Bluetooth Speaker
With the desire for a speaker on a student budget, this speaker incorporated a transformer from an old radio, a self-built rectifier, M5 bluetooth module, and a thrift store speaker.
Duncan McRae
Electrical Engineering & Physics Student | Farm Raised
Welcome to my stake on the web!
About Me
I'm Duncan McRae, a student at the University of Ottawa pursuing degrees in both Physics and Electrical Engineering. I love to tinker with all kinds of projects, trying to solve problems at home on the farm and everywhere I go. I have worked with my hands for most of my life and have gained an affinity for repairing exisiting systems and for creating new ones. Please feel free to explore my projects and experience, and don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like!
Featured Projects
RF Power Measurement
First created for coursework, this device measures the ambient RF power in the 343MHz and 2.4GHz ranges. By measuring the ambient power within several campus buildings, heatmaps of each frequency range were created to show the distribution of RF power across old and new buildings.
Home Server
With an old laptop that I had nothing else to do with, I installed a headless version of Linux and set up a PiHole to block ads across my entire home network. Then I added unbound to make it a recursive DNS server, improving privacy and security. Along with a minecraft server and finally a storage for my ever expanding documents folder using syncthing to store the files on my laptop onto the server hard drive.
Furnace Retrofit Project
Still in progress, I am retrofitting the wood furnace system first built by my great-grandfather and still keeping my family warm after over 100 years. Adding an ESP-32 microcontroller to automate the system Improving reliability and efficiency.
Experience
Co-op Shop Technician
BluMetric | Jan 2025 - Sept 2025
During my CO-OP term at BluMetric I worked on several electro-mechanical systems, introducing me to the process of designing, assembling, and iteratively testing systems before delivering to clients. I also became familiar with the process of documentation to smoothly recreate the tested system and log any improvements.
Masonry Labourer
J.S. Macconerie | June 2021 - Sept 2023
Worked on various masonry tasks, including site preparation, mixing mortar, transporting stone and a minimal amount of bricklaying. Gained hands-on experience in construction, and developed resiliancy and a tenactiy for finishing tasks.
Farm Hand
Charlottengro Farms | June 2021 - Sept 2023
Worked on various agricultural tasks, including field preparation, livestock care, harvesting, and maintaining equipment. Gained hands-on experience in farm operations, and developed autonomy and a strong work ethic.
Contact
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or to connect!