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Hack Club Fallout

website·Indexed 38 days ago

https://fallout.hackclub.com/docs

Documentation for Fallout, a Hack Club program that provides funding and resources for teens to build hardware and electronics projects, culminating in a trip to Shenzhen, China. Includes guides on PCB design, firmware setup for ESP32 and QMK, Bill of Materials (BOM) creation, and a public read-only API for community projects.

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What's inside Fallout

  1. Overview of Hack Club and the Fallout program for parents

    Hack Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 81-2908499) dedicated to fostering young programmers and engineers. Hack Club Fallout is a two-part program: an online phase where students build hardware projects (with funding provided for parts) and a subsequent 7-day in-person hackathon summit in Shenzhen, China, for those who complete 60 hours of building.

  2. Overview of the Hack Club Fallout program

    Fallout is a hardware hackathon program for teens. Participants who spend 60 hours working on their projects can earn an all-expenses-paid 7-day trip to Shenzhen from July 1 to 7, 2026. The program provides starter guides, free merch, stickers, and covers the cost of hardware parts through a grant system.

  3. Overview of Hack Club Fallout program

    Hack Club Fallout is a three-month program for teenagers (ages 13-18) that culminates in a 7-day, free hardware hackathon in Shenzhen, China. The program is beginner-friendly and provides funding for components and travel based on the amount of time spent building projects.

  4. Use XIAO-ESP32-C3 as a Project MCU

    The XIAO-ESP32-C3 is recommended for small projects like a Tamagotchi because it is compact and includes built-in WiFi, Bluetooth, and LiPo battery charging, eliminating the need for an external charger chip. When importing the symbol into KiCad, cross-reference the pin numbers with the official pinout diagram to identify functions like SDA, SCL, and MOSI.

  5. Understand breadboard layout and connectivity

    A breadboard allows for building circuits without soldering. It consists of:

    • Rows: Holes in each row are electrically connected horizontally.
    • Side Rails: Long rails used for power (Voltage) and ground (GND).
    • Center Gap: Separates the left and right halves of the board.

    Electricity flows between any two components whose metal legs are placed in the same row.

  6. Qualify and earn rewards without attending the event

    Attendees who do not attend the IRL event can still:

    • Receive a certificate.
    • Earn grants, koi, and gold. Koi can be spent on grants or prizes in the shop.
    • Purchase shop items (though some merch is exclusive to IRL attendees).
    • Qualify for the event via design-only submissions, although building the project is expected if possible.

  7. Design an effective project Zine

    The project zine (magazine page) should be a clear, concise introduction that answers: What is this project? How does it work? What makes it special?

    Best Practices:

    • Maintain a consistent brand/vibe with the project.
    • Use high-quality renders and cutouts.
    • Keep styling simple: avoid distracting background gradients, mismatched font styles, or unrelated clip art.
    • Avoid large blocks of unorganized or filler text.

  8. Understand basic electrical concepts: Voltage, Current, and Ground

    • Ground (GND): The reference point (zero level) for the circuit. Current must have a path back to ground for the circuit to function.
    • Voltage: The electrical pressure that pushes electrons. Too little voltage prevents the LED from lighting; too much voltage forces too much current through the LED, causing it to burn out.
    • Current: The actual flow of electricity. LEDs are current-sensitive; resistors are used to limit this flow to a safe level.

  9. Report Fallout site issues or submission confusion

    If the Fallout website is broken or the submission process is confusing, contact the organizers via the #fallout-help channel on the Hack Club Slack. Provide specific details about what is broken or confusing.

  10. Fallout Public API Overview

    Fallout provides a public read-only API for building tools, bots, and integrations. No API key is required for any of the public endpoints. The base URL for all requests is https://fallout.hackclub.com/api/v1.

  11. Design a USB-C upstream port schematic

    When designing a USB-C port in a schematic, follow these wiring and configuration guidelines to ensure proper power negotiation and signal integrity:

    • Power (VBUS): Connect all VBUS pins to a +5V power flag.
    • Ground (GND): Connect all GND pins to ground flags.
    • Shield (SH): Connect SH pins to ground flags to reduce interference.
    • Configuration (CC1/CC2): To signal the host that the device is a downstream port and request current, connect each CC pin to ground via a 5.1 kΩ pull-down resistor.
    • Unused Pins (SBU1/SBU2): Use 'No Connect' (NC) flags on SBU pins to explicitly indicate they are intentionally unconnected.
    • Data Lines (DP/DN): Use net labels (e.g., 'DP' and 'DN') to virtually connect the data pins to the hub IC without drawing long, crossing wires.

  12. Meet Fallout design submission requirements

    To receive funding, a project must meet three primary submission requirements. Failure to include any of these will result in the project being returned for fixes:

    1. A high-quality README: Must clearly explain what the project is, what it does, and why it exists without requiring the user to open other files.
    2. A fully completed design: The project must be original (not AI-generated or a direct copy), replicable by others, and technically sound (no 'magic' attachments or floating parts).
    3. A Fallout Zine page: A one-page A5 poster capturing the project's essence.