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![Previous (earlier) Story](/images/sty-down.gif ""Intruder Signal" on 40 Meters Remains a Mystery for Now"){kind=small} Previous: "Intruder Signal" on 40 Meters Remains a Mystery for Now |  Next: New Orbital Debris Mitigation Rules Will Apply to Amateur Radio Satellites |
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
September 10, 2004
This week, we revisit Web sites that manufacture your prototypes online.
Advanced Circuits is one of a handful of online PCB manufacturers featured in this week's installment of Surfin'. |
Two weeks ago, we visited a pair of Web sites that make it easy to go from paper to prototype. Emachineshop.com is an online machine shop, while Pad2pad.com is an online printed-circuit board (PCB) manufacturer.
After writing that installment of Surfin', I knew I would hear from my readers extolling the virtues of other similar on-line services. You did not disappoint me; this week's Surfin' reviews your suggestions and recommendations.
John Amos, KC6TVM, wrote, "Please be aware that pad2pad is not the only software that will allow freebie downloads for PCBs. I downloaded ExpressPCB and ExpressSCH (the schematic drawing software) from ExpressPCB in a relatively short time. This is the same situation, i.e., a board house trying to cater to operations smaller than HP and Dell. I haven't tried to use them yet, but the schematic layout software looks pretty straightforward."
Phil Cochrane, N2IAO, penned, "I haven't tried Pad2Pad, but I have used ExpressPCB several times with great success. They are similar; download free software and order boards over the Internet. With ExpressPCB, you can get a board with inner ground and power planes. The inner ground plane is a great shield. With ground and power planes inside, you can connect parts to power and ground by inserting a VIA that goes straight down and connects to the plane. This makes it a lot easier to route signals with traces on the top and bottom of the board. I make boards with thin traces and surface mount pads often."
Mike Ardai, N1IST, opined, "You may also want to look at ExpressPCB.com; I have used them extensively. They have free schematic and PCB layout tools and can do 4-layer as well as double sided boards. Their miniboard special for $51 has pretty much put an end to me flywiring prototypes."
Dave Brainerd, WB6DHW, e-mailed, "Two other companies that I know of provide free PCB design software (if you use them to make the boards). Both provide both schematic capture and PCB layout software. They are ExpressPCB and PCB123.
"I haven't personally used either to produce a board (I already have schematic capture and PCB layout programs). I have gotten boards made from Advanced Circuits. They even offer a free design for manufacturing review service so you can correct any mistakes before they start making your boards."
According to Karl W. Berger, W4KRL, "There are several companies in the business, but the only one I've used is an off shore company in Malaysia at Custom PCB Prototype Services. I got really excellent service from them for a small board I designed. They have the best costs for small quantities that I have found. I had eight boards made for $34 including FedEx shipping and received the order five days after sending the files. Unfortunately, they use commercial grade software, so I had to pay someone else to convert my design into an OrCAD file. It was still cheaper than the price at some prototype houses. Actually, there are some free software packages available that are compatible with Custom PCB, but their learning curve is very steep.
"The schematic and PCB layout software I used is available free from ExpressPCB. This is very nice software, but I have never used the service. I regularly use their schematic software.
"A friend recommends Front Panel Express for professional grade panels. They also have free layout software."
Bob Reynolds, KD5PSH, stated, "I heard that you never designed a PC board that worked! I found a site, Philmore and Datak Manufacturing, that has a section on PCBs that I found stocked by local distributors in my area (Albuquerque) and they work, which is a first for me. The entire process for using the Datak positive boards is on the Web site so that you can see what's involved before you plunge in. I have made at least a dozen excellent boards with these Datak Premier boards and using their powdered etching concentrate (you mix it with tap water). I would bet a lot of hams would like to read about that slick process."
John Stephensen, KD6OZH, added, "Here are three other useful sites for making PCBs: PCB123, PCBexpress and BareBones PCBs.
"PCB123 is free PCB design software. The other two are PCB manufacturers. Both can deliver PCBs in one day, given an Excellon format drill file and Gerber format files for each layer. Since these files are produced by all PCB design software, the user isn't tied to one manufacturer. Bare Bones PCB makes tin-plated, double-sided, plated-through boards for a very low cost while PCB Express can make 2, 4 or 6 layer boards with a solder coating rather than tin plating for a slightly higher cost."
Until next week, keep on surfin'
Editor's note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, never designed a circuit that worked. He blames weak etching chemicals not weak circuit design! (What a weak excuse!) To discuss PCBs, surfing and other important and neat stuff with Stan, send him e-mail at wa1lou@arrl.net.
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