Security BSides Orlando 2026
Build Your Badge
Your badge arrives part-built. Seven pieces are yours to solder — here's how to do it on your own, at your own pace, without queuing at the Soldering Village.
What's in your kit
Everything else — the microcontroller, the reverse-mounted LEDs, all the tiny parts — is already soldered on when you pick the badge up.
A suggested order
Not a rule, just the order that keeps the board flattest and easiest to hold while you work — lowest parts first, tallest last.
Power switch — back
The only surface-mount piece, and the fiddliest. Do it while the board is still completely flat. Tack one corner pad, check the switch sits square against the printing, then solder the rest.
The four LEDs — front
Push them in from the front so the bodies stick out the art side, then turn the badge over and solder the legs on the back. Trim the legs afterwards.
SAO connector — front
Also fits from the front and solders from behind, so add-ons plug into the art side.
Battery holder — back
Tallest part, so it goes last. Sits on the back, soldered from the front.
Battery in, switch to ON
Drop the AAA into the holder and slide the switch to
ON.
Three things worth slowing down for
The SAO notch faces up
The six-pin socket only works one way round — notch toward the top edge of the badge. Fitted backwards, anything you plug into it gets power and ground swapped. It's printed on the back of the board if you want to double-check.
Square pad takes the short leg
Each LED has one square pad and one round one. The square pad takes the shorter leg — the one on the flat side of the LED body. Backwards, the LED simply never lights. No harm done, but you'll be desoldering it to turn it round.
The switch will test your patience
Six small pads and nothing holding it still. If you only ask for help with one thing, make it this one — the Soldering Village has irons and people all day, and nobody minds.
Not sure about something? Bring the badge to the Soldering Village — someone will happily take a look, whether or not you built it there.
The back of the board
Every part is labeled on the back, and the fitting instructions are printed there too. Keep this side facing you while you work.
ON and OFF beside the switch, and the large + at the left end of the battery outline.