EMF Explorer Badge Soldering Kit

The world is full of invisible signals. This badge lets you hear them.

Hidden electromagnetic frequencies are all around us, and so much can be discovered through listening to these waves. The way that Bluetooth hardware sounds when it’s operating. How cell phones sound when they are transmitting data. What a laptop touchpad sounds like when it detects touch. The electronics world is invisibly emitting sounds around us all the time that we are mostly unaware of.

The beautifully detailed art on the completed PCB glows with the onboard LED, making it a great wearable badge even when you're not actively scanning

No previous electronics experience is required to appreciate and use this badge, and it’s a great way to learn more about your world by exploring the different properties of our surroundings.

Please note: Requires the use of a soldering iron and runs on two AAA batteries (not included). Suitable for ages 14 and up. Adult supervision recommended for younger builders.

Kit includes

• EMF Explorer PCB Board x1
• 100pF Capacitor (Tan) x2
• 10uF Capacitor (Blue) x2
• 4.7uF Capacitor (Sm. Black) x2
• 100mH Inductors (Lg. Black) x2
• LED x1
• IC Chip 2115D x1
• 100k Resistors (Tan) x2
• 100ohm Resistors (Blue) x3
• DPDT Slide Switch x1
• 1/8" Stereo Jack x1
• AAA Battery Holders x2 (batteries are not included)
• Printed assembly guide with component placement diagram and QR code linking to additional assembly resources
• ... and a shiny sticker!

To build the kit you will need a soldering iron, solder, and clippers. You'll also need 2 x AAA batteries and headphones (or something else with a 1/8" / 3.5mm audio plug) to listen to the sounds.

Resources

• Assembly guide (and more details about how the board works)
• Interactive frequency monitor
• EMF Explorer Zine
• Explore the Kicad files at the EMF Explorer Badge Github Repository.
• Read about the EMF Explorer badge in Make: Volume 90!