I started using KiCad 5.1.2 to draw schematics and lay out PCBs in May 2019.
I used KiCad 4.0.6 for 3 weeks in September 2017. The two projects I completed are:
- Shift-Register Break-Out-Board - A modular daisy-chain-able serial-in-parallel-out 74hc595-based shift register circuit board.
- XPhone Input Board - A quad transducer amplifier and glockenspiel-key-hit-detection circuit board.
Eagle was the first CAD program I ever used. I started using Eagle (on version 5.11.0) sometime in early 2011. I stopped on version 6.6.0 in mid 2017. Some of the more interesting projects I completed using Eagle are:
- Analog Synth - a bunch of analog (and digital) DIY synth modules. Designed, built, and tested by your truly. This includes VCOs, VCFs, VCAs, sequencers, front-panel designs, digital delay, manual oscillators, and power-distribution interconnect PCBs.
- Stroboscope - a device that can turn on and off LEDs very fast (at audio frequencies) in order to produce interesting/useful/helpful visual effects. A stroboscope can be used to enable a human to monitor the rotation of things in real time, e.g. fans, drills, wheels, motors, spinning objects, guitar strings, and any other object engaged in cyclic motion.
- VU Meter - a circuit that represents audio amplitude vertically on several bargraphs (each bargraph displays the amplitude of a given section of the audio spectrum). The device can be used to build a real-time visual audio spectrum analyzer.
- FreqCount84 - Atmel microcontroller-based design for precise measurement of frequency of square waves. I believe the hwardware & firmware achieved an accuracy of ± a few ppm with the help of a 1.5 pm TCXO.
- 9x9 LED Matrix - a 2D array of LEDs (9 LEDs wide, 9 LEDs tall). I remember wanting to build an array that had an odd number of pixels because it would allow me to make symetric visual displays. I programmed a game of pong for this 9x9 LED Matrix. That code exists in my repo for Arduino programs.
- Prototype Boards - three PCBs that enable DIY circuit construction. 0.1"-arrays of SMD pads, 0.1"-arrays of through-holes, SOT-to-DIP break-out-boards, SOIC-to-DIP break-out-boards, etc...
I have used LTspice version IV to simulate some of my circuits.