Serial LCD Data Display by Brett

The original Midnight Mod, the external text LCD display. This is an easy project to put together and requires very little beyond a good LCD. For this project, I picked up a Crystalfontz 20x4 serial display. I also picked up a plastic project box at the shack that the display would fit in; cutting holes for the display and connectors.

Then it’s just a matter of downloading the free software from Crystalfontz, or using your favorite LCD controller software and you are off an running with all kinds of useful data streaming directly to your desk.

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Hidden CDROM Button by William

A CDROM is not to useful without an open button. After a few times of trying to fix the stock button, which had broke I got the super glue out and accidently put to much on when sticking the button on the switch inside the faceplate causing the switch to well, be super glued open, and no longer useable. Excuse the pictures, camera's were not to great at the time this mod was done.

Lets get some tools out.

Soldiering iron and a momentary on switch.

I cobbled a quick connect out of the parts box. Then I grabbed some cat5 and stripped it and took out 2 wires.

 

 

 

 

I took the case apart to get the front board out and de-solder the front button out and to give me room to run the new switch wire.

 

 

You can see here that on the front board (on the left side) I have the new switch wires soldered into the board where the switch used to be.  I have the wires setup to run out the back of the CDROM by the audio out.

 

 

 

I ran them out the back so you can't really see that the mod is there. More like a hidden modification. People always wanted to put CD's in to my computer, so this mod had other reasons as well, other then necessity.

Apparently, These are all the pictures I have.
I ran the front button to where the system speaker is on the front of the case. It resembled a new reset button, nobody would ever think. The disconnect went soon behind the CDROM so you could remove the CDROM if need be. I left plenty of wire to move it wherever you needed too as well. I also installed the old button back onto the CDROM to give the appearance that it was still there, to fool unlikely people. This was a pretty easy modification to do, and made for a few giggles as well. The CDROM was a Phillips. It was an okay burner, but it didn't actually last much longer after this mod, maybe 1 or 2 months, with a total life of just over a year, unlike my Plextor which I have now which I've had for at least 5 years.

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2002 MM Q3 Meeting B by Brett

It’s tradition here at Midnight Mods to cook a Stromboli whenever the members meet. How or why the tradition was started, no one knows. We do know however, the results are delicious.

 

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2002 MM Q3 Meeting by Brett

It’s tradition here at Midnight Mods to cook a Stromboli whenever the members meet and just because the meeting took place while camping- It doesn’t exempt us from tradition. How or why the tradition was started, no one knows. We do know however, the results are delicious.

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2002 MM Q2 Meeting by Brett

It’s tradition here at Midnight Mods to cook a Stromboli whenever the members meet. How or why the tradition was started, no one knows. We do know however, the results are delicious.

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Long Distance Wireless Bridge (AKA: Free Internets) by Brett

Want to share one network and internet connection between multiple buildings? Need to stay connected to work, but hate the speed of VPN? Too cheap to pay for your own damn internet? All the above? It’s time to take your wireless network to the next level. Enter the gear:

Two or more wireless bridges (I like the multimode bridges, so they can be repurposed later in life), external antennas (type will vary depending on your connection specifics and geography), pigtails to connect the antenna to the bridge, and plenty of CAT 5e cable.

My bridge system has been through different stages over the years and has served me well. Before WDS, it was simply an access point with a client box and directional antenna pointed right at it. In that setup, I had to use a NAT device at the client end.

As wireless bridging matured, I upgraded to WDS and swapped out the panel antenna with pole antennas to reach the added nodes.

Sometimes it’s best to put these things up at night so the neighbors don’t- you know, what the hell, let them wonder. I like to avoid POE when the run is short as you can see, but that’s just my preference.

I’m not saying polarization doesn’t matter, because on paper it does, but for some reason, this antenna liked to be horizontally polarized. Perhaps it has something to do with that nice aluminum siding reflector?

There are a lot of variables to consider when planning a wireless bridge. Its outside the scope of this document to tell you exactly what you need, but I can offer some tips:

1. Keep your antenna cables short. 2.4GHz will lose a lot of power in a short amount of cable. That’s why it’s usually best to mount the bridge outside, as close to the antenna as possible.
2. Paint your plastic boxes. If you plan on using plastic food containers like I did, paint them when you are done. Make it a reflective color or any light color, like white if you have it. The paint will block a lot of the UV rays from the sun and will extend the useable life of the containers. The light color will keep the inside a little cooler than if you were to use say black (don’t!). They will still probably have to be replaced after about 5 years. Without paint, they will probably only last 2 (3 if you have partial shade as mine did). An alternative would be to cover the container with something that can stand UV torture. In my current system, the plastic containers are just sitting inside an old empty computer case on the roof- Take that mother nature!
3. Treat your lumber. I know you have a can of polyurethane around somewhere just waiting for you to fight with it to get it open. Use it. Otherwise you may find your wireless system on the ground one morning a few years later as I did after the 2x4’s rotted straight through. Brings a whole new meaning to “The internet is down.”
4. Clear a path people. You need a mostly unobstructed path between points. 2.4GHz signals will be stopped easily by anything in the way. If you can see from one site to the next, you’ve got it made. If not, you might have to get higher. In my setup, there were a few trees that would block my clear path in the spring, but since I was only going about 2 blocks away, it wasn’t an issue. Omni directional antennas will help with that too.
5. Cold. Not as big a deal as I thought it’d be. The system has survived 6 Michigan winters without one problem due to cold. Fact is, like most electronics, they seem to do great in the cold! (I’m sure there is a limit, but that’s probably near –30 degrees)

Most importantly, have fun!

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