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On computers, a standard bus makes sense, they are just shipping around data and don't care
exactly how that happens so long as it is fast and error free.? And maybe some source of power.

Requirements of a "standard bus" for a radio are going to be all over the map, depending on?
what the radio does, frequencies of interest, how the boards are split up, power levels, ...

A radio with a motherboard into which various modules get plugged into is not a bad idea.
The PCIe connectors themselves work well, are cheap, mate with just a properly routed PC board.?
But that motherboard will be an ad-hoc collection of signals, nothing like implementing a PCIe
bus for a PC.? Unless, possibly, it's an SDR.??

Modules are good though.? I like the thought of a bunch of boards that plug together into a stack
on 0.1" headers, rather like Arduino shields.? And perhaps slides into one of the many extruded?
aluminum boxes with rails.? ?

On the uBitx, might be two boards split between the first mixer and the 30mhz LPF,
so the SSB exciter could be used with various versions of the PA, with its various filters and power?
levels and frequencies.? A third board could optionally be stacked on top of the PA for an
automatic antenna tuner for those keen to have something special to talk about on the air.
Different PA boards for those wanting cheap and functional vs those insisting on "real" RF parts.
Perhaps a different PA board with rx preamp and SWR meter for 1296 mhz.??

But for all those cases, the connection between boards could be kept quite simple.? Just one RF wire
plus power plus an i2c/spi bus.? ?I would not want the burden of some $100 motherboard that
attempts to "do everything" (whatever that is) when I join those boards.

Of course, you may someday want another optional board in the stack on the other side of
the uBitx exciter to implement digital modes using an RPi.? ?And a 7" display stacked on top of that.
Those interconnections might be quite different than that between the exciter and the PA.
But easily handled by a different header from exciter to the digital board.

Stacks of boards can be very tough to tinker with.? I prefer to keep connections mostly along one edge
of the board so a short flexible cable (or U-shaped assembly of two connectors and a small board)
can be slipped in there and the boards folded out for easy debug.? Ideally, use the far side of the board
for a connection to the next board up so you can fold out all three flat on the desk.?

Of course, I've never built a radio like that.??
And will likely have a totally different idea of how best to go about it once I do.
But a generic ham-bus that satisfies everybody seems unlikely.

Jerry, KE7ER?

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