Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplane needed
 

Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplane needed

I am looking to prototype a couple of small boards containing LINX
TXM-433 LC and LR transmitter modules. These have pads on 0.1" centers
and thus will match the Vector board strips that I am familiar with.
However for this application, I need a ground plane under the module,
and so am looking for a "vector" board with strips, but without plated
through holes and ideally a solid ground plane on the reverse side. I
would prefer plated traces and fiberglass insulation.

These will be simple boards, a TXM-433-LC, a couple of 555 timers and
some discrete components.

Any recommendations?
--
Joe Leikhim K4SAT
"The RFI-EMI-GUY"©

"Treason doth never prosper: what's the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason."

"Follow The Money" ;-P

Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplaneneeded
 

On Jul 10, 9:31 pm, RFI-EMI-GUY wrote:
Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplane needed

I am looking to prototype a couple of small boards containing LINX
TXM-433 LC and LR transmitter modules. These have pads on 0.1" centers
and thus will match the Vector board strips that I am familiar with.
However for this application, I need a ground plane under the module,
and so am looking for a "vector" board with strips, but without plated
through holes and ideally a solid ground plane on the reverse side. I
would prefer plated traces and fiberglass insulation.

These will be simple boards, a TXM-433-LC, a couple of 555 timers and
some discrete components.

Any recommendations?


Three or four ideas:
o Get what you want made by one of the proto shops. Two-sided boards
aren't outrageous.
o Use a piece of unetched board stock and glue strips with 0.1"-
spaced pads onto it. (Seems like I've seen some places selling strips
like that, maybe even with contact adhesive already on the backs.)
o Etch your own. This is close to trivial if you're already set up
for it, but since you're asking, you probably aren't, so it may not
make much sense.
o Quite useful if there aren't too many pads involved: start with
double-sided copper-clad. Score one side as needed with a utility or
XActo knife, and pull up the unwanted copper. I do this occasionally
for SOIC parts, 0.05" lead spacing; it's very quick for small hacks.

Cheers,
Tom

Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplaneneeded
 

K7ITM wrote:

snip
I need a ground plane under the module,
and so am looking for a "vector" board with strips, but without plated
through holes and ideally a solid ground plane on the reverse side.

snip
o Quite useful if there aren't too many pads involved: start with
double-sided copper-clad. Score one side as needed with a utility or
XActo knife, and pull up the unwanted copper. I do this occasionally
for SOIC parts, 0.05" lead spacing; it's very quick for small hacks.

Also, consider using the E.F. Stahler or equiv. mini-mill bits to
drill out pads on the component side; this is a canonical method
of building high-frequency pcb prototypes. You then have large
copper fill on the component side as well as the reverse side plane.

Michael

Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplane needed
 

On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 10:17:19 -0500, msg wrote:

E.F. Stahler
E.F. Stahler does not Google well for me. Do you have a url?
John Ferrell W8CCW

Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplaneneeded
 

On Jul 11, 12:31*am, RFI-EMI-GUY wrote:
Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplane needed

I am looking to prototype a couple of small boards containing LINX
TXM-433 LC and LR transmitter modules. These have pads on 0.1" centers
and thus will match the Vector board strips that I am familiar with.
However for this application, I need a ground plane under the module,
and so am looking for a "vector" board with strips, but without plated
through holes and ideally a solid ground plane on the reverse side. I
would prefer plated traces and fiberglass insulation.

These will be simple boards, a TXM-433-LC, a couple of 555 timers and
some discrete components.

Any recommendations?

"Dead bug".

Or, drill holes for all leads, and then use a small milling machine
cutter or just a larger drill bit to remove the copper where you don't
need it.

For prototyping, "dead bug" is way way superior to vectorboards etc,
even with digital parts.

Tim.

Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplaneneeded
 

Tim Shoppa wrote:

snip
Or, drill holes for all leads, and then use a small milling machine
cutter or just a larger drill bit to remove the copper where you don't
need it.

Indeed, this is what the Stahler mini-mill bits do; they create an instant
pad wherever it is needed. Stahler may no longer be in business, but
perhaps there are other pcb fab mini-mill bits out there. If not, a
good machine shop should be able to create a few for commonly used
pad sizes, and they will be forever useful (to justify the expense).

Michael

Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplaneneeded
 

On Fri, 11 Jul 2008, msg wrote:

Tim Shoppa wrote:

snip
Or, drill holes for all leads, and then use a small milling machine
cutter or just a larger drill bit to remove the copper where you don't
need it.

Indeed, this is what the Stahler mini-mill bits do; they create an instant
pad wherever it is needed. Stahler may no longer be in business, but
perhaps there are other pcb fab mini-mill bits out there. If not, a
good machine shop should be able to create a few for commonly used
pad sizes, and they will be forever useful (to justify the expense).

There was something about making one, I'm pretty sure in "Ham Radio",
sometime before 1974 (I can't figure out which article it was from
an accumulated index). I can't remember whether it was a homemade
version of the Stahler tool, or if Stahler came after to provide a
commercial version.

I can't remember the details (and I don't feel like digging through
the magazines to find the article now), but it wasn't much more than a
piece of good steel tubing.

Michael VE2BVW

Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplane needed
 

There was something about making one, I'm pretty sure in "Ham Radio",
sometime before 1974 (I can't figure out which article it was from
an accumulated index). I can't remember whether it was a homemade
version of the Stahler tool, or if Stahler came after to provide a
commercial version.

I can't remember the details (and I don't feel like digging through
the magazines to find the article now), but it wasn't much more than a
piece of good steel tubing.

Michael VE2BVW


This may be too late to help the original poster, but the pad-cutter is
still available from a couple of sources. The price is WAY out of line, in
my hobby-like mentality.
http://www.vectorelect.com/Catpdf/Page%2071.pdf

The above shows the sizes and styles currently produced. A Goggle
search on "pad cutter" or "Vector pad cutter" will turn up some
commercial sources (Digikey, etc.), but prices are in the $70-80
range.

A link below shows a neat, homemade version of the same idea.
www.njqrp.org/islanderpadcutter/index.html . While I haven't made
one using these instructions, it appears to be workable.

My employer may purchase one of the Vector P138 cutters, just in
case I have to fab up something in the tool and die shop where I
hang out sometimes. Of course, I could build one, but.... as long as it's
other people's money, why not buy!

Mike W5CHR
Memphis

Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplaneneeded
 

A link below shows a neat, homemade version of the same idea.
www.njqrp.org/islanderpadcutter/index.html . While I haven't made
one using these instructions, it appears to be workable.
=========================
A few years ago I bought a few islander-padcutters through the G-QRP
Club. Excellent for homebrewing with discrete components .
The circular ring removed from the copper clad board is less than 1 mm
wide ,so maximum copper clad area remains ensuring a good ground plane .
Each island can take up 3 component leads
All grounded components are upright soldered into drilled holes , with
the other lead to serve as connecting point for other components.
As an alternative to islands I fit 10 MegOhm resistors upright used as
'insulators' in non-high impedence circuits.

The islands combined with above alternative methods ensure zero to very
short fitted component leads.


Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH

Recommendation for RF Prototype "Vector Board" with groundplaneneeded
 

On 13 Jul, 22:03, Highland Ham
wrote:
* * A link below shows a neat, homemade version of the same idea.
*www.njqrp.org/islanderpadcutter/index.html. While I haven't made
one using these instructions, it appears to be workable.

=========================
A few years ago I bought a few islander-padcutters through the G-QRP
Club. * Excellent for homebrewing with discrete components .
The circular ring removed from the copper clad board is less than *1 mm
wide ,so maximum copper clad area remains ensuring a good ground plane .
Each island can take up 3 component leads
All grounded components are upright soldered into drilled holes , with
the other lead to serve as connecting point for other components.
As an alternative to islands I fit 10 MegOhm resistors upright used as
'insulators' in non-high impedence circuits.

The islands combined with above alternative methods ensure zero to very
short fitted component leads.

Frank * GM0CSZ / KN6WH

Farnell used to sell isolated pad cutters. I've got a couple and they
weren't expensive. They might still stock them.

Leon