Hackaday Europe 2026 – Build A Cable Modem For Your Arduino

Per Hackaday's coverage of the Europe conference, Michael Wiebusch explained transmission line theory — the physics of how signals travel through cables. The key insight: two signals can move in opposite directions on the same wire simultaneously, much like ripples crossing on a pond. He demonstrated this using an Arduino and a coupler made from resistors and an op-amp to send and receive signals bidirectionally over a single coaxial cable. The practical application: if you need to reduce wiring between devices, you can achieve bidirectional communication down one connection.

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