The HardlyHumanFX RadioScout Lets You Navigate by Modern GPS, in Victorian Steampunk Style

Mononymous maker Jase, also known as HardlyHumanFX, impressed with the release of the steampunk-inspired fully-functional Global Positioning System (GPS) navigator a year ago — and has now made good on a promise to release everything you need to build one of your very own.

"I promised I would eventually release the build files when I first started this crazy project," Jase says by way of reintroduction to the RadioScout. "Here it is. This is a working GPS that points at your destination. Your enter latitude and longitude with the rotary dial. You can adjust the distance indicator with the control lever, which alters the gauge from a 50 mile gauge, all the way down to 1 mile. It was a crazy and grueling process to get it to work well and be as portable as it became. I hope you enjoy it and build one yourself."

The RadioScout isn't a new project: Jase first unveiled it to the public a year ago, earning plaudits including a gushing appraisal from Adam Savage. Now, though, it's possible to build your own — and navigate to any place on Earth in steampunk style. "As you get closer to your destination, you can refine the increments and see bigger changes on the same dial," Jase explains of how the gadget works. "Think of it as 'zooming in.' The program even supports 'speed dial' where it can save destinations for future use, or save current location. The little lightbulb flashes when the GPS has connected to the satellites. The bell goes off when you reach your destination."

The case is made from laser-cut birch, while other tools used for the finished device included both fused filament fabrication (FFF) and stereolighographic (SLA) 3D printers, a plasma cutter for metal, laser printer for toner-transfer etching, and a vacuum forming machine. Parts include a 12V-capable battery pack, Analog Devices MAX7219 seven-segment numerical displays disguised as Nixie tubes, servo motors, a bulb holder, a modified electric guitar pickup selector switch, and the iconic rotary telephone dial for coordinate entry — all driven by an Arduino-compatible microcontroller linked to a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver module.

"I know I haven't covered everything," Jase admits of the build guide release. "It's a very complicated device and it was never meant to be completely shared. So, warts and all, you have it here. There are many variables you can play with in the program. Keep the bell power low and the incandescent light pulses low. The power drop and magnetic flux caused by their use can corrupt the Arduino and you will end up in the middle of nowhere with Fred the psychotic barber."

The full guide is available on Instructables, with board production files available on GitHub under an unspecified license.