PicoCalc and uConsole

[Penatr8tor]

So now I'm playing around with a PicoCalc and a uConsole.

Both of these devices are battery powered, handheld, portable, standalone, units with keyboard and cursor with display. Both units come as kits and can be assembled with a single hex key.

WARNING: The wait time to get your PicoCalc or uConsole can be 3 - 10 months. (My PicoCalc to 4 months to get to me)

If you do decide you'd like to buy one of these kits... get it from Aliexpress. You pay more, but you get your kit in a couple weeks.

PicoCalc:

The PicoCalc uses a Raspberry Pi Pico as it's processor. 2 There's a main PCB that, one one side are dome switches for the keypad and on the other a socket for the pico and interface for the display, 2 18650 batteries power the unit. I upgraded the supplied Pico to a Pico 2W and I have a Luckfox Lyra on order. The Lyra can run a lite version of debian linux.

Kit comes nicely packaged with easy to understand and follow instructions.

And... about 20 minutes later. It's done and you're off and programming. Since there's a row of GPIO ports available on the side, I wrote a little blinking LED program in MMBasic (native OS of the picocalc). You can also flash an NES emulator or Micropython to the pico as well.

Back of the unit. You can see the batteries and the Pi Pico thru the case. I kinda like the smoke grey transparentness of the device.

 

And... After I got the Pico I had to get the uConsole. It's the same idea as the PicoCalc but uses a Pi compute module (CM4) and runs debian linux like any Raspberry Pi (granted, you need to run the uConsole fork to have display, keyboard, audio, etc.

I'm currently waiting on a mutli-function expansion board for the uConsole that has GPS, RTL-SDR Tuner, SX1262 chip for LoRa/Meshtastic, A real-time-clock and additional USB port that will turn this thing into a radio beast. 

Here's some stock photos...

A good shot of the inside of the uConsole.

 

[StalkS]

I've had the ucConsole for quite a while now with a CM4, I'm thinking of installing a CM5 with active cooling, as there are quite a few printable back cases, however, I  really like the machined aluminum build. The loRa SDR GPS Wifi board is fantastic and I highly recommend it. I recently got into SDR and it's fairly decent!

[Penatr8tor]

3 hours ago, StalkS said:

I've had the ucConsole for quite a while now with a CM4, I'm thinking of installing a CM5 with active cooling, as there are quite a few printable back cases, however, I  really like the machined aluminum build. The loRa SDR GPS Wifi board is fantastic and I highly recommend it. I recently got into SDR and it's fairly decent!

I'm running a CM4 currently and just have the basic bookworm build on mine. I played around a bit and installed a few games.

So far, I've ordered the LoRa board for the second time. The first (Aliexpress) order got refunded as it didn't get shipped in under 30 days. I got my money back but lost ~30 bucks shipping and tax. When I ordered the vendor claimed 500+ units sold. I have a funny feeling that this vendor never sells any product. They just take the order and charge you tax + shipping and then let the clock run out. They then refund the item cost and keep the ~30 bucks. Probably a pretty good racket they have going.

Alas, I digress... Really looking forward to the expansion board and playing around with Meshtastic and the scanner.

Sadly, I was playing around with my Picocalc and broke the LCD like an idiot. At least they responded quickly and are sending me a new one. I can handle a little ~$20 mistake from time to time.

Life is, at the very least... Interesting!

[Munch]

I am eagerly awaiting my deliveries from both uConsole and Hacker Gadgets. Didn't manage to keep my nerve with AliExpress, but maybe next time. I'm already looking at the PicoCalc and my CM5 is sat here gathering dust waiting its home... I've been told end of April and I'm counting down the days! 

[Penatr8tor]

On 3/28/2026 at 11:04 AM, Munch said:

I am eagerly awaiting my deliveries from both uConsole and Hacker Gadgets. Didn't manage to keep my nerve with AliExpress, but maybe next time. I'm already looking at the PicoCalc and my CM5 is sat here gathering dust waiting its home... I've been told end of April and I'm counting down the days! 

It takes a while, but they will eventually come.