NOTE - THIS IS PROVIDED BY THE DESIGNER AS A SELF-BUILD PROJECT FOR HOBBYISTS AND BAT ENTHUSIASTS.

PCBWAY IS NOT AUTHORISED TO ASSEMBLE THESE FOR YOU, AS THERE IS AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL MANUFACTURING PARTNERSHIP IN PLACE.

ANY ASSEMBLY ORDERS WILL BE CANCELLED.

ANY ORDERS PLACED ARE ENTIRELY AT YOUR RISK.

REVISION : 7th May 2025

Upped the version number to 5.6 due to microphone chip replacement - the original Knowles microphone was obsoleted, the design now uses the "FORD 2"

REVISION : 18th October 2024

Upped the version number to 5.5 as I have now transitioned to non-ceramic capacitors resulting in a dramatic improvement in recording quality. In particular the impulsing grinding / banging noises associated with writing to the SD card have been eliminated.

REVISION : 7th September 2024

Upped the version number to 5.4 as a pair of ferrite beads had been added in an attempt to further decouple the SD card supply from the general power supply and reduce electrical noise when SD is active. If you wish you may just solder blob these to save 10p.

REVISION : 31st August 2024

The microphone solder paste footprint has been changed to reduce pad size, to make accurate placement on the paste easier and to conform more closely to manufacturer's footprint. The acoustic drill hole has been made slightly bigger than the manufacturer's recommendation at 0.6mm to support easier clearing of excess paste from hole during assembly.

A 3D printed back case has been added, you can choose to order this or not, it will work fine without. Images of 3D renderings of the case are included above. If the case is ordered it must be manufactured using Nylon HP MJF. The 3D print makes 5 cases - if you order 5 PCBs ONLY ORDER 1 3D print. If you order 10 PCBs, order 2 3D prints.

If the devices are assembled with the 3D print case it is important to not fit the "touch guard" at the bottom of the PCB - the case WILL NOT FIT if the touch guard is used. Devices ordered without 3D prints require the touch guard, which is the small irregular-shaped PCB with the holes in it that fits right at the bottom of the PCB.

ABOUT π•pistrelle 5.3 TOUCH

The easiest pipistrelle build yet - all components on the topside, improved solder past footprints for hand-assembly, capacitive touch buttons and much improved firmware. Note that PCBWay is not authorised to assemble these devices on your behalf, they are self-assembly only, so don't try to order with assembly, you will just end up disappointed.

Approximate build cost : £21 per device when 5 are built, £17 per device when 10 are built, based on April 24th 2024 DigiKey list price of £63.62+VAT for 5-off and £109.92+VAT for 10-off. The 3D printed case adds approximately £4 to the build cost if 10 devices are built.

DigiKey shopping list : https://www.digikey.co.uk/en/mylists/list/TINMUX3KE4 - this is the revised shopping list with updated SD interface and replacement capacitors to minimize recording noise

See the website http://www.pippyg.com for more details, videos, downloadable firmware and downloadable assembly guide and user guide

NOTE : the devices rely on capacitive touch, which in turn relies on the PCB's dielectric constant. Because of this it is strongly recommended that you buy PCBs at 1.6mm thick, which is the thickness used to develop the capacitive touch software. For best acoustic performance 1.6mm thick PCBs will require a countersunk hole on the silk screen side - see photograph. This improves ultrasonic microphone response. Countersinking is best done with a ceramic tile drill bit, or a small grind head of a rotary tool. Be sure to clean the holes carefully to be free of resin dust before assembly.

NOTE FOR PCBWAY ENGINEERS - THIS IS NOT A 3 PCB PANELIZED DESIGN. THE 3 PIECES FORM A SINGLE DESIGN. PART OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD ATTACHES AS A COMPONENT TO FORM A CAPACITIVE TOUCH GUARD, THE OTHER PIECE IS A TOOL TO HELP REMOVE BATTERIES FROM THE BAT DETECTOR.

PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE HIGH PRICES TO CUSTOMERS, THIS IS A SINGLE PCB $5 DESIGN. THANK YOU.