Digital Nomad

Welcome to my corner of the internet! This space is a personal endeavour, where I take the time to document useful information, share my thoughts, and occasionally delve into various technical explorations. My hope is that these writings might offer some …

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Longform Stories

Eyes Wide Shut

A few days ago I was listening to an episode of It Could Happen Here — Cooper Quintin and Colonel Panic from the EFF walking through the American surveillance state. Flock cameras on every corner. Cel…

6d ago·8 min read·1411 words

Don't Let the Asphalt Bury the Garden

I’ve spent 30 years watching tech cycles come and go, from the first dial-up modems in rural Austria to the mesh networks I’m currently stringing across the Australian bush. Each time a “next big thin…

Apr 28·9 min read·1756 words

Opti-Morons and the Death of Critical Thought

I’m tired. Not the kind of tired that a good night’s sleep or a weekend off the grid can fix. It’s a deeper, more pervasive exhaustion—the fatigue of living in a culture of relentless, performative po…

Apr 12·8 min read·1506 words

Wi-Fi HaLow vs. LoRa: A Strategic Guide to Sub-GHz Networking

In the world of Internet of Things (IoT), the sub-GHz spectrum is a frontier of immense promise, offering the holy grail of long-range and low-power communication. Two fundamentally different philosop…

Mar 29·7 min read·1368 words

LPWAN Meshes: The Verdict - Making the Choice

Over the past few weeks, I’ve pulled apart four different LPWAN mesh technologies. Now it’s time to bring those findings together and look at which tool fits which job on the property or in the commun…

Mar 13·1 min read·80 words

LPWAN Meshes: ClusterDuck Protocol - Purpose-Built for Emergencies

The ClusterDuck Protocol (CDP) was where my mesh networking journey truly began. The story behind Project OWL (Organisation, Whereabouts, and Logistics)—students building emergency communication netwo…

Mar 11·1 min read·84 words

LPWAN Meshes: Reticulum - Where I Landed

After years of experimenting with various LPWAN mesh networking technologies, I’ve settled on Reticulum as my primary LoRa mesh platform. It emerged as the clear frontrunner not because it’s simpler t…

Feb 24·12 min read·2225 words

Installing Ubuntu on ASUS ExpertBooks - overcoming UEFI issues

ASUS ExpertBooks are popular enterprise laptops with a well-priced combination of hardware and solid build quality. However, installing Ubuntu on these laptops can be challenging due to UEFI issues. I…

Feb 24·1 min read·125 words

LPWAN Meshes: MeshCore - Moving Beyond the Ad-Hoc

While Meshtastic serves as a solid introduction to LPWAN mesh networking, MeshCore represents a move toward more structured networks, particularly when the limits of ad-hoc flooding become a bottlenec…

Feb 21·9 min read·1614 words

LPWAN Meshes: MeshTastic - The Gateway Drug

For many new to LPWAN mesh networking, MeshTastic often appears as a starting point due to its affordability and active community. It can get you from zero to sending a basic mesh message relatively q…

Feb 15·10 min read·1882 words

LPWAN Meshes: Choosing the Right Technology

Long-range Sub-GHz wireless mesh networks have become essential for modern communication, particularly in remote areas where traditional infrastructure is impractical or impossible. By utilising lower…

Feb 3·7 min read·1338 words

From Consumer to Creator: A Practical Guide to Community Telecoms

In the first two parts of this series, we explored why community telecoms matter and how resilient mesh networks can save lives during emergencies. Now comes the question I’m asked most often: “That s…

Jan 28·1 min read·116 words

When the Grid Fails: Building Resilient Comms for a Changing Climate

In an emergency, information is as vital as water. The official advice is clear: “leave early.” But how do you act on that advice when the power is out, the mobile network is congested to the point of…

Jan 25·1 min read·135 words