JawnCon 0x3 kicks off this Friday in Philadelphia. The event at Arcadia University, now in its fourth year, starts a day early this weekend, and students with a valid .edu address can attend for free. Talks will be recorded throughout the event.
A second stage is being added in 2026. The program features approximately 30 presentations ranging from tabletop games to modern pager networks, and it can also be viewed with HyperCard on an emulated Macintosh Plus.
The groups are listed as follows. Local groups setting up booths at this event include Philly Mesh, PhilTel, and Open Organisation Of Lockpickers. – Philly Mesh – PhilTel – Open Organisation Of Lockpickers
A special class will also be held. In this special class, organized to prepare participants for the amateur radio exam, attendees will be able to print custom badges with two Zebra ID printers.
The badge looks like a calculator. This year’s badge features a DTMF generator, games, and badge-to-badge connectivity; the ATmega328P-P-equipped badge is offered assembled or as a kit. Participants can plug their own hardware into the edge connector underneath. The badge will be distributed as a bare PCB. STL and 3MF files have been shared for the case.
Why it matters
The fact that the event, which has been running for four years, starts a day earlier this year and will gain a second stage in 2026 shows that the gathering is expanding rather than shrinking. Free admission for students and a class preparing participants for the amateur radio exam demonstrate that the program targets those new to the field as well as experienced attendees. The recording of the talks means that those who cannot make it to Philadelphia will be able to access the presentations later. The badge being distributed as a bare PCB, the sharing of STL and 3MF files for the case, and the edge connector being open to participants’ own hardware show that the event’s physical product is also designed to be built and developed at home. Philly Mesh, PhilTel, and the Open Organisation Of Lockpickers setting up booths side by side indicates that different areas of interest such as networking, phones, and lock picking come together under one roof.