[time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Another update on progress: -- Now at the stage where two of the three 3210's are working. The fault that was blowing the line fuse turned out to be a shorted reservoir cap. Managed to find an Ebay seller in Greece with exactly the same voltage, capacity and outline, though different manufacturer. The caps have a stud mount at the base of the can, so not easy to find, but bought four at just over 3 ukp each and replaced both caps in the psu, leaving two for spares. From cold, the spec is up to 90 minutes warmup time, but if the OCXO and pump have been running for some time, both units lock up within 4 minutes. Have done some setup. For example, normalised the gains and offsets in the preamps as per the manual and both units show the expected preamp level of ~165mV and 2nd harmonic amplitude of 9-10 on the meter, so assume both tubes are in good condition. None of the settings were very far out. Took a set of measurements from one of the good units and the faulty for comparison, with similar results, Good unit as follows, but faulty unit more or less the same: Ion pump = EHT ok, meter = 0 Electron multiplier EHT voltage = 1800 volts, (100Mohm hv probe on o/p wire) Cesium oven = Not open circuit, voltage = 5.5 volts Ioniser = not open circuit, 1 volt p-p square wave at ~26KHz Synthesiser output = 12.6317715, follows variation in OCXO and in lock Backplane test points, tpb, tpc = 8.2 volts p-p square wave, ~137 Hz. Multiplier 12.6... MHz input = 2v p-p (Scope) Multiplier 137Hz input = 2.25v p-p (Scope) Multiplier 180MHz output = +26DBm (HP 3406A rf voltmeter + 20DB attenuator) Microwave tap on waveguide = -14.5DBm, threaded attenuator works (HP432A, 478A) The 3406 and 432 are quite old and the sensor head is even older, but should be reasonably accurate. The 478A head was coupled to the microwave tap using a ~3 inch length of rigid coax, so not much attenuation. Hopefully, these figures may help others trying to debug these standards, but if there's anything i've missed, please let me know. For the faulty unit, even with all the levels as expected, there is still no signal, nor 2nd harmonic, even with the preamp gain turned up to max. Connected a Fluke electrometer in series with the preamp input socket, but the current is at least 100 times down on 1nA. Looks like the tube is completely lifed, or has an internal fault. /FX: Have visions of a sad, faithful and slowly dying 3210 left for decades in a rack, in the dark, powered up, but long forgotten after the accurate reference it provided ceased to be used anywhere in the organisation. A ship adrift for thousands of years, but all systems still at least partially working and waiting to be discovered :-). So what else am I missing in this puzzle ?... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Hi Chris, Nice work! I can't help you with the faulty unit. There are others on the list with deeper insight in that OSA Cs core. Hope they have time to chime in. But I do have a telco variant of the same Cs core running in the basement. Its running continously (ocxo and ion pump) but its not burning the last fumes of Cs in the tube. This is since I don't see access or money available for a replacement tube. As you noted. With ocxo warm and cosy and the ion pump running it does not take long for Cs lock when needed. A mode where you can use the unit as premium ocxo (bva :-) ) standard that can be calibrated against the cs tube periodically as needed would suit my situation. However there are (at least) two mods needed. Because unless the cs tube burnes, there is no power to the 1) output buffer card. And thus no output signal. 2) potentiometer adjusting the bva frequency. Thus without cs tube running the bva is off freq. This design might have been a safe one in the original market. But I think modding the unit to let it run mostly as a very stable crystal standard is better for hobbyist use. Have others done these kind of mods to prolong the Cs tube life? Kind regards, Björn div Originalmeddelande /divdivFrån: Chris syseng.greenfi...@btconnect.com /divdivDatum:2014-09-29 22:43 (GMT+01:00) /divdivTill: time-nuts@febo.com /divdivRubrik: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard /divdiv /divAnother update on progress: -- Now at the stage where two of the three 3210's are working. The fault that was blowing the line fuse turned out to be a shorted reservoir cap. Managed to find an Ebay seller in Greece with exactly the same voltage, capacity and outline, though different manufacturer. The caps have a stud mount at the base of the can, so not easy to find, but bought four at just over 3 ukp each and replaced both caps in the psu, leaving two for spares. From cold, the spec is up to 90 minutes warmup time, but if the OCXO and pump have been running for some time, both units lock up within 4 minutes. Have done some setup. For example, normalised the gains and offsets in the preamps as per the manual and both units show the expected preamp level of ~165mV and 2nd harmonic amplitude of 9-10 on the meter, so assume both tubes are in good condition. None of the settings were very far out. Took a set of measurements from one of the good units and the faulty for comparison, with similar results, Good unit as follows, but faulty unit more or less the same: Ion pump = EHT ok, meter = 0 Electron multiplier EHT voltage = 1800 volts, (100Mohm hv probe on o/p wire) Cesium oven = Not open circuit, voltage = 5.5 volts Ioniser = not open circuit, 1 volt p-p square wave at ~26KHz Synthesiser output = 12.6317715, follows variation in OCXO and in lock Backplane test points, tpb, tpc = 8.2 volts p-p square wave, ~137 Hz. Multiplier 12.6... MHz input = 2v p-p (Scope) Multiplier 137Hz input = 2.25v p-p (Scope) Multiplier 180MHz output = +26DBm (HP 3406A rf voltmeter + 20DB attenuator) Microwave tap on waveguide = -14.5DBm, threaded attenuator works (HP432A, 478A) The 3406 and 432 are quite old and the sensor head is even older, but should be reasonably accurate. The 478A head was coupled to the microwave tap using a ~3 inch length of rigid coax, so not much attenuation. Hopefully, these figures may help others trying to debug these standards, but if there's anything i've missed, please let me know. For the faulty unit, even with all the levels as expected, there is still no signal, nor 2nd harmonic, even with the preamp gain turned up to max. Connected a Fluke electrometer in series with the preamp input socket, but the current is at least 100 times down on 1nA. Looks like the tube is completely lifed, or has an internal fault. /FX: Have visions of a sad, faithful and slowly dying 3210 left for decades in a rack, in the dark, powered up, but long forgotten after the accurate reference it provided ceased to be used anywhere in the organisation. A ship adrift for thousands of years, but all systems still at least partially working and waiting to be discovered :-). So what else am I missing in this puzzle ?... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Hi, We have already hacked a DC-DC converter to feed the output board with separate power. It was relatively easy. Haven't had the time too look at doing the same to the external trimmer. Cheers, Magnus On 09/30/2014 02:09 AM, Björn wrote: Hi Chris, Nice work! I can't help you with the faulty unit. There are others on the list with deeper insight in that OSA Cs core. Hope they have time to chime in. But I do have a telco variant of the same Cs core running in the basement. Its running continously (ocxo and ion pump) but its not burning the last fumes of Cs in the tube. This is since I don't see access or money available for a replacement tube. As you noted. With ocxo warm and cosy and the ion pump running it does not take long for Cs lock when needed. A mode where you can use the unit as premium ocxo (bva :-) ) standard that can be calibrated against the cs tube periodically as needed would suit my situation. However there are (at least) two mods needed. Because unless the cs tube burnes, there is no power to the 1) output buffer card. And thus no output signal. 2) potentiometer adjusting the bva frequency. Thus without cs tube running the bva is off freq. This design might have been a safe one in the original market. But I think modding the unit to let it run mostly as a very stable crystal standard is better for hobbyist use. Have others done these kind of mods to prolong the Cs tube life? Kind regards, Björn div Originalmeddelande /divdivFrån: Chris syseng.greenfi...@btconnect.com /divdivDatum:2014-09-29 22:43 (GMT+01:00) /divdivTill: time-nuts@febo.com /divdivRubrik: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard /divdiv /divAnother update on progress: -- Now at the stage where two of the three 3210's are working. The fault that was blowing the line fuse turned out to be a shorted reservoir cap. Managed to find an Ebay seller in Greece with exactly the same voltage, capacity and outline, though different manufacturer. The caps have a stud mount at the base of the can, so not easy to find, but bought four at just over 3 ukp each and replaced both caps in the psu, leaving two for spares. From cold, the spec is up to 90 minutes warmup time, but if the OCXO and pump have been running for some time, both units lock up within 4 minutes. Have done some setup. For example, normalised the gains and offsets in the preamps as per the manual and both units show the expected preamp level of ~165mV and 2nd harmonic amplitude of 9-10 on the meter, so assume both tubes are in good condition. None of the settings were very far out. Took a set of measurements from one of the good units and the faulty for comparison, with similar results, Good unit as follows, but faulty unit more or less the same: Ion pump = EHT ok, meter = 0 Electron multiplier EHT voltage = 1800 volts, (100Mohm hv probe on o/p wire) Cesium oven = Not open circuit, voltage = 5.5 volts Ioniser = not open circuit, 1 volt p-p square wave at ~26KHz Synthesiser output = 12.6317715, follows variation in OCXO and in lock Backplane test points, tpb, tpc = 8.2 volts p-p square wave, ~137 Hz. Multiplier 12.6... MHz input = 2v p-p (Scope) Multiplier 137Hz input = 2.25v p-p (Scope) Multiplier 180MHz output = +26DBm (HP 3406A rf voltmeter + 20DB attenuator) Microwave tap on waveguide = -14.5DBm, threaded attenuator works (HP432A, 478A) The 3406 and 432 are quite old and the sensor head is even older, but should be reasonably accurate. The 478A head was coupled to the microwave tap using a ~3 inch length of rigid coax, so not much attenuation. Hopefully, these figures may help others trying to debug these standards, but if there's anything i've missed, please let me know. For the faulty unit, even with all the levels as expected, there is still no signal, nor 2nd harmonic, even with the preamp gain turned up to max. Connected a Fluke electrometer in series with the preamp input socket, but the current is at least 100 times down on 1nA. Looks like the tube is completely lifed, or has an internal fault. /FX: Have visions of a sad, faithful and slowly dying 3210 left for decades in a rack, in the dark, powered up, but long forgotten after the accurate reference it provided ceased to be used anywhere in the organisation. A ship adrift for thousands of years, but all systems still at least partially working and waiting to be discovered :-). So what else am I missing in this puzzle ?... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Hello, I uploaded some photos, here are the links: http://www.datafilehost.com/d/c81e3461 http://www.datafilehost.com/d/95ac3833 http://www.datafilehost.com/d/b7707109 http://www.datafilehost.com/d/809a2ef8 http://www.datafilehost.com/d/6c3381df http://www.datafilehost.com/d/c0684d5b I double checked the capacitors and they are mounted accordingly. No diode seems to be shorted. I have one cap that doesn't seem to be connected to the ground, i will check it later to see if it should or not. On first picture you can see the connectors on the small board. Two of them are the outputs, but i can't figure out what the other connectors are. Thank you! ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Did a major breakthrough! Obviously it was my fault, by mistake i swapped two connectors. My luck is that the power board has some safety elements. OK, now with the connectors in correct position I have 8.5 and 17 volts on the outputs. Getting closer ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Ohhh that hurts and you were lucky. I always mark connectors for that exact reason. I was going to download the pictures but it kept trying to download some executable. So will not be able to look at your pictures. Regards Paul. On Tue, Sep 9, 2014 at 4:35 AM, Adrian Constantinescu adrian.valentin.constantine...@gmail.com wrote: Did a major breakthrough! Obviously it was my fault, by mistake i swapped two connectors. My luck is that the power board has some safety elements. OK, now with the connectors in correct position I have 8.5 and 17 volts on the outputs. Getting closer ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Replacing the caps could have increased voltages and exposed a fault that caused the caps to fail... As always step 1 - check voltages/regulators. Remove bridging components (diodes, power resistors) if necessary to stop the smoke and trace the circuit as any number of components could have gone open circuit. Double check your soldering just in case there is an accidental bridge in there. Good luck. Cheers J. On Tue, Sep 9, 2014 at 8:47 AM, Pete Lancashire p...@petelancashire.com wrote: If not check for shorted diodes. -pete On Sep 8, 2014 2:43 PM, paul swed paulsw...@gmail.com wrote: Adrian please copy me on the pictures also. Whats odd is the caps were bulging. You replaced them and now things are smoking. Might one have been put in backwards? Regards Paul. WB8TSL On Mon, Sep 8, 2014 at 4:49 PM, Adrian Constantinescu adrian.valentin.constantine...@gmail.com wrote: Bert Kehren via time-nuts time-nuts@... writes: or send it off list if you can not compress it. Bert Thank you for your quick reply, i will take some pictures in the morning and post them. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. -- -- Teach your kids Science, or somebody else will :/ ja...@ball.net vk2...@google.com vk2f...@google.com callsign: vk2vjb ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
yes I got these executable too, and therefore did not continued 73 Alex On 9/9/2014 5:59 AM, paul swed wrote: Ohhh that hurts and you were lucky. I always mark connectors for that exact reason. I was going to download the pictures but it kept trying to download some executable. So will not be able to look at your pictures. Regards Paul. On Tue, Sep 9, 2014 at 4:35 AM, Adrian Constantinescu adrian.valentin.constantine...@gmail.com wrote: Did a major breakthrough! Obviously it was my fault, by mistake i swapped two connectors. My luck is that the power board has some safety elements. OK, now with the connectors in correct position I have 8.5 and 17 volts on the outputs. Getting closer ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
I forgot to tell you to uncheck the download manager thing, that's why it is downloading .exe. Anyway, i ran some test today, i unplugged the high voltage driver and found out that instead of 10 volts on one output i now have 13-15 volts, which means that either it is a bad filter, or the pwm feedback is bad. On the other hand, the 24 volts output remains 17 volts no matter what, which would probably indicate either a bad pwm controller or a bad converter. I figured out the pwm controller and the mosfet for the 24 volts voltage, and i will put a scope tomorrow to see what happens, but i was unable to figure out where the 10 volts voltage is coming from. I also found a technical manual for osa 5585, but it is rather ambiguous. From it i found out that the input of the power board is on the db15 connector, but it seems there are some missing voltages from it. But one thing at the time. I have 23.5V on the input which is exactly what is written on the power supply. So i must be able to obtain the 10 and 24 voltages. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Untick the box and the download button will apear! Raj At 09-09-2014, you wrote: I was going to download the pictures but it kept trying to download some executable. So will not be able to look at your pictures. Regards Paul. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Hello, I have a OSA-5585 cesium PRS and it is not working. On the local manager i have a cesium module alarm. I opened it and found out that the high power module that drives the cesium oven is not working because it doesn't receive the correct voltages. Instead of 10 and 24 volts it only gets 8 and 13 volts. So i pulled out the power board and found out all the capacitors were bulged. I replaced all of them with the corresponding values and now i have 0 volts on its output and some smoke coming from a diode on the board. Does anyone have some schematics for this unit, or could at least help me with the connectors on the power board? I found the output connectors that should deliver the 10 and 24 volts but i don't know what the inputs are. If i can find out what the inputs are then i could debug the board easier. Please excuse my writing, english is not my native language. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Can you post a picture of the board Bert Miami In a message dated 9/8/2014 2:20:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, adrian.valentin.constantine...@gmail.com writes: Hello, I have a OSA-5585 cesium PRS and it is not working. On the local manager i have a cesium module alarm. I opened it and found out that the high power module that drives the cesium oven is not working because it doesn't receive the correct voltages. Instead of 10 and 24 volts it only gets 8 and 13 volts. So i pulled out the power board and found out all the capacitors were bulged. I replaced all of them with the corresponding values and now i have 0 volts on its output and some smoke coming from a diode on the board. Does anyone have some schematics for this unit, or could at least help me with the connectors on the power board? I found the output connectors that should deliver the 10 and 24 volts but i don't know what the inputs are. If i can find out what the inputs are then i could debug the board easier. Please excuse my writing, english is not my native language. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
or send it off list if you can not compress it. Bert In a message dated 9/8/2014 2:20:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, adrian.valentin.constantine...@gmail.com writes: Hello, I have a OSA-5585 cesium PRS and it is not working. On the local manager i have a cesium module alarm. I opened it and found out that the high power module that drives the cesium oven is not working because it doesn't receive the correct voltages. Instead of 10 and 24 volts it only gets 8 and 13 volts. So i pulled out the power board and found out all the capacitors were bulged. I replaced all of them with the corresponding values and now i have 0 volts on its output and some smoke coming from a diode on the board. Does anyone have some schematics for this unit, or could at least help me with the connectors on the power board? I found the output connectors that should deliver the 10 and 24 volts but i don't know what the inputs are. If i can find out what the inputs are then i could debug the board easier. Please excuse my writing, english is not my native language. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Adrian please copy me on the pictures also. Whats odd is the caps were bulging. You replaced them and now things are smoking. Might one have been put in backwards? Regards Paul. WB8TSL On Mon, Sep 8, 2014 at 4:49 PM, Adrian Constantinescu adrian.valentin.constantine...@gmail.com wrote: Bert Kehren via time-nuts time-nuts@... writes: or send it off list if you can not compress it. Bert Thank you for your quick reply, i will take some pictures in the morning and post them. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
If not check for shorted diodes. -pete On Sep 8, 2014 2:43 PM, paul swed paulsw...@gmail.com wrote: Adrian please copy me on the pictures also. Whats odd is the caps were bulging. You replaced them and now things are smoking. Might one have been put in backwards? Regards Paul. WB8TSL On Mon, Sep 8, 2014 at 4:49 PM, Adrian Constantinescu adrian.valentin.constantine...@gmail.com wrote: Bert Kehren via time-nuts time-nuts@... writes: or send it off list if you can not compress it. Bert Thank you for your quick reply, i will take some pictures in the morning and post them. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
[time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Hi Tom, Just catching up and time for an update on progress. Had had to put the faulty 3210 to one side this week to get some work done, but a couple of developments meantime: First: Put an enquiry on the Oscilloquartz web enquiry form a week or so ago and they sent me the full 3210 pdf manual. Theory, adjustments and full schematics. Needless to say very grateful and sent back an email thanking them. Although there were no conditions attached, I have to assume it was sent in confidence, so can't upload to a file share site, but if anyone needs a copy, please contact me off list. Thanks to Tom for scanning his manual as well. It looks like an earlier version than I have and there seem to be minor differences, so a scan of the whole thing would be good, if possible. I have a Panasonic doc scanner, A4 A3, long and user defined pages, colour etc (Ebay, 20 ukp :-) and could scan the whole volume if you are in the UK. Second: I had a possible line on two more of these 3210's and offer accepted, collected them yesterday. One blows the line fuse, which should be simple fix, but the other one actually works. Ion current way off scale to start, with one psu rail cycling on and off, but after an hour or two, lock light on and integrator starting to fall back as the OCXO warmed up. The 2nd harmonic, which was zero on the original unit, started creeping up from just visible indication, to 4 of 10 after ~5 hours, then after running all night, shows full scale at 10, Utopia :-). Valid range from the manual is 2-10, so this looks like a very good tube. Am going to leave it running for a month, then go right through the setup procedure. Both units collected yesterday were each in a small subrack, with Racal badged standbye psu + batteries and the whole rack marked as Portable Frequency Standard. That is, take to a site, power up, calibrate whatever, then power down and put back in store. They may have done very few hours, but that may be wishful thinking. Two still to fix then, but now have a working unit for comparison and at last, a properly working cesium standard for the lab. Thanks to everyone who replied here along the way, the response and encouragement have been amazing... Regards, Chris cc this to tvb, in case this doesn't reach the list... ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Tom Thank you for the information on the OSA 3210 This is what I know. OSA 3000 is the Cs module only with three OCXO versions B-5400, 8602 and 8612. All the pictures and information I have seen and the modules that I have, show identical boards and assemblies. I am not aware of a later version in my opinion the 3000 is a repackaged FTS 4000/5000. Maybe they came up with a later version but only time nuts could answer that OSA 32XX all are complete units just like FTS offered 4060 etc. all have a OSA 3000 inside. Same goes for RS-XSC OSA 3020 and OSA 3100 no idea. Bert Kehren In a message dated 9/3/2014 9:02:52 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, t...@leapsecond.com writes: http://www.leapsecond.com/museum/osa3200/ ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Nice scan Tom. Clean. I most likely will never run across either unit. But always good to read about them. Regards Paul WB8TSL On Wed, Sep 3, 2014 at 9:01 PM, Tom Van Baak t...@leapsecond.com wrote: Hi Chris, Sorry for a delayed reply. The OSA 3210 is one of the only cesium standards I don't have in the museum. I've seen one or two on eBay over the past decade but not in worthwhile condition. I hope you can get yours working. If not, let me know... The good news is that I have an original Oscilloquartz 3200 cesium manual. Today I scanned the first part of it for you. See: http://www.leapsecond.com/museum/osa3200/ If this is helpful to your efforts, I'll try to scan the schematics as well. The manual is an inch thick. I don't know the model differences. I've seen 3000, 3020 and 3200, 3210, 3230, 3235 mentioned on the web. Maybe 3120. I'm also not clear about the differences in series-3000 vs. series-3100 vs. series 3200. If anyone knows, please post details. Thanks, /tvb - Original Message - From: Chris syseng.greenfi...@btconnect.com To: time-nuts@febo.com Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2014 2:09 PM Subject: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard Hi, I recently bought an Oscilloquartz 3210 cesium standard and although it does power up, it does not lock. All the parameters on the meter look sensible, other than the 2nd harmonic, #9 parameter, which shows zero. Quart oscillator output looks almost spot on in comparison with the lab Z3816. I have no info on this unit at all, so this may either be a dead tube, or other electronic fault on one of the many pcb's in the system. Ion pump had a small reading on power up, but now dropped back to zero. I am looking for a user guide for this unit, or even better, a manual with theory of operation and setup info. Can anyone help with this, or perhaps suggest a source ?. Year of manufacture estimated 1984/85, from date code on ic's. I notice that the tube is from FTS, the same construction as in the FTS 4060, but different part number and wonder if this was original fitment, or has been replaced at some stage... Regards Thanks Chris Quayle Oxford, England ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Bert, On 09/04/2014 12:56 PM, Bert Kehren via time-nuts wrote: Tom Thank you for the information on the OSA 3210 This is what I know. OSA 3000 is the Cs module only with three OCXO versions B-5400, 8602 and 8612. Later versions of the OSA 3000 also had 8613. I have seen 8613 and 8602.11 myself. All the pictures and information I have seen and the modules that I have, show identical boards and assemblies. Depending on oscillator, time-constants was different, but that is just mounting-cases of the same board. Cheers, Magnus ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Good evening Magnus You should post it on time nuts. Do you know the specs on these? I have not seen a data sheet on the 8602 , 8612 or B-6400. now 8613 and what about 11? Bert In a message dated 9/4/2014 1:27:12 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, mag...@rubidium.dyndns.org writes: Bert, On 09/04/2014 12:56 PM, Bert Kehren via time-nuts wrote: Tom Thank you for the information on the OSA 3210 This is what I know. OSA 3000 is the Cs module only with three OCXO versions B-5400, 8602 and 8612. Later versions of the OSA 3000 also had 8613. I have seen 8613 and 8602.11 myself. All the pictures and information I have seen and the modules that I have, show identical boards and assemblies. Depending on oscillator, time-constants was different, but that is just mounting-cases of the same board. Cheers, Magnus ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Bert, I hope this will satisfy your curiosity somewhat: http://rubidium.se/~magnus/time/oscilloquartz/20140904_215635.jpg I don't have any info on the B-5400 unfortunately. As you see, the 8602 comes in three variants, 8602, 8602.11 ans 8602.11.05. The later two have some differences in setability range, but nothing major, I don't have enough detail. Some other 8600/8601 data is here: http://rubidium.se/~magnus/time/oscilloquartz/8601/ Wish I had more to share, the little more I have is not that interesting. Cheers, Magnus On 09/04/2014 08:31 PM, Bert Kehren via time-nuts wrote: Good evening Magnus You should post it on time nuts. Do you know the specs on these? I have not seen a data sheet on the 8602 , 8612 or B-6400. now 8613 and what about 11? Bert In a message dated 9/4/2014 1:27:12 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, mag...@rubidium.dyndns.org writes: Bert, On 09/04/2014 12:56 PM, Bert Kehren via time-nuts wrote: Tom Thank you for the information on the OSA 3210 This is what I know. OSA 3000 is the Cs module only with three OCXO versions B-5400, 8602 and 8612. Later versions of the OSA 3000 also had 8613. I have seen 8613 and 8602.11 myself. All the pictures and information I have seen and the modules that I have, show identical boards and assemblies. Depending on oscillator, time-constants was different, but that is just mounting-cases of the same board. Cheers, Magnus ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Good evening Magnus You should post it on time nuts. Hi Bert, It looks like Magnus did in fact post his message to time-nuts. I'd like to figure out why it appeared as a private email to you instead of a normal time-nuts posting. Give me a call or email. His and your postings came through just fine. See: https://www.febo.com/pipermail/time-nuts/2014-September/date.html https://www.febo.com/pipermail/time-nuts/2014-September/086435.html https://www.febo.com/pipermail/time-nuts/2014-September/086436.html A note to everyone -- the past few weeks John and I are trying to figure out how to get the time-nuts list sort of back to the way it was. The new version of mailman he's using has features to accommodate domains using DMARC (e.g., AOL, Yahoo, ATT, Microsoft (hotmail, outlook, live), Comcast). That should bring back the hundred or so members who keep getting bounced off time-nuts at febo.com If you have technical questions or suggestions about this let me (tvb@leapsecond) and John (j...@febo.com) know. Thanks, /tvb ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Magnus, here is at least some information on the B-5400: http://tf.boulder.nist.gov/general/pdf/26.pdf That is the paper mentioned in the 3200 manual. Btw. do you have any information on the B-1325? Cheers, Adrian Magnus Danielson schrieb: Bert, I hope this will satisfy your curiosity somewhat: http://rubidium.se/~magnus/time/oscilloquartz/20140904_215635.jpg I don't have any info on the B-5400 unfortunately. As you see, the 8602 comes in three variants, 8602, 8602.11 ans 8602.11.05. The later two have some differences in setability range, but nothing major, I don't have enough detail. Some other 8600/8601 data is here: http://rubidium.se/~magnus/time/oscilloquartz/8601/ Wish I had more to share, the little more I have is not that interesting. Cheers, Magnus On 09/04/2014 08:31 PM, Bert Kehren via time-nuts wrote: Good evening Magnus You should post it on time nuts. Do you know the specs on these? I have not seen a data sheet on the 8602 , 8612 or B-6400. now 8613 and what about 11? Bert In a message dated 9/4/2014 1:27:12 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, mag...@rubidium.dyndns.org writes: Bert, On 09/04/2014 12:56 PM, Bert Kehren via time-nuts wrote: Tom Thank you for the information on the OSA 3210 This is what I know. OSA 3000 is the Cs module only with three OCXO versions B-5400, 8602 and 8612. Later versions of the OSA 3000 also had 8613. I have seen 8613 and 8602.11 myself. All the pictures and information I have seen and the modules that I have, show identical boards and assemblies. Depending on oscillator, time-constants was different, but that is just mounting-cases of the same board. Cheers, Magnus ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Hi Chris, Sorry for a delayed reply. The OSA 3210 is one of the only cesium standards I don't have in the museum. I've seen one or two on eBay over the past decade but not in worthwhile condition. I hope you can get yours working. If not, let me know... The good news is that I have an original Oscilloquartz 3200 cesium manual. Today I scanned the first part of it for you. See: http://www.leapsecond.com/museum/osa3200/ If this is helpful to your efforts, I'll try to scan the schematics as well. The manual is an inch thick. I don't know the model differences. I've seen 3000, 3020 and 3200, 3210, 3230, 3235 mentioned on the web. Maybe 3120. I'm also not clear about the differences in series-3000 vs. series-3100 vs. series 3200. If anyone knows, please post details. Thanks, /tvb - Original Message - From: Chris syseng.greenfi...@btconnect.com To: time-nuts@febo.com Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2014 2:09 PM Subject: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard Hi, I recently bought an Oscilloquartz 3210 cesium standard and although it does power up, it does not lock. All the parameters on the meter look sensible, other than the 2nd harmonic, #9 parameter, which shows zero. Quart oscillator output looks almost spot on in comparison with the lab Z3816. I have no info on this unit at all, so this may either be a dead tube, or other electronic fault on one of the many pcb's in the system. Ion pump had a small reading on power up, but now dropped back to zero. I am looking for a user guide for this unit, or even better, a manual with theory of operation and setup info. Can anyone help with this, or perhaps suggest a source ?. Year of manufacture estimated 1984/85, from date code on ic's. I notice that the tube is from FTS, the same construction as in the FTS 4060, but different part number and wonder if this was original fitment, or has been replaced at some stage... Regards Thanks Chris Quayle Oxford, England ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
I have one of those modules but in a Telecom Solutions wrapping. It seems like for your purposes, at least bypassing the output synthesis would be a good thing. Cheers, Magnus On 08/29/2014 10:06 AM, Javier Herrero wrote: It seems that later, they decided to shameless use the FTS/Datum/Symmetricom FTS-5045 module http://www.gigatest.net/datum/5045txt2.pdf The OSA-5585 I've has one inside, labeled Symmetricom everywere, and the Oscilloquartz contribution is a subrack containing the DC-input and AC-input power supplies, a controller that manages the FTS-5045 through its serial port, and some clock synthesis and distribution cards to provide PPS, 10MHz and 2.048MHz, with a spectral quality a lot worse than the output from the FTS-5045. I find the Oscilloquartz part of the equipment not very good nor very usefult to my purposes, to a point I'm thinking on to remove it completely an control/monitor directly the FTS-5045 with whatever thing with a serial port and a display (my Blackfin module, a Beaglebone o whatever similar) Regards, Javier On 29/08/2014 1:23, Magnus Danielson wrote: FTS had a patent on microcontroller steered cesium, which could naturally have limited the spreading time of that technology. Oscilloquartz at the time where more focused on the telecommunication market and meeting the ITU-T G.811 PRC quality requirement, keeping within +/. 1E-11 in frequency, and that is achievable with the analog design, so no rush changing it. FTS and HP where more into time-keeping, so therefore improving the design made more market sense for them. Anyway, that's about how I have perceived the market at the time. Cheers, Magnus On 08/28/2014 11:47 PM, Chris wrote: On 08/28/14 19:53, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Then it is a quite different beast to the EUDICS 3120, that they also call OSA-3120... I note now that yours is a 3210, not 3120 :) Regards, Javier The 3210 looks like a much earlier design, prior to the inclusion of microprocessor control. Date codes look mid eighties, by which time companies like FTS did have microprocessor control. Maybe their later design products ran in parallel because of gov or esa contracts. In theory, the more straightforward hardware design should make it easier to keep running, tube life permitting, assuming the info can be found. Thanks for sending it anyway - it all adds to the sum of knowledge... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Magnus is right if there is any tube life at all and I do mean fumes. (odd spacing all of the sudden) In HP 5060/5061 Frankenstein (A combo of the two systems) I built a new heater controller to drive the few fumes off of the 5060 tube. Amazingly the darn thing works. The i meter barely barely moves. But yet it locks. Good luck. Paul WB8TSL On Thu, Aug 28, 2014 at 12:47 PM, Magnus Danielson mag...@rubidium.dyndns.org wrote: If you have tube-life and not other issues, it's about the same. Also works for rubidiums, as the loop aspect here is essentially the same. There can be *other* issues. For the 5060A for instance, you might need to also adjust the crystal filter of the OCXO, as that too drifts out of range, so you get no signal out. What I write is not a fix-it-all but rather addresses that one issue. Cheers, Magnus On 08/28/2014 06:35 PM, Bob Bownes wrote: Is there a similar 'bring it back to life' procedure for the 5061A? On Thu, Aug 28, 2014 at 12:32 PM, Magnus Danielson mag...@rubidium.dyndns.org wrote: Chris, Do you have a GPS clock? First turn the operational mode setting from off to second step (ocxo + ion pump) and let it stay there for a day or so. Then, as the oven have stabilized, switch it over to third step, the open loop mode, and tune the OCXO up against a GPS reference so that it is very near 5 MHz. You use the calibration whole on the front of the clock for that. Then, you turn the operation mode switch to the fourth and last step, the closed loop step, and see if it locks up. Let it just sit there and lock up, as it takes some time. It's quite common that OCXOs have drifted outside the capture range of the analogue loop, so loosing lock and not being able to attain it again is a typical response. Cheers, Magnus On 08/28/2014 04:33 PM, Chris wrote: On 08/28/14 05:03, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Here is the manual I've. I have also some other documentations, and some Oscilloquartz software for the OSA-5585, but I don't know if they are very useful. Regards, Javier Hi Javier, Thanks for that and for the other replies. The 3210 looks like quite an early design, with no sign of microprocessors at all. There's a 8 slot card cage with a load of discrete analog circuitry, 741 op amps etc and a couple of boards full of 14 / 16 pin ssi cmos / ttl devices, which I guess would be the synthesiser logic and perhaps a state machine style startup sequencer. Apart from that, the rest is power supply related and what looks like an alarm board with optoisolator discete outputs to a 25 way D connector. The step recovery diode (?) multiplier into the microwave cavity is a really neat gold plated assembly with what looks like a 50r termination (setup tap for spectrum analyser ?) and an adjustment trimmer, but am not touching that or the many trimpots on the boards or any adjustments until I have more info. The tube is from FTS, part number / model 7101. It seems strange that the 2nd harmonic, meter #9, is zero, since even with a tube approaching eol, one would expect at least some indication, which is why I think there may be an electronic fault. Perhaps the hv power supply module feeding the electron multiplier. Will try to measure that, but the area around the tube is really heavily rivetted and screwed down in all directions. Looks like a lot of the left hand side of the case will need to be disassembled just to get at the tube connections. It also had the battery backup option, with 4 sets of 3 x cyclon type cells, but with a date code of 1984, are seriously dead and have been removed. This time nuts things seems to be a growing interest and wonder if there is a cure ? :-). Recently bought a 1970's era Tracor 304D rubidium standard. Again, no lock, but a very well engineered and screwed together piece of kit and should be fixable. Collection now includes the Z3816, from Ebay US around 7 years ago, a Z3815 currently being repackaged, an HP103 with open circuit oven heater elements and the 3210... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/ mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/ mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
It seems that later, they decided to shameless use the FTS/Datum/Symmetricom FTS-5045 module http://www.gigatest.net/datum/5045txt2.pdf The OSA-5585 I've has one inside, labeled Symmetricom everywere, and the Oscilloquartz contribution is a subrack containing the DC-input and AC-input power supplies, a controller that manages the FTS-5045 through its serial port, and some clock synthesis and distribution cards to provide PPS, 10MHz and 2.048MHz, with a spectral quality a lot worse than the output from the FTS-5045. I find the Oscilloquartz part of the equipment not very good nor very usefult to my purposes, to a point I'm thinking on to remove it completely an control/monitor directly the FTS-5045 with whatever thing with a serial port and a display (my Blackfin module, a Beaglebone o whatever similar) Regards, Javier On 29/08/2014 1:23, Magnus Danielson wrote: FTS had a patent on microcontroller steered cesium, which could naturally have limited the spreading time of that technology. Oscilloquartz at the time where more focused on the telecommunication market and meeting the ITU-T G.811 PRC quality requirement, keeping within +/. 1E-11 in frequency, and that is achievable with the analog design, so no rush changing it. FTS and HP where more into time-keeping, so therefore improving the design made more market sense for them. Anyway, that's about how I have perceived the market at the time. Cheers, Magnus On 08/28/2014 11:47 PM, Chris wrote: On 08/28/14 19:53, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Then it is a quite different beast to the EUDICS 3120, that they also call OSA-3120... I note now that yours is a 3210, not 3120 :) Regards, Javier The 3210 looks like a much earlier design, prior to the inclusion of microprocessor control. Date codes look mid eighties, by which time companies like FTS did have microprocessor control. Maybe their later design products ran in parallel because of gov or esa contracts. In theory, the more straightforward hardware design should make it easier to keep running, tube life permitting, assuming the info can be found. Thanks for sending it anyway - it all adds to the sum of knowledge... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
On 08/28/14 05:03, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Here is the manual I've. I have also some other documentations, and some Oscilloquartz software for the OSA-5585, but I don't know if they are very useful. Regards, Javier Hi Javier, Thanks for that and for the other replies. The 3210 looks like quite an early design, with no sign of microprocessors at all. There's a 8 slot card cage with a load of discrete analog circuitry, 741 op amps etc and a couple of boards full of 14 / 16 pin ssi cmos / ttl devices, which I guess would be the synthesiser logic and perhaps a state machine style startup sequencer. Apart from that, the rest is power supply related and what looks like an alarm board with optoisolator discete outputs to a 25 way D connector. The step recovery diode (?) multiplier into the microwave cavity is a really neat gold plated assembly with what looks like a 50r termination (setup tap for spectrum analyser ?) and an adjustment trimmer, but am not touching that or the many trimpots on the boards or any adjustments until I have more info. The tube is from FTS, part number / model 7101. It seems strange that the 2nd harmonic, meter #9, is zero, since even with a tube approaching eol, one would expect at least some indication, which is why I think there may be an electronic fault. Perhaps the hv power supply module feeding the electron multiplier. Will try to measure that, but the area around the tube is really heavily rivetted and screwed down in all directions. Looks like a lot of the left hand side of the case will need to be disassembled just to get at the tube connections. It also had the battery backup option, with 4 sets of 3 x cyclon type cells, but with a date code of 1984, are seriously dead and have been removed. This time nuts things seems to be a growing interest and wonder if there is a cure ? :-). Recently bought a 1970's era Tracor 304D rubidium standard. Again, no lock, but a very well engineered and screwed together piece of kit and should be fixable. Collection now includes the Z3816, from Ebay US around 7 years ago, a Z3815 currently being repackaged, an HP103 with open circuit oven heater elements and the 3210... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Careful Chris, it sounds like you are developing the symptoms of the Vintage strain of the time nuts infection. Next thing you know, you will be looking at tall clocks. Bob, who is debating the wisdom of non invasively synchronizing the family heirloom tall clock to the new cesium clock... On Aug 28, 2014, at 10:33, Chris syseng.greenfi...@btconnect.com wrote: On 08/28/14 05:03, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Here is the manual I've. I have also some other documentations, and some Oscilloquartz software for the OSA-5585, but I don't know if they are very useful. Regards, Javier Hi Javier, Thanks for that and for the other replies. The 3210 looks like quite an early design, with no sign of microprocessors at all. There's a 8 slot card cage with a load of discrete analog circuitry, 741 op amps etc and a couple of boards full of 14 / 16 pin ssi cmos / ttl devices, which I guess would be the synthesiser logic and perhaps a state machine style startup sequencer. Apart from that, the rest is power supply related and what looks like an alarm board with optoisolator discete outputs to a 25 way D connector. The step recovery diode (?) multiplier into the microwave cavity is a really neat gold plated assembly with what looks like a 50r termination (setup tap for spectrum analyser ?) and an adjustment trimmer, but am not touching that or the many trimpots on the boards or any adjustments until I have more info. The tube is from FTS, part number / model 7101. It seems strange that the 2nd harmonic, meter #9, is zero, since even with a tube approaching eol, one would expect at least some indication, which is why I think there may be an electronic fault. Perhaps the hv power supply module feeding the electron multiplier. Will try to measure that, but the area around the tube is really heavily rivetted and screwed down in all directions. Looks like a lot of the left hand side of the case will need to be disassembled just to get at the tube connections. It also had the battery backup option, with 4 sets of 3 x cyclon type cells, but with a date code of 1984, are seriously dead and have been removed. This time nuts things seems to be a growing interest and wonder if there is a cure ? :-). Recently bought a 1970's era Tracor 304D rubidium standard. Again, no lock, but a very well engineered and screwed together piece of kit and should be fixable. Collection now includes the Z3816, from Ebay US around 7 years ago, a Z3815 currently being repackaged, an HP103 with open circuit oven heater elements and the 3210... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
I have the same disease. I have the clock, but the wife thinks that is insane. I don't get her concern at all??? Especially when she says NO!. Regards Paul WB8TSL On Thu, Aug 28, 2014 at 10:39 AM, bownes bow...@gmail.com wrote: Careful Chris, it sounds like you are developing the symptoms of the Vintage strain of the time nuts infection. Next thing you know, you will be looking at tall clocks. Bob, who is debating the wisdom of non invasively synchronizing the family heirloom tall clock to the new cesium clock... On Aug 28, 2014, at 10:33, Chris syseng.greenfi...@btconnect.com wrote: On 08/28/14 05:03, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Here is the manual I've. I have also some other documentations, and some Oscilloquartz software for the OSA-5585, but I don't know if they are very useful. Regards, Javier Hi Javier, Thanks for that and for the other replies. The 3210 looks like quite an early design, with no sign of microprocessors at all. There's a 8 slot card cage with a load of discrete analog circuitry, 741 op amps etc and a couple of boards full of 14 / 16 pin ssi cmos / ttl devices, which I guess would be the synthesiser logic and perhaps a state machine style startup sequencer. Apart from that, the rest is power supply related and what looks like an alarm board with optoisolator discete outputs to a 25 way D connector. The step recovery diode (?) multiplier into the microwave cavity is a really neat gold plated assembly with what looks like a 50r termination (setup tap for spectrum analyser ?) and an adjustment trimmer, but am not touching that or the many trimpots on the boards or any adjustments until I have more info. The tube is from FTS, part number / model 7101. It seems strange that the 2nd harmonic, meter #9, is zero, since even with a tube approaching eol, one would expect at least some indication, which is why I think there may be an electronic fault. Perhaps the hv power supply module feeding the electron multiplier. Will try to measure that, but the area around the tube is really heavily rivetted and screwed down in all directions. Looks like a lot of the left hand side of the case will need to be disassembled just to get at the tube connections. It also had the battery backup option, with 4 sets of 3 x cyclon type cells, but with a date code of 1984, are seriously dead and have been removed. This time nuts things seems to be a growing interest and wonder if there is a cure ? :-). Recently bought a 1970's era Tracor 304D rubidium standard. Again, no lock, but a very well engineered and screwed together piece of kit and should be fixable. Collection now includes the Z3816, from Ebay US around 7 years ago, a Z3815 currently being repackaged, an HP103 with open circuit oven heater elements and the 3210... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Chris, Do you have a GPS clock? First turn the operational mode setting from off to second step (ocxo + ion pump) and let it stay there for a day or so. Then, as the oven have stabilized, switch it over to third step, the open loop mode, and tune the OCXO up against a GPS reference so that it is very near 5 MHz. You use the calibration whole on the front of the clock for that. Then, you turn the operation mode switch to the fourth and last step, the closed loop step, and see if it locks up. Let it just sit there and lock up, as it takes some time. It's quite common that OCXOs have drifted outside the capture range of the analogue loop, so loosing lock and not being able to attain it again is a typical response. Cheers, Magnus On 08/28/2014 04:33 PM, Chris wrote: On 08/28/14 05:03, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Here is the manual I've. I have also some other documentations, and some Oscilloquartz software for the OSA-5585, but I don't know if they are very useful. Regards, Javier Hi Javier, Thanks for that and for the other replies. The 3210 looks like quite an early design, with no sign of microprocessors at all. There's a 8 slot card cage with a load of discrete analog circuitry, 741 op amps etc and a couple of boards full of 14 / 16 pin ssi cmos / ttl devices, which I guess would be the synthesiser logic and perhaps a state machine style startup sequencer. Apart from that, the rest is power supply related and what looks like an alarm board with optoisolator discete outputs to a 25 way D connector. The step recovery diode (?) multiplier into the microwave cavity is a really neat gold plated assembly with what looks like a 50r termination (setup tap for spectrum analyser ?) and an adjustment trimmer, but am not touching that or the many trimpots on the boards or any adjustments until I have more info. The tube is from FTS, part number / model 7101. It seems strange that the 2nd harmonic, meter #9, is zero, since even with a tube approaching eol, one would expect at least some indication, which is why I think there may be an electronic fault. Perhaps the hv power supply module feeding the electron multiplier. Will try to measure that, but the area around the tube is really heavily rivetted and screwed down in all directions. Looks like a lot of the left hand side of the case will need to be disassembled just to get at the tube connections. It also had the battery backup option, with 4 sets of 3 x cyclon type cells, but with a date code of 1984, are seriously dead and have been removed. This time nuts things seems to be a growing interest and wonder if there is a cure ? :-). Recently bought a 1970's era Tracor 304D rubidium standard. Again, no lock, but a very well engineered and screwed together piece of kit and should be fixable. Collection now includes the Z3816, from Ebay US around 7 years ago, a Z3815 currently being repackaged, an HP103 with open circuit oven heater elements and the 3210... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
On 08/28/14 14:39, bownes wrote: Careful Chris, it sounds like you are developing the symptoms of the Vintage strain of the time nuts infection. Next thing you know, you will be looking at tall clocks. Bob, who is debating the wisdom of non invasively synchronizing the family heirloom tall clock to the new cesium clock... It all started with the need for an accurate standard for the home lab. I had one of the Racal double oven standards for years, but a pot core transformer on the inner oven control board went open circuit on one winding and was unable to fix it at the time. Then bought the Z3816 on Ebay, which was working fine for years until the oscillator EFC became unstable and of course, then one thing leads to another. As for clocks, have a collection of synchronous motor clocks awaiting restoration and a couple of pendulum clocks - A gents pulsynetic and an IBM clock from the 1940's, quarter sawn oak case and all. I do embedded systems here and the IBM master clock is appropriate - an example of how IBM didn't only build computers. It's a work of art, with thick brass plates for the mechanism and much of it gold plated to reduce corrosion. The self winding mechanism had a broken bracket on the solenoid armature, metal fatigue over the years I guess. That's been completely stripped, cleaned, sparingly relubed and now working as it should. So, not really an obsession, but definately a growing interest area :-)... ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. . ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Is there a similar 'bring it back to life' procedure for the 5061A? On Thu, Aug 28, 2014 at 12:32 PM, Magnus Danielson mag...@rubidium.dyndns.org wrote: Chris, Do you have a GPS clock? First turn the operational mode setting from off to second step (ocxo + ion pump) and let it stay there for a day or so. Then, as the oven have stabilized, switch it over to third step, the open loop mode, and tune the OCXO up against a GPS reference so that it is very near 5 MHz. You use the calibration whole on the front of the clock for that. Then, you turn the operation mode switch to the fourth and last step, the closed loop step, and see if it locks up. Let it just sit there and lock up, as it takes some time. It's quite common that OCXOs have drifted outside the capture range of the analogue loop, so loosing lock and not being able to attain it again is a typical response. Cheers, Magnus On 08/28/2014 04:33 PM, Chris wrote: On 08/28/14 05:03, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Here is the manual I've. I have also some other documentations, and some Oscilloquartz software for the OSA-5585, but I don't know if they are very useful. Regards, Javier Hi Javier, Thanks for that and for the other replies. The 3210 looks like quite an early design, with no sign of microprocessors at all. There's a 8 slot card cage with a load of discrete analog circuitry, 741 op amps etc and a couple of boards full of 14 / 16 pin ssi cmos / ttl devices, which I guess would be the synthesiser logic and perhaps a state machine style startup sequencer. Apart from that, the rest is power supply related and what looks like an alarm board with optoisolator discete outputs to a 25 way D connector. The step recovery diode (?) multiplier into the microwave cavity is a really neat gold plated assembly with what looks like a 50r termination (setup tap for spectrum analyser ?) and an adjustment trimmer, but am not touching that or the many trimpots on the boards or any adjustments until I have more info. The tube is from FTS, part number / model 7101. It seems strange that the 2nd harmonic, meter #9, is zero, since even with a tube approaching eol, one would expect at least some indication, which is why I think there may be an electronic fault. Perhaps the hv power supply module feeding the electron multiplier. Will try to measure that, but the area around the tube is really heavily rivetted and screwed down in all directions. Looks like a lot of the left hand side of the case will need to be disassembled just to get at the tube connections. It also had the battery backup option, with 4 sets of 3 x cyclon type cells, but with a date code of 1984, are seriously dead and have been removed. This time nuts things seems to be a growing interest and wonder if there is a cure ? :-). Recently bought a 1970's era Tracor 304D rubidium standard. Again, no lock, but a very well engineered and screwed together piece of kit and should be fixable. Collection now includes the Z3816, from Ebay US around 7 years ago, a Z3815 currently being repackaged, an HP103 with open circuit oven heater elements and the 3210... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/ mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
If you have tube-life and not other issues, it's about the same. Also works for rubidiums, as the loop aspect here is essentially the same. There can be *other* issues. For the 5060A for instance, you might need to also adjust the crystal filter of the OCXO, as that too drifts out of range, so you get no signal out. What I write is not a fix-it-all but rather addresses that one issue. Cheers, Magnus On 08/28/2014 06:35 PM, Bob Bownes wrote: Is there a similar 'bring it back to life' procedure for the 5061A? On Thu, Aug 28, 2014 at 12:32 PM, Magnus Danielson mag...@rubidium.dyndns.org wrote: Chris, Do you have a GPS clock? First turn the operational mode setting from off to second step (ocxo + ion pump) and let it stay there for a day or so. Then, as the oven have stabilized, switch it over to third step, the open loop mode, and tune the OCXO up against a GPS reference so that it is very near 5 MHz. You use the calibration whole on the front of the clock for that. Then, you turn the operation mode switch to the fourth and last step, the closed loop step, and see if it locks up. Let it just sit there and lock up, as it takes some time. It's quite common that OCXOs have drifted outside the capture range of the analogue loop, so loosing lock and not being able to attain it again is a typical response. Cheers, Magnus On 08/28/2014 04:33 PM, Chris wrote: On 08/28/14 05:03, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Here is the manual I've. I have also some other documentations, and some Oscilloquartz software for the OSA-5585, but I don't know if they are very useful. Regards, Javier Hi Javier, Thanks for that and for the other replies. The 3210 looks like quite an early design, with no sign of microprocessors at all. There's a 8 slot card cage with a load of discrete analog circuitry, 741 op amps etc and a couple of boards full of 14 / 16 pin ssi cmos / ttl devices, which I guess would be the synthesiser logic and perhaps a state machine style startup sequencer. Apart from that, the rest is power supply related and what looks like an alarm board with optoisolator discete outputs to a 25 way D connector. The step recovery diode (?) multiplier into the microwave cavity is a really neat gold plated assembly with what looks like a 50r termination (setup tap for spectrum analyser ?) and an adjustment trimmer, but am not touching that or the many trimpots on the boards or any adjustments until I have more info. The tube is from FTS, part number / model 7101. It seems strange that the 2nd harmonic, meter #9, is zero, since even with a tube approaching eol, one would expect at least some indication, which is why I think there may be an electronic fault. Perhaps the hv power supply module feeding the electron multiplier. Will try to measure that, but the area around the tube is really heavily rivetted and screwed down in all directions. Looks like a lot of the left hand side of the case will need to be disassembled just to get at the tube connections. It also had the battery backup option, with 4 sets of 3 x cyclon type cells, but with a date code of 1984, are seriously dead and have been removed. This time nuts things seems to be a growing interest and wonder if there is a cure ? :-). Recently bought a 1970's era Tracor 304D rubidium standard. Again, no lock, but a very well engineered and screwed together piece of kit and should be fixable. Collection now includes the Z3816, from Ebay US around 7 years ago, a Z3815 currently being repackaged, an HP103 with open circuit oven heater elements and the 3210... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/ mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Hello, Then it is a quite different beast to the EUDICS 3120, that they also call OSA-3120... I note now that yours is a 3210, not 3120 :) Regards, Javier P.S. no, there is no known cure to the time nuts things interest. It becomes chronic, and only gets worse ;) On 28/08/2014 16:33, Chris wrote: On 08/28/14 05:03, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Here is the manual I've. I have also some other documentations, and some Oscilloquartz software for the OSA-5585, but I don't know if they are very useful. Regards, Javier Hi Javier, Thanks for that and for the other replies. The 3210 looks like quite an early design, with no sign of microprocessors at all. There's a 8 slot card cage with a load of discrete analog circuitry, 741 op amps etc and a couple of boards full of 14 / 16 pin ssi cmos / ttl devices, which I guess would be the synthesiser logic and perhaps a state machine style startup sequencer. Apart from that, the rest is power supply related and what looks like an alarm board with optoisolator discete outputs to a 25 way D connector. The step recovery diode (?) multiplier into the microwave cavity is a really neat gold plated assembly with what looks like a 50r termination (setup tap for spectrum analyser ?) and an adjustment trimmer, but am not touching that or the many trimpots on the boards or any adjustments until I have more info. The tube is from FTS, part number / model 7101. It seems strange that the 2nd harmonic, meter #9, is zero, since even with a tube approaching eol, one would expect at least some indication, which is why I think there may be an electronic fault. Perhaps the hv power supply module feeding the electron multiplier. Will try to measure that, but the area around the tube is really heavily rivetted and screwed down in all directions. Looks like a lot of the left hand side of the case will need to be disassembled just to get at the tube connections. It also had the battery backup option, with 4 sets of 3 x cyclon type cells, but with a date code of 1984, are seriously dead and have been removed. This time nuts things seems to be a growing interest and wonder if there is a cure ? :-). Recently bought a 1970's era Tracor 304D rubidium standard. Again, no lock, but a very well engineered and screwed together piece of kit and should be fixable. Collection now includes the Z3816, from Ebay US around 7 years ago, a Z3815 currently being repackaged, an HP103 with open circuit oven heater elements and the 3210... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
On 08/28/14 19:53, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Then it is a quite different beast to the EUDICS 3120, that they also call OSA-3120... I note now that yours is a 3210, not 3120 :) Regards, Javier The 3210 looks like a much earlier design, prior to the inclusion of microprocessor control. Date codes look mid eighties, by which time companies like FTS did have microprocessor control. Maybe their later design products ran in parallel because of gov or esa contracts. In theory, the more straightforward hardware design should make it easier to keep running, tube life permitting, assuming the info can be found. Thanks for sending it anyway - it all adds to the sum of knowledge... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
FTS had a patent on microcontroller steered cesium, which could naturally have limited the spreading time of that technology. Oscilloquartz at the time where more focused on the telecommunication market and meeting the ITU-T G.811 PRC quality requirement, keeping within +/. 1E-11 in frequency, and that is achievable with the analog design, so no rush changing it. FTS and HP where more into time-keeping, so therefore improving the design made more market sense for them. Anyway, that's about how I have perceived the market at the time. Cheers, Magnus On 08/28/2014 11:47 PM, Chris wrote: On 08/28/14 19:53, Javier Herrero wrote: Hello, Then it is a quite different beast to the EUDICS 3120, that they also call OSA-3120... I note now that yours is a 3210, not 3120 :) Regards, Javier The 3210 looks like a much earlier design, prior to the inclusion of microprocessor control. Date codes look mid eighties, by which time companies like FTS did have microprocessor control. Maybe their later design products ran in parallel because of gov or esa contracts. In theory, the more straightforward hardware design should make it easier to keep running, tube life permitting, assuming the info can be found. Thanks for sending it anyway - it all adds to the sum of knowledge... Regards, Chris ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
[time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Hi, I recently bought an Oscilloquartz 3210 cesium standard and although it does power up, it does not lock. All the parameters on the meter look sensible, other than the 2nd harmonic, #9 parameter, which shows zero. Quart oscillator output looks almost spot on in comparison with the lab Z3816. I have no info on this unit at all, so this may either be a dead tube, or other electronic fault on one of the many pcb's in the system. Ion pump had a small reading on power up, but now dropped back to zero. I am looking for a user guide for this unit, or even better, a manual with theory of operation and setup info. Can anyone help with this, or perhaps suggest a source ?. Year of manufacture estimated 1984/85, from date code on ic's. I notice that the tube is from FTS, the same construction as in the FTS 4060, but different part number and wonder if this was original fitment, or has been replaced at some stage... Regards Thanks Chris Quayle Oxford, England . ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Oscilloquartz 3210 Cesium Standard
Hello, I've some manuals from an OSA-5585, one of them for the EUDICS 3120. The thing that Symmetricom calls EUDICS-3120 really is a FTS-5045 module (Symmetricom in my case), that I think that it is the same that is inside the FTS-4060. It seems that one common problem with these, discuted some times in the list, is an STEL-1173 IC that has a failure mode in which the outputs stop working (one after another, not all at same time :) ). Regards, Javier On 27/08/2014 23:09, Chris wrote: Hi, I recently bought an Oscilloquartz 3210 cesium standard and although it does power up, it does not lock. All the parameters on the meter look sensible, other than the 2nd harmonic, #9 parameter, which shows zero. Quart oscillator output looks almost spot on in comparison with the lab Z3816. I have no info on this unit at all, so this may either be a dead tube, or other electronic fault on one of the many pcb's in the system. Ion pump had a small reading on power up, but now dropped back to zero. I am looking for a user guide for this unit, or even better, a manual with theory of operation and setup info. Can anyone help with this, or perhaps suggest a source ?. Year of manufacture estimated 1984/85, from date code on ic's. I notice that the tube is from FTS, the same construction as in the FTS 4060, but different part number and wonder if this was original fitment, or has been replaced at some stage... Regards Thanks Chris Quayle Oxford, England . ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
