Homebrew PCBs

Hi all.

can anyone recommend a PCB software package that has a library of good RF components like Toko Inductors and coils plus trimming capacitors.

Failing a full software package recommendation can anyone point me in the direction of 3rd party Libraries with these components and maybe I can get a package to suit.

Anyone help with this would be appreciated, I have PCB Wizard but drawing symbols etc is deffo not for me :)

Thanks all.

Andy

On 24/02/2010 01:05, g6lbq wrote:
> Hi all.
>
> can anyone recommend a PCB software package that has a library of good RF components like Toko Inductors and coils plus trimming capacitors.
>
> Failing a full software package recommendation can anyone point me in the direction of 3rd party Libraries with these components and maybe I can get a package to suit.
>
> Anyone help with this would be appreciated, I have PCB Wizard but drawing symbols etc is deffo not for me :)

I've created lots of RF parts like that for Pulsonix, but it's a fairly 
expensive package. My library is available to members of the Pulsonix 
Users Group. I don't think that any PCB package has that sort of thing 
as standard.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "g6lbq" <ah.electronics@...> wrote:
>
> Hi all.
> 
> can anyone recommend a PCB software package that has a library of good RF components like Toko Inductors and coils plus trimming capacitors.
> 
> Failing a full software package recommendation can anyone point me in the direction of 3rd party Libraries with these components and maybe I can get a package to suit.
> 
> Anyone help with this would be appreciated, I have PCB Wizard but drawing symbols etc is deffo not for me :)
> 
> Thanks all.
> 
> Andy
>


I've used PCB Wizard and have found the symbol creation tools in it are the worst of any package I've tried. The fatal flaw is that it (as far as I can tell) does not let you break apart included symbols and alter them to build your own, and the drawing interface is just a pain in general, unfortunate since it does many things pretty well.

It's worth your while to learn the symbol creation process on whatever package you use. No matter how much it comes with, you will almost always have a part in your design that is not included. Your drawings don't have to be fancy, they just have to have the pads in the right place. Usually you can set the grid spacing to the lead spacing of the part and plonk down appropriately sized pads. Trust me, you will save a lot of time and headaches in the long run if you take the time to learn.

Take a look at the free ExpressPCB software, it's not the end-all, be-all but it's free, and it's very easy to draw schematic symbols and layout patterns. Once you learn a few CAD packages, learning others gets easier.

I've found that parts are simple to make in Diptrace. Make the pattern, then make the schematic symbol and link them. As long as all pads are properly numbered, they link right up with the pins of the schematic symbol. If they don't match up, it is simple to click and add them.

There is a free version for noncommercial use. Price is comparable with Eagle, but IMHO Diptrace is -much- easier to learn.

Steve Greenfield

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "g6lbq" <ah.electronics@...> wrote:

>
> Hi all.
> 
> can anyone recommend a PCB software package that has a library of good RF components like Toko Inductors and coils plus trimming capacitors.
> 
> Failing a full software package recommendation can anyone point me in the direction of 3rd party Libraries with these components and maybe I can get a package to suit.
> 
> Anyone help with this would be appreciated, I have PCB Wizard but drawing symbols etc is deffo not for me :)
> 
> Thanks all.
> 
> Andy
>

Thanks for that Leon, I have downloaded a trial version to evaluate and have also joined the Pulsonix PCB group so I could get your symbols etc.

Regards

Andy

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Leon Heller <leon355@...> wrote:

>
> On 24/02/2010 01:05, g6lbq wrote:
> > Hi all.
> >
> > can anyone recommend a PCB software package that has a library of good RF components like Toko Inductors and coils plus trimming capacitors.
> >
> > Failing a full software package recommendation can anyone point me in the direction of 3rd party Libraries with these components and maybe I can get a package to suit.
> >
> > Anyone help with this would be appreciated, I have PCB Wizard but drawing symbols etc is deffo not for me :)
> 
> I've created lots of RF parts like that for Pulsonix, but it's a fairly 
> expensive package. My library is available to members of the Pulsonix 
> Users Group. I don't think that any PCB package has that sort of thing 
> as standard.
> 
> Leon
> -- 
> Leon Heller
> G1HSM
>

On 25/02/2010 22:30, g6lbq wrote:
> Thanks for that Leon, I have downloaded a trial version to evaluate and have also joined the Pulsonix PCB group so I could get your symbols etc.

My library isn't well organised, but you should be able to find things 
like tuning capacitors, inductors, RF transformers and so on. Try using 
the Part Editor to find them by entering 3 or 4 pins, rather than 
searching through everything.

There are also active parts like DBMs and MMICs. Pulsonix has special 
facilities for high-frequency designs, like track mitering. It'sw a 
fairly expensive option, but it should be in the demo version.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM