# Only A Transmitter

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2018-05-07
- Length: 1h 05m
- Episode: 391
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/391-only-a-transmitter/

## Summary

Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the regulatory hurdles of using CurrencyFair for international supplier payments, the ongoing capacitor shortage driving component obsolescence, and the technical novelty of using the Osmo FL2K VGA-to-USB converter as a low-cost software-defined radio transmitter. They also critique Elon Musk's admission that excessive automation at Tesla was a mistake, highlighting the continued importance of human labor in manufacturing.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter#t=0) Introduction: Dave Jones and Chris Gammell
- [1:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter#t=93) Dave Jones on CurrencyFair and Anti-Money Laundering Regulations
- [10:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter#t=635) The Capacitor Shortage and Component Obsolescence
- [19:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter#t=1182) Review of the Gigatron TTL Computer Kit
- [24:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter#t=1459) Serial Port Troubleshooting and UART Debugging
- [33:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter#t=1989) Osmo FL2K as a Low-Cost SDR Transmitter
- [44:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter#t=2670) RF Interference and Digital TV Signal Quality
- [48:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter#t=2933) FCC Filings: Hello Barbie and Mil-Spec Teardowns
- [53:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter#t=3182) Elon Musk on Tesla's Automation Mistakes
- [58:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter#t=3501) Espressif Mesh Protocol and Madman Mothes

## Topics

- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- CurrencyFair (company)
- Osmo FL2K (product)
- RTL SDR (product)
- Gigatron (product)
- Tesla (company)
- Espressif (company)
- Hello Barbie (product)
- DigiKey (company)
- Mauser (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [182: Sorry Little Diodes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-01-04-182-sorry-little-diodes) (Embedded.fm)
- [Ep 313: Capacitor Plague, Wireless Power, and Tiny Everything](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-03-21-ep-313-capacitor-plague-wireless-power-and-tiny-everything-b56cece1) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep 258: So Much Unix, Flipper Flip-out, and the Bus Pirate 5](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2024-02-16-ep-258-so-much-unix-flipper-flip-out-and-the-bus-pirate-5) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep013: Naked Components, Shocking Power Supplies, Eye-Popping Clock, And The Hackaday Prize](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2019-04-05-ep013-naked-components-shocking-power-supplies-eye-popping-clock-and-the-hackada) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [251: I Agreed at the Time](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-06-29-251-i-agreed-at-the-time) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-07-only-a-transmitter. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Amp Hour.