2 weeks ago
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There's nothing like a custom handheld cyberdeck and this Raspberry Pi handheld is a shining example of how far you can take customization as a maker. Nicholas LaBonte recently shared a detailed post showing off his awesome Raspberry Pi 5-powered handheld SDR Cyberdeck and it's absolutely gorgeous.
According to LaBonte, this project was inspired by other projects like the uConsole. However, LaBonte was determined to build his own from scratch using both readily available components and custom materials like hardwoods used for finishing yacht interiors. The aesthetic is very 1980s tech, with dark plastics, rich red and gleaming metal. One of the coolest aspects of this build, in our opinion at least, is the custom keyboard. LaBonte went so far as to mill the individual keys used in the keypad and it looks fantastic.
LaBonte explained that the custom keyboard, while amazing, was one of the most daunting hurdles in its creation. The process involved not just building the keys from the ground up but also creating a custom PCB that connects to a series of microswitches. The end result is an extremely professional looking finish that works great for input, as well.
This cyberdeck features an SDR antenna which, if you're not familiar, stands for software defined radio. It's an optional asset that can be attached or removed as needed. The handheld features a display panel with a resolution of 800 x 480px. It's housed behind a faceplate that LaBonte designed digitally using Fusion360 just for this project. For cursor control, LaBonte is using a red PSP analog joystick.
To keep the unit portable, LaBonte has fitted the unit with an internal UPS which can last for up to 5 hours as tested by watching YouTube videos nonstop. The unit can run a bit warm and is kept cool using a bronze heatsink. Software-wise, you can use any OS you want as long as you can fix it up with the QMK firmware needed to operate the keyboard and cursor input from the PSP joystick module.
If you want to get a closer look at this Raspberry Pi project, you're in luck. LaBonte shared plenty of details in the build guide and showed off the creation in a video shared to YouTube. There you can follow him for more cool projects as well as any future updates to this one.
English (US) ·