Chaos Communication Camp 2007 · Germany · 2007

Sputnik / OpenBeacon

CCCamp 2007 active RFID badge

A small active 2.4 GHz RFID badge/tag used with OpenBeacon base stations for real-time camp tracking and post-camp hardware experiments.

CCC OpenBeacon Sputnik RFID 2.4 GHz nRF24L01 PIC16F684 Tracking

EventChaos Communication Camp 2007

SeriesChaos Communication Camp

LocationFinowfurt Aviation Museum

CountryGermany

People

Authors & Credits

speaker and OpenBeacon/Sputnik lead

Milosch Meriac

Listed as the Camp 2007 speaker for Inside Sputnik & OpenBeacon.

Source

Why It Mattered

Sputnik is an early European camp example where the badge was not just identification, but infrastructure: location sensing, mesh-node experimentation, RF protocols, post-event data analysis, and a privacy conversation all converged around one wearable device.

Hardware

The Camp 2007 talk describes Sputnik/OpenBeacon as 2.4 GHz hardware using Nordic nRF24L01-class radio, PIC16F684 tag hardware for OpenBeacon tags, CR2032 power, LED output, touch input, PCB antenna, and Ethernet/PoE reader base stations. It also discusses a newer ARM7 AT91SAM7S128 USB-programmable meshing node with RP-SMA antenna.

Software & Apps

The public talk abstract frames the platform as GPL firmware and GCC ARM toolchain friendly, with reprogramming over USB for custom low-cost 2.4 GHz nodes and applications such as remote controls, door security, art performances, and smart-dust meshing.

Lore

The Fahrplan explicitly says the goal was to let users keep using their Sputnik badges after camp. CCC later published collected Sputnik/OpenBeacon RFID tracking data, making the badge part of the camp's historical data exhaust as well as its hardware history.

Lifecycle

Add-ons & Upgrades

camp infrastructure historical

OpenBeacon base stations

Sputnik/OpenBeacon tags were read by 30+ OpenBeacon base stations installed around the event venue.

Compatibility: Sputnik/OpenBeacon 2.4 GHz tags

Source

hardware/software upgrade path historical

USB-programmable 2.4 GHz node path

The talk describes a memory-stick-sized ARM7 meshing node design, USB power/reprogramming, RP-SMA antenna, and GCC ARM toolchain support for custom firmware.

Compatibility: OpenBeacon/Sputnik-derived nodes

Source

Operational history

Issues & Camp Impact

privacy and tracking major

Sputnik/OpenBeacon made active RFID tracking part of the event experience, and CCC later noted the collected tracking data was made available for analysis.

The badge is a useful early case study for badge infrastructure as both playful telemetry and a privacy-sensitive camp artifact.

Confidence: primary docs
Status: historical
Timeframe: during and after event
Source note: Camp 2007 Fahrplan and CCC Event Blog Sputnik data post.

missing rights-cleared image note

No Sputnik / OpenBeacon image is published because the current public source trail has not been paired with a reusable original badge or artifact photo or official upstream raster render with source URL, license or permission basis, attribution, and processing notes.

The Germany record remains source-backed and image-free rather than copying source-page media, documentation screenshots, event photos, social media, placeholders, or generated approximations.

Confidence: local project policy
Status: needs licensed original replacement
Timeframe: current catalogue build
Source note: badge.gallery image policy and OpenBeacon and CCCamp 2007 source trail.

source recovery note

The surviving record is strong for talk abstracts and data history, but original project photos and source mirrors need archive/licensing review before adding imagery.

The page is sourceable, but the image remains empty until a licensed original badge photo is cleared.

Confidence: public archive
Status: needs deeper recovery
Timeframe: post-event archive
Source note: Fahrplan, media.ccc.de, CCC Event Blog, and archived OpenBeacon site.

Resources

24C3 Sputnik data data release note · CCC Event Blog post about released Sputnik/OpenBeacon RFID tracking data. Inside Sputnik & OpenBeacon camp talk · Camp 2007 Fahrplan talk with hardware, firmware, and post-camp badge-use goals. OpenBeacon project archive project archive · Archived OpenBeacon project site for historical context. media.ccc.de recording talk recording · Recording page for the Sputnik/OpenBeacon Camp 2007 talk.

Sources

CCC Event Blog: 24C3 Sputnik Data available Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary context for the public tracking-data afterlife. Camp 2007 Fahrplan: Inside Sputnik & OpenBeacon - Smart Dust for the Masses Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary source for hardware, firmware, protocols, base stations, and post-camp usage framing. media.ccc.de: Inside Sputnik & OpenBeacon Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Recording source for the Camp 2007 talk.