Keep calm and CQ on! Thanks for stopping by!
Hey! My name is Miles and I've had a growing interest in HAM radio since 2023. In November of 2024, I got my FCC issued callsign- KC1VTJ...
Here are some of my technical interests:
Various hardware hacking
Programming and software control
AI and autonomy
RF, radios and antennas
HAM radio and SSTV
Renewable energy
Underwater robotics
Microcontrollers and SBCs
This list is subject to change. I enjoy learning random things at random times.
If you wish to learn more about some of my work, check out my website www.mileshilliard.com and my other website www.sntx.dev
You can also find my blog posts which I try to update regularly (will become weekly once my robotics teacher enforces it) here
Professional Milestones
| Year | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-present | Electrical Engineering Head | This year, Sunk Robotics aims to place in the MATE ROV World Championship once again, keeping the tradition afloat!
With the use of new hardware, and more advanced technologies, I am reworking many hardware aspects of the robot to increase reliability and maneuverability for the pilot, and operators involved. With the reconstitution of the control board isolation, JONA ROV will be less susceptible to high-frequency EMF radiation, improving the sensitive electronic operation under various loads. |
| 2024 | Software Engineer | 'The MATE ROV Competition is excited to partner with NOAA Ocean Exploration again this year to offer up this challenge to students from around the world!'
By training a custom YOLO v8 model on the underwater starfish species known as the Brittle Star, Matty Harris and I were able to successfully achieve more than 90% detection accuracy with various underwater videos showcasing the species. With a fully functioning artificial Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to be submitted, we placed third overall in the 2024 Ocean Exploration Video Challenge hosted by MATE ROV. |
| 2023-2024 | Electrical Engineer | Sunk Robotics transferred and re-designed aspects from STEVE ROV to the more modern and robust JONA ROV. Thanks to our devoted team and funding from our sponsors, we were able to achieve first place in the regional competition, and ninth place overall in the MATE ROV World Championship while placing third in terms of robotics.
The custom PCB layouts required additional work and configuring to create a successful, near drop-in replacement, for JONA ROV. The creation of the new JENA Float began in 2023, with a finalized product scoring highest in the MATE ROV World Championship in 2024. |
Extra/ Miscellaneous
KC1VTJ Look-up count:
Thanks for stopping by! Whether you're a fellow ham, a curious visitor, or someone looking to dive into the world of radio, I'm always excited to connect and share this amazing hobby. Feel free to reach out to me via email or give me a call on the airwaves!
Keep calm and CQ on! 73!