Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-14 Thread GandalfG8
In a message dated 13/12/2009 18:52:37 GMT Standard Time, charles_steinm...@lavabit.com writes: Volts and yards, at least, are also not absolute measurements in the same sense that measurements of time are not absolute. Volts express the difference in electrical potential, and yards the p

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-13 Thread Mike Feher
[time-nuts] Beginner's time reference Mike wrote: >You guys obviously missed Hermann Weyl's writings, specifically his >"Space-Time-Matter" and "Philosophy of >Mathematics" * * * That was mainly why earlier I expressed >my opinion simply as "

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-13 Thread Charles P. Steinmetz
Mike wrote: You guys obviously missed Hermann Weyl's writings, specifically his "Space-Time-Matter" and "Philosophy of Mathematics" * * * That was mainly why earlier I expressed my opinion simply as "bullshit" Not at all. It's just that for all of Weyl's brilliant contributions t

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-13 Thread Mike S
At 01:51 PM 12/13/2009, Charles P. Steinmetz wrote... In my view, these are all questions, not about time, but rather about our perception of time. Yes, he seems to have discovered Eddington's "arrow of time." There also seems to be some confusion over the difference between the spacetime dim

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-13 Thread Mike Naruta AA8K
Perhaps because we may move about in the three spatial dimensions as we move unidirectionally in the temporal dimension? Charles P. Steinmetz wrote: The puzzle is why we perceive the spatial dimensions so differently from the temporal dimension. It is a fascinating question, but may not

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-13 Thread Mike Feher
You guys obviously missed Hermann Weyl's writings, specifically his "Space-Time-Matter" and "Philosophy of Mathematics" both of which I have read exhaustively in my early 20's. That is well over 40 years ago, yet I still feel the impact of some of his statements. That was mainly why earlier I expre

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-13 Thread Bill Hawkins
Charles, That's a very good description of the situation. The real dilemma has to do with why some people require absolutes, as perfect, complete, or pure, when nature doesn't offer any. The need originates in the brain, where perceptions are adjusted to find absolutes. Absolute zero is merely t

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-13 Thread Charles P. Steinmetz
Nigel wrote: I use "absolute" in the sense that is commonly implied in the term "absolute quantity", where an absolute quantity is the measure of the absolute occurence of a variable, as in "so many volts, yards, kilos, etc. Volts and yards, at least, are also not absolute measurements in t

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-13 Thread Mike Feher
This discussion started off interestingly enough, but has deteriorated to a point where it reminds me of a tale told to me by one of my mentors well over 40 years ago. At the time, I was very interested in existential philosophy myself and studied it and thought about it ad infinitum. It goes so

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-13 Thread GandalfG8
In a message dated 13/12/2009 05:04:53 GMT Standard Time, charles_steinm...@lavabit.com writes: I think we all agree that intervals are what we measure. The question is whether this has any bearing on whether "time is an absolute quantity," and if so, whether time being or not being an

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-13 Thread gandalfg8
In a message dated 13/12/2009 05:04:53 GMT Standard Time, charles_steinm...@lavabit.com writes: I think we all agree that intervals are what we measure. The question is whether this has any bearing on whether "time is an absolute quantity," and if so, whether time being or not being an

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Charles P. Steinmetz
Nigel wrote: Again though, it's the interval that we measure. [In response to my suggestion that, in theory, we could specify the interval since the big bang and it would be "absolute" in a fairly robust sense, at least in this universe.] Assigning conventional units to measurement is not a

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Didier Juges
idier -Original Message- From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On Behalf Of Neville Michie Sent: Saturday, December 12, 2009 4:03 PM To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference I can not see h

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Mike S
At 05:02 PM 12/12/2009, Mike Naruta AA8K wrote... Some (Penrose, Nottale) suggest that time may be discrete rather than continuous. 10E-43 second might be your basic tick. Yes, Planck time. Closer to 5.4e-44 s. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Neville Michie
I can not see how time is any different to any other quantity in Maxwell's equations, so time must be just as measurable, real and physical. cheers, Neville Michie ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Mike Naruta AA8K
Some (Penrose, Nottale) suggest that time may be discrete rather than continuous. 10E-43 second might be your basic tick. Mike S wrote: Alternately, he simply means there is no universal epoch for time, so just as a spacial coordinate requires a defined reference, so too does a time mea

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Mike S
At 12:41 PM 12/12/2009, Ian Sheffield wrote... I can imagine this kind of debate over a soccer/hockey/insert your sport here/ team, but on the nature of time? unless I am missing some irony? He's either having a very hard time stating something very obvious (and behaving as if it's insightf

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Bill Hawkins
Well, here's another statement that reveals the nature of time: Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. Bill Hawkins ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Ian Sheffield
Whoah I can imagine this kind of debate over a soccer/hockey/insert your sport here/ team, but on the nature of time? unless I am missing some irony? - Original Message - From: To: Sent: Saturday, December 12, 2009 5:17 PM Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time refe

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread GandalfG8
In a message dated 12/12/2009 15:17:23 GMT Standard Time, mi...@flatsurface.com writes: At 08:53 AM 12/12/2009, gandal...@aol.com wrote... >I'm sorry you can't, or won't, understand but the ability to measure >intervals between events does not in itself demonstrate the existence >of time

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Justin Pinnix
On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 6:33 AM, Mike S wrote: > At 06:47 PM 12/11/2009, gandal...@aol.com wrote... > > Unfortunately, that's not really the way it is. >> > > That's opinion, stated as fact. That all depends on what your definition of "is" is :-) ___

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Bill Hawkins
sing under the weight of these heavy thoughts . . . Bill Hawkins -Original Message- From: Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 11:47 PM To: Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference > > In a message dated 11/12/2009 21:47:28 GMT Standard Time, > michael.c...@wanadoo.f

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Roy Phillips
Give it to them Nigel . . . . . Roy -- From: Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 11:47 PM To: Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference In a message dated 11/12/2009 21:47:28 GMT Standard Time, michael.c...@wanadoo.fr writes: F

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Mike S
At 08:53 AM 12/12/2009, gandal...@aol.com wrote... I'm sorry you can't, or won't, understand but the ability to measure intervals between events does not in itself demonstrate the existence of time as any kind of physical entity. LOL. You're over your head here. ___

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Didier Juges
nuts-boun...@febo.com] On Behalf Of Ian Sheffield > Sent: Saturday, December 12, 2009 7:18 AM > To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement > Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference > > Remember that saying from the Hitchhikers' Guide: > > &q

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread GandalfG8
In a message dated 12/12/2009 13:00:21 GMT Standard Time, mi...@flatsurface.com writes: At 07:13 AM 12/12/2009, gandal...@aol.com wrote... >I think you might be missing the point, the OED definition that you >quote >does not define time itself as an absolute measurable entity, and what >ti

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Ian Sheffield
Remember that saying from the Hitchhikers' Guide: "Time is an illusion - lunchtime doubly so." ___ 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 th

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Mike S
At 07:13 AM 12/12/2009, gandal...@aol.com wrote... I think you might be missing the point, the OED definition that you quote does not define time itself as an absolute measurable entity, and what time nuts measure are, yet again, the intervals between events. Define "absolute measurable quan

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread GandalfG8
In a message dated 12/12/2009 11:35:49 GMT Standard Time, mi...@flatsurface.com writes: At 06:47 PM 12/11/2009, gandal...@aol.com wrote... >Unfortunately, that's not really the way it is. That's opinion, stated as fact. -- Is it? Can you show me any definition of "time" which de

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Mike S
At 06:47 PM 12/11/2009, gandal...@aol.com wrote... Unfortunately, that's not really the way it is. That's opinion, stated as fact. Time nuts do not and cannot measure time itself because time as an absolute entity just doesn't exist. That depends upon how one defines "time." Also, how one

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread GandalfG8
In a message dated 12/12/2009 08:13:04 GMT Standard Time, charles_steinm...@lavabit.com writes: >Time nuts do not and cannot measure time itself because time as an >absolute entity just doesn't exist. I suppose specifying the interval since the big bang could qualify as an absolute measure

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread GandalfG8
In a message dated 12/12/2009 05:08:39 GMT Standard Time, john.fo...@gmail.com writes: Time does not just exist. That is correct. It is a human construct, like all other things. We define it, as all other things, and then make useful empirical comparative observations with it. -

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-12 Thread Charles P. Steinmetz
Nigel wrote: Time nuts do not and cannot measure time itself because time as an absolute entity just doesn't exist. I suppose specifying the interval since the big bang could qualify as an absolute measure of time (at least in our universe), but in practice it must elude us because everythin

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread john . foege
by AT&T -Original Message- From: gandal...@aol.com Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:47:02 To: Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference In a message dated 11/12/2009 21:47:28 GMT Standard Time, michael.c...@wanadoo.fr writes: For me time just exists. What time nuts do

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread Bob Camp
Hi We ran one of the NIST common view gizmos for a number of years. After watching what they were doing off of published data, I think a "time nut" could do the same thing. The only gotcha being that you have a good clock to compare to. Bob On Dec 11, 2009, at 6:44 PM, Stanley Reynolds wrote:

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread GandalfG8
In a message dated 11/12/2009 21:47:28 GMT Standard Time, michael.c...@wanadoo.fr writes: For me time just exists. What time nuts do is to try and measure and characterise it. Unfortunately, that's not really the way it is. Time nuts do not and cannot measure time itse

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread Stanley Reynolds
The big boys use GPS to compare their clocks.  Search for >common view<. common view time transfer Stanley ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow th

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread Hal Murray
> Thank you for your suggestions. I suppose I should have emphasised > that I was looking to have my own reference, i.e. something not > dependent on GPS, LORAN, or other signals from the aether. Indeed I > might get better accuracy for less money by tapping the GPS time > signal, but to me that's

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread jmfranke
Excellent comments! John WA4WDL -- From: "mike cook" Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 4:46 PM To: "Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement" Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference - Ori

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread mike cook
- Original Message - From: "jmfranke" < snipped > > You will often hear that time is the inverse of frequency, but the inverse of frequency is period or time interval. Time is set by governments. I agree with the the sentment, but not the last phrase. For me time just exists. Wha

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread jmfranke
Building oscillators, restoring old frequency standards, interfacing to a clock or time display, and tracking your successes and failures is the lure. For independent checking of time and to some extent frequency, I play with several radio related approaches: WWV, WWVB, CHU, GPS, and Russian T

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread J. L. Trantham
Charl, I am very new to this as well and I had similar goals you to yours. In the end, all of these standards use a crystal oscillator. It is just a matter of what is doing the disciplining. The Cesium Beam, Rubidium, and GPS signals all discipline a crystal oscillator. The quality of the sign

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread Bob Camp
riginal Message- From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On Behalf Of Justin Pinnix Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 9:50 AM To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference I'm hearing a lot of rec

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's Time Reference

2009-12-11 Thread Alexander Sack
On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 9:50 AM, John Green wrote: > As someone relatively new to the precision time/frequency game my viewpoint > is a little different to the more seasoned folk. Your statement that you > wanted to build your own atomic standard leads me to believe that this is > more of a learni

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's Time Reference

2009-12-11 Thread John Green
As someone relatively new to the precision time/frequency game my viewpoint is a little different to the more seasoned folk. Your statement that you wanted to build your own atomic standard leads me to believe that this is more of a learning experience for you. Even if you want to build it yourself

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread Justin Pinnix
I'm hearing a lot of recommendations for types of oscillators, but noone has asked the question - what is the desired performance? For me, I wanted a clock that stays within a second of UTC for a year. I'm pretty sure the LPRO I bought will exceed that, (though I guess I won't know for another 12

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread John Miles
> Bill, > > he was planning to spend 100 USD on a used Rubidium, I think a Cs is way > over his budget ;-) Luck has more to do with that than money. My cheapest cesium standard, at $500, also turned out to be the only one out of three with a healthy tube. You have to plan on buying a few tur

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread Heiko Gerstung
Bill, he was planning to spend 100 USD on a used Rubidium, I think a Cs is way over his budget ;-) But I agree that a Rubidium has a shorter life span and if you get one for 100 USD on eBay, I would expect it to be "worn out" already. I would not spend 100 USD on a used oscillator, Rubidium

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread WB6BNQ
Charl, If it is autonomous operation you want, then your only choice is a Cesium Beam frequency reference. By definition it is absolute ! But that does not address resolution. For instance, if the Cs is old tube and noisy, while it may be accurate, due to the noise you may not be able to resolv

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread Jean-Louis Oneto
. Best regards, Jean-Louis - Original Message - From: "Charl" To: "Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement" Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 12:00 PM Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference Dear Hal and others, Thank you for y

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread Bob Camp
Hi Simple answers: Will you have fun - yes indeed. Will a $100 rubidium deliver more accurate time long term than a GPS - no. To get close to what the GPS delivers you will need to go at least to a Cesium standard. Getting one with a working tube is not going to be cheap. Once you do, the tub

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread Charl
Dear Hal and others, Thank you for your suggestions. I suppose I should have emphasised that I was looking to have my own reference, i.e. something not dependent on GPS, LORAN, or other signals from the aether. Indeed I might get better accuracy for less money by tapping the GPS time signal, but t

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-11 Thread Hal Murray
> I'm hoping to build my own circuit around the device, which might cut > down the costs somewhat. Some rubidium sources on eBay go for less > than $100, but I'm not sure what quality to expect. Any advice or > suggestions are appreciated! Short answer: Sure, get one of the $100 rubidium boxes

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-10 Thread John Miles
> > > Unless one uses a 3 cornered hat technique or equivalnet one can only > measure the relative stability of a pair of sources. > What source was used as the reference in your measurements? The measurements were made with an upgraded 5061A (Datum tube and 10811-60109). I have used it to measu

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-10 Thread Bruce Griffiths
John Miles wrote: but you may not be comparing apples to apples. Tom's plots are actual performance of probably a very good sample unit. The 5071A spec lines you drew are worst-case specs. In reality, the 5071A probably performs much better than it's spec limits? Also, I think the 5071A

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-10 Thread John Miles
> > but you may not be comparing apples to apples. > > Tom's plots are actual performance of probably a very good sample unit. > The 5071A spec lines you drew are worst-case specs. > > In reality, the 5071A probably performs much better than it's > spec limits? > > Also, I think the 5071A "just"

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-10 Thread SAIDJACK
Hi John, but you may not be comparing apples to apples. Tom's plots are actual performance of probably a very good sample unit. The 5071A spec lines you drew are worst-case specs. In reality, the 5071A probably performs much better than it's spec limits? Also, I think the 5071A "just" has

Re: [time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-10 Thread John Miles
> As a > newbie to the field of timekeeping, I'm a bit uncertain what would make a > good first system. The price tag of the high end masers unfortunately puts > them outside my range, based on what I could see on eBay. I'll be happy to > pay for good equipment, but once it gets to 4 digits it star

[time-nuts] Beginner's time reference

2009-12-10 Thread Charl
Dear Nuts, For a while now, I've been wanting to build a time refence. Initially I was considering making a crystal oven, but after some browsing I found that an atomic reference is actually within my grasp! It appears there are quite a few options with regard to technology, but also to competing