OMG TV , which bills itself as “the only analog station in NYC,” has spent the last two months broadcasting on Channel 14 in New York. So what on Earth are they showing? The station aggregates online video content and then lets viewers vote (online, ha!) on what makes the televised broadcast. Sounds assbackwards, but that’s part of the point. According to the founders: On the web, so many options create a panic of possibilities. On OMG TV, there is no fast forward button or other videos to distract you. In OMG TV’s simplicity you can sit back and watch one video at a time. The station was created by Jon Cohrs, who also founded the Urban Prospecting movement we wrote about in May. What’s particularly cool about the project isn’t the content itself, but the fact it shows you could easily do this, too. Jon created an Instructables guide on how to set up your very own local analog tv station — everything from first finding some “whitespace” to locating a transmitter. Here’s part of Step 1: Find a Free Channel : Although after the 2009 DTV transition in June a lot of “whitespace”(i.e. unused television bandwidth) became available, most of this whitespace is still legally dubious and many of these channels are still tied to the original owners via legal identity and copyright. However, because of this legal ambiguity a lot of free space is still up for the taking. The best option for finding free space is the FCC’s own search engine for these things Thanks, FCC!!! image by georgia.g

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HOWTO Set Up An Analog TV Station

When you’re climbing outdoors, you inevitably end up facing some of your biggest fears, whether it’s heights, dirt, or pooing in the wild. Here are some tips and tools on how I dealt with three of my phobias. 1. Mosquitoes Yes, there are mosquitoes in the wild! Tons at Lover’s Leap, where I went to test my climbing gear, especially near the little stream of water that runs along the path to the crags in the early evening. Outdoor Research has gaiters &mdash durable leg warmers that go over and strap under your shoes &mdash that are treated with insect repellent. Gaiters also help keep dirt and pebbles out of your shoes. Mosquitoes are often at the campsite, too. Since a lot of climbers ditch the tent in an effort to minimize weight, taking a bug bivy with you is also a good idea. 2. Heights I’m not normally scared of heights, but I have to admit that hanging out on the edge of a 400-foot-tall cliff and trying to look down to see how my climbing buddy was doing whilst being held in place by one flimsy rope was a little freaky at times. Since positive self-talk (it’s ok, breathe, you’re not gonna fall) was not really working, I thought of my own calming down method &mdash I found tiny flowers and leaves in the rock’s cracks and pretended they were my dog Ruby. “Hi Ruby,” I’d say, and suddenly my fear was replaced by a warm, fuzzy feeling. “What are you doing here?” I know it sounds crazy, but try it. It works. 3. Getting lost This may not be a realistic fear unless you’re going way into back country, but the thought of not being able to head straight back to base camp after a long day of hiking and climbing is pretty daunting. I was with a trustworthy leader who knew his way around the Leap, but if you’re trekking out on your own, you could take the Bushnell Backtrack &mdash it records your starting point and then constantly directs you back to it with arrows and mileage. Of course, this could be totally futile if roads are windy and sparse, or if there are rivers and bears and stuff that get in the way of a direct path home. But it hooks easily onto a carabiner and for $80, it’s not bad. (I also recommend this product, by the way, to people who can’t locate their cars in mall parking lots.) 4. Pooing in the wild The only thing I have to say about pooing in nature is that it’s fun! Try it. Just remember to wipe, and take your dirty paper with you after you’re done.

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Common outdoor climbing phobias and how to combat them

When I was editing Cool Tools, J. Baldwin recommended a fantastic book on constructing furniture and other things with Grid Beam . I bought the book, but have yet to put it to use, so don’t take my word for it. From his Cool Tools review : Grid Beam is a great way to make working prototypes of furniture, experimental vehicles and even small buildings. If your idea doesn’t work, you can change it until it does… A drawing can lie to your client or worse, to you. Grid Beams never lie.

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HOWTO: Build With Grid Beam

Using an array of salvaged electronics, Kenyan tinkerer Simon Mwaura turned his cell phone into a remote control that lets him turn on lights, monitor his front door, and even brew tea. [via AfriGadget ]

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Kenyan Builds DIY Smart Home

Asus’s older EeePCs have a perfectly sized spot for a WiFi antenna screw, right next to where the internal WiFi antenna is located. Unfortunately, it has no such antenna screw. You can do something about that . [Paul dot com via Make ]

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Antenna mod for Eee 4G surf

“Uh, I think I snapped it…” I got my first tick on the BBG camping trip. I was lucky. I didn’t even know it was there until it was gone. I brushed it off in the shower somehow without leaving any of the tick in my body *knock wood*. My completely uneducated guess is the hot water must have shocked the little bugger, and when I inadvertently passed my hand over him, he backed out and/or fell out because he had yet to burrow? (if you’re a tick expert, feel free to weigh in). Next time, I won’t be so lucky, which is why I’m going to: a) use bug spray, and b) pick up a legit tick remover just in case. Cause there’s no way I’m going to try the above method. Here’s a series of tick removers, including one that uses cryotherapy . I’m tempted to buy the one with a mini-lasso and just call it a day. Before I do, though, please feel free to chime in with any suggestions, experiences or links to videos of yourself removing ticks. Tickner (”My name is Freeze . Learn it well. For it’s the chilling sound of your doom.”) Ticked Off (you can personalize yours ) Tick Off (battery-operated) Tick Key (comes in a variety of colors) Trix TickLasso (via Cool Tools ) This post is part of a theme day: BBG on Camping .

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Tick Removers: Which Do You Use?

How awesome does Destroy Build Destroy look? It’s a new show from CN Real (apparently some Carton Network spinoff) that lets two teams of kids compete to break things, build new things from the wreckage, and then break them all over again. It’s like a pint-sized Junkyard Wars with full-size explosions or a Mythbusters without the veil of junk science. [via Laughing Squid ]

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Video: Destroy Build Destroy teaches kids to, well, you know

Leah Buechley designed this hoodie at the MIT Media Lab using a LilyPad Arduino, power supply, LEDs, tiny speaker and iron conductive fabric.* I’ve looked at a ton of light up garments, El Wire, etc. This is one of the most tastefully- and artfully-done articles of clothing I’ve seen as of late. Instead of hiding the electronics, the graphic on the back integrates, even highlights the main board. Really well done, imho. The how-to up on Instructables is thorough and straightforward. Considering a handmade touch-sensitive hoodie can fetch $ 6 300 (not kidding!), you really should try going for it on your own. *Here’s a good assessment of various types of conductive thread .

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Touch-Sensitive Hoodie Lights Up, Plays Tunes

Syuzi Pakhchyan is an artist-roboticist-fashionista who integrates circuits and motors into everyday fashion. Her book, Fashioning Technology , includes easy-to-follow instructions on things like, how to make a Space Invaders tote bag with eyes that light up when your cell phone rings. “In the future, our clothes will actually do things, whether we’re taking biometric data or downloading visual patterns onto what we’re wearing that day,” Syuzi tells me over the phone. “It’s pretty sci-fi, but it’s an interesting space for designers to be working in.” It might be a while before haute couture designers put solar panels on evening gowns, but things like snowboarding jackets with speakers and shoes that record run data have existed for a few years already. Keep reading for an instructional guide on how to make a vibrating cell phone finger puppet. How to make a vibrating cell phone finger puppet (by Syuzi Pakhchyan) 1. Cut three pieces of the pattern out of felt or fabric in the shape of your cell phone. The first layer will be the top, decorative layer; the second, middle layer will be the circuit layer; and the third layer will be your energy layer. 2. Take a vibrating motor and strip about .5″ of insulation off both ends of the wires. Curl the stripped end of the negative (blue) wire into a loop and twist the wire together to secure the loop. Repeat for the positive (red) wire. 3. Position the vibrator in the center of the middle felt layer. Using a sewing needle and conductive thread , loop the thread around the bottom loop of the negative vibrator wire. Continue to sew a straight line towards the center of your fabric. Once you have reached the center, create the first contact point for the soft switch by embroidering a small patch of conductive thread. Knot and cut the thread. 4. Using conductive thread, create the second contact point for the soft switch by embroidering another small patch of conductive thread below the first. These two patches of conductive thread should NOT touch. Continue to sew a path to about 1″ from the bottom of your fabric. 5. Grab the sewable battery holder and the third fabric layer. Align the edges of the middle, circuit layer with the back fabric layer and pull your needle from the circuit layer to the back layer. Sew the “–” negative contact of the battery holder securely onto the back fabric. Knot and cut the thread. 6. Using a sewing needle and conductive thread, now loop the thread around the bottom loop of the positive (red) vibrator wire. Continue to sew a straight line towards the bottom of your fabric near the “+” positive contact of the holder, making sure that your sewn traces don’t intersect. Again, pull your needle from the circuit layer to the back layer and sew the “+” contact securely onto the fabric. Knot and cut the thread. 7. Using a hole punch, cut out a hole in the center of the top felt layer at the exact same location where your created the conductive contact points for the soft switch. Grab a poof or small pompom. Using conductive thread, create a small contact on one side of the poof. Knot and cut the thread. Using ordinary thread, sew the poof onto the top layer with the conductive patch directly on top of the hole. 8. Align the edges of all three felt layers together. Using embroidery thread, stitch all three layers together. 9. Slip a battery into the holder. When your press down on the poof (closing the circuit), the motor should vibrate. 10. Draw things like keys, screen, and icons on the top layer with permanent markers, and you’re done! This post is part of a theme day: BBG on Fashion

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Fashioning Technology, and how to make a vibrating cell phone finger puppet

I’d have to use one in real life before I dropped $475 on a one-wheeled stroller , but even if it’s not as practical as its creator claims, the one-of-a-kind unit has a neat design. I bet that black plastic shell gets hot on little legs, though. IT IS MADE WITH A STYROFOAM INNER GIVING IT VERY LITTLE WEIGHT. IT IS COVERED WITH A LEADFREE PLASTICIZED COATING THAT IS UV STABLE AND NON TOXIC. THIS COATING GIVES IT INCREDIBLE STRENGTH AND DURABILITY. IT RIDES ON A SINGLE 10″ INFLATABLE TIRE. THIS SINGLE TIRE GIVES THE STROLLER UNMATCHED MANUVERABILITY AND THE ABILITY TO TRANSVERSE ALL TYPES OF TERRAIN. THIS ITEM IS VERY STABLE AND CAN NOT TOPPLE WHILE MOVING. ALL CAPS MEANS QUALITY. [VIA CORE77 ]

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Mojo Workin’s One-Wheeled Baby Stroller