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zeitfest
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Joined: 31/07/2019
Location: Australia
Posts: 549

Posted: 01:46pm 27 Nov 2023

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Anyone built/used the SiliconChip Pico wifi backpack kit?
I have built one with a standard pico, it works OK so far. The quality of the pcb and kit generally was good. It is a bit expensive considering the component list.

The smd capacitors were not identified so I took a guess that the smaller ones were the smaller 100nF and the larger were the microF which seems to have worked.

The sdcard and RTC are both working fine.

I skipped the audio output section (not into audio

) by soldering a link across two of the fet smd pads.

The same pcb is also used for the pico wifi version, I haven't tried that yet.

Chopperp

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Joined: 03/01/2018
Location: Australia
Posts: 1090

Posted: 08:17pm 27 Nov 2023

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No, not yet.

I bought the Pico kit a back in June on a whim

along with another kit (Speed Controller) which I did build.

I got the Pico kit out a few days ago to have a look at starting it. I went delving for the magazine article (carefully filed away of course) & found I needed some flux & solder braid so I got that. (I also downloaded the article & had fun printing that out, but that is another story)

My next task is to actually clear some space on the workbench so I have a chance of working on it without losing stuff in the mess.

I take it that you mounted the Pico on headers as you said you hadn't tried the wifi version? I didn't realise they used the same board.

Thanks for the cap & audio bypassing tips.

Good to know that it works.

Brian

ChopperP

zeitfest
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Joined: 31/07/2019
Location: Australia
Posts: 549

Posted: 12:32pm 28 Nov 2023

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I partially soldered the pico module directly to the pcb, and the sdcard socket as well as the critical capacitors. The-part-connected pico runs OK with serial i/o and so on as a bare bones without the other stuff.

After soldering in more of the pico module and RTC components and adding the screen, the RTC and screen are working fine, but the link is needed to power the screen led.

Chopperp

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Joined: 03/01/2018
Location: Australia
Posts: 1090

Posted: 04:09am 29 Nov 2023

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Thanks for that info. Only soldering what you need of the Pico is a cunning idea. I might try headers on mine.

I'm still waiting for my work bench to tidy itself up....

ChopperP

Revlac

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Joined: 31/12/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 1119

Posted: 12:17am 01 Dec 2023

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Quote I'm still waiting for my work bench to tidy itself up....

I have tried that, more stuff gathers under and around the bench, now I can't get to it.

Cheers Aaron
Off The Grid

Mixtel90

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Joined: 05/10/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 7512

Posted: 07:36am 01 Dec 2023

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There is a law that determines the amount of stuff that can accumulate on a workbench. It's roughly based on the volume of a cone multiplied by the cost of the most fragile and expensive component, I think.

Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs

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