Prototype Radio

I have been wanting to build up some general purpose modules for radio home brewing and began this weekend with a LM386 module. This modular radio construction method is inspired by M0XPD's Breadboard Bitx project,

I am using the Busboard.com boards. This is sort of  a "Manhattan style" construction. These boards have a ground plane which should make them excellent for radio work. Because of the pad dimensions, these boards can use DIPs as well as surface mount devices.

I had obtained several plug boards at the TRW swap meet and used the double stick backing to attach them to a piece metal flashing from Home Depot ($0.86) with some rubber feet on the bottom. This made a nice large working area and I intend to make some magnetic brackets that will attach to the metal side areas for control knobs, displays, etc.



On the protoboard in the picture is a Teensy 2.0, an Adafruit Si5351 Clock Generator Breakout, and my LM386 module. The plan is to use the Si5351 with the Teensy to form a VFO for a simple Direct Conversion receiver.