Homebrew PCBs

From: "Don" <dk31415926@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 3:02 AM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Possible to do duroid/alumina substrates at home?


> Hi folks. 
> Has anybody experimented with some of the more esoteric
> pcb materials such as Roger's duriod or Alumina substrates?
> Is this kind of work even possible at home?

Some radio amateurs use Duroid for microwave circuits.

Leon

From: "Don" <dk31415926@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 3:01 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Possible to do duroid/alumina substrates at 
home?


> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Leon Heller" <leon.heller@...>
> wrote:
>
>>
>> Some radio amateurs use Duroid for microwave circuits.
>>
>
> Yep. That's where my interest comes from. I keep seeing directional
> couplers on ebay for hundreds of dollars (used) and I know there
> is nothing inside but three traces on a board and a few connectors.
> I used to work as an R&D tech in a company that made microwave
> equipment so I know how to design, tune, and test something like
> this. I just don't know how to fab them.

Ordinary FR4 should be OK for a directional coupler up to a couple of GHz. 
The top layer could be cut with a knife and the unwanted copper removed by 
heating with a soldering iron and pulling it off.

Leon