Re: [time-nuts] Thermistor on OCXO

2012-10-17 Thread Rick Karlquist
could possibly improve the tempco by using oven current to tweak the set point. This might cancel out circuit pulling drift, regardless of what was going on with the crystal. I've never actually tried this, but it would be good research project well within the ability of any time nut. Rick

Re: [time-nuts] HP 10811 Tuning Diode

2012-10-18 Thread Rick Karlquist
, just happened to have these in his junk box. A gazillion other diodes would also work. In the 5071A, we used a 10811 with a different tuning diode that gives a 10X larger range and is linear tuning (being hyperabrupt). There is nothing magic about the 0122-0244. Lots of diodes can work. Rick

Re: [time-nuts] HP 10811 Tuning Diode

2012-10-19 Thread Rick Karlquist
I wonder if the glass case got a crack in it or if the kovar seal was failing. Maybe a failed solder joint (which gets fixed when you install the new diode). I've never heard of a noisy varactor before either. Rick ___ time-nuts mailing list --

Re: [time-nuts] HP 10811 Tuning Diode

2012-10-19 Thread Rick Karlquist
because of the 10%. They are probably at least 30 years old! Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] getting a grip on 10811 drift (beginner-ishquestion)

2012-11-05 Thread Rick Karlquist
, is a low noise Zener (I don't know if it is the buried type), but anyway, it is a legacy part, but a known good legacy part. The 5071A DAC was a very carefully designed one that was good enough. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts

Re: [time-nuts] Best phase detector / mixer for 100MHz?

2012-11-24 Thread Rick Karlquist
Bruce Griffiths wrote: Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote: On 11/23/2012 9:38 AM, Bruce Griffiths wrote: NIST have shown (at least at 10MHz) that the high level mixers they tested are noisier than the ZRPD1. Bruce http://tf.boulder.nist.gov/general/pdf/2556.pdf Where all the high level

Re: [time-nuts] Best phase detector / mixer for 100MHz?

2012-11-26 Thread Rick Karlquist
Jim Lux wrote: On 11/26/12 10:11 AM, Demian Martin wrote: I asked Wenzel about mixers for phase noise measurement and they directed me to Marki Microwave as what they use: http://www.markimicrowave.com/2770/Mixers.aspx I have not obtained or tested any myself but it's a pretty solid

Re: [time-nuts] Very challenging phase noise measurement, does anyone have an idea??

2012-12-05 Thread Rick Karlquist
. A simple double balanced diode mixer followed by an LT1028 preamp would easily meet your needs. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow

Re: [time-nuts] Very challenging phase noise measurement, does anyone have an idea??

2012-12-05 Thread Rick Karlquist
Bob Camp wrote: Hi You might be surprised by the noise floor of an XOR run at 125 KHz. They are quite good at that low a frequency. Bob An XOR, unlike a mixer, does not have a null when the phases are in quadrature. This is the fundamental problem with using it as a phase detector. Rick

Re: [time-nuts] NMEA Software

2012-12-20 Thread Rick Karlquist
this for laying out antennas, etc. (ie surveying). Rick Karlquist N6RK Martyn Smith wrote: Hi, Apologies if this has been asked 1000 times before. Is there any good software for reading the NMEA or Motorola binary code out of a M12M. I have winoncore, but wondered if there was anything a bit

Re: [time-nuts] 10 MHz - 16 MHz clock multiplier

2013-01-04 Thread Rick Karlquist
amplifier to bring the signal back up to a high level. Now after considering all that, crystal clean up filters don't sound like such a great idea unless you have no alternative. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com

Re: [time-nuts] Simple method for comparing 10 MHz signals

2013-01-09 Thread Rick Karlquist
/data_sheets/AD9901.pdf Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] OT - USB to LPT Adapter - Does it exist?

2013-01-11 Thread Rick Karlquist
versions? One could easily imagine that the docking station did nothing more sophisticated that emulating a USB dongle, but then again, it does access the docking connector so there is some hope it connects directly to the bus. Rick Karlquist N6RK

Re: [time-nuts] How far can I push a crystal?

2013-01-17 Thread Rick Karlquist
Ed Breya wrote: I've got to make a very clean 10.0594... MHz VCXO for a redo of one of my old circuits. I previously used a 10 MHz ceramic resonator, which Forget about it. This is well beyond even the lunatic fringe of pulling. Rick ___

Re: [time-nuts] How far can I push a crystal?

2013-01-17 Thread Rick Karlquist
at that frequency. There a lots of one chip synthesizers that could generate that frequency as I'm sure you know. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts

Re: [time-nuts] How far can I push a crystal?

2013-01-17 Thread Rick Karlquist
with the crystal. The nominal value of this inductor may be considerably less than the calculated value, but there is always some value of inductor that works. This was true even in the through hole era. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts

Re: [time-nuts] Ultra Low Phase Noise 5 to 10 MHz Frequency Doubler

2013-02-05 Thread Rick Karlquist
it, and the drive level, and the tuning of the output filter. In most cases, you should provide an input filter as well. Rick Karlquist N6RK Adrian wrote: Hello, I'm forwarding the message below on behalf of Luciano, because there appears to be a problem with the time-nusts list that does no longer

Re: [time-nuts] HP53132A vs SR625

2013-03-16 Thread Rick Karlquist
is that you display the number of digits that are commensurate with the worst case accuracy of your interpolator. Again, my colleague who designed the interpolator did very high quality work. I am pleased to learn that our stuff is better than the stuff from the company up the road. Rick Karlquist

Re: [time-nuts] Building a Agilent Cross Correlated Phase Noise Measurement System.

2013-03-30 Thread Rick Karlquist
in helping Agilent customers, especially important ones like NIST. Are you currently working with anyone in Agilent? Rick Karlquist Tom Knox wrote: We are looking into using two N/E550XA/B Phase Noise systems and the 89410A to build a Cross Correlated measurement system. I was wondering

Re: [time-nuts] Low-pass Filter for 5 and 10 MHz

2013-04-11 Thread Rick Karlquist
was as lonely as the Maytag repairman. Nothing ever went wrong. Compare this to the finicky 5061 frequency multiplier. Filter software (at least what I have seen) doesn't do this type of design. Rick Karlquist N6RK (5071A RF designer) ___ time-nuts mailing

Re: [time-nuts] Connectors

2013-04-12 Thread Rick Karlquist
brent evers wrote: BTW - 3M Scotch rubber tape is regularly used in the offshore industry to make waterproof connections to 6000m/10,000psi. I use it on any/all outdoor signal (RF/Microwve antenna connectors, amphenol, etc) connectors as well. I cover the rubber tape with a layer of

Re: [time-nuts] LTC6957 Low Phase Noise Buffer/Driver

2013-04-17 Thread Rick Karlquist
ewkeh...@aol.com wrote: In some of my projects I like to use the MC10EL16. Does any one have an opinion on it? Bert Kehren I have used the MC10X116 series of line receivers going back to the old MC1000 family, which went out of production 35 years ago. The MC10EL16 should have been called

Re: [time-nuts] LTC6957 Low Phase Noise Buffer/Driver

2013-04-17 Thread Rick Karlquist
Volker Esper wrote: I have been looking into low jitter triggers for sampling systems recently and will probably end up using a discrete differential amplifier driving ECL logic. Why discrete? ECL style circuits on IC's suffer from high noise in the current source. If you go discrete, you

Re: [time-nuts] OT - RF Mailing list

2010-02-16 Thread Rick Karlquist
Jerome Peters wrote: Is there a RF Mailing list that anybody would like recommend? I am mostly interested in homebrew lower frequency (500KHz - 220MHz) range http://www.50mhzandup.org/ Rick N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To

Re: [time-nuts] OT: HP 8590A

2010-02-19 Thread Rick Karlquist
This is a low performance economy model. It will be OK for non-critical work. Regarding failures: it will be difficult to get this repaired if it breaks. Rick N6RK Joseph Gray wrote: Since the list members are familiar with lots of test equipment, I'd like to ask what the folks here think

Re: [time-nuts] Phase Noise of 74AC gates

2010-02-19 Thread Rick Karlquist
is verifying that performance. The 10811 production engineers searched for a long time for a low noise buffer amplifier and settled on the ANZAC AMC-123. The data sheet refers to a patent that reads like a construction article. You can make your own if you can find an old 2N5109 transistor. Rick Karlquist

Re: [time-nuts] Phase Noise of 74AC gates

2010-02-19 Thread Rick Karlquist
. This is a terrible design. The comparator will add considerable jitter. What were they thinking? Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts

[time-nuts] AMC-123 patent (was: Re: Phase Noise of 74AC gates)

2010-02-20 Thread Rick Karlquist
Bruce Griffiths wrote: Rick Karlquist wrote: Bruce Griffiths wrote: He's made similar comments before. It actually isnt that difficult to achieve an isolation amplifier phase noise floor below -170dBc/Hz if one is careful to use appropriate parts, design techniques, and the input signal

Re: [time-nuts] Rb Oscillator - rather fundamental question

2010-02-23 Thread Rick Karlquist
. It is in no way a primary frequency standard regardless of that or any other accomplishment. Primary means that the clock will meet its spec without being calibrated against a better clock. Secondary means that calibration against a primary standard is necessary. Rick Karlquist N6RK

Re: [time-nuts] Rb Oscillator - rather fundamental question

2010-02-23 Thread Rick Karlquist
of anyone who believes that. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] Fw: Rb Oscillator - rather fundamental question

2010-02-23 Thread Rick Karlquist
even though modified to run with a FTS tube and Standard Frequency makes it a grate Frequency Standard. Bert Kehren I never knew that. I stand corrected on the 5062C. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com

Re: [time-nuts] Primary standard again

2010-02-23 Thread Rick Karlquist
if you move them from the ground floor to upstairs. The pendulum is also not primary because it's length has to be calibrated. A cesium kit does not require any calibrated parts, including the microwave cavity, which only has to be symmetrical. Rick Karlquist N6RK J. Forster wrote: A REAL primary

Re: [time-nuts] Primary Standards...

2010-02-23 Thread Rick Karlquist
shift, etc in Cs standards have all been addressed and a small upper bound has been established. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts

Re: [time-nuts] 74AC gates phase noise

2010-02-25 Thread Rick Karlquist
. The designers were well aware of this. But phase noise floor isn't everything. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] Low cost 6+ GHz Prescaler

2010-03-30 Thread Rick Karlquist
the board for that application. It is a lot more difficult than most people think it is. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow

Re: [time-nuts] Making a HP 10811 better

2010-03-30 Thread Rick Karlquist
right on the turnover point is moot. In the E1938A, we had crystals that definitely had turnovers, and set each one at a turnover. What a nightmare in production. The 10811 paradigm looked really good by comparison. You can now see how complicated it gets if you fool around with a 10811. Rick

Re: [time-nuts] Yukon Energy causes time sync problems

2010-04-08 Thread Rick Karlquist
This reminds me of something a power company engineer once told me: High frequency is 61 Hz. Low frequency is 59 Hz. Brooke Clarke wrote: Hi: http://whitehorsestar.com/archive/story/time-passed-more-slowly-over-the-easter-holiday/ -- Have Fun, Brooke Clarke http://www.PRC68.com

Re: [time-nuts] OT - HP 5183A Waveform Recorder - is it worth playing with?

2010-06-02 Thread Rick Karlquist
, this wouldn't make sense. You can, of course, now get 12 bit digitizer PCI cards for your PC. Rick Karlquist N6RK Jerome Peters wrote: Just curious about peoples experiences/thoughts about the HP5183A Waveform Recorder. It's a 2 channel 12 bit digitizer with 512K word memory, 3MHz max sweep

Re: [time-nuts] OT - HP 5183A Waveform Recorder - is it worth playing with?

2010-06-02 Thread Rick Karlquist
Pete Lancashire wrote: $17,800 the good days :-) Did the user i/f to the HPIB ever get published ? -pete I'm not sure if it got published or was leaked to certain customers. I vaguely remember having to document it. I just remembered that the HPIB phy chip used was made by TI and had a bug

Re: [time-nuts] Phase noise measurement (was - no subject)

2010-08-20 Thread Rick Karlquist
sheet. No need at all to get a 3048, etc. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] Phase noise measurement (was - no subject)

2010-08-20 Thread Rick Karlquist
Walls paper? Rick Karlquist N6RK Mark J. Blair wrote: On Aug 20, 2010, at 11:17 AM, Rick Karlquist wrote: On the 10811 production line, they would use Anzac AMC-123 amplifiers How does this amplifier look for this application? http://minicircuits.com/pdfs/ZFL-500LN.pdf If I understand

Re: [time-nuts] Phase noise measurement (was - no subject)

2010-08-20 Thread Rick Karlquist
dk...@arcor.de wrote: to drive a +17 dBm mixer, and then amplify the IF output with a low noise current amplifier like the Linear LT1028. You can easily homebrew low noise _voltage_ ? 73, Gerhard dk4xp Oh yes, low noise voltage. The noise current of the LT1028 is actually quite high,

Re: [time-nuts] Phase noise measurement (was - no subject)

2010-08-20 Thread Rick Karlquist
Mark J. Blair wrote: On Aug 20, 2010, at 2:19 PM, Rick Karlquist wrote: It is good that you asked this FAQ. Basically, what is magic about the AMC-123 is that it has certifiably low phase noise, guaranteed by design and characterization, although not specified by Anzac. [...] Having a low

Re: [time-nuts] Timing Distribution in Mountainous Terrain

2010-09-09 Thread Rick Karlquist
masers as flywheels. Rick Karlquist N6RK member 5071A design team ___ 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] Double ovened 10811-60158 on ebay

2008-07-12 Thread Rick Karlquist
calculus problem!) Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] Double ovened 10811-60158 on ebay

2008-07-19 Thread Rick Karlquist
Mike S wrote: At 05:33 PM 7/19/2008, wje wrote... Another thing, the 10811B in mine doesn't have a removable endplate, it's soldered. This makes it a lot more difficult to adjust or repair. Still, I think it's a fine buy for the cost. Well, yea. Maybe Rick Karlquist will pipe

Re: [time-nuts] Double ovened 10811-60158 on ebay

2008-07-19 Thread Rick Karlquist
with a PIC, it might not be too hard. I'm an analog guy; I don't speak PIC. :-) Rick Karlquist N6RK Thanks, Ed Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:33:07 -0400 From: wje [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Double ovened 10811-60158 on ebay To: Discussion of precise time and frequency

Re: [time-nuts] Double ovened 10811-60158 on ebay

2008-07-20 Thread Rick Karlquist
the screw. I think that might be hermetic. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] Double ovened 10811-60158 on ebay

2008-07-20 Thread Rick Karlquist
much does the 10811 internal oven current vary vs ambient? Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] Double ovened 10811-60158 on ebay

2008-07-20 Thread Rick Karlquist
, and electrolyse any water absorbed to oxygen and hydrogen gas after it is sealed. Vacuum tube sealing and evacuation works well. cheers, Neville MIchie Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go

Re: [time-nuts] Double ovened 10811-60158 on ebay

2008-07-20 Thread Rick Karlquist
A non sealed 10811 responds to humidity in a few minutes. The speed is nearly limited by the rate of change achievable in the environmental chamber. Rick Ksrlquist N6RK Tom Van Baak wrote: It would seem to me that a perfectly hermetically sealed oscillator is not a requirement for a typical

Re: [time-nuts] Double ovened 10811-60158 on ebay

2008-07-20 Thread Rick Karlquist
We didn't use the epoxy for encapsulation. We used to in place of soldering to see if we could replace solder with epoxy. Nope. Is polyimide or PTFE board less hygroscopic than FR-4? Anyway, we didn't try that (too much trouble). Rick Karlquist N6RK Mike S wrote: At 03:42 PM 7/20/2008

Re: [time-nuts] 32768Hz from 10MHz

2008-07-23 Thread Rick Karlquist
size for the DAC data. Rick Karlquist N6RK Murray Greenman wrote: There is no easy way to divide directly from 10MHz to 32768Hz. On my web site at www.qsl.net/zl1bpu/MICRO there are several signal generator projects which would do the job of generating 32768Hz from 10MHz for you. With any

Re: [time-nuts] How to get 32.768KHz from 10MHz.

2008-07-23 Thread Rick Karlquist
A more practical offshoot of this concept is to subsample the 32 kHz oscillator at 128 Hz (ie a sampling phase detector) and use a slow loop to tune the 32768 kHz oscillator. The biggest problem here is that you have to have a tunable oscillator. Attempting to get around this by injection

Re: [time-nuts] What is a Time-Nut grade Zero Crossing Circuit?

2008-07-31 Thread Rick Karlquist
if possible. Make your 10 MHz source differential by putting a transformer on the output. Band pass filter your 10 MHz source with an LC filter. I recommend Coilcraft Unicoils or Maxicoils. Rick Karlquist N6RK Bob Paddock wrote: Can you point me to a Time-Nut grade Zero Crossing circuit that I

Re: [time-nuts] What is a Time-Nut grade Zero Crossing Circuit?

2008-07-31 Thread Rick Karlquist
comparators, you will find them to be universally lousy. I will be happy to be proven wrong if someone is aware of a good comparator. It's just that I have never met I comparator I liked :-) Rick Karlquist N6RK Didier Juges wrote: Rick, Can you explain #2? I understand ECL has more jitter, so I

Re: [time-nuts] What is a Time-Nut grade Zero Crossing Circuit?

2008-07-31 Thread Rick Karlquist
measurement circuit. Rick Karlquist N6RK Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] Double-Oven Thunderbolt on Ebay

2008-08-08 Thread Rick Karlquist
to use a poorly designed circuit that degrades the 1 s stability (or a really bad oven). And a crystal of much lower Q or higher intrinisic phase noise might affect phase noise. But in practice in the 10811, absent pathological corner cases, what I originally said is accuracy AFAIK. Rick Karlquist

Re: [time-nuts] New 10mhz Distribution Amplifier

2008-08-14 Thread Rick Karlquist
field susceptibility should be low. Line sidebands should be low. Compare, for example, the HP5087, a so-so design, to the output amplifier design in the 5071A cesium, as documented in my FCS paper in 1992. Huge difference in specs. The 5071A has 120 dB isolation between outputs. Rick Karlquist

Re: [time-nuts] New 10mhz Distribution Amplifier

2008-08-14 Thread Rick Karlquist
I should have said the return loss should be high or good :-) Bruce Griffiths wrote: Rick Karlquist wrote: Additional specs to consider: The return loss should be low for 10 MHz and the first 8 harmonics. The harmonic distortion should be low. The isolation between outputs should be high

Re: [time-nuts] Help with HP 8640B generator

2008-09-05 Thread Rick Karlquist
I'm unclear what you are trying to do. Rick steve heidmann wrote: Hi Rick,   Is he available to help hot rod one with a SiGe oscillator transistor ?     Steve --- On Thu, 9/4/08, Richard (Rick) Karlquist [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Richard (Rick) Karlquist

Re: [time-nuts] Question on crystal jumps

2008-10-22 Thread Rick Karlquist
standards don't jump. Rick Karlquist N6RK [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I would be very pleased to know when (date and time) anybody out there happened to record jumps in frequency of crystals. I have stable (e-07) tuning forks which happen to jump too, and I don't understand why, even having

Re: [time-nuts] Is oscillator sync always bad?

2008-12-18 Thread Rick Karlquist
Some of Len Cutler's engineers at HP attempted to build an ensemble of nine 10811 oscillators. It was quite non-trivial and I'm not sure they ever completed the project. I doubt whether just letting 10811's self synchronize would result in satisfactory performance. Rick Karlquist N6RK Predrag

Re: [time-nuts] beryllium oxide

2009-01-16 Thread Rick Karlquist
Robert Atkinson wrote: non-electronic application is in some (eg argon-ion) lasers. on a side note some vacuum tubes (especially cold cathode types) contain various radioactive materials. Robert G8RPI. Of interest to time nuts is that rubidium standards contain two isotopes of Rb, one of

Re: [time-nuts] -hp- 10811 repair (Thermistor)

2009-01-22 Thread Rick Karlquist
heat running up the leads and corrupting the thermistor. Rick Karlquist, N6RK RD engineer, HP Santa Clara Division 1979-1998 ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts

Re: [time-nuts] -hp- 10811 repair (Thermistor)

2009-01-22 Thread Rick Karlquist
Bruce Griffiths wrote: One concern is: How accurate does one' thermometer which one uses to calibrate the thermistor bridge setpoint have to be? Bruce The thermistors HP used were quite accurate, so you didn't need a thermometer. You just calculated the correct resistor value for the

Re: [time-nuts] DIY Frequency extension for HP Agilent 53181A, 53131A or 53181A

2009-02-14 Thread Rick Karlquist
to watch out for is that the lower order digits will bounce around. This is usually a symptom of prescaler error, assuming that the source is stable. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https

Re: [time-nuts] DIY Frequency extension for HP Agilent 53181A, 53131A or 53181A

2009-02-15 Thread Rick Karlquist
. Therefore, even installing the genuine board may not work. Of course, you can always build a prescaler in an external box and feed it into the front panel connector intended for low frequenices. You can use the math functions on the counter to scale the display. Rick Karlquist N6RK

Re: [time-nuts] DIY Frequency extension for HP Agilent 53181A, 53131A or 53181A

2009-02-15 Thread Rick Karlquist
subtracts the compensating diode voltage. Simple, but effective. It is also interesting to note that in 1987 I used the MB506 prescaler. Here they have simply upgraded to the MB510. Not likely to be any better on noisy sources. Rick Karlquist N6RK

[time-nuts] 5370B Designer Dave Chu retires from Agilent

2009-05-19 Thread Rick Karlquist
After 46 years at HP/Agilent, Dave Chu, the father of the 5370 series has retired. It is nice to see Time Nuts keeping these wonderful instruments going. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https

Re: [time-nuts] 5070B once more.... (actually 5370A fans)

2009-05-21 Thread Rick Karlquist
to air, unlike tiny SMT packages used now. How much room is there above the chips? Many years ago I saw some neat Probably not much extra room. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https

Re: [time-nuts] 5070B once more.... (actually 5370A fans)

2009-05-22 Thread Rick Karlquist
. Some have temperature proof measurement techniques that will work virtually until something burns up, so you can get lulled into a false sense of security just because the instrument meets spec. Rick Karlquist N6RK Member of 5071A design team, circa 1992. Now, a suggestion for the 5370

Re: [time-nuts] 5070B once more.... (actually 5370A fans)

2009-05-22 Thread Rick Karlquist
or an instrument. The tube says cesium device; nonradioactive. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] 5070B once more.... (actually 5370A fans)

2009-05-22 Thread Rick Karlquist
for the large capacitance we needed. We talked him into using a really good aluminum one. Rick Karlquist ___ 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] Crystal ovens

2009-06-10 Thread Rick Karlquist
an active oscillator. John WA4WDL 10,000 to one (thermal gain = 10,000) is very good. We could not achieve that until we applied the techiques in the following reference: http://www.karlquist.com/oven.pdf We eventually demonstated thermal gain of over a million. Again, for just a crystal. Rick

Re: [time-nuts] HP 10811 update

2013-07-26 Thread Rick Karlquist
to be done by converting the oscillator to mode B and then converting it back to mode C afterwards. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts

Re: [time-nuts] MINOS Status on Measuring Neutrino Velocity

2012-02-22 Thread Rick Karlquist
improvements. The best insurance policy is to have an ensemble of 5071A's with proper comparison facilities so that in the event one of them goes rogue, it can be voted out by the other units. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts

Re: [time-nuts] Neutrinos not so fast? (defectove connector)

2012-02-22 Thread Rick Karlquist
Maybe they checked the connector by replacing the whole fiber optic cable with a new one, and while doing that had the oh sh.. moment of realizing the length of the old one was 20 meters different than it was supposed to be. I think this sort of thing has happened to all of us with significant

Re: [time-nuts] Schematic capture, anyone?

2012-02-23 Thread Rick Karlquist
Jim Hickstein wrote: What do people use these days for schematic capture (and just possibly PCB worse, I prefer ANSI logic symbology over shovels-and-spades (or, really, over plain rectangles where you're expected to know what the part number means). I'll add another vote for Eagle. It is

Re: [time-nuts] Schematic capture, anyone?

2012-02-24 Thread Rick Karlquist
Charles P. Steinmetz wrote: I've been using LTspice for schematic capture and simulation at home. Will the PCB CAD tools being discussed (Eagle, DesignSpark, FreePCB, etc.) import netlists from LTspice? Or do folks prefer to do the schematic capture in a CAD tool and export that netlist to

Re: [time-nuts] Schematic capture, anyone?

2012-02-26 Thread Rick Karlquist
NeonJohn wrote: I use professionally. It was the best that our small company could afford. Here are some tips that will save you mucho grief. 1) This is the biggie. Make your own parts library. Then put any part that you have to create in that library. As well, put a copy of any

Re: [time-nuts] Agilent 53230A Counter

2012-03-10 Thread Rick Karlquist
. With the 10811, the counter is quite good for measuring Allan deviation. The most rigorous test I can run on it is to compare two 10811's. The result seems to be commensurate with the 10811 noise, without much contamination from the counter. Rick Karlquist N6RK

Re: [time-nuts] Agilent 53230A Counter

2012-03-11 Thread Rick Karlquist
Frank Stellmach wrote: The 5370 interpolator obviously was well-respected for its high linearity and low jitter, based upon the dual-vernier digital interpolator, but other T.I. counters containing analogous capacitor-integrators often suffer from non-linearities and higher jitter. The

Re: [time-nuts] Cs beam cavity: why is it U shaped?

2012-05-01 Thread Rick Karlquist
. In the 5071 CBT, there are proprietary manufacturing techniques that reduce the random phase error to parts in 10^13 and the systematic phase error to parts in 10^14, or so I have been told. This cleverness is the kind of thing that gets noticed in Stockholm. Rick Karlquist, N6RK Attila Kinali

Re: [time-nuts] Why are 1PPS signals so skinny?

2012-05-14 Thread Rick Karlquist
reproduce a 1 Hz square wave requires response down to .1 Hz and preferrably .01 Hz, due to droop and phase shift distortion issues). A short pulse will conveniently propagate though the same sort of distribution amplifiers used for 10 MHz, 5 MHz, 100 kHz, etc. Rick Karlquist N6RK

Re: [time-nuts] Why are 1PPS signals so skinny?

2012-05-15 Thread Rick Karlquist
a happy light LED that flashed 1 time per second, and sure enough this corrupted the power supply and affected some applications. We added a command to turn it off. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go

Re: [time-nuts] Paywall rant

2012-06-05 Thread Rick Karlquist
I have a bound set of IRE/IEEE Proceedings from about 1920 to 1985. If anyone wants them, they are free for the taking. Rick Karlquist N6RK J. Forster wrote: Good luck. About 20 years ago, I bought out the entire library of a local RD company for $10, including well over 50' of 7' high

Re: [time-nuts] Paywall rant

2012-06-05 Thread Rick Karlquist
li...@lazygranch.com wrote: Terman Library (Stanford) used let any schmuck use the computers in the library. You could email the articles to yourself. Now it requires a password. BTW, the library in Terman hall is the Engineering Library not the Terman Library. A common misconception. Rick

Re: [time-nuts] Zero-Crossing Detector Design?

2012-07-19 Thread Rick Karlquist
Chris Albertson wrote: The comparator will work but you need some positive feedback to create hysteresis. The problem is the hysteresis cause the output square wave to be not quite 50% duty cycle. But maybe you don't care if the goal is to count cycles. or if you only look at (say)

Re: [time-nuts] HP/Agilet counter 53131A (not 53151A) trigger problems

2012-08-27 Thread Rick Karlquist
age lower, had been eliminated by years of manufacturing improvements. The remaining processes were of the nature of quartz stress relaxation that were very random. Rick Karlquist Don Latham wrote: There are ways of generating models, such as ARIMA, using past behavior and the models used

Re: [time-nuts] oscillators

2012-08-30 Thread Rick Karlquist
as temperature. There I've never heard of this being done. Do you have a reference? Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] oscillators

2012-08-30 Thread Rick Karlquist
if that crystal would accidentally make a good thermometer. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] 10811 crystal orientation

2009-07-08 Thread Rick Karlquist
with the 10811. If it were important, knowing how HP did things, the crystal package would be indexed so that the orientation would not be up to the whim of the assembler. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe

Re: [time-nuts] 10811 crystal orientation

2009-07-09 Thread Rick Karlquist
. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] HP NGOComm

2009-07-28 Thread Rick Karlquist
There was never any documentation of the NGOComm program, because of the proverbial lack of resources. The author of the program trained a few people, and they trained others. I used to know how to use it, but it has been 10 years since I used it. Rick Karlquist N6RK Richard W. Solomon wrote

Re: [time-nuts] Service manual for HP 106B Quartz Oscillator

2009-07-30 Thread Rick Karlquist
got to exercise his perfectionist tendancies on this one, without any supervision from the usual suspects. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time

Re: [time-nuts] Methods for comparing oscillators

2009-08-05 Thread Rick Karlquist
with a beat note of a few Hz as could be achieved by pulling a standard crystal. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] OCXO sensitive to gravity

2009-08-13 Thread Rick Karlquist
in a fix to mitigate against this in the 5071A CBT. AFAIK, orientation doesn't affect Rb standards. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts

Re: [time-nuts] Best way for generating 8994.03 MHz from 2899.00042272.....MHz?

2009-08-14 Thread Rick Karlquist
the ADF4108 data sheet :-) The phase detector frequency will be about 5 MHz. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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] Best way for generating 8994.03 MHz from 2899.00042272.....MHz?

2009-08-14 Thread Rick Karlquist
frequency will be about 6 MHz. Rick Karlquist N6RK ___ 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.

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