https://www.samurai-ee.com/personal-projects daily 0.75 2026-07-28 https://www.samurai-ee.com/personal-projects/blog-post-title-two-t5my5-k4xmd-lasxy-3r76m monthly 0.5 2026-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/d092fa4c-15a5-44d1-bac6-d991d30b7237/20251101_213011.jpg Personal Projects - Homemade magnetron - Initial Test Setup to measure the high-powered radiation of a 1kW Magnetron from a microwave oven. The actual tests were performed outdoors, but this showcases the very hardware-store implementation of a half wave doubler with dispersed rectification to manage heat. Additionally the test antenna was a circular waveguide built from a tailpipe from autozone. Modified internally with copper structures to align with results obtained by a simulation that I designed to create a circular waveguide (non circularly polarized) capable of directing a low-ish loss wave in Transverse Electric 011 Mode (TE11). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/bdd8cef1-9a54-4fe4-af44-562e290b7789/qaa.gif Personal Projects - Homemade magnetron - Base Simulation of Waveguide Animated H-Field This was the base design that I Implemented with the steel pipe above. The actual radius of the internal structure of copper inside the pipe is adjusted slightly to maximize radiation with real world limitations and tuning. https://www.samurai-ee.com/personal-projects/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-5t6ey monthly 0.5 2026-07-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/be2927bc-777c-4167-9d22-c75a54e6891b/IMG_0382.png Personal Projects - Modular Multiport Reflectometer - A 1-Port Virtual Network Analyzer on an M.2 Card While learning about and measuring microwave oven magnetrons, it became clear that I needed a toolset capable of measuring upwards of 5[GHz] if I were to accurately understand the harmonics/modes of the waves I intended to experiment with. However, starting this project it also became clear that I needed a system that could also be lower cost than the lab equipment I utilize for work while also being something I could easily make multiple versions of in order to give myself insurance should something provide a kilowatt jumps an unplanned circuit gap. The handheld aspect inspired by cyberdeck systems powered by pis, and modular because i owe my entire career to the efforts of ifixit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/1bc25485-95dd-48dc-982a-96d974869c84/IMG_0385.png Personal Projects - Modular Multiport Reflectometer - The Reflectometer The analog RF subsystem is designed in the form of modular cards containing the sensitive RF circuitry, that then interfaces with a main controller system. M.2 was used specifically due to the cheapness and abundance of stock due to the PC market, and personal preference for the style. The signal chain begins on the onboard DAC generating IF, which then mixes with a PLL LO (containing a VCO). This mixed RF signal is then output, reflected by the device I want to test, and then measured as an I/Q pair by coupling physically before the two channels are down-mixed into an ADC. The idea being to compare and contrast the received signal against the one transmitted. https://www.samurai-ee.com/personal-projects/blog-post-title-two-t5my5-k4xmd-lasxy monthly 0.5 2026-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/18da1552-c08d-4525-9a9b-e236cd6af651/8c1a6ba1-6bee-4885-9a75-3038ae9c42dd.jpg Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer - REV 1 (Functional and Flashable, but Hidden Errors Prove Fatal) I am currently part of a small model rocket hobby club in which I am the sole electronics designer. As such I am tasked with building a custom pcb that we can use to fulfill all of our desired requirements and hopefully not break our banks. It also means that I do not have access to more precise and industrial manufacturing or design tools. This project is also broken into two distinct parts in a pre-masters program design, and a post-masters design. The first using circuit maker and being functional with errors, the second being designed to my own personal standards now that I have a much better understanding than my undergraduate self. The requirements for this board being: Easy to flash Non-proprietary and debuggable by design Hand solderable with a stencil and hot air Dual core and high speed as to rapidly measure status and deploy at apogee, while streaming a video feed and location data down to earth from a connected GPS. C++ compatible Accurate to GPS data The first board, designed before I understood RF or antenna design, and before I could hand solder sizes smaller than 1206, was created in late 2023. It features a design based on the Teensy 4.1 board with its blazing fast NXP mcu. It successfully flashed the teensy Bootloader both for c++ and CircuitPython, and the digital IO was fully functional in deploying the detonations at designated marks. However, my implementation of logic level shifting from 5V down to 3.3V contained a severe wiring fault as a result of circuit maker’s always-online cloud system disconnecting the bridge connections between schematics pages. An error I should’ve seen in layout, but did not. As such the sensors have no method of reporting back, and without proper breakout pads, I could not make proper bridges. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/b5aff891-306f-4036-bdb0-e6cb055e7859/Screenshot+2026-07-26+144641.png Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer - REV 2 (Currently in Prototyping/Verification Phase) Revision 2 features designs based on the chipsets themselves, focussing on adherence to data sheet designs and recommendations as well as extensive testing for flashing custom boot loaders and firmware compatibility. GPS module is also appended onto the board now and no longer is separate as a module. Additionally while still communicating with a transceiver utilizing a lora module, the antenna has been swapped out to an optimized on-rocket form as opposed to the monopole used prior. Most importantly, it utilizes an easily flushable generic dual-core stm32h7 at 480[MHz]. This loss in speed being made up with the huge gain of me being able to hand debug and solder all of the leads, an issue with the bga format. Currently waiting for tariffs to cool off in order to order the board and components. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/1785098509609-1B6ET7OWL8IANKWW1AY1/IMG_20210520_212340.jpg Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/1785098509573-V48Q4TPXA86MJA2F9SZM/IMG_20210520_212502.jpg Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/1785098511669-PXILAB15934UCBB0FL3G/IMG_20210523_115618.jpg Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/1785098511813-LHIS1J0UJ2P6EL0G0N48/IMG_20210523_115623.jpg Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/1785098513793-BQSDWGVPQU7J11JK34W1/IMG_20210525_203645.jpg Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/1785098513821-BDPUZCAX7ZUFNPZASFW3/IMG_20210526_134254.jpg Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/1785098515799-RVJ3B7JQM39FXD1WCFY4/IMG_20210603_221957.jpg Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/1785098516088-4T8N3NQN9DUMYC3TVB1O/IMG_20210627_122033.jpg Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/1785098517329-44W48MVUOUWQULTOUBMP/IMG_20210627_122038.jpg Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/1785098517861-NVQ9P0509CSZ7CAU9VY8/IMG_20210717_211244.jpg Personal Projects - Rocketry Avionics Computer https://www.samurai-ee.com/personal-projects/blog-post-title-four-lr658-tcthp-9rdjb monthly 0.5 2026-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/ae9f20de-768a-4529-b552-0a9b21a5df28/20260522_192755.jpg Personal Projects - Homemade Nixie Tube - Initial Functional Nixie (Not Really Technically a Nixie) The initial foray I’ve started with plasma, this device uses a vacuum sealed jar with a tungsten wire shaped into a number. This was mostly to validate my setup and understanding of operations. Using a cheap vacuum pump, mason jars, chicken wire, jb-weld original (lowest offgassing and widely available), tungsten wire, and a 20kV plasma power supply built via a rectified neon sign transformer cobbled together from it and some hv diodes, I assembled and tested a rudimentary high voltage nixie. Assembly is easy but the choice of jar made it rather annoying to see. That and tungsten wire costs meant that I had ordered a much smaller amount than anticipated, so my numbers also are small. Initial designs used this radiative element design. Eventually switched to being contained with a grid instead to balance the dispersive-ness of the glow. Future testing is to get it working at a low voltage via helium or other noble gas infilling. But so far I have only fabricated a resealable and reusable jar and power supply systems. Mostly due to helium cost and the difficulty of purity as a cheap consumer (balloon store helium is pretty messy). https://www.samurai-ee.com/professional-projects daily 0.75 2026-07-26 https://www.samurai-ee.com/professional-projects/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-67tfc-2ynbr monthly 0.5 2026-07-20 https://www.samurai-ee.com/professional-projects/blog-post-title-two-t5my5-k4xmd-67jzh-2ka4t monthly 0.5 2026-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/de7f64ca-bd92-4d29-9f0c-f339030a698b/20251010_162517.jpg Professional Projects - Modular 915 [MHz] Coaxial Collinear Active electronically steered Array - Prototype CoCo Linear AESA at 915[MHz] The modular 915[MHz] CoCo AESA is the culmination of my introduction to RF and Radar systems. From the start, the idea was to make a radar that any technician could easily repair, with each part of the radar being easily sourced or fabricated from open source schematics and designs. The idea being that any organization could hand-fabricate most of the parts of the system with readily available materials at reasonable cost. Having worked for weather research organizations, the overall lack of funding creating a dire need for modern systems that could be updated and repaired far into the future, potentially even upgraded as well. To summarize the overall design, the 915[MHz] Coaxial Collinear Active Electronically Steered Array Wind Profiling System is a planar scanning phased array. Measuring the doppler speeds by reflecting radiation bouncing off of wind eddy currents in the atmosphere. Initial design goals were for the system to only comprise the antenna and work as a drop-in replacement for a Vaisala LAP3000 system’s antenna, as the patch antenna array it uses was degrading. However additional developments added increasing functionality independent of the retrofit system. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/7a1a1eff-f331-41df-b5e9-763dbf817cc2/20251010_162508.jpg Professional Projects - Modular 915 [MHz] Coaxial Collinear Active electronically steered Array - Renovating A Simple Legacy Design With Modern Antenna Theory and Design. The AESA design is based off of ancient designs made by NOAA, that utilized an array of coaxial collinear antennas to achieve high vertical gain. My main differentiation being the unique balancing, matching, and tuning of inter-element dimensions and feed methods. This system is comprised of 2 sets of 16 antenna elements with two separate 8-section Coaxial Collinear Antennas on either side, that operate as independently steered linear arrays for X and Y steering. The steering aspect itself implemented as a cascade of switches that adjust the phase by a fixed amount. This gives it the ability to add a fixed progressive phase shift that chose positive or negative pointing along a chosen axis. The fabricated and tested system able to utilize a progressive 90 degree phase shift that could steer ± 20 degrees in cardinal directions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/233e98af-fa9f-4455-9c53-8e9ac2eb778b/20250319_121204.jpg Professional Projects - Modular 915 [MHz] Coaxial Collinear Active electronically steered Array - The Coaxial Collinear Element In the design of the Coaxial Collinear elements themselves, many iterative and tuned simulations completed with Ansys HFSS and subsequently verified with Matlab, allowed me to adjust a variety of real world parameters before initiating any fabrication. The main limitations of the design being that It needed to fit inside a 8ft² square, and avoid the potential for debris, water, or snow to pile ontop the antennas (as to why CoCo was used). Initial versions when fabricated, were far more flexible than originally anticipated, prompting a second iteration that comprised of two separate arms, each an 8-section end-fed coco antenna that attached to either end of a Balun/Matching Network/Power Divider PCB that could more easily be mounted, fed, tuned, and matched with minimal losses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/8b626bc7-f101-471f-a908-aa5b6654220f/20250924_174532.jpg Professional Projects - Modular 915 [MHz] Coaxial Collinear Active electronically steered Array - The AESA Coming Together Initially, 4 of these two-arm antennas were built and verified against simulation data, and with enough confirmation on the function, it was time to test a full linear array with steering. With all 16 elements (32 antennas and 16 Baluns) of one of the two linear arrays fabricated, and then tuned/matched/balanced to 50 ohms at 915[MHz], I had enough to begin implementation and testing of the AESA capabilities in regards to beam steering. The physical shifting was achieved by creating 4 separate channels with 1x, 2x, 3x, and 4x progressive phase shifts completed 360 degrees of shifting every 4 elements. This was achieved via phase and length matching each pathway, while also tuning attenuation levels to match at the output. each line with an isolated bypass channel for direct vertical pointing of the beam. The 16 tuned outputs then feeding all 16 elements from the single feed for the radar’s high power amplifiers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/483ad85b-2ee1-4127-bbd5-ddad7a339b6e/Untitled.gif Professional Projects - Modular 915 [MHz] Coaxial Collinear Active electronically steered Array - Simple Beam Steering in simulation via HFSS This was the initial proof of concept simulation, animated to scan across the entire array with maintained shape. The max gain representing the total gain of both X and Y linear arrays together. in a perfect world we would be able to capitalize on all 32 antennas contributing to a total 32 dB of added gain, however this simulation added losses, as well as the antenna needing certain concessions based on fabrication constraints. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/b9cbff31-7cef-4ff6-80ff-2c643cab4802/Screenshot+2026-07-26+142915.png Professional Projects - Modular 915 [MHz] Coaxial Collinear Active electronically steered Array - Initial Simulation Results of CoCo Element This simulation was done with an end-fed, manually balanced 16 sub-element array. This simulation was not performed with real losses due to lack of ram at the time. The max gain able to surpass 16 dB by having a terminated endcap with a length of copper equivalent to an extra half-sub-element. Iterations were simulated for both center and end-fed methods of balancing. Eventually the end fed design was chosen due to manufacturability. As soon after we had to build and assemble the prototype by hand with LDF4-50A Armored Cabling. https://www.samurai-ee.com/professional-projects/blog-post-title-three-y3peb-4lwnz-5pkhf-g3wyk monthly 0.5 2026-07-20 https://www.samurai-ee.com/professional-projects/blog-post-title-four-lr658-tcthp-wf5mw-hms65 monthly 0.5 2026-07-20 https://www.samurai-ee.com/work-and-school daily 0.75 2026-06-26 https://www.samurai-ee.com/home3 daily 1.0 2026-07-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6a2b1b7cad207702009d7b43/e51e88e1-84f6-44d7-a22c-4cf76503293e/IMG_0382.png