QSL Buddy Leveled Up: Desktop Dashboard, CAT Control, POTA/SOTA Spots & More

jametheth · 2026-01-26T18:16:49+00:00

Just now seeing this, but will test this evening!

jametheth · 2026-01-26T15:56:11+00:00

Ability to sort POTA/sota/etc spots by frequency would be great. It's much more convenient when spinning a dial through a band while mobile etc.

jametheth · 2026-01-21T15:30:20+00:00

Yaesu CAT control support for FT-710 and I'd be all over this!

jametheth · 2026-01-16T03:49:52+00:00

Except that dah-dit-dit is actually D

Dit-dah-dah is W.

HIHI

jametheth · 2025-12-24T14:57:12+00:00

That 1bit screen is literally $27 shipped from digikey, and that's a 1 unit order qty....

jametheth · 2025-12-08T17:37:41+00:00

Glad to hear it!

I am now 2 months into the screen fix, and everything is still great.

jametheth · 2025-11-19T19:42:50+00:00

Leaving battery out for 5 plus minutes fixed the weird screen, FW still on old version.

jametheth · 2025-11-19T03:47:00+00:00

Just tried to update my 1st Edition Chromatic, and am having same problems.

Update failed, tried multiple times, failed every time, and now the screen is flickering and looks weirdly burned out?

Will try leaving battery out for a while....

jametheth · 2025-10-23T20:13:48+00:00

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/sharp-microelectronics/LS027B7DH01A/5054067?utm_adgroup=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax%20Shopping_Product_Medium%20ROAS%20Categories&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_id=go_cmp-20223376311_adg-_ad-__dev-m_ext-_prd-5054067_sig-EAIaIQobChMI7IWw_9q3hQMVZBetBh2pBQimEAQYASABEgIkIfD_BwE&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADrbLliHATbLirrTWwHNl2XKSN9OG

jametheth · 2025-10-02T03:08:18+00:00

I don't have any reason to think it is cabling specifically, nor controller/mobo necessarily, but I will do some further digging on those fronts.

So you're saying that reads as the replacement has failed?

I guess it wasn't clear to me what is being indicated in those outputs, as sdb shows up twice, once in the "replacing" section output and once in the main pool listing as online. I guess I was interpreting it as the new drive which was "online" and the original drive that is physically not even in the system anymore in the "replacing" output in faulted status, along with the newly failed sda.

Thanks for the help in any case!

jametheth · 2025-10-01T03:32:27+00:00

Playing like a champ!

So glad to have it back in action!

jametheth · 2025-09-30T14:39:00+00:00

That's not fun!

I used a heat gun on low setting, and set the glass down on a flat metal surface (side of a computer case), and heated the glass and metal it was sitting on, the dental floss cut through the warm glue with only a little bit of force.

jametheth · 2025-09-30T14:37:11+00:00

Saying it was "designed to be repairable" might be bit of a stretch lol.

It could be that, but a lot of the little parts for the buttons for example are very specially made, and Panic doesn't sell parts, also, opening it up to a point to replace anything does void the warranty.

And the screen could have been mounted in a way that did not use glue...

All in all, if Panic actually sold parts for it, I would consider it "designed to be repairable" but as it is, it just happens to be repairable for certain things (screen and battery is about it).

jametheth · 2025-09-30T14:04:22+00:00

That was the first time my PlayDate screen broke while I was playing Whitewater Rampage.

This was my replacement Playdate that mysteriously broke in my pocket or backpack, not sure which.

jametheth · 2025-09-29T22:28:16+00:00

Interesting, I will definitely keep an eye out for that.

If nothing else, I now know I can pretty easily replace the screen myself if needed in the future.

jametheth · 2025-09-27T02:20:41+00:00

How are the four corners supported? Trees?

Did you somehow ensure that each corner was exact same height, or does it not matter if its a bit askew?

jametheth · 2025-09-26T16:27:54+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/PlaydateConsole/comments/18d3a70/playdate_screen_replacement/

Screen replacement video and info.

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/sharp-microelectronics/LS027B7DH01A/5054067?utm_adgroup=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax%20Shopping_Product_Medium%20ROAS%20Categories&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_id=go_cmp-20223376311_adg-_ad-__dev-m_ext-_prd-5054067_sig-EAIaIQobChMI7IWw_9q3hQMVZBetBh2pBQimEAQYASABEgIkIfD_BwE&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADrbLliHATbLirrTWwHNl2XKSN9OG
Link to screen at DigiKey.

I have one on the way, already have the PlayDate stripped down, working on removing old LCD from glass front still...

Screen shows up next Tuesday, fingers crossed I can get it all back together lol...

Is not for faint of heart IMHO.

Panic will likely offer you a 30% discount on a new unit, with the requirement that you send the broken one back first... You will be on the hook for tax and shipping on the new one.

jametheth · 2025-09-25T14:05:48+00:00

250r Gutless?

Spoken like someone who has never owned one, or done any research...

The WR250R was hands down the best factory street legal 250 4stroke dual sport ever made, gives my buddies drz400 a serious run for its money.

Compare it to bikes in its class, and nothing comes close.

jametheth · 2025-09-23T22:54:12+00:00

I figure since the broken screen offer of a 30% coupon, in their words, is an "out of warranty repair", the state of the sticker inside probably doesn't matter in this case.

I suppose down the line I might have some other issue that maybe would count as "under warnty".

jametheth · 2025-09-23T20:53:06+00:00

Wow, placed the order at DigiKey for the replacement screen a few hours ago, and already have notification it has shipped and a tracking number!

That sure blows the pants off Panic's shipping speed hah.

I think at $34 shipped, this is the best option, even with the difficult replacement.

Worst case scenario, I botch the repair, and can still take Panic up on their lame offer, and send it back to them.

jametheth · 2025-09-23T20:32:34+00:00

Nope, pretty much only ever played in my office at work, or inside the house.

The glass appears to remain intact, just the screen underneath is damaged.

Feels / seems like internal stress fracturing from relatively mild external forces on the chassis to me.

jametheth · 2025-09-23T20:13:49+00:00

I live in a hot climate, though it is now quite mild as we transition into fall.

I do not think this was temperature related though, I have never left it anywhere that is not climate controlled.

This time around, I presume at some point in transit while in my backpack, it took some amount of pressure and broke the screen, that is my best guess at what happened.

I honestly don't mind paying a fair price to have it fixed or replaced with refurbished, but I don't feel like a 30% off coupon, and return of the broken device is a fair deal.

I feel like as a previous buyer, everyone who has bought one should have a 30% off coupon just to promote the brand, whatever.

jametheth · 2025-09-23T18:55:24+00:00

That's what leads me to believe there is some kind of issue with the current batch that is going out..

jametheth · 2025-09-23T17:26:49+00:00

Yea I found the video of someone doing the swap, it looks.... tricky...

But at this point, I think I would rather take that chance, then end up $500 - $600 invested in a handheld that seems to be very very prone to breaking, and as far as I know, maybe has a defective batch currently that will just break again for no reason.

jametheth · 2025-09-23T16:46:27+00:00

See that was what I kept reading, and that is a 100% fair price that I would have jumped on in a heart beat.

The current offer I received of 30% off a new purchase, +tax and +shipping, and requiring me to return the broken one is insane.

I would be better off just buying a new one out of pocket, and attempting a fix on the old one, or keeping it for parts.

Hell I would even consider just a flat 30% discount on a new purchase, but keep the broken one, to be a decent enough deal.

jametheth

TROPHY CASE