Category: Meetings

Meetings

Posted on

Oct 10 2024 – Sensible (To Me) Electric Bike Charging using a Touchscreen Arduino

This presentation will look at how to control the charging of an e-bike in order to enhance the life-time of a battery. The controlling mechanism consists of an Arduino Uno microcontroller with a Touchscreen shield, coupled with a PowerTail isolated-relay controlled A/C extension cord.

The interface will be simply touchscreen based ON/OFF buttons, plus buttons which add or set time blocks of charging duration. The interface is written using the Arduino IDE and its C++ coding environment.

Mark’s Presentation pdf is here:

arduinopowertimerDownload

Where: Quality Foods, View Royal, 27 Helmcken Rd #110

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

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

Join Us Online here:

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Sat Jan 13 2024 – Home git server & workflow

Happy 2024!

Mark will share how to create a home git server (take that github!) and the workflow with it.

Basic Git Home “Remote” Server Using

SSH With Gitolite

Mark G.
January 13, 2024

An installation and configuration of a source code control system (SCCS).
The SCCS uses the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol, the Git version control
system (VCS), and a software package named Gitolite. A user of the system provides a public key that is tied to configured identities for the purposes of access control to git repositories. The repositories configured on this server are intended to be used as remotes, in terms of how git defines a remote.
This demonstration was hosted on a FreeBSD 13.x operating system running on a raspberry pi 4.

git-homeDownload
gitignore_globalDownload

We are back at Quality Foods, View Royal, 27 Helmcken Rd #110

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

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

Join Us Online here:

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Sat Jan 27 2024 – heat sinks and pi irrigation controller.

An application of Blue Board in calculating heat sink cooling capability, measured in Watts

By measuring the interior chip temperature over a few seconds of a chip cooled by a heat sink, you can calculate the watts dissipated by the heat sink. The DS18B20 measures temperatures up to 125℃ at the interior of the chip.
This is a useful measurement If you are making your own heat sinks out of copper tubes or folded aluminum sheathing,  You can also compare the effectiveness of different heat sink compounds this way.

The presentation is at this bookmark in a longer presentation on how to set up a Raspberry Pi Pico as a Blue Board learning tool. Blue Boards are available for free from George at 250-893-7423

Posted on

Sat.Nov 25, 2023 – Running Alpine Linux (with XFCE) on the Pi

Naturally, you can run PiOS on your Raspberry Pi, but are there other options, which have a full GUI (XFCE). Turns out, you can run Alpine Linux with full GUI on the Pi. A lighter-weight distro, which also doesn’t require systems.

Craig’s presentation notes are here: http://www.makikiweb.com/Pi/alpine_linux_installing_gui.html

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

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

Join Us Online here:

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Nov 11 2023 – Intro to NextCloud on a Pi

Why just run your own video conferencing server, when you can simultaneously run that AND mail, calendaring, contacts, calls, IM, file sharing, remote backup, and a web-based office suite, all in one intimidating package. Get your own thrift-store Google G Suite going with the open source Nextcloud platform on a tiny Raspberry Pi! Great for the privacy-conscious, the independent, and masochists. We’ll do it the hard way and make configuring Jitsi look like recess at kindergarten (and then do it the easy way). Warning: the hard way will race through dependencies including Apache, PHP, MySQL/MariaDB and openSSL, so expect some mild suffering.

Richard’s Blog here:

Actual process including configuring a web server and database and installing from a source tarball:
https://tech.kosmokaryote.org/2023/11/technology-nextcloud-on-raspberry-pi_22.html –

here are the pdfs

Kosmokaryote_-TechDownload

and here


Much briefer post using nextcloudpi via docker from my notes, as originally demoed:
https://tech.kosmokaryote.org/2023/11/technology-nextcloud-on-raspberry-pi.html

Kosmokaryote_-Tech2Download

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

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

Join Us Online here:

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Posted on

Sat, May 13, 2023 – Projects Day

We will be having a discussion about Projects that we are working on, but haven’t shared with the group. These can be projects that are successful or ones that just didn’t work out and have been abandoned. We’ll enjoy hearing about other’s projects, and perhaps even offer to help.

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/

Joel’s presentation .pdf is here.

HydroponicsController

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

Thu. Apr. 27, 2023 – NetSIG: LXD Installing Pi-Hole in a Linux Container

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

Last month we did the InstallFest for Linux Containers (LXD). This month, we’ll install a popular application, Pi-Hole, in a container on YOUR Pi. With Linux Containers, there’s no need to dedicate a Pi to Apps like Pi-Hole.

This month, BRING YOUR PI, and the LXD 32 GB SD Card, and we’ll do a Linux Containers App installation on your Pi. Also bring a method to SSH to your Pi (e.g. laptop or screen + keyboard).

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.

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

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. 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., 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. 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. Nov. 13, 2021 – Infrared Data Communications

Jim Briante presenting

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

Jim’s Presentation Notes are here.

IrDA Infrared communication
Infrared Emitting Diode
• Angle of half intensity: ϕ,
• Relative radian power vs wave length
Infrared Receiver
• Series for remote control
• Automatic gain control (AGC)
• Data format compatibility
Data Encoding Methods
• Pulse distance encoding, Pulse width encoding, Manchester bi-phase encoding
Basic IR System –IR emitter/receiver
• External components/software
• Generating Pulses
• With PSoC PWM interrupts
• Raspberry Pi Pico State Machine
• Receiving Pulse
• Raspberry Pi Pico using interrupts
Single Pulse Application Example
IR Receiver for Continuous Data Communication
• What works for RS-232 data transmission and why?
Project Utilising IR emitters/Receivers using RS-232 Communication
Reference