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Re: [Xylo-SDR] Questions - Enclosure - MB - Kicad



100mm x 100mm for the dimensions of the basic cards aught to give us plenty of room for lots of future projects. I like Phil's idea of an area of pads with the extra room on the FPGA board. If the pads are at .1" centers then you could mount connectors, extra oscillator modules, etc. It would make the board have a little extra flexibility for unforeseen projects.

The idea of RAM is also good, you don't have to put it in if the project you are working on doesn't need it. The Cyclone II chip Leon is using has a fair amount of ram on board. But if some want to continue past the current project and make a self contained radio, the extra RAM will come in handy.

Some others have mentioned having several tiny SMT LED's on the FPGA board as well as a couple of mini buttons, those could be handy for troubleshooting purposes.

Back to my cave, time to fix supper.


At 01:34 PM 1/15/2006, you wrote:
Cecil

Yes, Eurocard standard width 100 mm. Sorry, was rounding off for the sake of
discussion. Yes, standard Eurocard connector mounting specs, sex etc. (will
take the whole width of the MB.)

Eric


-----Original Message-----
From: xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us [mailto:xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us]
On Behalf Of KD5NWA
Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 10:40 AM
To: Xylo-SDR Discussion
Subject: Re: [Xylo-SDR] Questions - Enclosure - MB - Kicad

I assume, maybe incorrectly that the board width is going to be 100mm
wide which is not 4" but 3.937"

I hope the above is correct and we are going to follow the Eurocard
standard as to where the connector is placed and the sex of the
connector...etc. If we are not going to follow the standard then all
the breadboards and cases...etc that are available out there will be of no
use.

I have in the past worked with persons who agreed to use the Eurocard
standard and we had a signal pin table agreed on, and then they did
their own thing, producing cards that were 4" wide, place the
connectors on the wrong side of the board (pin numbers are mirrored)
, and used the wrong sex connector while expecting everybody else to
adapt to this way of doing it, which we promptly proceeded to ignore
and re-do all their wasted work.

My previous experience is the reason why I ask about the board size,
this is an area where "close enough" does not work.


At 08:31 AM 1/15/2006, you wrote:
>Phil
>
>Thanks
>
>Designer Group: Be forwarned or speak your peace. Project board size is now
>4"x4" with buss connector opposite 'external real-world connections'
>
>Leon - Don't forget some status leds and perhaps a PB (reset?).
>
>I will probably go for a $200 +/- an order for 4.5 inch enclosure the .5
>inch used for standoff adjustment of the motherboard. I am told by the
>distributor that this item is due 1/20/06 so will have to wait several
days.
>
>I will keep everyone informed.
>
>In the meantime, I think we should have a discussion on the motherboard
buss
>division of power, what kind of power?, dedicated lines for board
>interconnects, dedicated lines for FPGA interconnects etc. Someone please
>start this on an appropriated thread topic.
>
>Eric
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us
[mailto:xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us]
>On Behalf Of Phil Harman
>Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 6:05 AM
>To: Xylo-SDR Discussion
>Subject: Re: [Xylo-SDR] Questions - Enclosure - MB - Kicad
>
>Hi Eric,
>
>Thanks for doing all this research. I think your proposal is fine and I
>support it.
>
>73's  Phil....VK6APH
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Eric Ellison" <ecellison@comcast.net>
>To: "'Xylo-SDR Discussion'" <xylo-sdr@lists.ae5k.us>
>Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 2:12 AM
>Subject: Re: [Xylo-SDR] Questions - Enclosure - MB - Kicad
>
>
> > Phil and Everyone
> >
> > I have Googled till I gurgled. I have a change of plan to propose,
> > regarding
> > enclosure, since there has been a lot of discussion on number of  buss
> > connector slots, board dimensions, descrete component mounting, like gps
> > satellite receiver subsystem board etc. There is no question in my mind
> > that
> > EuroBus 3U design is the way to go, since there is a LOT of off the
shelf
> > stuff for it, even power supplies.
> >
> > I really could not find a 'stock' enclosure with enough height for
> > horizontally mounted boards, which really meet our requirement. Also
Phil
> > N8VB wants to start design, so 'dropped back' and thought again about
the
> > mount.
> >
> > I got quotes from my local Rose+Bopla rep for Aluminum extrusions I
posted
> > before.
> >
> >
>http://www.rose-bopla.com/PMX/RSBPCatg.nsf/65680fe57e02219d85256bbc00506958
/
> > e5046498ec7af42885256bdc00516cdc?OpenDocument
> >
> >
> > Minimum order is only $100, they can cut the extrusion for $2.00 a cut.
> > Other services are available.
> >
> > The end plates unfortunately are prohibitively priced. 1 dust proof end
> > plate cost more than a  4x6x6 enclosure. However I feel that it will be
a
> > cinch to make our own end plates, perhaps out of single or double sided
> > circuit board material or aluminum in a 4x6 configuration.
> >
> > Proposal:
> >
> > I propose that we go for the Rose-Bopla 4x6x(X) enclosures The length
> > dimension will allow mounting the motherboard on an aluminum backpanel
> > with
> > standoffs with a little 'easment' for getting the MB perfectly aligned
> > with
> > the slots in both the x and y dimension. Project boards would be
> > vertically
> > mounted, sliding in from the front. If we have 4 motherboard slots, we
> > have
> > approximately 3 inches for other slide in cards not buss connected, like
> > power supplies.
> >
> > NOW! ????
> >
> > We could go with (X) being 2+ inch giving us the "2X4" which is our
board
> > design suggestion.
> >
> > Obviously X can be any depth enclosure so project board size so we can
> > renegotiate the 2x4 standard.
> >
> > Or we could make the enclosure a standard Eurocard depth of 6 inches and
> > mount the project card of any length up to 6" on an inexpensive standard
> > 4x6
> > inch blank circuit board (About $2 for blank 4.x 6 cards).
> >
> > The drawback to this suggestion is that we would then have to come off
> > board
> > with any front panel mounted devices from the 4" by variable length
> > project
> > board. Also the connectors would have to be bulkhead mounts. Project
> > boards
> > would have to have patch cables to the front panel, which probably is
not
> > pretty for stuff like USB, RF etc.
> >
> > I therefore propose that we increase the proposed project card size from
> > 2x4
> > to 4x4 which is a 'happy medium' which Phil suggests below. This also
> > allows
> > for Phil - VK6APH BPF board, A Jupiter GPS receiver etc. For 'Dead Bug'
> > expeimenters like Bill - KD5TFD, he could use a 4x6 full length card and
> > have 2" sticking out the front for experimenting without a card
extender.
> > It
> > also allows us to get on with Motherboard design with a maximum vertical
> > dimension of 96 mm. (case height between lands). I propose the
motherboard
> > height dimension be the the size of the 96 pin mating connector (3.7").
> > The
> > holes in the connector will mate with standoffs for rigidity.
> >
> > I think a 4x6x4 enclosure would make a cute little radio!
> >
> > Enclosure Cost without end panels on a 4x6x4+ case would be about:
> > 11 dollars. Nice dustproof Endcover when everything is finally plugged
in
> > (If ever) is 15 dollars. Gives us the flexibility to be an 'anything'
> > device.
> >
> > WATSA?
> > Eric
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us
> > [mailto:xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us]
> > On Behalf Of Philip Covington
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 9:49 PM
> > To: Xylo-SDR Discussion
> > Subject: Re: [Xylo-SDR] Questions - Enclosure - MB - Kicad
> >
> > Eric,
> >
> > Yes, if you could come up with a simple drawing of the board positions
> > and how you want to fit it into a case it would help a lot.  Then we
> > can see whether we can arrange things within the limits of the
> > motherboard size of approx 4 x 4".  I checked tonight and it looks
> > like a 4 layer 4x4" PCB would be about $25/ea in a batch of 25 boards.
> >
> > I would like to get this pinned down because I want to get started on
> > a LTC2208 2x4" format board.
> >
> > As far as no active components on the motherboard:  I think we should
> > have a smt LED for each of the power buses on the motherboard.
> >
> > 73 de Phil N8VB
> >
> > On 1/11/06, Eric Ellison <ecellison@comcast.net> wrote:
> >> Phil
> >>
> >> Spectacular! I advocate Kicad! If we could import the parts it is
BETTER
> >> than Eagle. (smile).
> >>
> >> I'll try to get a 'picture' of the MB. I would like to keep the 2x4
> >> design
> >> for the front mounted components and add 1 4x4 board to the rear to
> >> accommodate larger parts such as Phil's BPF board, and have the rear
> > mounted
> >> board have access to the buss, although not necessarily many of the
> >> connections. The rear facing board would have the power supply, antenna
> >> connections facing rearward.
> >>
> >> Eric
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us
> > [mailto:xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us]
> >> On Behalf Of Philip Covington
> >> Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 7:14 PM
> >> To: Xylo-SDR Discussion
> >> Subject: Re: [Xylo-SDR] Questions - Enclosure - MB - Kicad
> >>
> >> On 1/11/06, Eric Ellison <ecellison@comcast.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> > Stupid question. Is it possible to mount one 96 pin staggered
connector
> > on
> >> > the back of the Motherboard. My dyslexic mind can't figure it. Are
all
> > the
> >> > traces on plated through holes in 2 planes.
> >>
> >> Don't know what you mean here.  Can you make a drawing of what you are
> >> proposing?
> >>
> >> > Kicad posted a new version in the last few days. Someone on the forum
> >> > contributed a parts designer. Drill stuff was apparently solved in a
> >> > December (or earlier) release. I'm back to Kicad, it REALLY IS an
> > elegant
> >> > program. There is an Oracad translator but didn't see if this was for
> >> > 'parts' or schematics or what. I didn't see an Eagle .lib translator,
> > but
> >> > that WOULD be great!
> >>
> >> There is.  It is called exp-kicad-lib.ulp
> >>
> >> http://www.philcovington.com/BAK/exp-kicad-lib.ulp
> >>
> >> You have to run it from inside Eagle as a user language program.  It
> >> will export the libraries in Kicad format.
> >>
> >> Also,  I am able to know compile Kicad on Windows (I could only
> >> successfully compile it under Linux before) so if anyone is interested
> >> I can tell you what I did to get the enviroment set up to compile it.
> >>
> >> 73 de Phil N8VB
> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Eric
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
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> >> >
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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 ... "

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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 ... "