I designed the PCB layout using Altium software. Due to limited resources available during the COVID-19 pandemic, I used an electric skillet to heat the solder paste, connecting the components to the circuit board.

The RADAR uses a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) as the controller. An FPGA was chosen over a micro-controller for its high-speed capability and popularity in communication systems. The Cyclone IV was selected based on its footprint, price point, and high number of input/output pins.

To cater for larger power solutions, the RADAR can accept a range of battery inputs, from 9-12 volts. For the purpose of demonstrations, I used 4 C-cell batteries for their large battery capacity.

The user interacts with RADAR via three toggle switches and a push button to turn on the microphone. A seven-segment display shows the user what radio frequency they have tuned into.

Two external high-speed analog-to-digital (ADC) converters were used for the FPGA to interpret the FM and AM radio signals. A high-speed digital-to-analog (DAC) converter was used for the AM radio transmitter, and another DAC was used with a speaker. One audio amplifier and ADC were used with the microphones for user voice input.