Avionics Bending - PCB Assembly: VHF COMM Radio

Today, we will assemble the PCB that we designed over the last few postings. I received a number of boards on my first run. The image above shows the top side of the board and the image blow the bottom side.



The next image shows all the components that will go onto the board. The majority of them are connectors which I will use the interface the micro-controller to the original flight hardware of the Lockheed L-1011 project.


Step 1: I will attach all the connectors. 8 bin connectors for the "byte" sized I/O registers, a 4 pin connector for the USB connection to the teensy++ and several 2 pin connectors for Analog I/O and for the Lightplate and Digit Drum illuminations.


Below is the the board with all the connects mounted. I arranged the connectors around the edges in order to keep enough space for the components that will go onto this relatively small board (well, small in sense of using DIL devices).



Step 2: Assemble the Multi Purpose Power Connector (MPPC). I feed +9V to the +5V Regulator, and a discrete power feed to the light plate and the digit drums. The idea is, that the digit drums and the light plate can be dimmed independently.


Step 3: Attach the USB connector.

Step 4: Assemble the voltage regulator. The regulator in the picture below, together with a number of capacitors and choke will make up the operational power supply for the micro-controller.

Step 4: ON/OFF Jumper and Power LED. The Green LED will illuminated if power is flowing to the device and the jumper to the right and below of the green LED has been close.


Step 5: Install the micro-controller. Since I chose the teensy++ for this project, I will install the teensy++ board as a mezzanine board.



Step 6: Install the nylon standoffs with the 3mm machined screws.


And here it he final product:



The teensy++ comes with an LED Blink test program pre-loaded. Here is the test program activating the small on-board LED as part of my power-up test.