Everything you need to build your own DIY-Phone from scratch. No special equipment required.
Building a DIY-Phone takes about 2-3 hours of hands-on time. Here's what you'll need:
Soldering iron, solder, wire strippers, small screwdrivers. Nothing fancy needed.
Order the parts from our bill of materials. Most ship within a week.
To flash firmware. Works with Windows, Mac, or Linux. Arduino IDE or CircuitPython.
Complete parts list with links to suppliers. Estimated total: $80-120 depending on options.
The custom PCB is what brings all the components together. Here's how to order one.
Get the latest PCB design files from our GitHub repository. You'll need the Gerber files for ordering.
We recommend these services for hobbyist-friendly pricing:
On your chosen manufacturer's website:
Expect 1-3 weeks depending on shipping method. JLCPCB economy shipping is slow but cheap. DHL/FedEx is faster but adds ~$15-20.
Once you have all parts, follow these steps to assemble your phone.
Start by soldering the pin headers to the PCB. These will hold the microcontroller and provide breakout connections.
Seat the ItsyBitsy M4 onto the headers. Make sure the USB port faces the correct direction for your case design.
Wire the TFT display to the SPI pins. Use short wires to keep things tidy. The display will sit in front of the PCB.
Connect the SIM7600 module. This is the largest component. Route the antenna wire to the edge of your enclosure.
The CardKB connects via I2C (just 4 wires). It will slide behind the display in most case designs.
Connect the LiPo battery to the charging circuit. Make sure polarity is correct! Double-check before connecting.
Get your phone running with our open source firmware.
Easiest option. Drag-and-drop Python files. Great for customization and learning.
More control, faster performance. Requires Arduino IDE setup.
Check SPI wiring. Make sure CS, DC, and RST pins match your code. Try swapping MOSI/MISO if display is blank.
Ensure antenna is attached. Check that your SIM card is activated and has signal in your area. Try AT commands via serial monitor.
Verify I2C address (usually 0x5F). Check pull-up resistors on SDA/SCL. Run I2C scanner to detect devices.
Check polarity! Verify charging LED. Some LiPo chargers need a minimum load to start. Try with phone powered on.
Still stuck? Ask the community for help!