[chbot] Robotics Group meeting, 5 Idris Rd, 630pm, Mon 21 Apr 2025 report

[Mark Atherton]

Hello everyone,

Good turnout with 23 attendees, and lots of huddles-of tech-talk. $38 + 
change (in gold, and flat-money) collected and transferred into the 
robotics loose-change jar (for later banking).

All sales from the trading table should go into the brown box on the 
wall, and are directly for the benefit of our host club, Christchurch 
Amateur Radio Club, NZART Branch 05.

Equipment donations are welcome for the trading table, but no CRT based 
product, printers, toner or items that are likely to be a disposal burden.

With thanks on behalf of the group,

Mark Atherton

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Mark talked about a home-cooked PT100 temperature sensor interface, and 
some of the associated design issues.

He also mentioned was a new class of FET rated at 375A in a package 
7x9mm, with RDSon type 0.35mΩ; package limited at 375A. Single unit 
pricing NZ$6.57.

Robin talked about how the walnut industry was driving him nuts with the 
recent rain.

Grant talked about his business product, the 'FieldMate electric drive 
system for seed drills’.

Graham talked about a visit south, and associated time spent with a 
‘meteorological balloon launching technician’.

David talked about the X-ray inspection of one of Graham's radiosondes.

Andy brought in and talked about his Pressure Swing Adsorption oxygen 
generator

Charlie talked about an embedded coding project for an LED based science 
exhibit.

Dave talked about his high-power, room-filling smoke generator


Interesting YouTube Videos:

The great 2002 electrolytic capacitor crisis 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSpzAVpnXo4

Mr Hewes, and how (not to) test a Cheiftan gearbox 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajOSkgd2-H8

An insane Boeing 7779X ‘model’. Looks like a mix of AI an real images, 
but the real stuff is quite impressive. www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXZXRhau9Jo