Re: [Xylo-SDR] Cyclone II board

[KD5NWA <kd5nwa@cox.net>]

I print mine with a HP 2100 LJ set at 1200DPI on Epson Glossy Photo
paper, a GDC H200 Laminator to transfer the image,  and use Ammonium
Persulphate to etch with, I like the fact that I can check and see the
state of the etching a lot better. I use a plastic tank that has a
sealable lid, and I use an aquarium heater to keep the temperature nice
and warm. Real amateur stuff here but it works well. I can get ferric
chloride from work for free, I asked and they don't mind an occasional
gallon or two, they use it along with a bunch of other things in water
treatment of way more toxic waste at the plating dept.

At 01:41 PM 12/11/2005, you wrote:

 

----- Original Message -----

From: KD5NWA

To: Xylo-SDR Discussion

Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2005 7:13 PM

Subject: Re: [Xylo-SDR] Cyclone II board

Your board sounds good, and that is a good price for the chip.

All this new technology has one drawback, you must get a PCB board made because it's impossible to breadboard without a PCB to solder the chips to.

Right now when I need a PCB board, I sketch it with pencil to figure the line layout, then use Photoshop to create the 10X art, which after verification I print on a piece of photo paper and use heat transfer to a PCB board.

It works well for small boards, but it's a very tedious method to make a larger or complicated board.

I guess I should have learned to use a Software package like Kicad or Eagle some time back when I had no need for them, so now I would be able to lay out my own PCB's. Hindsight is almost always 20/20 :'(

For simple home-made boards I use Pulsonix to print a transparency on JetStar film in an inkjet printer and use it with positive resist coated material, exposing to UV, developing in sodium hydroxide solution, and etching in ferric chloride. More complicated boards I get made for me from the Gerber output files. It isn't expensive, even for four-layer boards.
 
Leon
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Cecil Bayona
KD5NWA
www.qrpradio.com

"I fail to see why doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results every time is insanity: I've almost proved it isn't; only a few more tests now and I'm sure results will differ this time ... "