Category Archives: HOW-TO

Gaming, HOW-TO, Technology, Valve SteamDeck

Upgrading the Valve Steam Deck from 1TB to 2TB

Upgrading the Valve Steam from 1TB (2x512GB) to 2TB (2x1TB)

I upgraded my Valve Steam Deck from 1TB (2x512GB) to 2TB (2x1TB) using a 1TB Samsung NVMe 4 M.2 SSD and a 1TB Sandisk Extreme Pro microSDXC.

The Steam Deck uses ext4 as its filesystem, which you can mount under Linux natively, or mount under Windows and MacOS using the proper drivers or kernel extension.  While there’s multiple solutions like MacFuse for the Mac, I prefer Paragon Software’s LinuxFS for Windows and extFS for MacOS to provide ext4 filesystem support under Windows and MacOS respectively.

If you’re running Apple Silicon (M1 or M2) rather than Intel on your Mac, you’ll need to boot into Recovery Mode by rebooting your Mac, press and hold the fingerprint scanner / power button until it displays the “Loading Startup Options” screen…

  1. Press and hold the power button until you see “Loading Startup Options”
  2. Click Options.
  3. Click Continue.
  4. In the menu bar at the top, Select Utilities > Startup Security Utility.
  5. Select the startup disk.
  6. Click Security Policy.
  7. Select Reduced Security.
  8. Reboot and continue with Paragon Software’s extFS for MacOS installation.

Once you can mount ext4 filesystems on the Mac, you can use your Mac to either `dd` or copy (using Finder) your steamapps and gamesaves from the old storage devices to the new (SSD or microSDXC).

Since the SteamOS 3.x (Holo) is effectively Arch Linux, you can also switch to Desktop Mode, enabled sshd and either cp or scp files to/from your Steam Deck using your local secure shell or Terminal.  This is very useful for absolutely everything, allowing remote management and copying to/from your Steam Deck.

extFS for Mac by Paragon Software

 

Copying from the old Steam Deck storage to the new
Ham Radio, HOW-TO

KO4ZSY — Configuring the Yaesu VX-8DR for Duplex Repeaters

Configuring the Yaesu VX-8DR for Duplex with PL Tone

To quickly set Duplex Repeater with PL Tone on the YAESU VX-8DR:

(As an example: I’m using WA4TSC on my Yaesu VX-8DR at 147.30000MHz downlink, 147.90000 uplink, +0.6MHz offset, 146.2Hz uplink tone.  You can find this information using RepeaterBook.)

  • Tune VFO to desired Frequency (of the Repeater, eg 147.300MHz)
  • Press FW key on left side, [F] lights up on the Display
  • Press MODE on keypad
  • Rotate the dial on top to choose TONE as your Squelch Type
  • Press PTT to confirm Squelch Type
  • Press FW key again, [F] lights up on the Display
  • Press 2 on the Keypad for Code (which is a PL Tone for this selected Squelch Type)
  • Rotate the dial on top to choose the correct Tone Frequency of the Uplink Tone expected by the Repeater (eg 146.2Hz)
  • Press 2 on the Keypad again to confirm Uplink Tone.
  • You are now able to listen and transmit as Duplex on the Yaesu VX-8DR
    • to confirm, you should now see:
      • the Repeater frequency as the VFO,
      • TN [+/i] NFM  from the Right Display,
      • [A]HI  from the Left Display
Configuring the Yaesu VX-8DR for Duplex with PL Tone

The Yaesu VX-8DR, Baofengtech DMR-6X2, and ICOM IC-705 are each quite different radios with very different learning curves.

The ICOM IC-705 is proving the easiest to program/use, Yaesu as most “old school” in setting each configuration item, and the Btech DMR-6X2 absolutely requires a PC to program a “code plug” for use if you want to set the Radio ID, talk groups, and contacts to make it useful.

I’ll document each so that others can have an easier time of it. 🥰✌️

References:

Configuring the Yaesu VX-8DR for Duplex with PL Tone
Configuring the Yaesu VX-8DR for Duplex with PL Tone
Configuring the Yaesu VX-8DR for Duplex with PL Tone
Cycling, Fitness, HOW-TO

HOW-TO: Pairing the Garmin 6X fēnix® with the Peloton Cycle

Pairing the Garmin 6X fēnix® with the Peloton Cycle

Broadcasting Heart Rate Data During an Activity

You can set up your fēnix® device to broadcast your heart rate data automatically when you begin an activity. For example, you can broadcast your heart rate data to an Edge® device while cycling, or to a VIRB® action camera during an activity.

NOTE: Broadcasting heart rate data decreases battery life.

1) From the heart rate widget, hold MENU.
2) Select Heart Rate Options > Broadcast During Activity.
3) Begin an activity (Starting an Activity).
4) Pair your fēnix device with your Garmin® Bluetooth / ANT‍+® compatible device.

The fēnix device will now broadcast your heart rate data in the background to any paired devices. You will not need to re-pair devices once paired.

NOTE: There is no indication that the device is broadcasting your heart rate data during an activity.

REFERENCES:

  1. https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/fenix6-6ssport/EN-US/GUID-57A88A77-3813-4E79-9DB1-FC95B06F01BA.html
  2. https://support.onepeloton.com/hc/en-us/articles/203418895-Connecting-A-Heart-Rate-Monitor-With-The-Peloton-Bike
  3. https://www.reddit.com/r/pelotoncycle/comments/dksho9/pairing_the_bike_and_garmin_fenix_6/
HOW-TO

Delaminating Apple’s Mistake (aka “Staingate”)

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Delaminating Apple’s Mistake (1 of 3)
Delaminating Apple’s Mistake (2 of 3)
Delaminating Apple’s Mistake (3 of 3)

From 2012 to 2017, Apple applied a laminar film to their Macs that degraded and delaminated over time, resulting in “Staingate”.

💡 NOTE:
     See Apple Issues: “Staingate” for further details on “Staingate”

The laminar film was intended to:

1) Reduce glare turning the screen from a glossy mirror to a matte finish

2) Act as an oleophobic film to repel oil, water, and sweat from your fingers

Unfortunately, heat, abrasion, sunlight, and wear all caused it to degrade and erode on its own, leaving a blotchy “stained” appearance on MacBooks and MacBook Pros.

For four years, Apple offered to repair or replace screens affected by “staingate”, but my 2012 MacBook Pro is well-past that offer (which I was unaware of, and learned too late).

Baking soda rates 2.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness—just above talc and well below traditional blasting abrasives such as silica sand, mineral slags, and glass beads. It’s actually perfect for removing laminar films from MacBooks and iPads (but it’ll take a solid 1-2 hours of elbow grease as you rub-and-polish the film off the glass of your Apple device).

So, it took me almost 2 hours, with repeated applications, rubbing, and polishing, but I’ve returned my 2012 MacBook screen to a mirror-like finish!

HOW-TO: