email eric at [email protected] or visit tunnelcity.com for a link to the Facebook page. Sandland is also currently running a fundraiser to help pay for a "new" (vintage) tractor. This will help the tunneling by hauling sand from the new tunnel adit. If you'd like to help out, the fundraising campaign is at https://gofund.me/edbf0f1e Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

#shorts Just a quick update on my jet boat projects, since people keep asking what's happening with it. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I bought a cheap (~$50) alarm system online as part of our ongoing project to keep cats off the kitchen counters. In this video I'm seeing if and how well it works. (Spoilers below if you don't want to watch). Result: Complete junk. Painfully loud, minimal settings, little to no wifi connectivity, and the status beeps are louder than the actual alarm siren! This doesn't work at all for what I want, and is literally painful to use. I'm returning it while I still have some hearing left. Currently this is being sold under the "D1D9" brand, listed as a "Home Alarm System House Burglar Security WiFi Wireless" and part of the "Smart Life" app family. However, products like this change their brand and model names on a regular basis to avoid review and import issues. The remotes are identical to "CPVAN" products and some others I've seen. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Recently I picked up some mobile satellite dish units. These are intended for an RV or truck where you want to watch TV wherever you park. They have some pretty cool built-in tracking and satellite aiming stuff. I haven't really figured out what I can do with them, as I'm not much into TV myself. I'm hoping someone out there has an idea for how to modify or reprogram these to point at other satellites, use them as radiotelescopes, or something else. If you have an idea, leave it in the comments! Some of my other satellite dish experiments are here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZsXTs9asmI&t=457s and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK8mFrxxSbY&t=326s Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

A quick review of some Daron MTA / New York City Subway toys. This isn't a paid or sponsored promotion, they're just something I picked up at an auction and wanted to try out. Spoilers below! The result: Total junk! These trains are cheaply made and extremely flimsy, with easy-to-break track connectors and train couplers. The tracks have little ridges or cogs for some reason, which looks stupid and makes more noise. The two engines I got had one with broken wheels and one with broken sound. They're a low quality novelty toy that would last the average kid about 10 minutes before breaking. These are definitely not worth money, if I found some in the trash I'd take the train cars for spare parts, but I'd put the track back in the trash. That being said, I was able to make one working train out of two sets, and they'll work with my existing '90s Christmas tree trains, so I can just use that track instead! These might show up in a future video as decor in our underground speakeasy cave, the Sand Bar. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Recently my good drone disappeared while flying near the Mississippi River. While I didn't notice any large birds before or during flying, the last GPS coordinate led straight to a Bald Eagle perched on a cliff! After searching around the base of the cliff and nearby trees, I still haven't found the drone. I don't think it's legal to get any closer to an eagle nest, so the mystery of the missing drone is still unsolved! The following links and stuff are all standard footer for my video descriptions, but in this case it would really help me out if you want to subscribe, join the channel, buy merch, etc! Unlike my other junky drones that were cheap and barely work, this was a nice higher-end one and really helped make some of my videos cooler! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I was recently offered a cell phone booster to test and review, and figured underground in a tunnel would be a pretty unique use case! This is the Hiboost 4k Plus Pro, which works with various mobile networks. The testing site is out at Sandland, where I've been helping to dig sandstone tunnels and build other projects for a few years now. We also have a weekend camping cabin made from an old zoo monorail at Sandland. In addition to the tunnel test, I checked the Hiboost unit's performance at the monorail for more of a "typical" use scenario. If you'd like to check out this and other Hiboost products, you can get a 15% discount by using the code "Saveitforparts" at https://www.hiboost.com/ref/71/ If you'd like to learn more about Sandland, check out some of my other videos, like this intro to the property: Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

We finally found someone with heavy machinery to help fix the Sandland road and do more landscaping! Now we can dig even MORE weird tunnels! If you'd like to help the owner afford stuff like this, you can donate to: Venmo: @Slim-Jim-Sandland Paypal: [email protected] You can find more info on Sandland at www.tunnelcity.com, or check out some of my prior videos like this one: https://youtu.be/F1AsKn48gYM Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Rather than a traditional TV, I use a surplus digital projector in my living room. That way the entire far wall is the TV (about a 9ft screen!). It's cheaper than a real TV, and while the resolution is a little lower, you can't tell the difference from back on the couch. Plus it makes a great cat toy, the cats love chasing the mouse pointer around the wall! In this video I address a few pros and cons of this setup. It's just a quick review / demo without much DIY stuff. The only real work that went into this setup was the shelf for the projector and running some wires for the speakers. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I picked up three broken drones recently and decided to see if I could make any of them work. These are the Contixo F22, F24 Pro, and F30. I'd never heard of Contixo before, they seem to be a cheaper copy of some more popular consumer drones. I was able to get the F22 to fly right away, it shows signs of being crashed but no major damage. The F24 flew after swapping some motor parts from my bin of spare drone junk, and the F30 nearly caught on fire. I'm pretty sure the F30 got wet at some point, it has signs of corrosion and is now shorted out completely. As far as a review, the overall quality and features on these Contixo models are much worse than other drones I've tried. They aren't very stable to fly and don't have very good video. They also have terribly laggy live video, making flight beyond direct line of sight basically impossible. While I probably wouldn't buy any of these new, having some mostly-functional cheap drones means I can do different things with them, like flying over water, in enclosed spaces, or in other situations where I wouldn't trust myself with a good drone. Maybe you'll see some (poor quality) videos from these drones in the future, if I don't crash them right away! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Some friends gave me an old Roomba vacuum, which I was able to get working. However, a regular home robot is boring without some kind of kill mode. Thus we've equipped it with the auto-tracking dart blaster turret from a previous video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPUXLV-Lr_8). Completely impractical? Yes. Kind of silly? Also yes. Totally awesome? Well, watch the video and decide! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

During last year's drought conditions we had a hard time keeping the garden and fish pond watered. The pond especially needs non-chlorinated water for the fish, so we can't just top it off with city tap water. This year I found two 500-gallon plastic storage tanks, so we're installing them as huge rain barrels! I was originally hoping to make some kind of observatory pod or ham radio shack out of one of the barrels, but they're just too darn useful for water storage! Maybe the space pod thing will happen in the future if I find one that isn't as good for water. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I bought a pallet of used billboard wraps... and ended up with a lot more (and less) than I bargained for! Instead of the 50 thick tarps I thought I was getting, I now have several hundred thin cheap tarps. I got a refund, but the company refused to take them back, so now I have to find something to do with these! In this video I'm checking out just what's possible as far as adhesion, heat sealing, glueing, etc. These tarps are made from 3 mil PE Vinyl or "Eco Poster" material. They're about 10ft x 20ft in size and about 2oz/sq yd. If you ever buy used billboards online, try not to get this kind! They're so far very poor quality and mostly useless as far as I can tell. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Maps of Sandland's DIY tunnel system are a frequent request in the comments. So at last, here they are! I've included my own quick sketch as well as a more professional map made by fellow volunteer Dave. I've also included a surface map by Alex, and some surveys by Carl. If you'd like to support Sandland's goal of digging wacky confusing tunnel mazes, you can send donations directly to the owner via Venmo (@Slim-Jim-Sandland) or Paypal ([email protected]). Sandland is constantly growing and expanding, and more digging videos are coming soon! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've been working on this DIY railroad speeder or electric rail go-kart thing for a couple years now. Last time we had it out, I wasn't happy with how slow it went. Now we've added a different motor to improve that! As with all our railroad adventures, this track is completely abandoned and is too damaged to get a train down it (as seen in a prior speeder trip video). This track is soon to be torn up for a walking path or future transit development. Don't try this at home! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I took my motorized rail bike project out to some abandoned tracks for more testing. This track has some longer straight sections, so it's ideal for speed trials! Unfortunately this thing becomes a big dangerous at anything over 10mph! I found out the hard way that my track guides still don't work very well. I'm also improving my electric rail kart / speeder project. In this video we tested it as a train car / trailer for the bike, but we'll be doing more with it in other videos as well. Since the rail bike doesn't seem to work all that great, leave comments below about what I should do with it next! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Sandland is located in a small valley, and occasionally gets some major water run-off flowing down the middle. Usually this only happens once a year during spring melt, and it can be pretty impressive! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Back in 2021 I set up a Teespring store and Youtube Merch Shelf to sell shirts and stickers and junk for my channel. Now that it's been about 6 months, lets take a look at some of the items and how they've held up! So far it seems like the ink and printing wears off the Classic Tee with normal use (although my use is often worse than normal!). The pint glasses and stickers still seem like good quality, but I'm a little disappointed with some of the shirts. I'm also sad to say that safety orange is no longer a color option, so the OSHA shirts have vanished! You can still get an OSHA tank top though! If any viewers have suggestions for a better alternative to Teespring, please let me know in the comments! I'm leaning towards CustomInk since things I've bought from them seem to be better quality and last longer than Teespring's stuff. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I've built potato cannons before, and even a spud howitzer. Obviously the next step was a tank! When an old stairlift gadget with some tracks showed up at work, I finally had the parts I needed! The spud tank is built from 99% free and scavenged material, including the old stair climber, dumpster-dived plexiglass, plywood, and PVC, salvaged wiring, and a paintball marker found on the side of the road. I think the only parts that cost money were the sprinkler valve for the cannon and the 12v batteries, but all of those things were left over from previous projects I made. I can't say it was completely free since there might be $5 worth of PVC glue and electrical tape in it. As mentioned in the video, this isn't related to certain unprovoked invasions, it's just what I was in the middle of building this month. Please note that I don't recommend pressurizing or firing a potato cannon right in your lap. Don't try this at home! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Think Tank, Whatdafunk, and Line of Fire by Audionautix are all licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

In this one we dig out a closet in our underground speakeasy, so we can store all the dumpster-dived beer that keeps appearing! We also tried moving some sand with a DIY pneumatic conveyor system. In addition, I investigate a strange thud or thump from somewhere in the tunnels that startled me while I was digging! Is it a collapse? A ghost? It's a mystery! More Sandbar and Sandland vidoes are still to come! Next time we might be working on a brick archway and door for the closet, as well as expanding the passages in the bar room. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Several commenters on my previous railroad vehicle videos said I should put a gas engine on my mini train things. While I still think electric motors are more reliable and easier to work with, I did have this gas powered bike lying around already. It's previously been a bike/boat/surfboard thing (https://youtu.be/TUxAStEqmI4) but now it's a train! This is the build and initial testing video. As with my earlier rail speeder (https://youtu.be/kMexHlDdE10) I'll probably take this on some longer trips on abandoned tracks. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

One of our new cats is an expert at B&E, getting into almost every door, drawer, cupboard, and cabinet. Fortunately I have some really strong industrial magnets that I can use to hold things shut more securely! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

A quick fix for a buzzing LCD monitor, using a capacitor kit found online. These kits always seem a bit random, they have capacitors that don't match the device, and don't always have every capacitor the device has. Fortunately I replaced enough of them that the buzzing went away! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This was an experiment at computer-controlled two-axis aiming. Eventually I'd like to do this with some of my satellite dishes, but for now it's a dart turret! I based my turret on this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoRPWUl_sF8 The original code from 2015 is available here (Note! I had to modify this to work with the 2022 version of the software dependencies): https://github.com/HackerShackOfficial/Tracking-Turret I made the following modifications: -Installed Python 3 instead of Python 2. -Installed OpenCV 4 instead of 3. -Skipped the whole virtual environment thing, couldn't get it working and didn't seem necessary. I edited turret.py as follows: -Changed the print statements in turret.py to use Python3 style parentheses -Changed "import thread" to import _thread in line 7 -Changed "thread" to "_thread" in line 423 -Removed "lm," from line 158 -Changed print syntax on lines 283 and 284 to have the closing parentheses at the end You can download my modified turret.py file from my website at https://saveitforparts.wordpress.com/?p=5305 Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Another installment of our DIY tunnel system out at Sandland, and the bar I'm building there. This is just kind of a general update, I've enlarged the first booth, lengthened the main chamber, started a storage room, and added some decor. In this one I'm also doing some digging and carving with a small angle grinder. It's a lot more precise than the demolition hammers we've been using, but it goes through cutting wheels quick in the sandstone! I might upgrade to a larger tool and keep this little one around for carving shelves and niches and other fine detail work. Lots more to come as we keep working on this project, so stay tuned! Check out the other Sandbar installments below: Part 1: https://youtu.be/XgINZBG3NgU Part 2: https://youtu.be/X24dG0JspMA Part 3: https://youtu.be/TcQPYWFy2Bk Sandland Introduction: https://youtu.be/F1AsKn48gYM Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

To follow up on my previous DIY wind generator, I'm now building a vertical model with paddle or cup blades and an upright motor. The blades are made from cut-up 15-gallon plastic jugs, and the generator is an old 24v scooter motor. The bearings and pulleys are old wheels and junk I had lying around. While it's not pretty, it does generate enough power to charge a cell phone! It remains to be seen if it will hold together longer than the last one! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

In an ongoing effort to keep Donny the cat off our kitchen counter, I've gone the same route as the UK. Cameras everywhere! Well, in this case, one camera, mounted above the counter on a weird old clock outlet. The hardware is an old Android phone with a broken screen, a wide-angle lens glued over the camera lens for better views, and a USB charger. The software on the phone is IP Webcam, and I use IP Cam Viewer on other phones to view it. Both of these are available free in the app store and have pretty straightforward setups. I'm running the camera as a basic ONVIF / rtsp stream which seems to be compatible with just about everything. I can even have my home security recorder connect to it and treat it like an extra security camera. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

When we dig our tunnels at Sandland we're cutting through ancient beaches and fossilized sea-bottoms, long since solidified into sandstone. Frequently we find strange metallic spheres embedded in the rock. They're typically about the size of a marble, although sometimes they're shaped differently or have multiple spheres stuck together. In this video I'll be taking a closer look at these strange metal balls or concretions, which seem to be similar to "Moqui Marbles" or even the "Blueberries" found on Mars. I'll also be taking a general look at the sandstone formation itself. More info on Sandland can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1AsKn48gYM A bit more info on Jordan Sandstone can be found here: https://youtu.be/Rzl0Ofsu0Gw If you'd like to help support videos like this, as well as future Sandland and other projects, check out some of the links below! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

A quick look at some projects that I'm still working on, and some in-progress video clips. These may get finished in 2022 if I find all the parts I need! Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Teespring store for shirts and junk: https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/

This video started as a behind-the-scenes look at the cameras I use to film this channel. Then I got ahold of a broken DJI Osmo Pocket and did a bit of repair and review on that (Spoiler Alert: They suck). As with most of the things I build and use on this channel, almost all my camera equipment is second hand, scratch & dent, or otherwise "cheap". I'm still able to get surprisingly good video from most of it! My main camera is currently a Sony HDR-CX440. I like the zoom range from very wide to very high zoom. I also like the image stabilization. I don't like the flaky filename structure and the lack of external mic jack. I also have a few older GoPro Hero2 action cams. They're not the latest model but they work well enough for wet environments, timelapse videos, etc. I filmed the first year or so of this channel with a Google Pixel 3 phone. I apparently used it so much that I burned out something in the video system, and now it no longer does video reliably (photos still work). I also have a DJI Mini 2 drone, which is my only "new" device (it was a gift). It works great, DJI should definitely stick to drones :-) If you'd like to support me getting more "good" cameras, check out some of the links below! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

This was a quick cat litter box enclosure made from a large plastic storage bin. It has caster wheels on the bottom, a door for the cat to go in, and vent holes in the back. And while I was building this, we coincidentally got a new cat!

It turns out you don't need to spend a lot on drawing tablets, if you're willing to dig through auctions, surplus sales, and the occasional dumpster!

This was a tour I took in 2002 of the Fort Knox Gold Mine near Fairbanks Alaska. The video quality is what you'd expect from 20 years ago, sorry about that! The Fort Knox Mine is that largest gold producer in Alaska. It pulls ore from two open pits and processes most of the material on-site in a series of ball mills. Milled ore is then chemically treated to separate the gold, which is smelted into bars on-site. The mine opened in its current form in the mid-1980s at the site of a former shaft mine. It is expected to stay open into at least 2030. The mine processes about 100,000 tone of rock per day and has produced over 8 million ounces of gold. The ore is relatively low-grade, but large-scale industrial processing means it can still make a profit.

As a follow-up to some of my weather satellite projects, I tried my hand at listening to the ISS. Lately they've been sending down Slow Scan TV (SSTV) images, which are kind of like power point slides sent via fax tones over ham radio! I tried a variety of old ham radio junk I have lying around, but the easiest and most reliable equipment turned out to be the cheapest! The thing that worked best for me was a ~$30 Baofeng radio with a cell phone held up to the speaker. The phone is running an app called "Robot36" which decodes the SSTV tones into an image. (A lot of hams look down on these Baofeng radios, but mine works better than my old Yaesu or Icom 2M handhelds, and was a lot more affordable brand new!) More info on SSTV here: https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/iss-sstv/ Robot36 App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xdsopl.robot36&hl=en_US&gl=US I tried various Windows and Linux programs but didn't have much luck getting any of them to work. The only one that kind of worked was "RX-SSTV", but the image came out distorted and the user interface was clunky and confusing. The Android app does everything automatically and works with little to no user input. I might revisit this next time there's an SSTV event, especially if I build a better antenna! Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

A compilation of the best (or at least more interesting) moments from my 2021 videos. Check out my channel for all the full videos! Buy my merch here! https://saveitforparts.myspreadshop.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

After testing the DIY remote submarine in another cave, I decided to take it over to Wakan Tipi (aka Carver's Cave) in St. Paul MN. This cave is a historic cultural site significant to the local Dakota tribe. It's been sealed up and flooded for many years, so the only way to see much of it is with something like this! I had an issue with my navcam display, so was piloting the ROV essentially blind. I was still able to get some interesting footage of the cave floor, local wildlife (a frog), and possibly a carving on the wall. Is it a petroglyph from hundreds of years ago? Check out the footage and see what you think. The ROV is a little banged up after this trip and may need some repairs, but I'll try to get it out to some more locations in the future. Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Previously I built a small remotely-operated submarine for underwater exploring. In this episode we're testing it out in a local brewery cellar. St. Paul has a lot of artificial sandstone "caves" that were carved out back in the late 1800s for cold storage. This particular tunnel is one of the oldest, and has a small lake inside fed by natural springs. If you'd like to see more sandstone caves and tunnels, we're digging our own in Wisconsin! See more about that here: https://youtu.be/XgINZBG3NgU Saveitforparts t-shirts and other merch at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLRcEn78Vc62C3GkMvBgtA/join Or support me via Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Chee Zee Lab - Netherworld Shanty by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100683 Artist: http://incompetech.com/

I got an older Samsung 700T tablet/slate thing at an auction, and it was missing the SSD drive. I bought a new drive online and installed Linux Mint (after failing to get some other distros to work). Now I just need to find a use for the thing!

We're back to digging tunnels at Sandland! In this episode I'm carving out a booth at the Sandbar, and installing a table made from a fake manhole lid! We also briefly investigate the biology of expired beer left underground in a humid tunnel environment! Check out more Sand Bar digs in Part 1: https://youtu.be/XgINZBG3NgU and Part 2: https://youtu.be/X24dG0JspMA And more about Sandland here: https://youtu.be/F1AsKn48gYM and here: https://youtu.be/O0gG5eJcVaw

This is a handheld capacitive 2D imager that can "see" into surfaces like walls, floors, furniture, etc! It's kind of like a high-tech stud finder for identifying what's inside your wall! The original creator of this technique is @optisimon, his video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5DztX6e-d8 and more info is on his website here: http://optisimon.com/raspberrypi/touch/ft5406/2016/07/13/raspberry-pi-7-inch-touchscreen-hacking/ I made some modifications to the code so it would work better as a standalone handheld unit. My write-up and code can be found here: https://saveitforparts.wordpress.com/2021/12/02/handheld-capacitive-scanner-wall-x-ray/ Please note that you need a Raspberry Pi official 7" touchscreen with an FT5406 chip. The newer FT5426 and other chips won't work! I had a very difficult time tracking down this somewhat older model screen! As a quick overview of some of the steps I took to get this working: -Installed Rasbian Stretch (newer Rasbian versions didn't work) -Enabled Full KMS for external HDMI screen -Followed the Readme files on Optisimon's page for configs etc. -Changed SDLWindow.hpp column iteration -Changed zoom level from 40 to 50 in SDLEventHandler.hpp -Made a shell launch script with xdotool calls for keystrokes -Added a startup .desktop entry. (Full writeup is on saveitforparts.com).

I made a redneck wind generator out of some junk I had lying around, plus a few bits from the local surplus store. The blades are from a broken ceiling fan, and the generator or alternator is a DC electric drill motor. This is a bit experimental and jury-rigged right now, I'll be examining how it holds up in a future part 2.

This is just a quick video of a project I made a while back. It's a food dehydrator using stacked mesh panels and screen, that sits over a box fan. I can dry out garden vegetables and keep them for the winter!

I've been meaning to get around to this project, but almost didn't make it before winter! The build was a little rushed so I could test it in my duck pond while it was still liquid. I have a few more tweaks and adjustments to make, but we might take this out somewhere interesting in an upcoming video!

The final day of our 2021 trip to the Death Valley area. In this episode we check out some talc and gypsum mines, as well as some surprise natural caves that we saw along the road. Underground mines can be dangerous, especially soft rock mines like these! We turned around and didn't finish exploring a few of the mines we saw today. They were just too sketchy! Don't go in abandoned mines without proper training and safety equipment!

We continue our exploration of the Panamint Mountains, including the ghost town site of Skidoo, some more underground mines, and finally a stop at Warm Springs Camp. We meet more of the local wildlife including bats and a tarantula! Abandoned mines can be dangerous and you should never enter them without proper safety equipment and training! The mines seen here are all on public land.

Day 3 of our trip out to the Mojave Desert to look at old mines and ghost towns. Today we found a ton of underground tunnels, shafts, and other mine workings to explore! These are all on public land. Caution! Abandoned mines can be dangerous and you should never enter one without proper training and equipment. Don't try this at home!

Day 2 of our 2021 trip out the Mojave Desert. In this episode we check out some underground gold mines, find some interesting minerals, fight gale-force winds, and hang out with Slim Jim from Sandland. Please note that all of us have years of experience exploring (and digging!) underground mines. We also bring safety and personal protective equipment to avoid any accidents! We don't recommend going in abandoned mines without training and proper gear. If you'd like to see the tunnels we're digging back in the Midwest, check out https://youtu.be/F1AsKn48gYM

We went out to the Mojave Desert to poke around old ghost towns and mining camps. This is day 1 of the trip, where we drove from Las Vegas to the Panamint Valley. We stopped to visit the underground dwellings in Dublin Gulch, looked for sandworms in the Mesquite Dunes, and set up camp at the old ghost town of Ballarat.

Some final end-of-season projects for the Dorsett Catalina. I was hoping to get it out one more time this year, but just got too busy and ran into too many issues with broken stuff. Next spring we'll get it back out and maybe start digging into that damaged jet drive some more! Link to the US river / canal map shown near the beginning: https://inlandwaterwaysinternational.org/product/inland-waterways-of-north-america/

I built a simple kayak rack onto a boat trailer so I can haul all my dumpster kayaks around!

Some small lead / zinc mines in the Upper Mississippi mining region, along with a visit to a local mine museum. Old mines are dangerous and I don't recommend exploring mines or caves unless you have proper training, safety equipment, and permission! Check out the Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums in Platteville WI if you want a taste of what underground mining was like!

This one is kind of a how-to video, although I definitely did a few things wrong along the way. I didn't find a really comprehensive guide for how to do this anywhere else, so hopefully this helps someone! If you're used to my DIY build videos, this is not going to be very interesting, as it's just 30 minutes of disassembly and reassembly of a single worn part. In the video I'm removing the transom housing and bowl from my 12JC Berkeley Jet Drive. I'm replacing the small seal that keeps the bowl oil in place and ensures the pump shaft is lubricated. On my boat it appears someone installed the seal backwards or used the wrong one, so there was no oil in the reservoir and there's a lot of wear and damage to my pump shaft. I don't have a replacement shaft and the specialty tools needed to re-seat the bushings are on back order, so I ignored the damage and just re-assembled everything. Next year I hope to do a more thorough job.

After picking up a free indoor playland from a closed restaurant over the winter, we've finally started re-assembling it out in the woods of Wisconsin! Because what could be better than a remote, off-grid, sustainable fast food playplace? We've checked the original manual and specs on this, and we think it's going to be UV resistant and last for a good long time outside. Of course, there might be a few critters moving in! As we see in a side visit to the Sandland Monorail / Mouse Nursery, any artificial structures out here are an instant draw to wildlife! This one also features some nice drone shots of Sandland in the fall! Stay tuned for future installments as we keep assembling this! If you'd like to support the channel and help with future videos, consider joining my Patreon! https://patreon.com/saveitforparts You can also buy Saveitforparts and Sandland merch on Teespring at https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ Or learn more about Sandland, the monorail and tunnels, etc here: http://tunnelcity.com/

We finally have a boat that can do a decent day trip on the Mississippi River! This time we started in South Saint Paul near I-494 and went up to the old Ford plant site / Lock #1 in Highland Park. We did about 30 miles round trip and max speed was 30mph (but it took more than an hour due to speed zones and fuel issues!). The boat is a 1962 Dorsett Catalina with a Chevy 350 V8 and Berkeley jet drive. It still has some mechanical and electrical issues to sort out, as well as some water leaks, but overall it works pretty well! Stay tuned for more trips as well as more fixing and upgrading videos on this one!

The DNR says my Tuggy sandbox is "not a homemade boat" and refuses to to register it! (anything with a motor has to be registered here regardless of length, so I can't use it without that sticker). After several attempts and phone calls with various people, the only reason they can give is that a sandbox isn't a "raw material", therefore the boat isn't homemade. However, barrels, pallets, etc are "raw materials" and can be made into boats. It doesn't really make sense to me, I think they mostly just don't want other people making these! Leave your comments below about what I should do next with Tuggy now that it's officially not a boat! (And please don't hassle the DNR, they're nice people and are usually really chill about boats :-) )

A few more repairs on the 1962 Dorsett Catalina, and some actual driving around on the Mississippi River! After redoing the jet bowl seal, some electrical things, and other misc projects, we got the boat working well enough to go racing around!

I know other people have done this, but I found a Tuggy sandbox on the side of the road earlier this year and decided to motorize it. This is the build and testing video, we might take it on some further adventures once I iron out a few issues! This version of the sandbox is originally intended to *not* float (apparently earlier designs did and the company got scared of lawsuits). Fortunately it will still float with the addition of some foam and a solid bottom. I also added a horn, backup paddle, and some navigation lights (not shown in the video, I must have forgotten to film that). Once the registration comes back, this should be a fully legal motor boat!

Some random repairs, updates, and tests on my 1962 Dorsett Catalina boat. In this episode we're re-securing some loose parts on the engine, checking the gauges, and building a frame for the storage cover. Not a very exciting video really, so hopefully in the next installment we can get the thing out on the water again!

Another behind the scenes video, this one is about getting rid of stuff! Yes, even though I'm a "professional hoarder", I do occasionally downsize and eliminate extra junk from my life!

In this video I try to address some water saturation issues below the cabin floor of my 1962 Dorsett Catalina. Someone before me filled every cavity they could find with 1970s spray foam, so this is a bit of a mess!

This was an old beat up kayak that I saved from a dumpster. It was scratched up and heavily used, but really just needed a few repairs to go out on the water again.

A quick weekday evening trip that went a little bit long when we realized the lock and dam has restricted hours! We started at Bohemian Flats in Minneapolis around 4pm and ended at Ford Parkway. We had hoped to get to Hidden Falls but the closed lock meant we had to take out early and get a ride back to our cars. I also lost a couple video clips due to using my flaky Pixel 3 for some of the footage. It used to at least warn me when the video wasn't saving, now it just randomly corrupts files. I've tried to make up for the relatively short video by throwing a GoPro timelapse in at the end.

A 50x speed timelapse of travelling up the Mississippi River from Lansing Iowa to Saint Paul Minnesota. This trip was made on a 42ft Gibson houseboat from the 1980s. It took 4 days in total, covering about 170 miles and going through 7 locks. There are a few gaps in the video where the GoPro overheated, sorry about that! For the detailed day-by-day videos with more description of what we saw, see the links below: Day 1: https://youtu.be/1dGutN2q7Rw Day 2: https://youtu.be/H-mJUbx46D8 Day 3: https://youtu.be/B3e4Nj9H6R4 Day 4: https://youtu.be/-PlNn0FNoFo The background music is "Drifting at 432 Hz" by Unicorn Heads (from the Youtube Music Library).

I tried again to make aluminum out of old cans. It's still a frustrating process! I did get some more ingots made by using a propane torch, but most of my molding or casting attempts were just a giant mess. Maybe I'd try this again if I get an electric furnace with better heat control. Music: "Slow Burn" by Corbyn Kites (Youtube Music Library).

An unexpected bonus day of houseboat moving! In the last video (part 3) we thought we were done when we hit Hastings MN. Then the owners decided to move it a little farther, to Saint Paul MN. So we hopped back on the river for another day of houseboat adventuring! (This isn't one of my own boats, I was just along as the "expert", because growing up on an island in Alaska plus owning 500 terrible boats probably adds up to river pilot experience, right?) The boat is a 42ft Gibson built in the 1980s. It has a fiberglass hull and twin Crusader 270 engines that mostly work some of the time. We passed a lot more industries and docks today as we were mostly travelling through suburbs of the Twin Cities. I'm sure Hastings-ites would scream at being called a suburb, but everything in today's journey was within the 7-county metro area of the greater Minneapolis St. Paul region.

The third day of journeying up the Mississippi River in a 1980s houseboat. Today we started in Alma WI and made it to Hastings MN. We traversed the length of Lake Pepin and went past Wabasha, Lake City, Red Wing, and some small towns in WI. (This isn't one of my own boats, I was just along as the "expert", because growing up on an island in Alaska plus owning 500 terrible boats probably adds up to river pilot experience, right?) The boat is a 42ft Gibson built in the 1980s (it's not the one shown in the thumbnail, that was another cool boat we saw!). The Gibson has a fiberglass hull and twin Crusader 270 engines. It could probably sleep up to 6 people, but didn't have full interior furnishing yet. We had a few more engine issues today, and some ongoing electrical and mechanical gremlins, but all the important stuff kept working enough to get us to the marina!

This is part two of a trip up part of the Mississippi River in a 1980s Gibson houseboat. This isn't one of my own boats, I was just along as the "experienced" river pilot, because a growing up on an island in Alaska plus owning 500 terrible boats probably adds up to river pilot experience, right? This is the second day of the journey. Today started in La Crosse Wisconsin and went up the Mississippi River to Alma Wisconsin. We had a transient slip reserved in Alma, which is one of the few harbors or marinas on that particular stretch. This leg of the journey took extra long because of a cruise ship that was slowly making its way up the river, delaying everyone else along the way. Apparently this particular cruise ship is a former casino that someone slapped engines on. It doesn't really maneuver, just throws itself in the general direction of locks and then get helped through with much delay and circus. It also didn't help that the Winona lock and dam has no concept of time, and kept telling other boaters they'd have to wait "15 minutes". It turned out that 15 minutes to that lock meant anything up to 3 hours. By the time we got to Alma it was well after dark. Fortunately the spotlight on the houseboat is one of the few working devices, so we could find the channel buoys to guide us along!

Recently I helped move a houseboat up to the Twin Cities from Iowa. This isn't one of my own boats, I was just along as the "experienced" river pilot, because a growing up on an island in Alaska plus owning 500 terrible boats probably adds up to river pilot experience, right? This is part one, the first day of the journey. We started in Lansing Iowa and went up the Mississippi River to La Crosse Wisconsin. We had hoped to get a little farther, but ran into a few delays and mechanical issues on the first day. The boat is a 42ft Gibson houseboat built in the 1980s. It has a fiberglass hull and twin Crusader 270 engines. We have yet to determine top speed, we kept it around 10mph since this is probably the longest and hardest the engines have worked in years.

Some random video of past videos, projects in progress, and some footage yet to make it into any video. Really just footage that doesn't fit anywhere else, but is mildly interesting.

Part 3 of fixing up and testing the "new" 1960s jet boat. Now with more cops!

I recently bought a vintage fiberglass cruiser. This is a Dorsett Catalina 17ft, the 1962 model. It has a Chevy 350 with a Berkley water jet, probably installed sometime in the 1970s. The boat mostly works but has plenty of dents, scrapes, and other "character" as you'd expect from any of my projects! Top speed so far is about 32mph. I've already noticed a few problems, like the complete inability of Dorsett Hulls to drain water out. The jet also has an annoying habit of sucking up all the salad (lake weeds). This boat will feature in more videos this summer as we do some repairs, upgrades, and hopefully more trips!

I finally gave up on the awful 1970s tri-hull! But what's going to replace it? Definitely something cool!

Part two of our diy underground bar dug out of Jordan Sandstone. This is located at "Sandland", a friend's property devoted to tunnels and other fun projects. Part one of this project can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgINZBG3NgU And you can check out the Sandland website here for more pictures and info! http://tunnelcity.com/ You can also help support my videos and projects like this by becoming a patron through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

When I don't know what to do with various vehicles, I start zip-tying them together! This is a weird homemade motorized bicycle I got an an auction, combined with a dumpster-dived surfboard and some extra bits. It's not fast, but at least it's ugly! Wait, did I already make that joke about another of my boat projects?

This is my first attempt at solidifying sand, which we get from our underground mine at Sandland. I thought it would be cool to either turn the sand back into sandstone, or turn it into building material. While I know we can make bricks or concrete from the sand, I'd like to find something that looks more like a solid, permanent sand castle. I tried some "normal" additives like Portland Cement and mortar, as well as some "strange" additives like epoxy, hot glue, and... beer? Obviously some of these worked better than others. I tested each mix in a variety of ways for strength, freeze / thaw resistance, water resistance, and fire resistance. This video might be kind of boring, there are no DIY cannons or vehicles or explosions. Maybe watch it on 1.5 or 2x :-P

You can now get official Saveitforparts "stuff"! Check out my custom-designed shirts and other gear via the Store link above, the Merch shelf below, or by going to https://my-store-b88bcf.creator-spring.com/ (I've noticed the Youtube store links don't always show up on certain browsers , so use the Spring link if you don't see it). As a quick review of these products (printed by Spring / Teespring): The quality seems good so far and the printing and ink look good. They do charge separate shipping for different design categories, which kind of sucks. Shipping is also a little slow, especially if you're used to modern next-day mega-corp conglomerates. Hopefully the thrill of showing off your cool Saveitforparts merch will make up for that :-)

When I show videos of our DIY tunnels at Sandland, a common question is "will they collapse?" In this video I attempt to explain why Sandstone is stable and relatively safe with a few simple precautions. Another frequent question involves the difference between sandstone and limestone. I also address this briefly. However, I'm not a geologist, so my explanations are not at all scientific! Please note that this is for educational / informational purposes only and I recommend consulting a real geologist if you want to try this at home! You should NEVER dig a tunnel in dirt, loose sand, sand dunes, etc, as those are completely different! If you *do* plan on digging a tunnel or cave of your own, talk to some experts first and do some research into other tunnels in your area to see how they were made!

We finally got around to landscaping the edges of the "fish hole" (our homemade garden pond). Having a pond in the yard really brings in the wild birds and animals! The local amphibians also like it, which is great for insect control. As seen in some prior videos, the pond is made from a combination poly stock tank and rubber liner, with a bog filter, working miniature boat locks, and inverted aquarium. It's over 3ft deep in the middle, allowing our goldfish to overwinter with a small heater/bubbler to maintain an air hole in the ice. (Our pet ducks & goose get their own separate ponds, if we let them in this one they'd just eat everything and muddy it up!). I have some build photos of the pond on my website at http://saveitforparts.com/2018/08/20/garden-pond-part-1/

When you use an old monorail as a weekend cabin, there's going to be a mouse or two living in it! This is just a quick video of spring cleaning at the Sandland monorail. This involves evicting the mice from the control panels, washing windows, wiping down the inside, and adding some additional lights.

My area just had a terrible heat wave, and as a former Alaskan I melt when the temperature gets above 70 degrees. To combat the awful weather I made a mobile air conditioned environment using an old hazmat suit and some other spare parts!

A quick repair of an old metal detector for some friends.

How to turn trash into Youtube videos! Many towns have a junk cleanup day or days sometime during the year. And people sure throw out a lot of still-useful things! I've found such things as lawnmowers, bikes, power tools, electronics, even boats!

Incident on June 4th, 2021 where a semi truck transporting railroad equipment lost two sets of train wheels. One wheel set slid down the freeway causing visible pavement damage. Another set came to rest on the front of a vehicle. Traffic camera video courtesy of Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Earlier in the spring our fish pond started looking mucky when the ice melted, but the filter pond was still frozen. To fix this I made a quick temporary filter in a bucket to help clean up the water until the main filter could go online.

This might be my last attempt at getting the old 70s tri-hull going. I spent most of the summer of 2020 on this and don't have much to show for it!

Just a relaxing hour of goldfish swimming in and around our DIY garden pond dome. No building things, not talking, only background music and fish! Also known as an "inverted aquarium", this dome works the same way as a drinking glass held upside down in the sink. For more on how we set this up, check out https://youtu.be/BdJxGaG5POg Fluidscape by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100393 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Almost in F - Tranquillity by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100394 Artist: http://incompetech.com/

In 1888 the new town of South Saint Paul unveiled an electric suspended monorail train connecting the bluff tops with the Mississippi River valley. Developers Charles Clark and John Bryant hoped the train would catch on, but failed to get the permits needed to extend it. After a few demonstration runs, the track and train were abandoned and eventually demolished. In this video I set out to see if there are any remnants of the old monorail left behind. More history of South St. Paul and the monorail: https://www.dakotahistory.org/images/history/South-St.-Paul-Voice-History-Archive-by-Lois-Glewwe.pdf

This started as a home weather station project, so far I've gotten as far as the satellite image downloading system. Adding local weather sensors will probably be a future video. So far, the system is set up to automatically receive NOAA and METEOR-M2 satellite transmissions and display the weather maps in a web panel. Along the way I had to rebuilt my satellite antenna, upgrade my Raspberry Pi computer, and get a bigger waterproof housing to fit all the equipment. Some resources I used for this project include: -QFH antenna guide: http://usradioguy.com/noaa-apt-reception/ -Instructables guide: https://www.instructables.com/Raspberry-Pi-NOAA-Weather-Satellite-Receiver/ -Code for automating the entire process: https://github.com/jekhokie/raspberry-noaa-v2 -Reddit and the helpful users on https://www.reddit.com/r/amateursatellites/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/rtlsdr Some issues I ran into: -Raspberry Pi's don't have a clock... so if you're doing this off-grid or somewhere without always-on internet you'll need an add-on clock module. -My SDR doesn't seem to work with rtl_fm's -T option, so I had to manually enable and disable the Bias-tee as described here: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-blog-v-3-dongles-user-guide/

This is a quick collection of some of my homemade boat projects that don't have enough video for a full feature (or I haven't gotten around to filming them yet). It includes some plywood boats, old boats I've found on Craigslist, and our infamous party raft.

I brought my electric railway kart out to an abandoned railroad in the city. It's still not very fast, but now that I've installed a chain guard I can smash through a lot more brush and weeds! We checked out some forgotten industrial rail sidings, old overpasses and trestles, and saw some severe track damage that keeps this track from being used.

A Minnesota real estate listing went viral recently due to the artificial sandstone caves connected to the house. Since I'm involved in digging sandstone caves of my own, I thought it would be fun to take a look! We investigate the cave layout and design, as well as some of the history of the property and surroundings.

A few details on camping in our former zoo train out at Sandland. Also some 3D models of future plans for the monorail.

Introducing the "Sand Bar!" This is one of my bigger projects at the moment, a fully underground speakeasy-type establishment dug out of sandstone bedrock! It's not a for-profit or open-to-the-public bar, more of a replacement for the home basement bar that I don't have space for at home! Once we can have some social gatherings at Sandland again, this will be a fun spot to hang out! It's taken about 7 months and 250+ hours of labor to excavate the passage and room seen in this video (not including the existing Sandland tunnels). I filmed over 6hrs of raw footage during this project! I thought about breaking it up into installments, but I think it makes more sense as a stand-alone piece. I'll probably have more updates and follow-up videos as we make this bigger and cooler! As I note in the video, this is dug out of Jordan Sandstone, a midwestern bedrock layer that's soft enough to dig with simple tools, but strong enough to stay safe and stable for centuries. There are many local sandstone mines, brewery caves, and other tunnels that use this and similar rock formations. They don't generally need any roof support or extra shoring as long as the ceiling is arched. We would never do this in loose sand, and you shouldn't either! If you'd like to help support Sandland (the property where we're doing this), consider donating to the owner's fundraiser at https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-towards-sand-removal-costs-at-sandland You can also help support my videos and projects like this by becoming a patron through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts And you can check out the Sandland website here for more pictures and info! http://tunnelcity.com/

My first attempt at getting images from the Russian "Meteor M2" weather satellite. More info and step by step instructions for how to do this are here: https://blog.chaospixel.com/linux/2019/12/receive-meteor-satellite-images-with-rtlsdr-gqrx-linux.html Edit: I'm now using a different program for this which is more automated, called Raspberry-NOAA V2 (It does both US and Russian weather satellites). More info here: https://github.com/jekhokie/raspberry-noaa-v2/blob/master/README.md - Software Defined Radio and antenna kit: https://amzn.to/3xW0gtF - SAWbird+NOAA Amplifier / Filter: https://amzn.to/4dqLVFU

Last winter my friend Carl scored a free Playland structure from a derelict fast food restaurant. We managed to disassemble the whole thing in 3 days, and stored it out at Sandland (another friend's property dedicated to homemade tunnels and other fun!). Now that spring is here, it's time to move the playground parts up to their eventual re-assembly location. Fortunately we have access to an ATV and enough people to shuffle the parts around. These plastic pieces are pretty big, we also refer to them as the human hamster tubes! If you'd like to learn more about Sandland and all the crazy stuff that goes on out there, check out my other videos or visit www.tunnelcity.com. You can also send donations to the owner to help support projects and maintenance at the property! There's currently a fundraiser for sand removal that you can find at http://gofundme.com/f/donate-towards-sand-removal-costs-at-sandland If you enjoy my channel you can help support me by becoming a patron through Patreon: http://patreon.com/saveitforparts

A customized safety helmet for sandstone tunneling at Sandland. Includes face shield, bluetooth music earmuffs, and built-in headlamp. This, along with a respirator, is required safety equipment when digging! Check out my Sandland videos linked at the end for more info on what we're digging and why!

Driving a DIY electric railway cart / speeder and a railbike down an abandoned industrial spur to a former factory rail yard. This is the first significant journey for my homemade railroad cart, hopefully we'll have some good follow-ups soon with longer trips!

I threw together some parts and junk and made a small railroad speeder! This is the powered version (or rebuild) of my previous rail bike, with almost all new design. I went through a few attempts at motors and finally settled on a 36v 800W electric geared motor. EDM Detection Mode by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1500026 Artist: http://incompetech.com/

A quick video showing some of my space-saving kayak storage.

People have asked about air quality when digging tunnels at Sandland (the hobby mine that I help with occasionally). I added some air sensors to my homemade tricorder sensor and took it down for a day of digging to find out! Sensors I'm using: Nova PM SDS011 Dust Sensor CJMCU-811 CO2 sensor The main thing we worry about is silica sand and dust from the Jordan Sandstone that we're excavating. Airborne sand is a known health hazard, so we make sure to use respirators when digging. Using the Nova PM with a Raspberry Pi: https://hackernoon.com/how-to-measure-particulate-matter-with-a-raspberry-pi-75faa470ec35 https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/monitor-air-quality-with-a-raspberry-pi/ Using the CO2 sensor with a Pi: https://www.makerblog.info/cjmcu-811-with-raspberry-pi.html One thing to note is that the CO2 module needs a lower I2C baud rate than standard. This didn't seem to affect my other I2C devices.

A very quick video of a paper towel holder we made. This uses scraps of metal pipe for an industrial / steampunk look.

In this video I'm attempting to make a fancier antenna for listening to NOAA weather satellites. This is called a "Quadrifilar Helix" or QFH Antenna. These are supposed to be better than the simple V-Dipole that you can make out of metal rods or TV rabbit ears. However, I didn't notice a huge difference in image quality with this vs the dipole. Some info on how to make these can be found at the links below: https://www.instructables.com/NOAA-Satellite-Signals-with-a-PVC-QFH-Antenna-and-/ http://www.rish.kyoto-u.ac.jp/digitalbeacon/information/Building_QFH_Antenna_Guide.pdf https://f4bpp.com/articles.php?lng=en&pg=116&tconfig=0

I wanted to download images from the GOES-16 weather satellite, but didn't have a big enough satellite dish. So I made one out of an old TV dish, cardboard, and aluminum tape! Amazingly this actually works, and I was able to pull live pictures of the earth off the satellite in geostationary orbit! The cardboard won't last long-term, so I'm looking for an antique C-band dish that I can set up as a more permanent solution. However, for a cheap and expedient ground station, this worked pretty well! A step-by-step guide to receiving GOES satellites can be found here: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-com-goes-16-17-and-gk-2a-weather-satellite-reception-comprehensive-tutorial/ More information here: http://usradioguy.com/goes-satellite-imagery-reception/ Both of these guides assume you'll be using a re-purposed Wifi Grid dish. You can get the entire "kit" of dish, SDR receiver, and LNA amp/filter here: https://www.amazon.com/Nooelec-GOES-Weather-Satellite-Bundle/dp/B08HGQXC7C/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=goes+satellite&qid=1616517136&sr=8-2 You can piece this together with other parts and antennas, but you will at minimum need the SAWbird LNA and an SDR that can handle 1700mhz. The ability to power the filter via Bias-Tee from the SDR is optional, however the Sawbird will back-feed power if using a usb cable, so in that case you'll also want a DC filter. If you don't want to buy the Wifi dish, any LARGE satellite dish should work with the cantenna design I used. Info on cantenna design here: https://lucasteske.dev/2016/10/goes-satellite-hunt-part-1-antenna-system/ If all you have is a little modern TV dish like mine, I simply extended it in every direction with pieces of cardboard, then covered the cardboard with aluminum foil tape. This gave me kind of a marginal signal, more cardboard would probably help! Some "gotchas" or problems I ran into: -You can't run goestools on the latest Linux, it needs either Rasbian or something older than Ubuntu 19 due to a flaky version of opencv. (I think there are other scripts and apps that will work, or there is supposedly Windows software available). -You have to be connected to a network for goesrecv / goesproc scripts to run, otherwise it can't find localhost (because... reasons?). I had to be within wifi range to get this to work, even setting a local static IP didn't help. There's probably another way around this if you want to run this setup off-grid or remote where theres' no network. -I wasn't able to get below 500 vitterbi (vit) with my rig, but a level between 500-600 seemed OK-ish. -If your dish is made of reflective foil and the sun lines up just right, you might cook your feedhorn / LNA!

Some experiments with free-to-air (FTA) satellite stuff, using mostly the same equipment as my DIY radiotelescope project. I've added a couple devices that actually cost money, namely a $20 FTA receiver (set top box) and a $6 LNB (the deal that goes at the end of the dish). The rest of the equipment was found in the trash or scavenged from stuff my work was throwing out.

I found an old camcorder tape from 1990, when my grandparents visited us in Alaska. It's an quick look at where I grew up, and why I like boats and building things out of spare parts! Funter Bay is a historic cannery & mining ghost town with only a small permanent population (when I lived there our family was 4 out of 10 year-round residents). It was a great place to grow up with lots of peace and quiet, wide open spaces, historic stuff to poke at, boats to sail, etc. For more videos of Alaska history, check out the @Alaska's Hidden History channel. They visit a lot of old ghost towns, mines, and other interesting places in this same region!

Part three of my homemade railroad cart built from trash. In what might be the final installment of this particular design, I managed to get quite a bit further along an abandoned railroad (almost a mile!) before the train broke again. I think it's back to the drawing board for a different vehicle after this!

Finally I have a video about old mines where we actually go in an old mine! This is some footage from "Underground 2018", a former mine convention that took place near Death Valley in California. These are former Silver/Lead/Zinc mines worked from the late 1800s until the mid 1950s. All mines seen here were visited with permission from the property owners as part of an organized event. We had professional-grade safety equipment including gas sensors, climbing gear, helmets, and masks. Abandoned mines can be dangerous, and I don't recommend exploring them on your own!

In this edition of my rail vehicle made of trash, I've attached an old bike to the cart I built last time. I've also taken it out on yet another abandoned railroad spur for more testing. After a few crashes and derailments, it's clear that I have more work to do! Stay tuned for more improvements on this railbike / railway speeder thing! Bicycle - Reunited by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100870 Artist: http://incompetech.com/

I bought an unbranded, no-name laser engraver to test out. Spoiler Alert: It kind of sucks. I think this is why there's no brand name, the sellers don't want you to know who to blame for the poor quality!

Part 1 of my attempt to build a homemade railway speeder or railroad bicycle. This is supposed to be an update to the rusty antique railbike I used to have. So far almost everything on this vehicle is built from scraps, salvage material, and dumpster dived junk. I'm hoping to use it on local abandoned railroad tracks In this segment I'm focusing on the wheels and frame. Future videos will include a pedal / bike system and maybe an engine. Also check out Scott Bradley's channel where he makes nicer DIY rail vehicles: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfs_HidVybTkyiHa-ZOTVZw Iron is Laughter by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/

This might be my easiest and cheapest air cannon yet! A dumpster nailgun combined with a dumpster air tank and some random PVC parts. Easily blasts beer cans with ball bearings! Also features a pump-action reloading mechanism.

Listening to NOAA weather satellites as they pass overhead is relatively simple! All you need are some bits of wire and a basic radio. Actually getting imagery decoded from the transmissions took a little more effort, as I learned in the process of making this video. Below are some of the resources and guides I found helpful for this project: Basic intro to satellite reception: https://publiclab.org/notes/sashae/06-26-2020/diy-satellite-ground-station The antenna design I used: https://lna4all.blogspot.com/2017/02/diy-137-mhz-wx-sat-v-dipole-antenna.html Website for tracking satellites and determining upcoming overhead passes (As of early 2021, the ones to watch are NOAA 18, 19, and 15): https://www.n2yo.com/ Info on the NanoVNA I used for antenna tuning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJYeFpiqY8c This is a decent Software Defined Radio that's capable of hearing these satellites. You can get them with or without lots of extras like antennas and amplifiers: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/buy-rtl-sdr-dvb-t-dongles/ The software I used to interface with the SDR and record audio files (for Linux / Raspberry Pi): https://gqrx.dk/ (I have heard SDR# is good for Windows, but have not tried it: https://airspy.com/download/) The software I used for decoding images: https://wxtoimgrestored.xyz/ Some "gotchas" I ran into when working with saved audio files (not always obvious from online guides): -WXtoIMG is ancient abandonware and barely works on modern computers. The Linux version has some display issues and freezes when trying to update Keplers, at least on my system. On Windows I found that the beta version works better, the "stable" release won't install at all). It also doesn't like modern sound drivers, so if you can't decode live signals you may have to record and decode later (see below for even more tricks with this!) -Gqrx saves recordings in stereo at the wrong sample rate. You'll need to open the saved audio file in Audacity (or some other audio editor), collapse the file to mono and change the sample rate to 11025. You'll probably also want to Normalize the file after each step. See here for more details: https://lucasteske.dev/2016/02/recording-noaa-apt-signals-with-gqrx-and-rtl-sdr-on-linux/ -WXtoIMG It is very finicky about date/time stamps and you may need to fiddle around a lot to get your recording to match a known satellite pass. I had no luck using the filename to specify recording time as the faq recommends. I had to download a file attribute editor (Or this software can change timestamps: https://noaa-apt.mbernardi.com.ar/ ). You need to change the "Modified" date and time (not the "created" attribute) to the time when the recording started (because once you process the file through Audacity, the timestamp will be different). I then had to manually adjust the map overlay in WXtoIMG (fortunately I had a visible reference point, if it's all clouds you might be out of luck!) See https://wxtoimgrestored.xyz/faq/ for some info on this. Hopefully all that helps! There are a lot of guides online for how to do this, some are more complete than others. There are problably also plenty of videos better at explaining this than mine, I was just trying everything out for the first time.

This is a pretty basic motorized satellite dish for radio astronomy and/or amateur satellite experimenting. The basic components are: -An old TV dish (often free on classified sites) -An old "Pan/tilt/zoom" security camera mount (found as surplus). -An RTL-SDR Software Defined Radio (eBay or Amazon, I have the cheapest one). -An old laptop running Ubuntu Linux and GQRX radio software -A pair of 9v batteries to power the dish -A homemade controller to power the PTZ mount -A crummy tripod -Some random antenna adapters to go from Cable to SDR This is my first attempt at doing something like this. Future improvements might include some of the following: -Better SDR -Better tripod / mount -Better adapters / connectors -Satellite TV decoder for free channels? -Automatic tracking system? -Battery pack or remote power setup so I can try this in more open areas? I might also experiment with weather and remote sensing satellites like NOAA or GOES, but those will likely require a different antenna / receiver setup.

Per viewer request, here are some of the places I find cheap / free stuff to turn into projects!

Some of the best projects, inventions, and nonsense I got up to in 2020! Check out the rest of my videos for all the details!

Some friends found this massive restaurant playland advertised for free, so a bunch of us got together to disassemble and move it. We had three days before the restaurant would be boarded up, and it took all three to get it taken apart! Stay tuned sometime in the spring/summer when we start re-assembling it out at Sandland!

Another attempt (actually several attempts) at melting aluminum at home. This turned out to be much, much harder than I was lead to believe by other videos!

Just a quick video of a fun balloon trick I saw near downtown Stillwater. The pilot was able to come down to the frozen river, slide on the ice for a few seconds, and then fly off again.

I built an aluminum smelter out of mostly free materials, including some random bricks, dumpster-dived hardware, and other cast-offs. I'm still ironing out some issues, but it does manage to turn beer cans into aluminum nuggets!

Checking out former silver mines in Western Wisconsin. Most of these were likely stock scams, so there's not really much left to find.

I found a big pile of kayak paddles in a dumpster, and wanted to do something with the broken ones. With the addition of some zipties and duct tape, I now have the world's first (I think) Kayak Paddle Trebuchet! While it won't quite get a 90kg projectile 300 meters, it will throw tomatoes, rubber balls, and my old cell phone!

This is just a quick intro / review / overview of my new toy, a cheap low-end Software-Defined Radio. These things can be found on eBay for about $10. Some resources I mentioned in the video are below. (I am not sponsored by any of these) https://www.rtl-sdr.com/ for general info and drivers. https://www.radioreference.com/ for frequency info https://www.lightningmaps.org/ for lightning activity https://gqrx.dk/ for Linux SDR software https://airspy.com/ for Windows software. https://www.sigidwiki.com/ to identify what you're seeing!

In the late 1800s, there was something of a mining boom along the Minnesota River. Prospectors claimed to have found gold, as well as coal, and mining companies began digging for these minerals. Not much was ever produced, and several of the mines were likely investment swindles, but the mining did leave some ruins behind. I took a look to see what I could find from these historic operations.

A quick followup video to show that our bonus bird pond fish from the "accidental fish farm" video are doing well! I also took this opportunity to clean a couple weeks worth of green scum out of the inverted aquarium dome. Ideally I should be cleaning it every week to keep it looking good, but I'm lazy!

I rebuilt my Raspberry Pi tricorder once again, and took it underground for som "real world" tests! As expected, the RF spectrum is basically silent under 100ft of rock! The thermal camera came in handy for examining digging tools, and after a few code tweaks, I now have more temperature range options. I was also recently on the Tom's Hardware Pi-cast with this, which you can check out over here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gUytbtY5Tw

In this installment of "why to avoid getting a free boat", we break the steering, the fuel pump, the ignition, and probably some other things! We do actually get moving on the lake at *nearly* 20mph, but everything sounds terrible while doing so! Will this boat ever run correctly? Will I ever be done with the engine long enough to redo the interior? Will I snap and set fire to everything? Stay tuned to find out! Also! I haven't forgotten about my naming contest! Even though winter is trying to be here and the boat still is in pieces, I intend to have a final decision for that one pretty soon!

The Army Corps of Engineers recently lowered the water level in part of the Mississippi River at Minneapolis. This meant that a lot of historic riverbed (and all the trash on it!) was exposed for the first time in 12 years. I was able to get some great footage of various mud, rocks, sand and other exciting things! It was a lot like beachcombing at low tide back home in Alaska, just with more people around! While exploring the riverbed, I found strange fossil - a flash drive that had been underwater for almost a decade! After cleaning up the drive, I managed to extract a few photos and video from the strange distant year of 2010. If anyone has suggestions on how to find the owner, I'd love to hear about it. The most useful info that was on the drive are photos of the owner's license plate from 10 years ago.

Yet another ugly old boat that I've involved with! This one I'm only a part-owner, and we only get it out on the water rarely and with much cursing!

I discovered mystery fish in my duck pond! Where did they come from, and what to do about them?

I built a big outdoor garden railway for less than $100! It's made from a bunch of 1980s holiday trains, the kind that you can find at a thrift store for $5 or so. They run on AA batteries so there's no need for power or fancy wiring. The downside is I can't leave them in the yard forever, as the plastic probably isn't UV resistant, but it's sure fun while it's set up! This layout was two loops. One goes around our homemade garden pond with the inverted aquarium so the fish can watch the train. The other loop goes out into the garden and back. Getting everything to work was a bit of trial and error, so there are some fun crashes and bloopers towards the end! Check out the POV "cab-view" tour of the entire layout here:

This is the cab view / POV circuit of my outdoor railway. This was built entirely out of cheap 1980s plastic Christmas tree / holiday trains, the kind you find at thrift stores for $5 a set! I set up the track around our homemade garden pond and through the yard. Check out the build video and blooper reel here: https://youtu.be/tL9024OSyoM Music: "Shawl Paul" by Norma Rockwell (YT Library)

This is my Milbank-Amsler rifle, a vintage military gun from Switzerland. (I've also seen it written as Amsler Milbank). Originally an 1840s-era muzzleloader, these guns were updated in the 1850s and 60s for use with primitive metal cartridges. The shells are rimfire (like a giant .22), pushing a 41-caliber bullet. The trapdoor system is a bit clumsy, but vastly speeds up the reloading process vs the original percussion design. My grandfather bought this at an army surplus store back in the 1960s, but some parts disappeared during a rebuild. Fortunately I was able to find someone in Switzerland who still had spare parts! An international "save it for parts" collaboration, if you will! This video is my first time firing the rifle. Apart from some hang-fires due to vintage ammo, it functioned very well. Perhaps in a future video I'll look into reloading for this, since the cartridges are basically museum pieces. Each shot costs $5 or more, if you can even find ammo at all!

Where did the phrase "Save it for parts" come from? What does it have to do with vintage Bruder toys from West Germany? Can I pronounce German words in any meaningful way? Find the answers to these and maybe some other questions here!

The folks from Aracky.com sent me one of their Pacearth 30L drybags to test out. In typical Saveitforparts fashion, I went a little crazy with this review! The drybag held up to multiple tests, from being filled with water, to going down with a sinking boat, to being used as a flotation device! And it still kept my special cargo dry! Check out Aracky.com with coupon code "Saveitforparts" to get a 20% discount on one of these! (Good for $18 or more, doesn't apply to Amazon) Official website: https://bit.ly/3m6DNzr Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086PDS925?tag=ulglife-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1

In this video I'm bringing together a bunch of different spud guns that I've built, to see which design performs the best! We measure a number of factors including muzzle velocity, accuracy, reloading time, and more! The video also features a couple special guest cannons of different designs. As far as I can tell, this might be one of the first "scientific" potato cannon comparisons! The first half of the video is test shots and measurements, and the second half are mostly graphs and slide-shows (I'm sure to win the middle school science fair now!). Skip to about 12:54 for final conclusions on what's the best!

***DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!*** I love Saturn Missile Battery fireworks, but I wanted them to shoot in more of a straight line instead of all over the place. To that end I constructed a gun device to funnel the rockets into a specific direction. Spoiler alert: It didn't work all that well! It was still pretty cool looking though! Disclaimer: All tests were done in a fireworks-friendly jurisdiction, with safety equipment, and in wet weather conditions with no fire danger. I do NOT recommend doing anything you see in this video!

In celebration of the questionably-important milestone of 5,000 subscribers, I'm doing a sort of contest! My terrible 1970s speedboat needs a name, so I'm turning to my viewers for suggestions! If you'd like to suggest a name for the boat, post it in the comments. You can suggest more than one if you like. If I like your idea enough to paint it on the boat, I'll mention you (if you want) on the channel, and I'll send you a special mystery prize (likely of no actual value!). This is also going to be open to Facbeook and Twitter (do any real people use Twitter?). I don't have a firm deadline for when this ends, it kind of depends on how long it takes for me to find a good enough name! I'll try to aim for a couple weeks, and I'll update the title and description indicating the contest is closed once I have one I like. ****This contest *IS* open to friends and family, is totally biased to my sense of humor, has no cash value, and is probably void everywhere! It's just a fun way to get an interesting boat name :-) ****

In this episode of "Awful garbage boat I got for free", I'm digging into the engine's lower gear unit to see what was clunking in the last episode. After an extensive tear-down, inspection, and re-build, we find.... nothing? And then we get the boat running again! ... for about 5 minutes. Then, as usual, I break something else! It's excitement, drama, and grease throughout this installment. Well, that last thing anyway. I hope that this video series will eventually result in a boat that functions. But if not, at least it can serve as a warning for anyone picking up a "great bargain" on a used boat!

The heavy metal re-cut of my cow skull birdhouse! (The original video is here: https://youtu.be/OhSixb6r4Ps )

Sandland is a rural property my friend bought for the purpose of digging crazy underground tunnels! This video shows how we dig passages and rooms in the sandstone bedrock at Sandland! Don't try this one at home! If you want to help dig then contact the crew through the links below! For more info check out the Sandland website at www.tunnelcity.com, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sandland-181721285219560

A Saveitforparts project done by special guests: birds! When we stuck this cow skull on a post in the yard we never expected it to become a birdhouse, but these little house wrens found the neck hole to be the perfect size.

Sandland is the creation of one of my friends. It's also become a group effort among lots of different people to build a wacky adult-but-young-at-heart playground! The property features an underground tunnel maze as well as gardens, trail and stairway networks, ziplines, a treehouse, and the former Minnesota Zoo monorail! This video is a quick intro to Sandland and some of the projects we're working on! The official Sandland website is http://tunnelcity.com/ The Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/Sandland-181721285219560

We finally get the free boat project out and floating! Naturally the main engine doesn't work half the time, but we prepared for that by adding an auxiliary engine! We also discover that there's something horribly wrong inside the gearing of the main engine, so unfortunately this entire trip takes place at about 2mph. We also made friends with a duck at the boat launch!

Part three of fixing up an awful, rotten, ugly 1970s boat! In this episode I do even more engine bashing, fix the stern the wrong way, and add a kicker bracket so we can get back to shore if (when) the main engine dies! Also I spend actual money on parts (but not much though). This is probably the quickest and cheapest way to shore up a waterlogged transom on an older fiberglass boat. It's not the best way or the prettiest way, but it will keep a free / $100 boat out on the water. Also this way you don't spend hundreds of $ and weeks of work rebuilding the entire stern to end up with a boat that's still worthless!

Part 2 of my handheld scanner / sensor thingy made from a Raspberry Pi. It includes a software defined radio and a thermal imager (I'm still working on some other sensors!) Much thanks to @eatstoomuchjam for the Raspberry Pi!

Part two of repairs to my free 1970s tri-hull boat. In this one we're continuing from last time, following corroded wires under the engine flywheel to see what's going on in there.

When you have a rustic countryside cabin, even one that's made from a surplus zoo monorail, keeping the raccoons out is a constant battle! In this video I get down and dirty with the crawlspace under the train, meet a tiny salamander, and hopefully prevent furry trash bandits from getting their naughty little hands all over the interior!

I built a handheld scanner / sensor thingy using a Raspberry Pi computer, a software defined radio, and a thermal imaging chip. Now I'm ready to explore strange new planets! This video is part one, I plan to upgrade this device with additional sensors and a better enclosure in a future video. Please note, this isn't much of a "how to" video. I don't provide step-by-step instructions and half the time I'm just breaking things! If you want to see more details on how to build something like this, check out the links farther down. Much thanks to @eatstoomuchjam for the Raspberry Pi! Some resources and guides I used for this project: Video by @PiddlerInTheRoot on setting up the AMG8833 Thermal imager: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWnVHOqTdrE Text guide to AMG8833: https://www.instructables.com/id/Thermal-Camera-AMG833-Raspberry-Pi/ GQRX radio software: https://gqrx.dk/ Another SDR program I tried, unfortunately it didn't fully work on my system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmh_g2Ro6Qg The guide to setting up Freqshow was great for prepping the RTL-SDR for GQRX: https://learn.adafruit.com/freq-show-raspberry-pi-rtl-sdr-scanner/overview

Some drone shots of our off-grid cabin built from the former Minnesota Zoo monorail train!

Another water collection system with a cedar wood base for storage.

This is the first real-world test of my plastic-weld kayak repairs (aside from 5 minutes in a lake!). In this video we're cruising down the Minnesota River from Burnsville to Fort Snelling. The kayak held together and we got to see some muddy river banks and narrow backwater creeks! The video of my repairs to this kayak can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AZ6XkY02N8 If you'd like to support my channel and see videos early, check out my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts Thanks for watching!

A kayak journey down Rice Creek in Minnesota (Just North of Minneapolis-St. Paul). This video is mostly just scenery and wildlife, no projects or repairs at all! We started in Marshan Lake and paddled down to Long Lake.

Our homemade duck pond and filter system. Made from a stock water tank and an old 55-gallon barrel filled with gravel and pumice. This removes a good 90% of "dirt" from the ducks' water and keeps algae from growing in the pond (if grows in the filter instead!).

A quick look at the inverted aquarium / fish dome we installed in the garden pond. This works like a giant upside-down water glass, holding water inside above the level of the pond and allowing fish to swim up and look around the outside world!

I tried to make a tiny potato cannon... it worked poorly. So instead, I turned it into a little butane-powered steampunk-ish popgun thing! If you'd like to support my videos, why not head over to patreon and throw me a couple bucks? https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Part One of what will likely be several installments on rebuilding a free 1970s Tri-Hull boat. This thing has *most* of it's bits there, they just aren't in very good condition. In this episode I'm mostly doing engine repairs. Future installments will included further engine work, dealing with rotted hull areas, redoing the interior, electrical work, and maybe some unique customization. These old 1960s-1970s boats are often available for free on local classified websites, so I figured I'd take a shot at making one useable again! It won't be pretty but it should float when I'm finished! If you'd like to support my channel *and* see new videos early, check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

A brief intro to some backyard archeology / treasure hunting! My yard used to be the site of an old saloon 140 years ago, and we've found remnants when we dig holes in the garden (bottles, nails, and bullet casings!). There's also an old news article about gold in the well! While this is the wrong geology for gold and hoaxes like that were common at the time, it's still cool to have a lost treasure myth literally in the back yard! In this video I'm starting an initial soil-consistency survey of the back yard, with the aim of identifying any former privy (outhouse) pits or old walls that might be interesting places to dig. Maybe in a future video I can find some more bottles!

An attempt at replicating the historic art of 3-D glass panel mine maps. I found some maps of a relatively simple underground mine, and drew out each level on a separate sheet of glass. Then I layered the glass sheets in a frame to create a 3D model of the underground workings. It's still a little rough but it makes a cool table lamp / art thing, and I might eventually make a bigger one! The Coal Mine by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://www.twinmusicom.org/song/307/the-coal-mine Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org

A simple way to add storage and flotation to a cheap plastic kayak! This is an 8' Water-Quest Aruba model (These are common under various names at big chain stores). I sealed off the rear area with sprayfoam and installed a watertight hatch in the stern. Now I can store stuff and keep it dry while out paddling! Total cost was under $20 and these kayaks can be found on sale for under $100. A hatch and bulkhead, plus some of my earlier mods like bow bungees, gives this the features of a $200 kayak model!

Driving my homemade mini-airboat around on the Mississippi River. This time we used aviation gas and it worked a little better than the high-octane car gas that the engine manual calls for. We did break a couple control parts, but nothing I can't fix! (I built this airboat from an old duck boat and a powered paraglider engine, it's been an ongoing project and you can find other videos of it on my channel!)

A variety of homemade rainwater collection barrels and associated stuff. In the first half of the video I'm building a cedar deck platform for one of our rain barrels. The 2nd half is a tour of some of our other water collection systems.

For when handheld spud cannons aren't enough! This thing features adjustable elevation, electronic ignition, propane fuel, all-terrain tires, and a healthy dose of redneck engineering! All built from scrap parts in a weekend for under $50.

A mysterious plastic strip fell off my trash can while I was dragging it to the curb. I almost threw it away, but I figured I should see what was in it first!

Yet another potato cannon attachment, this one launches a net for anti-drone defenses! If you'd like to support my channel or help me afford future projects, check out https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

Per a viewer's suggestion, we find out what happens if you fire a potato through hardware cloth? Will it turn into french fries? And how can we add ketchup in a more interesting way?

We cut down a mostly-dead tree in the yard and only smashed a few things below it! I even had a couple excuses to use the grappling hook cannon for a real-world application!

A simple arcade game system with battery and mini projector that can be taken anywhere. Unlike many of my projects, this is one where I can safely say "DO try this at home!" Parts: -Cheap Android Tablet (with HDMI output) ~$50 -Mini Projector ~$70 -Battery bank (12v & USB ideal, but can be two separate batteries) ~$35 -8Bitdo N30 bluetooth controller ~$25 -Charging cords ~$10 -Cheap hard case ~$10 Total cost ~$200 (Or cheaper if you can find stuff used like I did!) Game emulator app: "Nostalgia NES" on the app store or apk sites. You can now support me on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/saveitforparts

I built a steampunk cyborg goose thing out of an old goose decoy and a toy steam engine, plus some r/c servos. This project took way too much time to finish, as it kept catching on fire and/or sinking, and I had to rebuild it several times.

I tried to make some whistles based on spud guns. Honestly it kind of sucked. This might get revisited in the future.

Testing out various wheel arrangements on my amphibious mini-airboat. We used the wide-open parking lot at the local abandoned K-mart. Well, it was mostly open, I did almost run into a semi truck... oops! It seems like I might have a viable setup for wheels on this thing if I use three pivoting caster wheels!

I upgraded the potato gun grappling hook launcher with a better rope cannister, more rope, and a different grappling hook. I also discovered slow-mo mode on my phone!

Just a few quick tweaks and updates to the mini airboat before we do the land-based wheel testing!

A collection of quick and easy tables made from scavenged stuff. Ideal for the broke college student or interior decorator on a budget! Includes manhole covers, safety signs, traffic cones, military surplus, medical training aids, and a mine cart!

A mini-documentary about some of my historic research into Alaskan Railroads. These are the smaller and shorter railways and tramways that once served mines, canneries, and small towns around the state. Although these short lines are often overlooked, they were an important part of early Alaska history. Remnants of some of these lines can still be found hiding in the woods and on the tundra, including old steam locomotives and other artifacts. You can find more on my website at: https://saveitforparts.wordpress.com/projects/lesser-known-and-obscure-railroads-of-alaska/ For more Alaska history and explorations, check out the @Alaska's Hidden History channel. They visit some of these old railroads and mines to see what's left!

I added a line throwing / grappling hook launching attachment to my potato cannon. Now I can board ships, climb buildings, and fight post-apocalyptic road gangs!

I've been working on adding wheels to my miniature airboat, with the goal of having an amphibious vehicle for land or water. This is part one of the building and testing process, an upcoming video will have more testing!

A quick project to add a legit hatch cover to the ugly seat hole in my airboat. Music: The Hunter by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/

I built an offset adjustment device for the Tillotson HR carb on my MZ34 engine. This lets me tune the fuel mixture on the airboat without having to stop and start the motor constantly! We also took the boat out on a local frozen lake for some more test runs.

My homemade airboat is great for drifting sideways on ice! It unfortunately wasn't so great when I drifted it into an island...

Our 2nd-hand Z-scale train came with a corroded battery box / controller, so I built a new one. It's built in a classy VHS tape case out of random junk from Ax-Man surplus store, and features a speed control potentiometer as well as a forward & reverse switch. As a bonus, the cats helped with derailment testing and other quality control work!

This is sort of a review / overview of a vintage Apple Macintosh Portable laptop that I've been playing with. I got it working with a new power supply, and it seems to work great! Since I have too many old computers, I'll be putting this on eBay (search for "saveitforparts" on there if you're interested, but it will only be up for about a week after this goes live). This was Apple's first major attempt at a laptop in 1989 (aside from some questionable IIc experiments). It has an active-matrix screen and a built-in hard drive, and amazingly everything turns on and runs (aside from the battery). This particular model has an optional numeric keypad installed instead of the typical trackball that came with these.

An intro to the garden pond we've been building, which features a canal and miniature lock for toy boats, a swamp filter, and sometimes a fish dome! We also have a friendly wild frog who will eat bugs from your hand.

Testing out my homemade airboat on a frozen lake! This is made from a 30hp paraglider engine bolted to a duck boat. I've been working on it for a while now and have some other videos showing more construction detail.

Lengthening the trailer for my homemade mini airboat, moving the battery closer to the starter, and some other minor upgrades. Make sure to check out the next video for more action-packed test footage!

Tuning up and cleaning the MZ-34 rotary engine on my homemade mini airboat. Originally this was a power paraglider engine made in Europe, and the translated manual is a bit sketchy. I had to do a few things by trial and error! Fortunately it ran well enough to give it a little test in the alley and driveway!

In November of 2004, the UAF Fire Department intentionally burned down several abandoned houses for training. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide from the fires leaked into the utilidor tunnels connecting these houses with nearby occupied structures, resulting in an emergency evacuation and cleanup later that night. Thanks to a heads-up on the initial burn and a later alert on my police scanner, I was able to film both the training fires and the later response. The narration is from a companion article I wrote for the campus newspaper. This is archival footage from 2004 with the best camera available at the time, but HD hadn't been invented yet so it's only about 720p.

Another step on the way to getting the mini-airboat up and running! In this video I'm mostly digging the thing out from hoarded junk and finishing wiring up the nav lights and other electrical systems. For an intro to this project, or how I built an airboat from a paraglider motor and a duck boat, check out this video: https://youtu.be/mRE7adeXduE

Part of my guest-video series with Squirrel Farm Kyle and Scott from the UK (Scott's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/userscott2). In which we do silly things with Lego blocks on O-scale toy train sets.

Scott from the UK builds an electric jet train for O-scale track, using nothing but the contents of Ax-Man surplus and my broken tool collection! (Scott's channel with larger jet trains: https://www.youtube.com/user/userscott2)

First in a series of guest videos with Kyle of the Squirrel Farm and Scott from the UK. In this episode the guys turn my basement into a series of massive O-Scale train sets! (Scott's channel is https://www.youtube.com/user/userscott2)

A quick winter visit to our off-grid cabin made from retired Minnesota Zoo monorail cars.

A quick "best of" from the videos I made prior to 2020. Includes various boat projects like the motor canoe and homemade airboat, my potato cannons, washing machine rocket, and other stuff!

A propane fueled potato cannon that shoots rubber bouncy balls. With a repeating semi-auto feed system to launch multiple balls before reloading! This is a modification of my propane spud gun with interchangeable screw-on barrels.

As part-owner in an awful pontoon boat with a semi-pirate theme, I felt we needed something to assert dominance over the nearby lakes. This spud gun includes a rolling naval-style carriage, a built-in air tank, and a electric activation mechanism with a pull-string to fire!

I upgraded the classic starch accelerator with a propane fuel system and electronic ignition courtesy of a used propane torch. This design also features interchangeable barrels for launching other food products!

Our pet ducks and goose chasing cats around the yard and inside the house.

I built a large model rocket out of trash washing machine parts and random stuff around my house and garage. It was powered with an expired parachute signal flare. There were a few problems that led to a more dramatic landing than expected!

Back when I lived in Alaska, I got my hands on a free 24' Bayliner sailboat that had been left to rot. I gutted it out and rebuilt almost everything. This "video" (more of a slideshow really) shows the process and the final product.

I bought a beat up sea kayak with some holes, and fixed it by welding patches made from an old barrel.

This is a quick intro or teaser video of my airboat project! I built this from a small duck boat and a paraglider fan motor. It's a work in progress, especially after I crashed and destroyed the prop. I plan to feature this in a few more upcoming videos as I continue to work on it.

My final test of the weedwhacker-powered canoe.

Flobert guns were popular in the late 1800s for indoor target shooting. They used very low-power ammunition, smaller than a .22. I fixed a broken one and tested it alongside a modern cheap BB gun to see how they compare.

I take the weedwhacker canoe out for a test drive and notice a few problems.

I mounted a propeller and an old weedwhacker motor to a smashed up canoe!

An introduction to my monorail project. In 2015 I bought one of the former monorail trains from the Minnesota Zoo and moved it to a rural property for weekend camping!

I bought an antique railbike from an estate sale, and we took it on some abandoned rails to try it out!

The first test of a vintage rail bicycle I bought at an estate sale. This is on a fully abandoned, disconnected track on public land in a city park, so no danger of colliding with a real train! The thing mostly works but doesn't like ice and snow on the rails!

Sometimes you have a human-size Hamster Wheel. Don't ask why, you just do. And sometimes you have to move it to the other side of a steep valley! This is what it looks like.

Lots of bats flying around in an underground mine chamber

Moving one of the former Minnesota Zoo monorail trains into the maintenance bay. I bought one of these trains for use as a weekend cabin!

Unloading monorail car from trailer.

Custom made high-capacity hummingbird feeders, made by my dad. For info contact [email protected]

A hawk is confused by the strange forcefield keeping it from its breakfast.

These river otters think boats are a convenient diner and/or bathroom.

A typical Alaska visitor.