[time-nuts] Re: Looking for gerber files for a timing GPS board

[John Miller]

Hi John,
I appreciate the feedback - I didn’t mean to imply that I wanted to build these to use an RCB-F9T on, rather I wanted to play with other receivers that do use the same footprint. These are devices I already have, and want to cleanly integrate with a Pi.

Thanks,
John

> On Jun 3, 2021, at 11:38 AM, John Ackermann N8UR <jra at febo.com> wrote:
> 
> The RCB-F9T is definitely something *not* to emulate -- it uses an SMB connector for the antenna (which no one else does) and it only has a 10 pin header (on 2mm, not 2.54mm spacing) that provides only one TIMEPULSE output and no EXTINT inputs.  Why u-blox decided that was a good form factor is beyond me.
> 
> You might take a look at the Sparkfun carrier boards.  They seem well thought out.
> 
> I've also done a ZED-F9T/P carrier board that I'd be happy to share designs for; it's the opposite of the RCB in that it makes *everything* accessible.  I'll try to get the design files on my github (github.orb/n8ur) later today.
> 
> Note that the ZED-F9 chips have multiple ground pads under the chip and can't be hand soldered; you'd need to use an oven.
> 
> John
> ----
> 
> On 6/3/21 11:09 AM, John Miller via time-nuts wrote:
>> Hello Everyone!
>> I am interested in designing a Pi hat PCB to be compatible with a timing GPS PCB design that I have seen used in a number of places. I have found an “okay” digram, but if anyone has already made gerbers for this thing, I would greatly appreciate it.
>> - Diagram: https://files.millerjs.org/misc/timing_board_PCB.jpg <https://files.millerjs.org/misc/timing_board_PCB.jpg>
>> - LEA-M8T using this format: https://files.millerjs.org/misc/LEA_M8T.png <https://files.millerjs.org/misc/LEA_M8T.png>
>> - Trimble Resolution T: https://files.millerjs.org/misc/trimble_resolution_t.png <https://files.millerjs.org/misc/trimble_resolution_t.png>
>> Even the relatively new uBlox RCB-F9T uses it, calling it an “industry standard form factor” : https://www.u-blox.com/en/product/rcb-f9t-timing-board <https://www.u-blox.com/en/product/rcb-f9t-timing-board>
>> In the RCB-F9T documentation they have a very nice diagram of the module that surely came out of something like Altium, but I can’t find any files to replicate it - https://files.millerjs.org/misc/RCB_F9T.png <https://files.millerjs.org/misc/RCB_F9T.png>
>> Any help would be greatly appreciated, I think one of the biggest things holding me back here is that I simply don’t know what this form factor is called.
>> Thanks in advance!
>> John
>> PS - My plan, once I get a hat design that works, is to make a mess of these PCBs and mail them out to everyone on this list that wants one for the cost of shipping.
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