Standardizing the Soldering Workbench: Introducing MLight
A modern electronics workbench is a wonderful place, but it can quickly become cluttered. If you do any SMD soldering, you probably use a microscope. Along with the microscope, you need a ring light, a small external display to view your work, and a fume extractor to keep the solder smoke out of your lungs. Each of these devices typically requires its own power adapter and cable. Before you know it, your workbench is a tangled mess of wires, and your power strip is completely full.
June 13, 2026
Standardizing Radio Programming: A DIY USB-to-UART Adapter with RJ12
Whether you are a radio amateur (HAM) or a general electronics hobbyist, you almost certainly have a drawer full of USB-to-UART adapters. I am no exception — I have accumulated a couple of different ones over the years. However, when I started working with amateur radios, I realized a convenient truth: most Chinese transceivers do not require any proprietary or special programming chips. Under the hood, they communicate via standard serial UART. All you really need to program them is a basic USB-to-UART bridge and the correct physical connections.
June 13, 2026