What Do I Build Next? Pimoroni Pirate Radio using RPi Zero W

What do I build next? While building my last project, I rediscovered buried in a box of components from one of my favorite source, Adafruit, was this Pimoroni Pirate Radio kit featuring the Raspberry Pi W and Pimoroni's pHAT Beat module. Not a robot like usual, but entertaining. Now I'll have Internet radio playing in the background while I build other projects or so I hoped.

(Edit on 11/11/2018 at 12:05pm EST- I am getting comments that this is NOT a Pirate Radio that broadcasts without a license....Be advised... that is the name of the product manufactured and sold by Pimoroni and distributed by many as Adafruit Industries where I purchased it. I do not claim that it is a "TRUE Pirate Radio station" )

This kit had well laid out instructions online, naturally available on Pimoroni's website.

Let's start my build. Use this guide: (https://learn.pimoroni.com/tutorial/sandyj/assembling-pirate-radio)

Lay out the hardware to identify....

Start the assembly: Solder the headers onto the pHAT Beat and RPi Zero W.

Pay attention to orientation of headers, especially female header on pHAT Beat which is soldered with header on top.

Now assemble the Pirate Radio Frame.

Attach speaker to frame.

Now attach nylon standoffs for pHAT Beat and RPI Zero W and...

Attach speaker wires to mounted pHAT Beat module.

Optional step: Once assembled I carefully applied a dab of threadlock to each nut to prevent loosening over time.

Now to create the SD image for the RPi Zero to boot.

Format your SD card using "SDFormatter 4" (https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/) or your favorite utility

Create the RPi Zero SD image based upon latest Raspbian Stretch-Lite download from this official link "(https://downloads.raspberrypi.org/raspbian_lite_latest)" and follow instructions from Pimoroni website to update this image. I used "Etcher" (https://etcher.en.softonic.com/?ex=DSK-1052.2) to image the SD card.

Follow this project guide (3 choices to customize your listening experience):

(https://github.com/pimoroni/phat-beat/blob/master/projects/vlc-radio/README.md)

Follow this guide for VLC Internet radio updates:

(https://learn.pimoroni.com/tutorial/sandyj/internet-radio-on-your-pirate-radio)

Add your own favorite radio stations.

Happy listening!