EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
General => General Technical Chat => Topic started by: MrOmnos on December 21, 2016, 06:19:58 pm
-
I am poor and I can't buy expensive software. I need to design Couplers and planner antennas. What free software are out there that will suit a newbie? Also, do you suggest etching FR-4 copper boards for microwave circuits? I don't have access to PCB manufacturing here.
-
Sounds interesting! Here is a website I ran into for a while ago. Have a look and see if there is anything that could be of use. myself downloaded the Smith-Chart software and some of the books in PDF.
Here is the link:http://www.fritz.dellsperger.net/downloads.html
I wish you good luck! :-+
-
Sonnet Lite
-
Sonnet is nice for filters, couplers and microstrip structures in general but AFAIK it can't do antennas.
-
You could try searching 'PCB fractal antenna calculator' in google, though you wont get PCB tools per say, you will need to paint an antenna in your PCB cad sw.
The reason for 'fractal' is that they are considered more compact with good gain and frequency range depending on design and the unique shape means many of them are printed on PCBs.
Also take a look here:
http://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Antennas/Antenna_Calculators/ (http://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Antennas/Antenna_Calculators/)
As for etching, I used to do this in the late 80s and beginning of the 90s, I'm not sure of your budget, but, take a look at cheap DIY Chinese milling machines. Though they may be problematic to setup and get working the first time, no more exposures and chemicals with fine traces which never have hair-line fractures and no more hand drilling of holes!!! By the time your making your 4 or fifth PCB, it cost less to have the miller cutting bare copper clad PCBs.
-
I'm definitely very spoiled having HFSS, ADS, Cadence, etc all at my fingertips at university!