Posts

Posted on

Sat. Apr. 8, 2023 – Pandas and Data Wrangling

Learn the basics of data manipulation using the Python library, Pandas. This session will provide an overview of common Pandas’ API used to transform your datasets.

We will learn to:
– Install Pandas
– Define the Dataframe and Series classes
– Work with columns and rows
– Filter rows
– Apply or update data
– Merge and concatenate datasets
– Read and write to a file
– Do more, time permitting

You only need paper and a pencil or pen for this session. The presentation will be posted to the VicPiMakers website for you to play with after the Meetup.

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Join Us Online here:
https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Sat. Apr 22, 2023 – Hydroponics and the esp32

Joel will be presenting a hydroponics controller based on the esp32 and connected to a raspberry pi using home assistant. Here are some links to home assistant and associated sites.

https://www.home-assistant.io/

https://esphome.io/

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Join Us Online here:
https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Sat. Mar. 25, 2023 – Home IoT

home IoT wifi everywhere

This will be an open discussion of IoT with an introduction by Robert discussing his old IoT setup at home and the continuing process of his migration to Home Assistant.

Robert’s presentation pdf is here.

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Join Us Online here:
https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

NetSIG – Mar. 23, 2023

NetSIG is a Special Interest Group focused on computer networking. Building networks for Today and Tomorrow!

Last month we explored MACVLAN interfaces, and how it makes it easier for Linux Containers (LXD).

This month, BRING YOUR PI, and a 32 GB SD Card, and we’ll do a Linux Containers INSTALL FEST on your Pi.

We will be meeting in-person at Quality Foods (small boardroom upstairs), bring a laptop and have Wireshark installed. This will be hands on. PLEASE BRING an ETHERNET dongle/port as we will be ssh-ing into your Pi, and configuring Linux Containers.

Quality Foods View Royal 6:30pm

27 Helmcken Rd #110 · Victoria, BC

Afterword, we will go out for a beer/coffee.

Posted on

Sat. Mar 11, 2023 – Go-lang

In this session, we’ll demo the Go programming language. We’ll review the basics of the language, and how to get started with it. We’ll also look at some of the tools that are available to help you program in Go.

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Join Us Online here:
https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

GitHub Repo – Includes presentation slides and code examples:

https://github.com/netserf/vicpimakers-presentation-go-learn-by-doing

Feedback:

https://forms.gle/EmtLgnfQWQb9q5v86

Posted on

Sat. Feb 11 2023 – Linux Containers on the Quadra

linux containers

After using Linux Containers (LXD) for a couple of years, Craig will share how to easily get your containers connected to the internet using a MACVLAN interface. No reconfiguration of the host is required. This technique can be used on Pi’s as well as other hosts.

We will set up containers using the MACVLAN network attachment, discuss limitations, and even run LXDware, a web-based GUI for LXD on a Pi.

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (in-person & Jitsi).

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Hybrid https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Sat. Dec. 10, 2020 – T’is the Season

T’is the season for bright lights and Raspberry Pi fun.

T’is the Season!

In this talk we’ll look at a ModMyPi Programmable Christmas Tree (MMP-1021), which sits atop the 40 pin header and presents a set of individually controlled LEDs. The trick to practical and easy use of the tree is via GPIOZERO, a fantastic python module. We’ll integrate some sensors as well, since GPIOZERO makes them very easy.

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Hybrid https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Sat. Oct 22, 2020 – Old Man Savers

George will share his old man savers. Consumer kitchen appliances are designed for one size fits all, not for my personal needs. My needs change as I age, and I need alerts for faults.

  • I like to turn off my drip coffee maker as soon as coffee is brewed. If I forget, it wastes electricity (500watts) and spoils the coffee. If I forget to insert the carafe, I’ve got a mess. A timed relay with a contact sensor for the carafe solves the problem.
  • So as not to overcook the meat, I turn off my induction hot plate based on a thermistor inserted into the meat to trip a relay to power off the hot plate.
  • A centralized monitor and alarm system, with text message notifications, can be tailored to one’s specific needs. My monitoring system needs to include at least 9 sensors:
  • Exterior door that gets left ajar.
  • Bathroom light gets left on
  • Bathroom water flooding
  • Fridge power lost
  • Fridge temperature too high
  • Freezer power lost
  • Freezer temperature too high
  • Exterior hall temperature
  • Smoke detector

George’s presentation is here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/107pIcvgMJfG5TxZLBdD5MD1n3QWQPcR2-Dehy2xVzjI/edit?usp=sharing

His code .pdf file is here:

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

QCollege has welcomed us back to meet in-person. We thank them for their support.

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (in-person & Jitsi).

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Sat. Sep, 24, 2022 – Firefox Extension tracking

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation (virtual)
10a Presentation

Mark will share his work in stripping tracking info on Firefox on a Pi, and how to load it onto your Firefox.

QCollege has welcomed us back to meet in-person. We thank them for their support.

Suite 303 – 771 Vernon Ave · Victoria, BC

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (in-person & Jitsi).

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Mark’s presentation .pdf is here.

Posted on

2022 Summer Break

VicPiMakers is taking a well-deserved summer break. We will be back to our regular bi-weekly programming in September. In the meantime… join us at our Linux SIG or NetSig. See the blocks on the right for the details and links.

Posted on

June 25, 2022 – Recent Projects

Come share your recent projects with the group, online or in person.

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation (virtual)
10a Presentation


QCollege has welcomed us back to meet in-person. We thank them for their support.

George shared some pico links

https://learn.adafruit.com/welcome-to-circuitpython

https://learn.adafruit.com/getting-started-with-raspberry-pi-pico-circuitpython/blinky-and-a-button

https://learn.adafruit.com/getting-started-with-raspberry-pi-pico-circuitpython/neopixel-leds

Virtual…

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Sat., June 11, 2022 – Marine GPS on a Pi

Dave will share his work in running Marine Navigation on a Pi including:

  • hardware requirements
  • how the zero could be used, but there are drawbacks
  • I was unable to get a pi 4
  • at George’s suggestion, I decided to go with the pi 400
  • hardware modifications to integrate the GPS unit within the pi 400 case
  • introduction to and a brief overview of the OpenCPN Chart Plotter Navigation software
  • some ideas I have to make a more “system-critical” GPS solution (will implement if I have time)

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation (virtual)
10a Presentation


QCollege has welcomed us back to meet in-person. We thank them for their support.

Virtual…

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Sat., May 28, 2022 – Apache and Flask

Gordo will share an update on his work with Flask and the Apache server. Flask is a micro web framework written in Python.

Gordo

Presentation notes: https://github.com/va7sdf/vicpimakers-flaskapachedemo/wiki/Apache-&-Flask-on-Raspberry-Pi

PREVIOUS presentation notes: https://github.com/va7sdf/vicpimakers-flaskdemos/wiki

QCollege has welcomed us back to meet in-person. We thank them for their support. Suite 303 771 Vernon Ave · Victoria, BC)

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (in-person & Jitsi).

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Sat. May 14, 2022 – SSH Tricks and Tips

In this presentation, we’ll take a look at how the secure shell
(SSH) protocol can be used to to tunnel many different types of network traffic. We’ll cover X Window forwarding, local port forwarding (think VNC), and how to use its support for the SOCKS
protocol.

Marks’s presention notes are here.

https://www.palaceofretention.ca/vp/sshtunnels.pdf

This meeting will be virtual only. Please do not go to Q College as no one will be there. Click the link below and join us online. Thank you.

(QCollege has welcomed us back to meet in-person. We thank them for their support. Suite 303 771 Vernon Ave · Victoria, BC)

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation (virtual)
10a Presentation

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (Jitsi).

Posted on

Sat. April 23, 2022 – The Challenge & Pi OS 64 bit

Jim will cover his pencil challenge.

Gordo will give an overview of 64bit Pi OS, and the cool features of the flash utility.

Gordo’s notes: https://gist.github.com/va7sdf/39a6c01d38eb1131532398fe69833862

QCollege has welcomed us back to meet in-person.We thank them for their support
Suite 303 771 Vernon Ave · Victoria, BC

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation (virtual)
10a Presentation

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (in-person & Jitsi).

Posted on

Sat. Apr. 9, 2022 – Power Control

Show and Tell of how you are controlling the world (or at least your part of it) with an AC Power Control project. All are invited to share in this meeting.

QCollege, Suite 303 771 Vernon Ave · Victoria, BC, has welcomed us back to meet in-person. We thank them for their support.

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (in-person & Jitsi). https://meet.vinneythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Deid’s link: http://deid.ca/pi/power

George’s presentation .pdf