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Modulation dependent carrier level

frohro·modulation-dependent-carrier-level·Hardware/MDCL.kicad_pcb

Modulation dependent carrier level PCB layout, top view — open source NXP board by frohro

About the Modulation dependent carrier level PCB

Modulation dependent carrier level is an open source NXP PCB design by frohro, published on GitHub under the GPL-3.0 license. It is a 4-layer board measuring 220 × 233 mm, with 64 components from 27 distinct parts.

Its main chip is the C7506622, from the NXP family. Other key parts include the 74LV165, 74AHCT595, C10234, CH340G and SN74LVC8T245. By type, the board carries 16 capacitors, 13 connectors, 13 diodes, 12 resistors, 7 ICs and 2 test points.

From the project

A Modulation Dependent Carrier Level (MDCL) Board for Brown Boveri Shortwave Transmitters

This design should work with any transmitter using an ABB PSM (pulse step modulator) for AM or SW broadcasting designed in the 1980s or 1990s. It replaces the YSE 50 or YSE 21 PCBs in the PSM. I suspect it should work with any transmitter using the YSE 21 or YSE 50. These boards cost around \\$90,000 around the turn of the century, but you should be able to build this one for about $150 each in 2024, the most expensive parts are the DIN connectors that mate the board to the transmitter. These boards are far better, because they use software to do the MDCL and facilitate experimentation and…

Modulation dependent carrier level, from the project README
From the project README

Main components on the Modulation dependent carrier level

74LV16574AHCT595C10234CH340GSN74LVC8T245

Modulation dependent carrier level bill of materials (BOM)

64 components, 27 distinct parts — part numbers from the project's BOM.

QtyPartRefs
2
74LV165
U1, U2
2
74AHCT595
U3, U4
1
C10234
74HC1G04GW,125
U5
1
CH340G
U6
1
SN74LVC8T245
U7
1
C963522
12 MHz
Y1
1
Top DIN
J1
1
Lower DIN
J2
1
J1B1211CCD
J3
1
C2682512
USB_B_Micro
J4
1
C2843214
Logic Analyzer SPI0
J5
1
C2843214
Logic Analyzer D_In
J6
1
C2843214
Logic Analyzer D_Out
J7
2
C7506622
Teensy socket
J8, J9
1
C2843214
Logic Analyzer SPI1
J10
1
C3975167
Ethernet Jack Socket
J11
2
Teensy Header
J12, J13
2
GND
TP1, TP2
1
SS14
D1
4
HV-32H307B/260/XSYG
D2, D4, D5, D6
Show 7 more
QtyPartRefs
8
LED
D3, D7, D8, D9, D10, D11, D12, D13
13
0.1U
0.1u
C1, C2, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C9 +5
2
10P
10p
C10, C14
1
10U
10u
C18
4
470
R1, R2, R3, R4
4
100
R5, R6, R7, R8
4
470
R9, R10, R11, R12

Modulation dependent carrier level design files

The KiCad project lives in the frohro/modulation-dependent-carrier-level repository on GitHub; these links point at the commit this page was built from.

Modulation dependent carrier level: common questions

What microcontroller does the Modulation dependent carrier level use?

The Modulation dependent carrier level is built around the C7506622, from the NXP family.

How big is the Modulation dependent carrier level PCB?

The Modulation dependent carrier level measures 220 × 233 mm, has 4 copper layers and is 1.6 mm thick.

How many components are on the Modulation dependent carrier level?

64 components, from 27 distinct parts, with part numbers taken from the project's own BOM. The full bill of materials is listed on this page.

Where can I download the Modulation dependent carrier level design files?

From the frohro/modulation-dependent-carrier-level repository on GitHub, which has the KiCad layout, the schematic and the BOM; the links under Design files point to each one.

Can I use the Modulation dependent carrier level design in my own project?

Yes, under the terms of its GPL-3.0 license, which frohro chose for the repository.

Can I test firmware for the Modulation dependent carrier level without the hardware?

Yes. HardLabs builds a simulation of the board from its netlist and BOM, so you can run and debug NXP firmware against it before you order a PCB.

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