[time-nuts] Timenoob - Cheap and simple 10MHz reference

[Robert Atkinson]

Hi Giuseppe,
Welcome to the group.
If you are already happy constructing equipment and have basic test gear ('scope, DMM) and a small budget, I'd suggest a timing GPS as a starting point. While a Thunderbolt will give most of what you want, it is more expensive. A Timing version or Motorola's Oncore <(ebay item 300355981024 from flukel for instance) will give you an accurate 1 pulse per second output (you also need a power supply antenna and a PC). This and a 'scope will allow you to calibrate other instruments and a oven controlled crystal oscillator. A GPS based solution (including Thunderbolt) will give you good confidence of accuracy. Just buying a surplus Rubidium could result in you adjusting all your instruments to the wrong frequency! Like many of these decisions, it's a balance between time and money, with a lesser input from your capabilities and existing equipment.
 
Robert G8RPI.

--- On Mon, 28/12/09, Giuseppe Marullo <giuseppe at marullo.it> wrote:


From: Giuseppe Marullo <giuseppe at marullo.it>
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Timenoob - Cheap and simple 10MHz reference
To: "Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement" <time-nuts at febo.com>
Date: Monday, 28 December, 2009, 0:56


Thanks a lot to all for your quick answer.

Rubinium should be good for my needs, but buying it surplus makes me think I could get something very used (and abused) and it does not have the self correcting thing thunderbolt has.
GPSDO gives me also the time, maybe with a supercool LCD display.

> A Thunderbolt needs a triple supply (+12, -12, and +5) to operate. It also needs a GPS antenna of some sort.
Do you know exactly the power requirement? On Ebay I read 15W then few mA on each branch (board only). Something is not clear to me.


The dark side of the noon already embraced I have....

Giuseppe

PS: I am experiencing mail problems for the first time in many years, please anyone willing to contact me directly do cc copy also this other email address: giuseppe.marullo at iname.com while my ISP gathers back all the bits they lost (2 days of emails vanished from my IMAP account under my eyes, literally)



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