The Amp Hour Electronics Podcast

Hosted by Dave Jones & Chris Gammell

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Jun 2026

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About the show

A weekly podcast about the electronics industry. Occasional guests. Lots of laughs.

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June 4, 202659 min

#725 – The Secret Life of Circuits with lcamtuf / Michał Zalewski

Welcome Michał Zalewski, AKA lcamtuf! The lcamtuf Substack is where Michał is writing most these days Chris first found and geeked out about the CNC guide on the lcamtuf original site (discussed many times here) Michał is interested in the craft of teaching electronics He recently published The Secret Life of Circuits with No Starch Press Use the code AMPHOUR26 for 30% off The Secret Life of Circuits valid from June 1st through June 30th It was announced on his blog here Deriving fomulas from basic trigonometry sometimes bugs people who think electronics should only work with calculus Software geeks follow the site, often getting lots of attention on Hacker News Row hammer DRAM There were no Information Security degrees in the early days, so the field was made up of folks with backgrounds in math and EEs Fuzzing for security SMBC cartoon for blming humans Books American Fuzzy Lop The Tangled Web P0f v3 Silence on the Wire Security stuff (including books on the subject) ages over time, as opposed to electronics On the subjects of Calculators (and Michał’s collection) Calculators are a footnote in the history of computing, but still intriguing Dead ends in calculators CRT displays on calculators Nixie tubes Discrete moving into logic gates into processors Mechanical calculators are rare and get a high price online Working with transistors The Secret Life of Circuits start with FET based transistors vs BJT BJTs are often right after diode chapter because of the multiple junctions in an NPN, but that doesn’t make it easier to understand Projects A recent project involved making a clock out of current meters Woodworking and AI example Want to see all lcamtuf articles in one place? Sokoban Sir box-a-lot

May 25, 20261 hr 5 min

#724 – All Heat, No Useful Work

Chris just got back from a work trip to Madrid He also got to hang out with Matt Venn (and coworker Mike Szczys) in Valencia Dave has a new data center going in across the street Chris enjoyed this episode of Prof G Markets where they talked about the impact of data centers on power and the rise of “behind the meter” generation Dave without internet for a week. Chris has had multiday losses after fiber has been cut in his neighborhood. Humanoid robots…on a plane! Chris has been working on 0201 components on a tiny Bluetooth board The Iran War and subsequent rise in petroleum product sourcing issues is starting to impact the PCB industry PCBs we are used to ordering at low cost (JLC, PCBway, etc) are normally loss leaders to get larger business later Chris found his low cost microscope from Florin/Voltlog trinocular video lcamtuf will be on the show soon, Chris bought a CNC mill because of a single webpage of his making TagMod board is a new breakout Chris made for injecting power through a 10 pin TagConnect cable. NXP devboards somehow have LEDs as bright as the sun Dave has been revisiting his solar analytics (update: he figured out he’s getting charged more too!) Chris has been working at Canonical (makers of Ubuntu, new owners of Golioth) for a few months now. That was the trip to Spain. Dogfooding your own product Chris created a backronym: “Application Level Program Optimization” or… ALPO Chris built a new vibe coded project for talking to Zephyr devices using Web Serial and passing firmware packages over SMP CI/CD Debian now requires “fully reproducable” builds to harden against supply chain attacks Veritasium video about Linux bug

May 7, 20261 hr 10 min

#723 – BeagleBoard’s Back with Jason Kridner

Welcome back, Jason Kridner! Jason has previously been on the show Episode 59 (!) Episode 378 alongside Robert Nelson The BeagleY AI was the first board that mimic’ed the RPi form factor PocketBeagle 2 is still a small altoid tin form factor with a new processor The Zepto is a new product targeting a $1 price point for microcontrollers Many boards in the Beagle catalog now run Zephyr, and BeagleBoard.org recently joined The Zephyr Project as members and contributors Click Brand is the official bards from MikroElectronika that implement the open source Mikrobus Chris started using Mikrobus while designing early prototypes of the BeagleConnect Freedom The Freedom board talks over wireless to boards like the BeaglePlay Application spaces for different boards FPGA based board Cheeseburger robot? Well yes, but also Cheeseburger robot Mitchells vs the machine Krazam Click boarfds now have eeprom / ClickID as a 1-wire identifier with a uuid Beagleplay has 802.15.4 Project ARA popularized the idea of Greybus MotoMods from Motorola was another implementation that worked on the Moto Z Using Freedom for prototyping WebAssembly …on microcontrollers? Jason says he doesn’t really like MCUboot Entering the linux ecosystem bb-imager Techlab is a way to easily extend peripherals for the PocketBeagle Known working targets Michael Welling designed the baconbits mini cape as a learning platform The BeagleBadge is a new formfactor shown in the title image for this episode. It runs on a new low cost TI part running Linux and yes… it runs Doom The Badge can also talk on Meshtastic Working with the memory shortage Bao – Bunie and Xobs Bella / Gem Beagle5fire RISC V boards RV32 Claire Find Beagle and Jason online Schedule a meeting with Jason There is also a Discord And a Zulip instance You can get Beagle merch

April 23, 20261 hr 9 min

#722 – AI Tooling with Matt Liberty and Luke Beno

Welcome back Matt Liberty (Joulescope) and Luke Beno (Werewolf.us) Matt has been a guest on episodes 527 and 607 Luke was a guest on episode 272 Luke launched a new cable manufacturing and power supply company in the US called Werewolf.us Matt is working on the JS320 We discussed how PartsBox is a great ERP solution but Matt and Luke decided to go fully custom with Claude Code. Jan Rychter was a guest on episode 542 We discussed the differences with Product Lifecycle Maintenance. Michael Corr of the recently acquired Duro Labs was on episode 577 CAM workflow A fully verticalized PCB factory is something Jonathan Hirschmann talked about on episode 299 Jeff Bezos is investing 100B in a fund that is looking at automation in the factory using AI Matt recently had success with Claude Code and verilog programming Saleae for hardware in the loop using their APIs Other tools to check out pyelf pdfdk blast superpowers skill (by past guest at Teardown Jesse Vincent) Luke used OpenClaw to power a chat agent in his ERP system Working with distributors TI backlog Chris recently learned that Digikey has a developer API Cocotb verification framework (in Python) Luke is working on vision experiments for inhouse developed AOI solutions

April 9, 202659 min

#721 – Chip Design for Fun (and Waffles) with Julia Desmazes

Welcome Julia Desmazes of Tales on The Wire Follow along with the blog post we discuss Two Weeks Until Tapeout Matt Venn – TinyTapeout – Episode 616 and 672 Andreas Olofsson – openroad/openlane – Episode 254 and 650 Tim Ansell – Wafer.space – Episode 375, 501, and 703 JTAG How do you know that tooling is or isn’t working? Accelerator Rabbithole with floating point (post updated after recording) BFloat16 Follow Julia on GitHubhttps://github.com/Essenceia Kapla (official website, not the much cheaper alibaba version): Dimity Grinberg personal blog

April 1, 20261 hr 1 min

#720 – Hyper Growth and OpenClaw Interns

Canonical (the makers of Ubuntu) acquired Golioth, meaning Chris is moving from a 12-person startup to an organization of over 1,200 people Dave found this chart of Canonical products on wikipedia to be useful An increase in professional travel from zero weeks to six weeks per year following the acquisition, including “sprints” in cities like London The naming convention for Ubuntu releases (Year.Month) and the importance of Long Term Support (LTS) versions for backporting security vulnerabilities Ubuntu Core’s role in embedded Linux devices, utilizing an immutable kernel and “snaps” for field update Dave believes he influenced the Emergency Situation Surcharge at DHL after asking why it is still happening Dave’s transition to a “Hipster Dave” persona, complete with a secondhand Mac and a goatee The implementation of OpenClaw, a scripting service that interfaces with LLMs to act as an “automated intern” for repetitive administrative tasks Chris really likes this video showing how to use OpenClaw Using OpenClaw to automate forum registration approvals to combat high volumes of bot activity The security implications of AI agents, emphasizing that they should be treated like interns with limited access to sensitive data and separate accounts ARM released its first physical server chip, measuring approximately 70mm, marking a shift from a pure IP company to a hardware competitor. The Super Micro CEO smuggling scandal, where the founder was accused of smuggling $2.5 billion worth of Nvidia chips. The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and its requirement for nearly all CE-marked electronic products to be updatable by December 2027. Potential impacts of the CRA on one-time programmable (OTP) devices and the necessity of maintaining firmware support for five years post-product life. SpaceX’s plans for a “Terafab” a manufacturing facility ten times larger than a Gigafactory designed to verticalize the entire supply chain from silicon wafers to final packaging. Editor’s note: despite cool tech stuff happening, Elon is…so lame. NASA’s cancellation of the Lunar Gateway project in favor of a direct path to establishing a moon base within the next five to seven years. Pop culture recommendations including the series For All Mankind and The Expanse, along with the book Delta V.

March 20, 20261 hr 5 min

#719 – Inventing the Power MOSFET with Alex Lidow

Alex is founder and CEO of Efficient Power Conversion, a leading manufacturer of GaN MOSFET’s. Alex is also the inventor of the original Power MOSFET and HEXFET at International Rectifier. Also, former CEO of International Rectifier (founded by his father!), https://epc-co.com We cover everything from inventing the power MOSFET on his first day on the job to silicon physics, AI data centres and humanoid robots. Enjoy.

March 11, 20261 hr 0 min

#718 – Layout Review with Zachariah Peterson

Welcome Zachariah Peterson of Northwest Engineering Solutions! Zach listed the various places people can find his work, including The Altium YouTube channel Zach’s YouTube channel His personal technical blog The Altium Blog various industry conferences like PCB West 01:10 Zach mentions that he has been creating video content and seminars for several years, traveling to places like Denmark to teach high-speed design. 01:10 They discuss the recent acquisition of Altium by Renesas and how the company is trying to balance enterprise features with the needs of individual users. 03:15 He notes that the pricing for professional design software has recently become more accessible for freelancers and consultants. 11:15 He suggests that learning the fundamentals of EMC is one of the best ways for an engineer to become more valuable in the industry. 14:00 He warns against relying solely on semiconductor data sheets for EMC guidance because they often contain outdated or incorrect information. 18:45 They talk about the massive costs and delays that happen when a product fails its initial testing runs in a lab. 21:00 Zach shares how his background in applied physics and lasers made it easier for him to transition into high-speed RF and digital design. 25:15 He explains that he relies on mental models and specialized software tools more than solving complex equations by hand on a daily basis. 27:00 He stresses the importance of understanding the physical manufacturing process, such as how circuit boards are pressed and laminated. 30:00 They discuss the common problem of engineers over-specifying expensive materials when a cheaper option would work perfectly fine. 32:45 Zach predicts that the most useful AI tools will eventually be built directly into existing PCB design software rather than living in separate browser tabs. 35:30 He shares how he uses AI to quickly find generic part numbers, which saves him a lot of tedious manual searching. 42:00 He compares different AI design tools, noting that some generate schematics from data sheets while others use proven building blocks. 46:30 He describes an internal tool he is building to help him search through and reuse circuitry from his own past projects. 49:30 He admits he isn’t a fan of code-based schematics because he prefers graphical tools and doesn’t consider himself a professional coder. 51:00 He tells the story of how his popular one-minute design reviews started as a spontaneous way to manage the many requests he receives on LinkedIn. 54:00 He points out that many designers fail to use their software’s built-in design rule checks, leading to thousands of avoidable errors. 58:45 They talk about the decline of mentorship in the industry and the risk of companies losing important tribal knowledge as senior engineers retire. 61:15 Zach shares his goals for the coming year, including a deeper focus on manufacturing nuances and advanced EMC testing standards. 66:00 He encourages engineers of all levels to attend industry conferences like PCB West and DesignCon to learn directly from experts. 70:00 They conclude the episode by sharing where listeners can find more of his technical articles and videos online. 1:02:30

March 4, 202659 min

#717 – Back on the road in ’26

Chris will be having a meetup in London March 8th, 2026 click here for more info. He will also be at Embedded World the following week at various events. Dave is also headed to a meetup in Sydney that he has presented at in the past. The “lazy man move” for meetup organizers: scheduling events within walking distance of home to simplify travel logistics. Chris provides details on his latest high-density hardware project, a 22mm circular board packed with 0201 components, Bluetooth, and a suite of sensors, noting a move from BGA to QFN for better assembly reliability. There is significant skepticism regarding “solid-state transformers” and tech articles claiming they will replace the traditional power grid, with the hosts citing efficiency losses that become massive at megawatt scales. A fascinating look into global supply chains reveals how a single AI prompt can be traced back through layers of manufacturing to sugarcane fermentation and high-purity quartz mines in Spruce Pine, North Carolina. The creeping normalization of biometric face scanning in public spaces, from water park lockers to international airport terminals. The marketing tactics behind Donut Lab’s solid-state battery claims, explaining how “independent third-party testing” can be carefully hand-picked to avoid industry standards. They want us to talk about it like this The nuances of UL certification explains how companies sometimes use specific lab reports to imply broader official endorsements that do not actually exist. Dave shares his experience watching the show Silicon Valley with his son and discusses the “hideous accuracy” of the Australian public service comedy Utopia. The pros and cons of modular hardware are debated, covering the Framework laptop’s “Ship of Theseus” repairability model versus high-end gaming tablets like the Asus ROG Flow Z13. Dave’s viral social media quest for the best Linux distribution leads to a consensus on Linux Mint as the top choice for beginners, fueling the ongoing joke about the “Year of the Linux Desktop”. Recent industry news highlights the release candidate for KiCad 10 and the discovery of a three-cent Paduk microcontroller performing auxiliary functions inside Rode wireless microphones. Pimoroni did extreme an cooling project back in 2024 that successfully overclocked the RP2350 microcontroller to 800 MHz. We just found out about it from a post from Jeff Geerling.

February 26, 20261 hr 2 min

#716 – Electronics Manufacturing History with David Ray

Thanks to our sponsor for this episode, SeaSats! Check out their open positions making autonomous ocean vehicles. Welcome David Ray of Cyber City Circuits • The “Retro Electro” Series: David explains his passion for writing historical articles for Digi Key, focusing on “giants” like Orstead whose contributions to electricity are often overlooked. • Career Background: David details his path from Marine Corps radio repair to cash register and Motorola radio repair. • Starting the Business: In late 2019, David cashed in his retirement to buy pick-and-place machines and start his own factory. • Teaching the First Lady: David recounts the story of teaching First Lady Jill Biden how to solder during a summer camp. • Growth via Twitter: For the first few years, 95% of his revenue came from relationships built on Twitter (X). • The Kit Business: David discusses his “Soldering Kit of the Month” program, noting that while fun, the kit business is exhausting and low-margin. • Equipment & Machines: A discussion on why he uses Charm High machines and his strong advice to buy new equipment rather than used industrial machines, which are often sold because they are “used up”. • Stencils & Paste: David advocates for framed stencils and GC10 solder paste, which is shelf-stable and prevents cold solder joints. • Soldering Physics: Insights into the thermodynamics of soldering, especially the difficulty of working with 2 oz copper boards. • John Fluke History: David previews his research on John Fluke, explaining that Fluke meters became yellow because the Navy had trouble finding gray ones on the ground. • Upcoming Articles: David mentions future work on the history of Op-amps and strain gauges. • Business Services: Overview of Cyber City Circuits’ services, including reverse engineering, obsolescence engineering, and free DFM (Design for Manufacturing) consulting. • Success Philosophy: David shares his “Monopoly mindset,” viewing business setbacks as “chance cards,” and stresses that persistence is the only way to avoid failure. Links from David Website List: Cyber City Circuits Website: www.CyberCityCircuits.com PCB Event Badges: www.BadgesBadgesBadges.com X: www.x.com/MakeAugusta Collection of Retro Electro Articles: https://cybercitycircuits.com/retro-electro-the-little-told-history-of-electronics/ Digikey Magazine: https://www.digikey.com/en/emedia GC10 Solder Paste: www.BuyGC10.com