Not fun assembling this RF card!
September 15, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Not fun assembling this RF card!
Getting some hot air pencil practice in…
September 2, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Getting some hot air pencil practice in…
Touched grass today in Dolly Sods
August 30, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Touched grass today in Dolly Sods
No magic smoke! Carrier board went together smoothly. Now need to figure out why the bank power isn’t turning on intermittently (which is enabled by SOM board)… and give it another clean lol
August 26, 2025 at 3:05 PM
No magic smoke! Carrier board went together smoothly. Now need to figure out why the bank power isn’t turning on intermittently (which is enabled by SOM board)… and give it another clean lol
New tips for the metcal. Super impressed with this iron, the fine tip eats up 6L ground planes for breakfast.
August 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
New tips for the metcal. Super impressed with this iron, the fine tip eats up 6L ground planes for breakfast.
Last board arrived, and the prototype layout
August 19, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Last board arrived, and the prototype layout
Happy with my metcal and hakko hot air station marketplace finds. Got some new soldering tips on the way
August 19, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Happy with my metcal and hakko hot air station marketplace finds. Got some new soldering tips on the way
Now we wait for fabs to arrive 🤓
August 9, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Now we wait for fabs to arrive 🤓
Starting the reflow oven build
August 7, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Starting the reflow oven build
I like that you can donate to @kicad.org via @aisler.net checkout. Pretty convenient way to contribute a little bit!
August 2, 2025 at 6:55 PM
I like that you can donate to @kicad.org via @aisler.net checkout. Pretty convenient way to contribute a little bit!
Just need to order this stupid thing already
August 1, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Just need to order this stupid thing already
Finally have the bench set up, with a new ESD mat, lab chair, and lighting.
July 27, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Finally have the bench set up, with a new ESD mat, lab chair, and lighting.
Toaster oven and reflow kit arrived!
July 25, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Toaster oven and reflow kit arrived!
One thing I like to do for high speed signals is tighten the inner reference plane clearance. This minimizes the via impedance discontinuity. The green is the reference layer (L2).
July 20, 2025 at 1:35 AM
One thing I like to do for high speed signals is tighten the inner reference plane clearance. This minimizes the via impedance discontinuity. The green is the reference layer (L2).
Sanity checking my assembly
July 20, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Sanity checking my assembly
Pretty satisfied that I could fit my whole RF front end on a 4L @aisler.net stackup using only outer layers for controlled impedance (still work in progress)
July 11, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Pretty satisfied that I could fit my whole RF front end on a 4L @aisler.net stackup using only outer layers for controlled impedance (still work in progress)
Almost done routing this 6L board, just need more GND vias, mounting holes, clean up tracks/pours. Probably didn’t need that length matching but it makes FPGA timing easier to meet (100MHz). Next is to work on the RF cards and clock board 🧐
July 5, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Almost done routing this 6L board, just need more GND vias, mounting holes, clean up tracks/pours. Probably didn’t need that length matching but it makes FPGA timing easier to meet (100MHz). Next is to work on the RF cards and clock board 🧐
Messing around in Vivado confirms that I never want to be an FPGA engineer.
June 30, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Messing around in Vivado confirms that I never want to be an FPGA engineer.
Base board for my radio project. Biggest hobby board I’ve designed, 6L 8x5 inches. Almost have to use JLCPCB since the cost from any other fab would be outrageous. Backplane would be better if this moves to a product but I like being able to debug/probe/respin boards separately for prototyping!
June 19, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Base board for my radio project. Biggest hobby board I’ve designed, 6L 8x5 inches. Almost have to use JLCPCB since the cost from any other fab would be outrageous. Backplane would be better if this moves to a product but I like being able to debug/probe/respin boards separately for prototyping!
LOs/clock generation board
June 9, 2025 at 3:57 PM
LOs/clock generation board
