HFSS "mesh size" lumped

[avdrummerboy]

PCB design at RF

Hey you guys have been very helpful with most all of my project, I had a few question about designing PCB at RF freq. Are there any major advantages/ disadvantages? Also can anyone help to define RF design practices, the most of what I see is to keep lengths as short as possible, and watch out for running RF cables next to non RF cables.

Thanks in advance.

 

[pivko99]

Re: PCB design at RF

Did you tray to use google? Enter "RF PCB design" and you get it...

for example:
**broken link removed**

 

[Jacky110]

PCB design at RF

As my experience, there is very difficult to find materials on RF PCB layout aspect.

 

[vacikel]

Re: PCB design at RF

as I know you must use surface mount lumped elements if you need to use any.

 

[CADtenchy]

Re: PCB design at RF

In general, if at signal levels (likely if you're designing RF PCBs) then small is beautiful.
Boards I do are very often based in 0402 surface mount parts, tho I use 1206 and 0603 too.
You want to decide what PCB material you are going to use, and what transmission line is probably best for you. That will then dictate best size SM parts for your design.
Keep lines short (as a rule) and keep discontinuties to a minimum.(for example if your 50ohm line is 0.5mm wide, don't feed into a thundering great 1206, go for a 0402 or 0603)

I'm talking low microwaves, if you're lower in freq then you have more flexibilty.

This is a great util, which will help calculate your transmission line and type, I use it all the time:
**broken link removed**

Like the others said, google about, you can find info there, often it's in PDF papers people have published.

 

[avdrummerboy]

PCB design at RF

I am planning on working around 0-30MHz (the HF ham bands) so as far as I can tell the lower the freq. the easier, so I may be in luck.