# Ep 383: QR Codes, Caving Gear, and the Old School Way to Learn Electronics

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast-679153/ep-383-qr-codes-caving-gear-and-the-old-school-way-to-learn-electronics
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast-679153/ep-383-qr-codes-caving-gear-and-the-old-school-way-to-learn-electronics.md
Podcast: [Hackaday Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast-679153)
Published: 2026-08-21T16:55:10+00:00
Episode link: https://hackaday.com/2026/08/21/hackaday-podcast-episode-383-qr-codes-caving-gear-and-the-old-school-way-to-learn-electronics/
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/hackaday/Hackaday_Podcast-Ep383.mp3?dest-id=2437685
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Duration seconds: 5264

## Resource

In this week's episode, Hackaday Editors Elliot Williams and Tom Nardi start things off by getting excited about the recently announced 2026 Retrocomputing Challenge. From there the conversation will cover efforts to improve desktop 3D printing with lasers, an expensive grill with an ESP32 controller and an open source firmware, open source tools underground, and some impressive techniques to squeeze a bit more utility out of the common QR code. You'll also hear about turning PVC pipes into flat stock, old school Radio Shack electronic kits, and VR soldering demos. Stick around to the end of the episode learn about the latest developments in over-the-counter hearing aids and the 1-bit CPU that's enjoying an unexpected fandom nearly 50 years after its release. Check out the links if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!

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## Transcript

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