“I sense there is someone sincere in his purpose and that we can trust, behind the screen, behind the website!”

– Mario Brunet about Ohmify

Mario Brunet is a French Canadian from Montréal, Québec, Canada.

He is one of Ohmify’s most active members and has been a part of pretty much every competition we’ve had and has worked on a variety of different and interesting projects. His interests include PCB design, and the Halloween Flickering LED PCB is just one of his great designs.

What was the main reason you joined Ohmify?

I started to get interested in electronics by using LEDs as an indicator for power and an open garage door or to illuminate the entrance to a door key in a dark corner, or stairs…

Then I made a copy of a kit mount to flash the flashes of disposable cameras to put on the back of a friend’s bike.

I took a serious interest in electronics when I started replacing the batteries of small devices with voltage regulators of type LM78XX (toys, fixed weather monitors, Arlo cameras, etc.).

Then I was struck by the Arduino wave.

But it is through the web and thanks to the web that I found interesting circuits and a mass of information and often answers in the various forums; the problem is that the specialized forums answer questions but according to their specialty; we had to search as many forums as we had questions on different topics and sometimes we don’t get any answers…

Afterward, I discovered the books published by Oyvind, and especially those for children.

I love to teach too (I taught sailing to kids) and at the age of 23 in my final year at university (in-law) in 1974, I published a book for children, and parents, to learn sailing (La Voile, Un Jeu d’enfant !, All About Sailing, La Vela). This is what I really liked about Oyvind, his ability to teach electronics for anyone to understand as I did for sailing with a lot of drawings and tips.

When I saw that Oyvind had a website where we could find both a teaching on the technique and answers to our questions, whatever they were, I did not hesitate to take a lifetime subscription (even if it was perhaps risky!). I have no regrets about that today of course!

With Ohmify, I feel supported, and never left behind because I know that someone will always answer me. In addition, I can continue my training at my own pace thanks to the new courses. Then, with the addition of members to the team, like Lejla, it became very dynamic!

What is the most fun project you’ve ever worked on?

It’s definitely the Surprise Christmas Gift Box!

Because I didn’t just make something, but I also learned several new things: using the transistor, soldering in the air – freeform -, soldering SMD LEDs, programming and coding the ATtiny85, Dupont connector, etc.

Are there any projects you’ve completed since joining Ohmify that you couldn’t have completed before?

I would never attack the programming of an ATtiny85, nor make me a protoshield programming for Arduino, just by searching the web to make me a procedure.

Not even the most complete solution possible by trying to cross-reference all the information available; because when a problem arises (not if a problem arises…), who would have answered my questions?

Especially in the handling of the Arduino to program the ATtiny85.

What are you currently working on?

I love everything about the weather; that’s why my first topic with Ohmify was to present what I would like to achieve from the instruments already in hand at home (Weather home project) with a first objective of a viewer by LEDs of the intensity of the rain falling (not that it is wet out).

I built a waterproof soundbox and then started studying electret as a sound sensor, and then feeding it, and then I capped it at amplification…

As a matter of fact, being curious, I realized that I was learning a lot at the same time and in various fields that, in the end, will join to achieve this first objective.

The soldering of LED SMD for example made me progress in the field of future visual representation of falling water… Trying to use an oscilloscope is another side effect.

Finally, it is the way to get there that is just as if not more interesting than the final result ha ha! So I accumulate, I document, I organise my notes, I compare ideas and achievements made by others to advance in this viewer rain’s intensity.

I also think that to really learn, I have to do it the old way maybe, as much as possible with discrete components instead of using dedicated modules. But of course, this is not excluded when needed.

What is your favorite thing about being a part of Ohmify?

“The Teacher” Ohmify in the background! I feel that I am not left to myself in my learning and therefore, that I am continuously supported in my quest for knowledge, whether by Oyvind himself by other specialist members, or other members of the community.

“The Teacher” Ohmify keeps his promises: the starter kit, I received it well; the answers to my questions, I received them; a prize offered during a competition, I received it; a message to the administration, I had a private answer…

In short, I feel that there is someone sincere in his goal and that we can trust, behind the screen, behind the website!