Category: Workshops/Events

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Tog at IRTS Hamfest 2025

We’re excited to announce that Tog Hackerspace will be taking part in IRTS Hamfest 2025! The Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS) is hosting this year’s Hamfest on Saturday & Sunday, September 6th–7th, 2025, at The Showgrounds, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath (Eircode: N91 HXH0).

Hamfest will be one of the highlights of the amateur radio calendar with a weekend full of hands-on activities, workshops, demonstrations, and plenty of radio fun. Whether you’re a seasoned operator, a newly licensed ham, or just radio-curious, this is the perfect event to get involved.

What Tog Will Be Doing

Our members, Jeffrey (EI7IRB) and Ben (EI9IUB), will be running a range of activities throughout the weekend, including:

  • 🔧 Soldering Workshop – learn the basics or sharpen your skills.
  • 📏 Multimeter Skills Workshop – get hands-on with practical measurement techniques.
  • 📡 Packet Radio Workshop – try out a live portable packet station in action.
  • 🎙 Light SSB Operating – have a go at making QSOs from the field.
  • 🛰 Exotic Digital Modes – explore some of the more unusual ways hams are getting signals across the globe.
  • 💻 Software Hacking – discover how code and radio come together.
  • 🌐 Meshtastic Meetup – connect with the growing Irish Meshtastic community.

We’ll be set up alongside other clubs and operators, making the most of the 30-acre site at Mullingar Showgrounds. Expect lots of radios, antennas, and opportunities to get on the air.

About Hamfest 2025

Beyond TOG’s own activities, Hamfest will feature:

  • Live QO-100 satellite station demos.
  • Portable operating setups (SOTA/POTA).
  • A DXpedition gear showcase.
  • A vintage radio display for a trip down memory lane.
  • Learning zones covering antenna sharing, emergency comms, and more.
  • A chance to meet IRTS experts and get hands-on at “try-it-out” stations.

It also coincides with SSB Field Day, so you’ll see plenty of contest activity happening live from the site.

Stay & Socialise

Camping is free on-site (tents, camper vans, and caravans welcome), or you can grab a bed in Mullingar town, just 5 minutes away. There’ll be food, chats, and the usual Hamfest social vibe all weekend long.

Join Us

📅 Dates:

  • Saturday, September 6th (12 pm – 6 pm)
  • Sunday, September 7th (10 am – 4 pm)

📍 Location:
The Showgrounds, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
[Eircode: N91 HXH0]
Event Details on IRTS.ie

🎫 Admission:

  • Free for IRTS members
  • Small fee for the general public

We’re really looking forward to meeting fellow hams, makers, and curious minds at Mullingar. Come find us at Hamfest 2025 and get hands-on with radio, soldering, hacking, and more!

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🔌 Learn to Wire a Plug – New Workshop at Tog!

We’re excited to launch a new hands-on workshop at Tog Hackerspace where you’ll learn a practical and empowering skill—how to wire a plug and build your own extension lead. The session takes place on Wednesday, September 25th, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at our space in Unit 1B Motor City, Kylemore Road, Dublin 12, D12 CF6V.

🛠️ What’s It All About?

Ever wanted to fix a broken plug, wire up your own extension lead, or just feel more confident around household electrics? This workshop is for you. We’ll guide you through the entire process of safely wiring a 13A plug and connecting it to a 4-gang extension lead. No prior experience needed.

Each participant will:

  • Wire up their own 3-core cable into a standard plug
  • Connect that cable to a 4-way socket block
  • Learn about fuses, cable strain relief, and wiring safety
  • Get their work PAT tested so it’s ready and safe to use at home
  • Take home a functional, tested extension lead they built themselves!

All tools and materials will be provided.

🧷 Note: This workshop involves the wiring of a portable extension lead by individuals for personal use. It does not fall under Restricted Electrical Works as defined by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and Safe Electric. You can read more about Controlled and Restricted Works here: Safe Electric Guidance

💶 Booking Info

Tickets cost €25 and include all materials, tools, and a small donation to support Tog Hackerspace.
🔗 Book your ticket now on Eventbrite → https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/learn-to-wire-a-plug-tickets-1619013024539?aff=oddtdtcreator

Places are limited to keep things hands-on and safe, so grab your spot early!

🌍 Why This Matters

This workshop is part of European Sustainable Development Week 2025, an initiative that highlights practical actions contributing to a more sustainable world. We’re proud to align our event with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

  • SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: Encouraging repair and reuse over landfill.
  • SDG 4 – Quality Education: Providing lifelong learning opportunities through hands-on workshops.
  • SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: Building community resilience through practical skills.
  • SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy: Raising awareness of safe and responsible energy use at home.

Learning how to wire a plug might seem small, but it’s part of a bigger movement toward repair culture and sustainable living. Plus, it’s surprisingly satisfying!

This workshop is led by our own Jeffrey Roe, a long-time Tog member, maker, and electronics educator. Jeffrey has been teaching hands-on skills for over a decade through hackathons, Repair Cafés, and community events. You can follow his making adventures over on Mastodon

📍 Workshop Details Recap

🗓️ Date: Wednesday, 25th September 2025
🕖 Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
📍 Location: Tog Hackerspace, Unit 1B Motor City, Kylemore Road, Dublin 12, D12 CF6V
💶 Cost: €25 (includes all materials + donation to Tog)
🎟️ Tickets: Eventbrite link (insert your link)
👥 *No experience necessary – beginners welcome!

We’re looking forward to seeing you there and sharing this very useful, very fix-it-yourself skill. If you have any questions, feel free to drop us a message.

Let’s keep things wired—and out of landfill!

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What the Irish Embassy Got Up to at WHY2025 🇮🇪🛠️

Every four years, hackers, makers, and digital mischief-makers descend upon the Netherlands for a one-of-a-kind outdoor hacker camp. WHY2025 – short for What Hackers Yearn 2025 – is the latest in a legendary line of Dutch hacker camps stretching all the way back to the Galactic Hacker Party in 1989. This was the 10th edition, keeping the quadrennial tradition alive with thousands of attendees camping, soldering, coding, and connecting in Geestmerambacht.

The name WHY sparked plenty of jokes — “Why am I here?”, “Why is everything on fire?”, “Why not?” — but the answer, in the end, was always the same: because hacker camp is magic.

Tog was proud to be part of the Irish Embassy, a village formed by members of Irish hackerspaces and our wider community. We pitched tents in the Milliways Cluster, representing Ireland alongside friends old and new. Two Tog members made the trip over — Isabella (Z80Kitty) and Jeffrey Roe, and each has written a short piece about their time at camp below.

🎮 Isabella aka Z80Kitty here :3

My experience at WHY2025 was… chaotic good.

I spent about 99% of my time at the Arcade tent, getting thoroughly destroyed by rhythm games and later by Jeffrey in air hockey. It was brutal, but fun.

That said, I did manage to escape the arcade long enough to give my talk:
🎤 Sega Saturn Architectural Hell – a deep dive into the 90s console with the weirdest architecture I’ve ever worked with. It was stressful, but so rewarding. Big love to the folks who came along and laughed with me (and not just at me).

As a speaker, I discovered the fact I had unlimited club mate, which meant I was coked up on caffeine 24/7, So idk if that was a good thing. There was also golfing, which I sadly never took advantage of. One of the villages had a Cisco tap, which their mix tasted weirdly like mouthwash. They had other stuff on tap but didn’t get a chance to try. They also had a little window with some neat stuff like a boxed copy of OS2 Warped and a pager

But it wasn’t all talks and arcade games. The best part? The people. I had incredible conversations with some of the most interesting, friendly, and weirdly prepared hackers from around the world.

Also, the fog. At night, the camp looked like Silent Hill. Genuinely surreal. Check the gallery and you’ll see what I mean.

🐘 Find me on Mastodon

🛠️ Jeffrey Roe – Delays, Drills & DIY Satellites

WHY2025 kicked off with the most hacker-appropriate challenge: a 6-hour travel delay. I eventually arrived with about 35kg of camping gear and equipment in tow, ready to run three workshops in the Hardware Hacking Area.

The atmosphere? A wonderful blur of fake fog, LED lights, live bands, wild tents, and absolute hacker camp energy. Between sessions, I hit the on-site supermarket (great vegan options!) and caught the nightly chaos of live music and synth beeps.

Over the course of the event, I ran:

Big thanks to the local fablab, Serendiep, for letting me use their drill press before one of the sessions — absolute lifesavers.

Outside of workshops, I also joined in amateur radio fox hunting at the Back to the 80s village, grabbed a tasty breakfast at Hackers @ Tiffany’s, and watched the fog roll in across the camp like some kind of hacker horror movie.

🐘 Find me on Mastodon

📸 Gallery

Relive the fog, the fun, and the flashing LEDs in our full photo gallery:
👉 View the WHY2025 Photo Gallery

🔭 Looking Ahead: 39C3 in Hamburg

The hacker camp may be over, but the hacker calendar rolls on. The next big international event on our radar is 39C3 – the Chaos Communication Congress in Hamburg this December.

It’s the largest European hacker conference and a brilliant chance to reconnect with the community, share knowledge, and of course, hack the planet.

Will we see you there?

💚 Slán from the field,
Tog Hackerspace

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DIY Solar, Home Battery and Home Automation Meetup

We’re excited to host a special evening on Monday, the 18th of August 2025, from 7–9 pm in Tog Hackerspace. This informal meetup is all about sharing knowledge, projects, and experiences around DIY solar, home batteries, and home automation.

If you’ve been experimenting with adding solar panels to your home, wiring up batteries, or tinkering with smart switches and sensors, this is the night to come along and swap stories with like-minded makers.

On the night you can expect:

  • Show and Tell from people who have installed their own solar systems or set up home automation.
  • Hands-on kit: we’ll have solar panels, inverters, and some home automation gear like Shelly devices on display.
  • A DIY camper van demo showing off a converted setup with batteries, an inverter, and more.

This will be a casual, friendly evening—bring along your questions, projects, or just your curiosity. There’s plenty of parking, it’s free to attend, and no booking is required.

If the evening proves popular, we’d love to make it a regular thing.

📅 When: Monday, 18th August 2025, 7–9 pm📍 Location: Tog Hackerspace, Unit 1B Motor City, Kylemore Road, D12 CF6V, Dublin

Come along and join the conversation about powering your home (or van!) the DIY way.

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Breathe New Life into Your Old Computer – Join the Dublin Linux Installfest at Tog!

Is your computer facing retirement just because Windows 10 is reaching its end of life?

On Saturday, 13th September 2025, from 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Tog Hackerspace is proud to host the Dublin Linux Group for a special event that’s all about giving old computers a new lease of life — with Linux!

Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 on 14th October 2025. If your device isn’t eligible for an upgrade to Windows 11, it means no more security updates or virus protection — and for many, that sounds like the end of the road. But don’t panic: there’s a better way.

Most computers from 2010 onwards are perfectly capable of running a modern Linux operating system. With a clean, secure, and supported version of Linux, you can keep using your computer for years to come — no need to buy a new one or send more electronics to landfill.

During this free event, friendly Linux users and volunteers will be on hand to:

  • Help you install Linux on your laptop or desktop
  • Show you how to use Linux day to day
  • Answer your questions and help you get comfortable with this powerful and user-friendly alternative

Whether you’re a total beginner or just curious about making the switch, this is a great chance to learn more, try things out, and meet like-minded folks.

Event Details:
📅 Saturday, 13th September 2025
🕚 11:00 AM – 4:30 PM
📍 Tog Hackerspace, Unit 1B Motor City, Kylemore Road, D12 CF6V, Dublin

For more information, visit endofwin10.ie

We’re thrilled to be one of the venues worldwide helping people make the switch to free and open-source software. See you there — and bring a laptop if you want help installing Linux!

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🚗 DIY Electric Vehicle Meetup 🚗

Calling all DIY enthusiasts! Are you searching for an exhilarating and wallet-friendly project that promotes eco-friendliness? Look no further than converting your very own electric vehicle (EV)!

Embrace the philosophy of “reduce, reuse, recycle” for your personal transportation.

Picture that beloved car from your youth, revamped into an EV. Or envision a compact and low-maintenance runaround that’s affordable to operate.

Join a community of passionate bike, car, and motorbike tinkerers who have embarked on the journey of converting their vehicles to electric power.

📅 Date: Saturday, August 16th
⏰ Time: 3 pm – 7 pm

This casual meetup is the perfect occasion to discuss, explore, and inquire about the EV conversion process. Bring the entire family along, as this event is child-friendly. Reserve your tickets here and get ready for an inspiring afternoon.

🎟️ Eventbrite – DIY Electric Vehicle Meetup

We’ll have tea and coffee available on site, and Tog has an affordable tuck shop with fizzy drinks and snacks. After the event, Tog’s monthly open social night will be on with pizza and chats. Please consider adding a donation to your ticket to support this non-profit space. Suggested donation: €10

This event is run in partnership with the Electronic and Computing division of Engineers Ireland. The Electronic and Computing division members work in software development and testing, including the gaming industry; mobile and fixed line telecommunications; internet services; embedded systems development, and signal processing.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to delve into the world of electric vehicle conversion and meet like-minded individuals. See you there! 🔌🌿 #DIYEV #ElectricVehicles #GreenTransportation #EVConversion #SustainableMobility

This you are looking to spend the whole day in Tog, why not also check out our workshop that morning, Build Your Own RISC-V Computer – Olimex RVPC Workshop.