Tinker Thoughts Blog
Welcome to the Tinker Thoughts Blog — hands-on projects, practical tutorials, and insightful tips in the maker and electronics space. We dive into a wide range of topics including Internet of Things (IoT), electronics troubleshooting, home automation, rapid prototyping, and RF communication. You’ll also find detailed guides on 3D printing custom enclosures and PCB mounts, as well as experiments in electrical circuits, embedded systems, and other DIY innovations. Whether you're a hobbyist, engineer, or curious tinkerer, you'll find inspiration and technical depth here.
TTB #32: We Launched a Reddit Sub r/PTSolns
We're excited to announce the launch of the official PTSolns Reddit community, r/PTSolns. Created for makers, students, educators, and engineers, this new community is a place to ask questions, share projects, exchange ideas, and get support using PTSolns products. Whether you're programming one of our microcontroller development boards, experimenting with an I2Connect module, or building your latest embedded project, everyone is welcome. We hope this becomes a friendly space where the community can learn from one another, inspire new ideas, and help shape future PTSolns products. Join us and become part of the conversation today!
TTB #32: We Launched a Reddit Sub r/PTSolns
We're excited to announce the launch of the official PTSolns Reddit community, r/PTSolns. Created for makers, students, educators, and engineers, this new community is a place to ask questions, share projects, exchange ideas, and get support using PTSolns products. Whether you're programming one of our microcontroller development boards, experimenting with an I2Connect module, or building your latest embedded project, everyone is welcome. We hope this becomes a friendly space where the community can learn from one another, inspire new ideas, and help shape future PTSolns products. Join us and become part of the conversation today!
TTB #31: How to Select the Right Microcontroller
Choosing the right microcontroller isn't about buying the fastest or most expensive option. It's about selecting a platform that meets your project's requirements while remaining easy to develop with. In this guide, I share the process I use when designing real embedded systems, from evaluating peripherals and voltage compatibility to considering documentation, development tools, and long term availability. You'll also find practical examples from my own projects, common mistakes to avoid, and recommendations for beginners and experienced makers alike. Whether you're building an IoT device, robot, drone, or home automation project, this guide will help you choose confidently.
TTB #31: How to Select the Right Microcontroller
Choosing the right microcontroller isn't about buying the fastest or most expensive option. It's about selecting a platform that meets your project's requirements while remaining easy to develop with. In this guide, I share the process I use when designing real embedded systems, from evaluating peripherals and voltage compatibility to considering documentation, development tools, and long term availability. You'll also find practical examples from my own projects, common mistakes to avoid, and recommendations for beginners and experienced makers alike. Whether you're building an IoT device, robot, drone, or home automation project, this guide will help you choose confidently.
TTB #30: This is Why We Do QC
Ever wonder what goes into manufacturing a reliable microcontroller? Inside the PTSolns workshop, quality control (QC) is everything. In this post, we take you behind the scenes of our Thorough hardware testing procedure for the Nano Flip 3V3 fresh off the production line. Discover our multi-step electronics inspection process, from burning the custom ATmega328P bootloader and flashing firmware sketches to catching physical PCB manufacturing defects. Learn how we track failure rates, optimize circuit board performance, and handle defective hardware to ensure every microcontroller we package delivers top-tier reliability for your electronics projects.
TTB #30: This is Why We Do QC
Ever wonder what goes into manufacturing a reliable microcontroller? Inside the PTSolns workshop, quality control (QC) is everything. In this post, we take you behind the scenes of our Thorough hardware testing procedure for the Nano Flip 3V3 fresh off the production line. Discover our multi-step electronics inspection process, from burning the custom ATmega328P bootloader and flashing firmware sketches to catching physical PCB manufacturing defects. Learn how we track failure rates, optimize circuit board performance, and handle defective hardware to ensure every microcontroller we package delivers top-tier reliability for your electronics projects.
TTB #29: Pushing the Limits: A 6km LoRa Range Test with the PTSolns SX1276 Shield
A recent field test of the PTSolns LoRa SX1276 915 MHz Shield demonstrated just how powerful long range IoT communication can be. In a real world countryside test, a transmitter node successfully maintained a reliable connection at a distance of over 6.15 km (3.82 miles). Using the SX1276 LoRa engine and onboard AHT20 environmental sensor, the system transmitted live data while tracking RSSI and SNR performance. Even with an SNR below the RF noise floor, packets were decoded reliably thanks to LoRa’s Chirp Spread Spectrum technology. This experiment highlights how LoRa enables robust, ultra long range wireless communication for remote...
TTB #29: Pushing the Limits: A 6km LoRa Range Test with the PTSolns SX1276 Shield
A recent field test of the PTSolns LoRa SX1276 915 MHz Shield demonstrated just how powerful long range IoT communication can be. In a real world countryside test, a transmitter node successfully maintained a reliable connection at a distance of over 6.15 km (3.82 miles). Using the SX1276 LoRa engine and onboard AHT20 environmental sensor, the system transmitted live data while tracking RSSI and SNR performance. Even with an SNR below the RF noise floor, packets were decoded reliably thanks to LoRa’s Chirp Spread Spectrum technology. This experiment highlights how LoRa enables robust, ultra long range wireless communication for remote...
TTB #28: Node-to-Gateway LoRa Network
This tutorial demonstrates how to build a simple and reliable node to Gateway LoRa network using the PTSolns LoRa SX1276 915MHz Shield and a compatible Uno development board. Assuming a working nearby Gateway, this tutorial shows how to configure The Things Industries End Device so to work with the Shield. Full sketch and steps are provided. Hardware setup is minimal, requiring only stacked shields and USB cables, making this an accessible starting point for long range wireless experimentation.
TTB #28: Node-to-Gateway LoRa Network
This tutorial demonstrates how to build a simple and reliable node to Gateway LoRa network using the PTSolns LoRa SX1276 915MHz Shield and a compatible Uno development board. Assuming a working nearby Gateway, this tutorial shows how to configure The Things Industries End Device so to work with the Shield. Full sketch and steps are provided. Hardware setup is minimal, requiring only stacked shields and USB cables, making this an accessible starting point for long range wireless experimentation.
TTB #27: Node-to-Node LoRa Network
This tutorial demonstrates how to build a simple and reliable node to node LoRa network using the PTSolns LoRa SX1276 915MHz Shield and a compatible Uno development board. You will learn how two LoRa nodes communicate directly without a gateway, transmit temperature data using the onboard AHT20 sensor, and implement acknowledgements to improve reliability. The tutorial also explains how to interpret RSSI and SNR values to evaluate link quality and range. Hardware setup is minimal, requiring only stacked shields and USB cables, making this an accessible starting point for long range wireless experimentation.
TTB #27: Node-to-Node LoRa Network
This tutorial demonstrates how to build a simple and reliable node to node LoRa network using the PTSolns LoRa SX1276 915MHz Shield and a compatible Uno development board. You will learn how two LoRa nodes communicate directly without a gateway, transmit temperature data using the onboard AHT20 sensor, and implement acknowledgements to improve reliability. The tutorial also explains how to interpret RSSI and SNR values to evaluate link quality and range. Hardware setup is minimal, requiring only stacked shields and USB cables, making this an accessible starting point for long range wireless experimentation.