About Me

Hi, I’m Jon Archer. Welcome to my corner of the internet where I share my adventures in tech tinkering, homelab experiments, maker projects, and cycling escapades.

What I Do

I’m passionate about technology, open source software, and building things. My interests span across several areas:

Tech & Computing

I work extensively with Cloud Technologies, specifically AWS but previously with server, virtualization and storage technologies. I’m an AWS Security Specialty certified professional, and I’ve been involved in the open source community for many years. I’m was previously Fedora Ambassador and used to run RossLUG, our local Linux User Group, for many years. I’ve been fortunate to attend and speak at events like OggCamp, LinuxCon Europe, and various Barcamps.

Most of my code is available on GitHub, where I contribute to various open source projects and share my own projects under GPL licenses.

Homelabs & Making

I love building things. Whether it’s setting up servers in my home lab, creating home automation systems with microcontrollers and Raspberry Pi, or monitoring energy or environmental surroundings usage with custom-built sensors, I’m always working on something. I’ve built everything from site-to-site VPNs using Raspberry Pi’s to MQTT-based home automation systems.

Growing & Brewing

I’m passionate about sustainable growing methods, particularly aquaponics - growing vegetables using fish waste. I’ve also built traditional vegetable plots in my garden. Up until recently, I enjoyed brewing beer with tech-assisted processes, combining my love of making with my appreciation for good craft beer. This is until 2024 when I decided to cut out alcohol from a health perspective, no major driver for this but wanted to see the impact on my life and health, I’ll write a blog on this at some point.

Cycling

When I’m not at a computer or in the workshop, you’ll often find me on two wheels exploring the beautiful countryside. I particularly enjoy cycling through the Yorkshire Dales, Lancashire’s Trough of Bowland, but specifically along converted railway paths or canal towpaths. I document many of my rides on my YouTube channel.

Connect With Me

I’m active across several platforms:

This Site

This site is built with Hugo, a static site generator, and hosted on AWS S3 with CloudFront CDN. It’s a static site that allows me to focus on content rather than managing servers - perfect for someone who loves simplicity and performance (and tech).

Feel free to reach out if you want to chat about any of these topics, collaborate on a project, or just say hello!