The RF prototype boards have a 0.1" pin pitch, which means the pad holes are 100 mils (= 2.54 mm) apart from each other. Also, the pads on the boards are separated by 10 mils (= 0.254 mm), so any SMD component that comfortably bridges this gap can be used.
Accordingly, you can pick SMD components of any of the following sizes:
- 0805 (2.0 mm × 1.25 mm)
- 0603 (1.6 mm × 0.8 mm)
- 0402 (1.0 mm × 0.5 mm)
Note: SMD sizes are given in imperial code, not metric code.
Since the SMD parts should make solid connections with the board, the smallest acceptable size is 0402 (1.0 mm × 0.5 mm). Smaller sizes will have their SMD pads reach into the gap between two board pads, instead of fully touching the board's pads.
Choose the part size depending on how much of the board pads (and their holes) you want to cover, and for ease of use/soldering.
After trying various lead-free solders, I can recommend Sn100Ni+ as a well flowing solder making nice shiny joints.
A diameter of 0.5 mm is well suited for SMD components, while still allowing to solder through-hole parts.
The exact solder I use is called Felder ISO-Core "Ultra-Clear" Sn100Ni+ 0.5mm.
- SMD kit with many parts (except inductors)
- Search terms:
- Interstellar Electronics SMD Professional Assortment Kit
- "2900 pcs SMD 1206 0805 0603 Component Assortment, Resistor, Capacitor, Diode, Transistor, OpAmp, IC, Solder, PCB, SMT Soldering Assorted Kit" by Zebulon
- "SMD SMT Electronic Components Assortment 1206 0805 0603 Resistors Capacitors Diodes Transistors LEDs Potentiometers Opamps ICs Zener PCBs 2900pcs" by Zebulon
- https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B08QGD9G7C
- Search terms:
- Inductor sample book
- Search term:
- SMD Multilayer Ceramic Inductor Kit 0201 0402 0603 0805 1206 Chip Inductance Assorted Kit Sample Book
- https://www.aliexpress.us/item/1005004268660183.html (pick the "0603 52valuesX25pcs" or the "0805 47valuesX25pcs" option)
- Search term:
- U.FL connectors
- Search terms:
- 50PCS IPEX U.FL SMD SMT Solder for PCB Mount Socket Jack Female RF Coaxial Connector
- IPX U.FL RF Coaxial Plug SMD SMT Soldering Conductor Board Female for Antenna Wireless LAN Equipment Coaxial Cable Pack of 80
- https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0BFQ98MLC
- https://www.berrybase.de/u.fl-steckverbinder-stecker-50-937-gerade-smd
- Search terms:
- Rubber feet with adhesive
- For the extended prototype board:
- Screw terminals with a 5.0 mm pin pitch
- M2.5 spacer rods, screws and nuts (nylon, or some other non-conductive material) for the PCB mounting holes
- NanoVNA
- Many different versions, I use NanoVNA-H4 (see recommended vendor list to avoid bad clones), MegaWattKS uses NanoVNA-F, both having a 4" screen.
- Optional microSD card: allows to store / load screenshots, measurements, calibration data, or dump firmware
- Especially calibration data can only by stored/restored from SD cards, the remaining data can be exchanged over USB
- Recommended microSD card is fast, has a size of 8 to 32GiB, is formatted in FAT32, and should support SPI mode
- Potentially compatible (if it supports SPI mode): microSDHC or microSDHC I (= microSDHC UHS-I)
- Not compatible: microSDHC II (= microSDHC UHS-II), microSDHC III (= microSDHC UHS-III), microSDXC, microSDUC
- This model works in my NanoVNA-H4 and TinySA Ultra: SanDisk 32GB (Pack of 2) Ultra microSDHC UHS-I Memory Card (2x32GB) with Adapter
- TinySA or TinySA Ultra
- See recommended vendor list to avoid bad clones.
- TinySA Ultra comes with a cheap microSD card, TinySA has none
- Important: attenuators and DC blocks
- For both instruments above you should use attenuators, since the frontends cannot sustain much power.
- The TinySA will analyze external signals, such as from antennas or signal generators, so attenuators are almost always necessary. The NanoVNA might also need them, when characterizing active circuits, such as amplifiers or mixers. Especially, the TinySA should use an additional DC block, if the internal one is switched off or cannot handle the load.
- SMA attenuator kit, 6 attenuators of 1dB, 2dB, 3dB, 6dB, 10dB and 20dB, each 2W and 50 Ohm
- Search term:
- NooElec SMA Attenuator Kit - 6-piece SMA In-Line attenuator with 2W 50Ohm from 1dB to 42dB in increments of 1dB.
- https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07YYMT65T?language=en_GB
- Search term:
- One or two SMA DC blocks, 6 GHz and 50 Ohm
- Search term:
- NooElec SMA DC Block - High Quality Inline 50ohm 50kHz 8GHz Terminal Blocks DC
- https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07YYLHJKS?language=en_GB
- Search term:
- For both instruments above you should use attenuators, since the frontends cannot sustain much power.
- SMA female to SMA male coaxial extension cable
- Used to create a simple RF probe with 40 db attenuation, as described in https://youtu.be/B7DFOq9rM_M?t=858
- A 4.7 kOhm resistor is stuck into the female SMA connector as a signal pin, and as a ground lead, a piece of wire is wraped around the same female SMA connector, then secured with a nut
- See also: A wideband 1:21 DIY 1 kΩ oscilloscope probe
- Search terms:
- 6.5ft (2 m) Low-Loss Coaxial Extension Cable RG58 (50 Ohm) SMA Male to SMA Female
- RG174 SMA Coaxial Cable SMA Male to SMA Female RF Coaxial Cable 6.6 Feet (2 m) + 3 Pieces SMA Adapter Set Low Loss Extension Cable
- SMA Extension Cable RG58 6.6ft (2M) SMA Male to SMA Female Coaxial Cable Low Loss RF Coaxial Cable
- https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0C1BFXMWD
- https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0995QWSS5
- Used to create a simple RF probe with 40 db attenuation, as described in https://youtu.be/B7DFOq9rM_M?t=858
- U.FL to SMA Male Coaxial RG178 Low Loss Cable
- Used to connect the U.FL inputs/outputs of the RF protoboards to oscilloscopes/signal generators/vector network analyzers/spectrum analyzers
- Search term:
- U.FL to SMA Coaxial Cable SMA Male to UFL IPX IPEX Coaxial Cable RG178 12 Inch (30 cm) Pack of 5
- https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0C1BFXMWD
- Stylus pen for touchscreen (of NanoVNA/TinySA)
- The TinySA user group has a discussion about possible stylus options
- "RF Demo Kit" with U.FL sockets for NanoVNA
- Has symbolic Smith charts, components for SOLT calibration, example filters, attenuators, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and combinations of the last three basic components, all accessible via U.FL connectors
- RF demo kit quickstart guide
- Practical usage guide
- Do not use a screw driver to remove U.FL cables (it will apply unequal force and bend/damage the sockets/plugs). Instead use SMD tweezers like a lever, positioned below the U.FL cable's plug, such that you apply an equal force from both sides (with the two "prongs" of the tweezer) and by finding the center pivot point of the plug.
- Discussion about some inaccurate graphs due to inductor quality issues
- Original idea: VNA Sandbox
- Search terms:
- "RF Demo Kit for NanoVNA-F" by Deepelec / SYSJOINT
- RF Demo Kit for F RF Tester Board HAM Filter Attenuator
- https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0BRCL158V
- Has symbolic Smith charts, components for SOLT calibration, example filters, attenuators, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and combinations of the last three basic components, all accessible via U.FL connectors
- 2x "NanoVNA Testboard Kit" with SMA connectors
- Has female headers to insert and measure components, and SMD pads to build and measure tiny circuits, such as simple filters
- Documentation
- stethoscope camera with microphone (or stethoscope microphone alone)
- VNA Test Boards
- RF probe
- https://www.ph2lb.nl/blog/index.php?page=xtal-adapter-for-nanovna
- https://www.ph2lb.nl/blog/index.php?page=qrp-labs-filter-adapter-for-nanovna
- https://www.ph2lb.nl/blog/index.php?page=rfsampler
- Mostly for the manual (but the NanoVNA Testboard Kit (see above) is better):