Jeff Smith  wrote:

> Hello There,
>
> I have decided to acquire a PI 3b and experiment with it as a project. I am
> thinking of either setting up Mystic on it or interfacing it with  an Icom
706
> mk-IIg radio I have sitting here. This is my first venture involving a PI. I
> decided to start out with a PI 3b, a 2.5A power supply, and a plastic case. I
> already have a 32G SD card and the necessary  peripherals such as cables and
> input devices. I see this project that  once setup is a setup and let it do
> it's thing project. If the first  PI project is successful I could foresee
> additional PI projects.
>
> Anyone have any thoughts, comments, or suggestions?
>
>
> Jeff

Sounds fun :-)

If you're also into distributed computing for social good, it is
simplicity itself to dedicate unused CPU to BOINC projects like
Einstein@home.
Note that maxing a Pi 3's CPU for more than ten minutes or so will lead
to CPU throttling, so you may want to install active cooling like a 40mm
fan. Avoid smaller and fast fans (in fact you can often slow 5V fans
down by connecting them to the 3.3V pin, instead), as they can be very
loud. A slow to moderately fast 40 - 60mm fan will do a excellent job
cooling, while making very little noise. I like the Noctua NF-A4x10 5V
because it is super quiet, to the point where I've several running in my
living room and they add nothing to ambient noise. Also note that in
cheaper fans, sleeve bearings are common, and they run a bit louder and
wear out faster when run horizontally (as is common in Pi cases).

For me, nearly every single board computing project involves such dual
use, as I'm a big distributed computing fan and it's fun for me to see
how many work units I can process with tiny low power boards like the
Pi. It kinda game-ifies the process for me, heh.

I think you'll find that once you build your first Pi project, that it
will not be the last ;-)
My problem isn't a lack of good ideas, but money, time, and
unfortunately for me where I live - a lack of access to affordable 3D
printing, which would be a great boon to my ambitions. Off the shelf
parts solve most problems, but inelegantly. I wish I could afford my own
3D printer, but can't justify it. Not yet, anyway *grins*

--
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05