Very sad to hear your struggles. Hope all is looking brighter.
Given the long gap, can you please comment on the timing questions that were raised. The detailed off times, on times and so forth. I like the looks of what @Bernard showed in post #96 (on Christmas Eve!). Would that work for you or is there something wrong with it?
To build circuits, my process is:
0. Research to find the closest thing I can find that might work.
1. Draw a schematic.
Hand drawing is OK. I've worked with computer drawing programs for decades, so for me it's easier to use an app than to draw by hand. Most recently I've started using LTspice. It's not the greatest drawing program but has some advantages specific to making schematics. And the big upside is that, when your drawing is done, you've got yourself a simulator for your circuit! I find this enormously useful to choose the right resistors and capacitors and so on, to make sure a design works and to ensure a design is more robust.
2. Breadboard the circuit to verify that it works. I would never skip this step unless I was incredibly confident in my schematic. The laws of nature are against you getting it right the first time, and a breadboard is so much more forgiving than a PCB.
3. Create a layout for the PCB. I always use protoboard to avoid having to make a PCB myself. Once again I use a drawing program to help with the layout. I've made myself templates components and use the layers feature of the drawing software to keep things organized with one layer for the board, one for the components, one for the solder traces, another for the wiring, and so on. It's pretty slick.
4. Build and validate.
5. I never get to step 5, which would be to make a dedicated PCB. I love the idea of sending in a computer drawing and getting back a finished board with components and everything! But I've never had the thrill yet.
