<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16608" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"
bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document
face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>
<DIV>
<DIV>Ray,</DIV>
<DIV>A number of people at RBNO can show you how to solder SMDs</DIV>
<DIV>Dale is probably the best.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>SMDs are plentiful and often the only choice in many newer devices.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>SOIC packages with .050" lead spacing are easy to solder with a little
magnification.</DIV>
<DIV>I try to stay above .5mm (.039") lead center-to-center spacing.</DIV>
<DIV>Stay away from leadless chip frame packages for starters -- I failed there
my first attempt.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>As for resistors and capacitors 1206 and 0805 packages are a good
size.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Mouser shipped UPS ground will get to you next day. Check them out
(mouser.com)</DIV>
<DIV>Get one of their catalogs.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Tanner Electronics or Frys have a selection of prototyping
materials.</DIV>
<DIV>Tanner does not carry many surface mount parts.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Pre-etched boards with lands for SMDs and ability to proto circuit.</DIV>
<DIV>Etch your own boards using Photo Etch process (Martin did a board recently)
or get boards made at prototype house ($60-80..) -- I have done that recently
and can give you a demo of Cadsoft Eagle which you can get for free (will take
you time to learn package -- they have tutorials).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If you have a design idea. You might want to test it out using easier to
work with breadboard and slowed down clock. Once that works, produce high
speed design.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Ron</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient <A title="http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007" href="http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007" target="_blank">used cars</A>.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>