What is the best position to place test points?

[batistalex]

Hi guys.
I'm put some test points on my board and I was wondering which position is the best one to put this test points. It is better to put over a track or make some kind of "stabs". I know that stabs, in general, are bad in high-speed interfaces, but also put the test over a track expose that region and I think that it is a bad thing too. So, what is the best way?

[Lakshmi]

Well it depends what those TP are pointing If it's for a Voltage It's always better in the Bottom.
Are those Rx and Tx pins of the Antenna OR UART?
If of Antenna u need to be careful.
Keep the stubs as short as possible.
have a look at these:

https://blog.asset-intertech.com/test_data_out/2010/07/test-pads-on-highspeed-nets.html

[batistalex]

They are of the UART.

[robertferanec]

I often place testpoints on track (no stubs) and usually on the bottom. But as Lakshmi pointed out, be careful about high speed.

PS: I have seen many people using TEST VIAs - it is basically a VIA, but with no mask. That is also a good solution.

[batistalex]

Thanks, Lakshmi and robertferanec for the tips, it really helped me. In your experience, it is a common practice put test points on high-speed tracks or normally the industry have different ways to make the tests?

[robertferanec]

I have seen test points on PCIE or memory bus, but not everyone put them there (you need very expensive equipment to be able to measure that signals)