Homebrew PCBs

The board layout pgm I personally like and use the most  is
FreePCB (   www.freepcb.com    )  for Windows to do layout and generate 
Gerber files  It's free and open source. Among its good aspects is:
   1 to 16 copper layers
   Board size up to 60 inches by 60 inches
   Imports and exports PADS-PCB netlists
   easy to use footprint editor, modify from libray parts, etc.
   I also like that I can go into the board file that is saved in ASCII 
and edit changes with a simple editor.  This is especially useful to me 
when I'm working with someone who supplies me with an NC file for a 
complex board outline.  Some word processor editing and I can paste a 
thousand plus points into the outline file.  This allows very complex 
board outlines.

Then
GCPrevue  (http://www.graphicode.com/GC-Prevue_Gerber_Viewer)  to view 
those Gerber files and print them out 1:1 with my laser printer using 
magazine glossy pages.  Thanks to this discussion list for that great 
suggestion.  It works better than any photo paper I ever tried.    Scrub 
the PCB with Comet, rinse, air dry, and don't touch with the fingers, 
iron on the image with a modified cheap GBC laminator that  I took out 
the thermoswitch controlling the platen temperature and substituted the 
higher temp version from Mouser, part #   802-STO-325, Mfr. #:     
3L11-325,a Stancor 315-335F OPENS N/C with a temperature control range 
of + 157 C to + 169 C.


FreePCB is not as powerful as Kicad (and I have done some simple boards 
in Kicad) particularly since it does not have a schematic package, but 
it is simpler, so that for the infrequent times I use it, I can remember 
and re-learn how to use it quickly.  I use a very old ORCAD pkg for 
schematics that outputs PADS, but there is also a method at:
http://www.diyhifi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1114
that requires a bit of list editing that can take LTspice.  LTspice is a 
fantastic combined free schematic pgm/SPICE simulator available from:  
(http://www.linear.com/designtools/software/ltspice.jsp)
So do your schematic and simulations in LTspice, then export the netlist 
and make it compatible to FreePCB.

In putting together this email I stumbled across
http://printedboardcircuit.blogspot.com/
with a list of free PCB tools, a couple of new names I haven't run 
across before.  Need to look at them, I guess.

So just some other ways to accomplish a homebrew board.

Regards,
Charles R. Patton

Leon Heller wrote:
>  
>
> On 31/12/2010 15:32, John wrote:
> > What is the best software to design pcb.
> > It is not for comercial use. I'm currently using Eagle but would 
> like to be make boards lager than 80x100mm.
> >
>
> Have a look at Design Spark from RS Components.
>
> Leon
> -- 
> Leon Heller
> G1HSM
>
>