Electronic Cats
The README states that the badge was designed by Electronic Cats, and the public repository is published under the ElectronicCats GitHub organization.
Source44CON 2025 · United Kingdom · 2025
44CON 2025 RF Detector Badge
Electronic Cats OLED and RF-detector badge
The 44CON 2025 badge is a public Electronic Cats hardware and firmware project that can run with a CH32-style shield for an OLED mini-game or with an ESP32 Wemos D1 module plus optional buzzer, MT3608 boost converter, AD8317 RF detector, and add-on board.
Event44CON 2025
Series44CON
LocationNovotel London West, London
CountryUnited Kingdom
People
Authors & Credits
RamboRogers
The README says the badge builds upon the rfhunter project by RamboRogers.
SourceWhy It Mattered
It extends the 44CON badge lineage beyond the earlier HIDIOT USB HID boards into a source-published sensing badge with clear assembly modes, KiCad hardware, CH32 firmware, OLED control jumpers, and RF Hunter-derived hidden-wireless-device detection behavior.
Hardware
The repository exposes KiCad board, schematic, symbol, footprint, and add-on files. The README describes an OLED display, ESP32 Wemos D1 option, buzzer, potentiometer, MT3608 boost converter, AD8317 RF detector, front add-on location, I2C jumpers that select CH32 or ESP32 OLED control, and a 9 V RF-detector power rail that must be configured before bridging JP1.
Software & Apps
The public firmware tree is C code under a CH32Fun-style layout with OLED drawing support, sprite assets, and I2C helpers. The README says shield-only operation runs the OLED display with a built-in mini-game, while the ESP32/RF-detector build path adapts RF Hunter behavior to display RF strength and optionally alert through the buzzer.
Lore
Electronic Cats framed the badge as configurable hardware: a minimal shield/display experience is possible, but the fullest badge behavior requires soldering the ESP32 module and RF-detector support parts without exceeding the RF module voltage limits.
Lifecycle
Add-ons & Upgrades
badge add-on
source published
Front-side add-on board
The repository includes a separate KiCad add-on project, and the README notes the add-on location on the badge front side.
Source
configuration hardware
source published
I2C OLED routing jumpers
The README documents default CH32 OLED control and a cut-and-bridge jumper path for switching the display bus to ESP32 control.
Source
controller option
recommended configuration
ESP32 Wemos D1 module mode
Electronic Cats recommends soldering the ESP32 Wemos D1 module for the best badge experience, with OLED-routing jumpers available when moving display control from CH32 to ESP32.
Source
feedback add-on
source published
Buzzer alert option
The recommended build includes a buzzer, and the RF-detector behavior can use audible alerts when signal detection warrants it.
Source
operating mode
source published
Shield-only OLED mini-game mode
The README says the badge can operate with the shield installed, where it drives the OLED display and runs the built-in mini-game without the ESP32 path.
Source
power add-on
source published
MT3608 boost converter rail
The MT3608 boost converter raises the badge's 5 V supply to the 9 V rail used by the RF detector, and must be adjusted before the RF module is connected.
Source
sensor add-on
source published
AD8317 RF detector
The README describes an AD8317 RF detector path that measures RF signal strength, displays results on the OLED, and is intended to detect hidden wireless devices.
SourceOperational history
Issues & Camp Impact
assembly and voltage safety caveat
warning
The RF-detector path depends on configuring the MT3608 boost converter to 9 V before installing the RF module, and the README says JP1 is disconnected to prevent damage until voltage is confirmed.
The badge page preserves the original power-safety context for the AD8317 RF detector instead of presenting the module as a no-risk plug-in.
- Confidence
- repository README
- Status
- source published
- Timeframe
- RF-detector assembly
- Source note
- ElectronicCats/badge-44con-2025 README.
controller-mode caveat
note
The README says at least one of the two control paths must be soldered: shield-only operation gives OLED mini-game behavior, while the recommended fuller experience uses the ESP32 Wemos D1 module and related support parts.
The record separates the minimal shield/display experience from the ESP32 and RF-detector build path instead of treating every configuration as identical.
- Confidence
- repository README
- Status
- source published
- Timeframe
- badge assembly
- Source note
- ElectronicCats/badge-44con-2025 README.
license-scope caveat
note
GitHub reports the repository license as MIT, while the README says the hardware is released under CERN Open Hardware Licence v1.2; the source pass did not recover the referenced LICENSE_HARDWARE file.
The catalogue links repository images, diagrams, and hardware files as evidence but does not copy media or collapse the software, hardware, documentation, and artwork license boundaries.
- Confidence
- repository metadata and README review
- Status
- needs explicit license clarification
- Timeframe
- public repository archive
- Source note
- ElectronicCats/badge-44con-2025 GitHub metadata and README.
missing rights-cleared image
note
The public repository includes useful diagrams and rendered media, but no selected physical badge photo or official upstream raster has been paired with a clear reusable image license or permission basis, attribution, source URL, and processing notes for catalogue delivery.
The badge remains image-free until an explicitly reusable 44CON 2025 badge photo or render is cleared.
- Confidence
- local project policy
- Status
- needs licensed original replacement
- Timeframe
- current catalogue build
- Source note
- badge.gallery image policy.
Resources
44CON 2025 KiCad badge hardware
hardware source · KiCad board, project, schematic, symbol, and footprint source for the main badge hardware.
44CON 2025 add-on hardware
add-on source · Public KiCad add-on project and PCB files for the front-side badge add-on.
44CON 2025 badge README
assembly guide · Badge setup guide documenting shield-only and ESP32 modes, OLED routing, boost configuration, buzzer, potentiometer, RF detector, and safety warnings.
44CON 2025 firmware tree
firmware source · C firmware tree with CH32Fun-style configuration, OLED, sprite, I2C, and driver files.
44CON 2025 ticket page
official event context · Official 44CON product page metadata for the September 18-19, 2025 Novotel London West event.
RF Hunter upstream project
upstream project · RamboRogers RF Hunter project named by the 44CON badge README as the basis for the badge's RF-detector behavior.
badge-44con-2025 repository
hardware and firmware source · Electronic Cats public repository for the 44CON 2025 badge, including KiCad hardware, add-on files, firmware, diagrams, and repository license metadata.
Sources
44CON: 44CON 2025 Ticket
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Official event metadata source for the 18-19 September 2025 44CON ticket and Novotel London West venue.
GitHub / Electronic Cats: badge-44con-2025
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary repository for the 44CON 2025 badge hardware and firmware, created July 24, 2025 and pushed October 8, 2025, with GitHub reporting C as the main language and MIT as repository license metadata.
GitHub / Electronic Cats: badge-44con-2025 README
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary assembly and behavior source for the shield-only OLED mini-game mode, ESP32 Wemos D1 option, buzzer, MT3608 boost converter, AD8317 RF detector, I2C jumpers, potentiometer, JP1 voltage warning, RF Hunter basis, and Electronic Cats design credit.
GitHub / Electronic Cats: badge-44con-2025 hardware tree
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary source for the badge KiCad board, schematic, symbol, footprint, and project files, including Wemos D1, AD8317, OLED, and MT3608 footprint evidence.
GitHub / Electronic Cats: badge-44con-2025 firmware tree
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary source for the CH32Fun-style firmware files, OLED support, I2C helper, sprites, driver headers, and badge application code.