JawnCon 2025: A Hub for Retro Hacking and the GameTank Console

JawnCon, the Philadelphia hacker convention, successfully expanded in its third year, adding a new talk track and more activities while maintaining its ticket price. The event buzzed with retro-tech projects, creating a dynamic and collaborative atmosphere.

A major feature was a sprawling, active Meshtastic network, with over 100 nodes chattering throughout the venue and nearby hotels. This mesh provided real-time con updates, facilitated quick responses to minor emergencies, and even generated a packet log for post-event analysis.

Hardware highlights included an advanced, portable radio sniffing rig from [BusySignal] designed to showcase the full capabilities of the Kismet software. Tucked away in a chill-out area was the star of the retro gaming scene: the GameTank.

The GameTank is an open-source, 6502-based retro console with a 3D-printed shell and physical cartridges. Despite its 1980s aesthetic, it boasts a modern development environment for C and Rust, complete with a cross-platform emulator, blending classic hardware love with contemporary hacking spirit.