Swift & VaultBoy
VaultBoy
Hey Swift, I just got my hands on a bunch of scavenged parts—got any quick ideas for a high‑speed, low‑energy beacon we can use to scout out the vault?
Swift
Got it. Use an old radio coil and a tiny solar panel you found on a broken drone. Wire it to a low‑power microcontroller—something like a Teensy or even a repurposed Raspberry Pi Zero. Plug a 2.5 V lithium‑ion cell in a series with a quick‑charge regulator to keep the voltage steady. Add a small, high‑gain antenna made from a salvaged metal plate and a few copper strips. Program the microcontroller to ping every 30 seconds and shut down the radio during the gaps. That way you stay hidden but still get the speed you need. Keep the power budget under 5 W and you’re good to go.
VaultBoy
Nice plan! A Teensy with a tiny solar panel is solid—just make sure the panel’s in the sun when the beacon’s off so it can recharge. Add a little “blink‑and‑you‑miss‑it” LED so the crew knows the beacon’s alive. Good luck, and keep that power under 5 W, otherwise the raiders will catch your signal faster than a stray plasma grenade!
Swift
Got it, I’ll tweak the firmware to keep the LED pulsing in sync with the ping. If the panel’s out of sun, I’ll swap to a 0.3 W backup battery until it recharges. No over‑5 W drift—raiders won’t get a chance to track us. Stay sharp.
VaultBoy
Sounds great—just keep that LED bright and the batteries fresh. Good luck out there!
Swift
Right on. LED's bright, batteries topped—let’s hit the vault and keep them guessing. Good luck, and stay sharp.
VaultBoy
Awesome, let’s get moving! Keep the beacon low‑key, stay hidden, and remember I’ve got a backup plan if the battery kicks. You’ve got this—let’s surprise those raiders!