ability to do a full-screen display mode on X11 based displays to eek out the most available screen space. Full screen mode disables the window "decorations", borders, title bar, etc.

arter project. > > Once you get going, a board is a weekend project. Indeed, a simple board might be an > evening project. There’s not a lot involved. > > Once you have your layout, it goes off to any of a number of outfits. Seeed Studio is > one that many people use. WellPCB is another that comes with a lot of recommendations. > As long as you stick with < 100 mm x < 100 mm parts a number of places will sell you > boards for 50 cents each. > > Shipping does cost $20 to $30, so doing more than one board at a time is a pretty good > idea. If you are laying out five boards a week, batching them up isn’t the hard part :) > > While most don’t seem to use it, many board houses also offer assembly / pick and place > services. On a board that uses simple parts, that might take out the whole assembly > process. No idea (yet) how well that part goes …. > I've used several assembly services (in Oregon, as it happens) for small boards at work (<100mm square, although that's not a requirement for the service) and had relatively good luck. One of the nice things is that some services will actually order and kit the parts for you - you send them a board design, with a parts list from digikey, and a couple weeks later, you get your boards back. It's not super cheap, but it sure is convenient.

putting a few things on yourself. I’d guess that 90% of the parts on a typical board will be things they can supply. Is there another gotcha? Not at all clear (yet). The outfit above has two categories of parts (basic and extended). It appears that when you go into the extended group, there may be some minimum order gotchas …. Bob > On May 13, 2020, at 9:17 AM, jimlux wrote: > > On 5/13/20 5:56 AM, Bob kb8tq wrote: >> Hi >> There are a number of free ( = there is no license fee ) pcb layout programs out there. >> One of the many is KiCad. It’s not that hard to use. It is very popular. There are a lot >> of YouTube videos and blogs detailing how to do this or that with it. Laying out a board >> to mount an OCXO on is a pretty good starter project. >> Once you get going, a board is a weekend project. Indeed, a simple board might be an >> evening project. There’s not a lot involved. >> Once you have your layout, it goes off to any of a number of outfits. Seeed Studio is >> one that many people use. WellPCB is another that comes with a lot of recommendations. >> As long as you stick with < 100 mm x < 100 mm parts a number of places will sell you >> boards for 50 cents each. >> Shipping does cost $20 to $30, so doing more than one board at a time is a pretty good >> idea. If you are laying out five boards a week, batching them up isn’t the hard part :) >> While most don’t seem to use it, many board houses also offer assembly / pick and place >> services. On a board that uses simple parts, that might take out the whole assembly >> process. No idea (yet) how well that part goes …. > > > I've used several assembly services (in Oregon, as it happens) for small boards at work (<100mm square, although that's not a requirement for the service) and had relatively good luck. One of the nice things is that some services will actually order and kit the parts for you - you send them a board design, with a parts list from digikey, and a couple weeks later, you get your boards back. > > It's not super cheap, but it sure is convenient. > > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.com > and follow the instructions there.

laying out boards by hand, taping up the artwork 4:1, reducing it photographically, exposing and etching boards.  So today's technology is magical.) Many of you are doing some awesome work.  Well done. Wes  N7WS

. I think I'm on to one that meets my fairly simple needs and uses through-hole components.  I have done SMT construction in the past but things have shrunk in size by an order of magnitude since then it seems.  (I can remember laying out boards by hand, taping up the artwork 4:1, reducing it photographically, exposing and etching boards.  So today's technology is magical.) Many of you are doing some awesome work.  Well done. Wes  N7WS _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com To unsubscribe, go to http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.com and follow the instructions there.

uston. > Bert Kehren >

To many designs 30 this year. Bert Kehren In a message dated 5/13/2020 10:18:33 PM Eastern Standard Time, holrum@hotmail.com writes: One thing that I recommend is that after completing the layout is to:1) step back and wait a few days2) enjoy a few adult beverages while waiting3) go back a re-check everything4) send it out to the board house You'd be surprised how often simple, subtle, not so subtle glitches/tweaks/improvements show up after a pause in the process. --------------- > Once you get going, a board is a weekend project. Indeed, a simple board might be anevening project. There’s not a lot involved. _______________________________________________time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.comTo unsubscribe, go to http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.comand follow the instructions there.

nded to do. Bob > On May 14, 2020, at 5:51 AM, ew via time-nuts wrote: > > Thanks Mark for reminding me, spend 3 hours this morning reviewing designs to be released. Found a couple of problems. Also went back to look at the OCXO boards I released in 2018, found a problem on the board with no Amp, the SMA is not grounded. Easy to fix, but if some one wants new Gerber will publish it.Always try to have a third party check my designs. To many designs 30 this year. > Bert Kehren > In a message dated 5/13/2020 10:18:33 PM Eastern Standard Time, holrum@hotmail.com writes: > > One thing that I recommend is that after completing the layout is to:1) step back and wait a few days2) enjoy a few adult beverages while waiting3) go back a re-check everything4) send it out to the board house > You'd be surprised how often simple, subtle, not so subtle glitches/tweaks/improvements show up after a pause in the process. > --------------- >> Once you get going, a board is a weekend project. Indeed, a simple board might be anevening project. There’s not a lot involved. _______________________________________________time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.comTo unsubscribe, go to http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.comand follow the instructions there. > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.com > and follow the instructions there.

use, all of the programs have quirks, and require that you become familiar with them. So far I am not seeing any limitations in Kicad that would prevent getting good boards made. And, many prototype oriented houses accept Kicad PCB files directly (for example EUROCIRCUITS) , which saves you from generating Gerbers and drill files. And Kicad just keeps getting better. -- mike On Thu, May 14, 2020 at 4:30 PM Bob kb8tq wrote: > Hi > > I would toss in: > > If you are starting from scratch, pick a program that allows you to easily > enter schematics as well as PCB layouts. Take the time to learn both sides > of the program. That will give you an automated check between the schematic > and the layout….. It also gives you a document to go back to / hand to > others > to show what the board was intended to do. > > Bob > > > On May 14, 2020, at 5:51 AM, ew via time-nuts > wrote: > > > > Thanks Mark for reminding me, spend 3 hours this morning reviewing > designs to be released. Found a couple of problems. Also went back to look > at the OCXO boards I released in 2018, found a problem on the board with no > Amp, the SMA is not grounded. Easy to fix, but if some one wants new Gerber > will publish it.Always try to have a third party check my designs. To many > designs 30 this year. > > Bert Kehren > > In a message dated 5/13/2020 10:18:33 PM Eastern Standard Time, > holrum@hotmail.com writes: > > > > One thing that I recommend is that after completing the layout is to:1) > step back and wait a few days2) enjoy a few adult beverages while waiting3) > go back a re-check everything4) send it out to the board house > > You'd be surprised how often simple, subtle, not so subtle > glitches/tweaks/improvements show up after a pause in the process. > > --------------- > >> Once you get going, a board is a weekend project. Indeed, a simple > board might be anevening project. There’s not a lot involved. > _______________________________________________time-nuts mailing list -- > time-nuts@lists.febo.comTo unsubscribe, go to > http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.comand follow > the instructions there. > > _______________________________________________ > > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com > > To unsubscribe, go to > http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.com > > and follow the instructions there. > > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to > http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.com > and follow the instructions there. >