Creating a smaller non-isolated RS485 building block board based on lessons learned from the earlier RS485 and 48 V passthrough design.

A practical look at trying EasyEDA for PCB design, weighing its smooth JLCPCB/LCSC workflow against concerns about vendor lock-in and long-term project control.

Adding a couple of STM32 Nucleo boards to the bench for future embedded development work, USB-C Power Delivery experiments, and possible use in the Digital Sequencer project.

Final testing of the RS485 breakout with 48 V passthrough building block board, including higher-speed RS485 communication tests over approximately 20 metres of Cat 6 cable.

Reflecting on the first RS485 breakout with 48 V passthrough board and why the next revision may split RS485 communication and 48 V distribution into separate building block boards.

Further testing of the RS485 breakout with 48 V passthrough board, including validation of the 48 V polarity protection, identifying a backfeed issue, and testing basic RS485 serial communication over Cat6 cable.

Testing the RS485 breakout with 48 V passthrough building block board using a simple transmitter and receiver setup, including basic signal checks and cable testing over approximately 20 metres of Cat 6.

The first manufactured RS485 breakout with 48 V passthrough boards have arrived, followed by initial inspection, a silkscreen mistake, and the first basic bring-up checks.

Starting a new 8-channel low-side driver building block board for driving solenoids, relays, small motors, and other DC loads from logic-level control signals.

Starting work on a digital IO expander building block board with 8 logic-level inputs, 8 logic-level outputs, output indicator LEDs, and shift-register-based control.