http://robs-blog.net/2018/12/22/receiver-rf-front-end/ To see where things have come from, here is a link to the original post:
So between the first iteration and the 2nd, I have changed from using Sprint Layout to using Diptrace. I have tried a few different programs from Kicad to the free version of Altium and I just could never get the hang of how to make components and footprints in either of them
Diptrace on the other hand I find to be much more intuative and straight forward to use and I can make components and footprints in it with easy, as will be seen later when i get the latest batched of board back from china and write a blog post. So many new parts all created by me in the one library so i can find all my parts easily.
Anyway, to the board at hand. Its still got a couple of minor mistakes on it, the cap footprints were in 2.54mm not 5mm which the caps I use mostly are, the 5v regulator and caps are in the way of the right angled SMA connector and I am not sure that the variable RF preamp is actually varying. Circuit wise it should work, but the spectrum analyzer was not showing any gain change.
Anyway, the design will not be changing now, its built, tested and it works. And i can stay like that :
The gerbers can be downloaded from HERE: http://robs-blog.net/Files/rf-frontend.rar
Hi Rob 73 from France.
I follow your montages carefully. I like your approach and your achievements.
The link for “The gerbers can be downloaded from HERE: http://robs-blog.net/Files/rf-frontend.rar” is broken. It’s possible to send me gerbers files.
73 QRO Gilles F1BFU /FR
I removed the files because they kind of did not work as expected. I have since moved on from this project, which became a dead end. I do have some other, better stuff in the pipelines that I will release as soon as I know they are working right.