[time-nuts] WWVB PM Time Questions

[paul swed]

Bob
I attempted to use a OCXO a Piezo and could never get it to hold lock.
Did invert the control and such. Anyhow, just wondering if I need a simpler
sloppy VCTXO.
No time to tinker. But I believe I have some really nice little 10 MHz
vectron VCTCXOs.
If that worked then what I am dealing with is an efc range control issue.
Perhaps the swing is to large...
Regards
Paul
WB8TSL

On Thu, Jul 23, 2020 at 8:58 AM Bob kb8tq <kb8tq at n1k.org> wrote:

> Hi
>
> 10 MHz *is* a frequency at which you can find a pretty good $3 to $6 OCXO.
> I find that a bit amazing, but (at least right now) that’s how it seems to
> work.
> (and yes, they do have EFC).
>
> Bob
>
>
> > On Jul 22, 2020, at 10:09 PM, paul swed <paulswedb at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Looked at the KD2BD schematic and it is a 10 MHz VCTCXO. That seems
> > reasonable perhaps to find.
> > Regards
> > Paul
> >
> > On Wed, Jul 22, 2020 at 6:44 PM paul swed <paulswedb at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> I was actually thinking about this quite a bit and perhaps I went the
> >> wrong way.
> >> That is a cheap vcxo class device. His unit was not an oven as I recall.
> >> Just maybe a bit too good was actually bad.
> >> Hard to say and no time to play right now.
> >> Regards
> >> Paul
> >> WB8TSL
> >>
> >> On Wed, Jul 22, 2020 at 6:06 PM Bob kb8tq <kb8tq at n1k.org> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hi
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> On Jul 22, 2020, at 3:51 PM, paul swed <paulswedb at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> Ray watch out for my comment on the KD2BD solution. That oscillator
> >>> isn't
> >>>> available and I have not been able to map something else into it.
> Tried
> >>>> several good grade Oven oscillators. Just be aware of that issue.
> >>>> Would need to do more tinkering and simply don't have that time right
> >>> now.
> >>>> Also it would be great if the oscillator was something that could be
> >>>> obtained at a reasonable cost. I do not believe at all it has to be a
> >>>> OCXO as the older true time and spectracoms were not and they locked
> >>> solid.
> >>>> So its a case of getting the control voltages right.
> >>>
> >>> You can buy a surprisingly good little OCXO (for the price) on eBay
> these
> >>> days in the  $3 to $6 range. Find one at 12.6 MHz and it will divide
> >>> nicely to
> >>> 60 KHz. 19.2 MHz looks like a better candidate … Either way I have not
> >>> (yet)
> >>> seen a 60 KHz multiple show up in the cheap category.
> >>>
> >>> Bob
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> Regards
> >>>> Paul.
> >>>>
> >>>> On Wed, Jul 22, 2020 at 3:29 PM <rcbuck at atcelectronics.com> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> Thanks to all for the suggestions. I dug a ferrite rod AM radio
> antenna
> >>>>> out of the box this morning. I have a box of 10 left over from the
> late
> >>>>> 80s. It measures 0.950 mH so I will add some turns to get it to 1.5
> mH
> >>>>> which will be easier to resonate at 60 kHz. Then I need to build up
> the
> >>>>> RF amp and run the output through a 60 kHz crystal filter. I have to
> >>>>> order the crystals since I don't have any on hand. It will take a
> >>> couple
> >>>>> of weeks to get the front end working.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I am in Phoenix so the WWVB signal is of decent quality here even
> >>> during
> >>>>> the daytime. My 25 year old cheap Casio watch will sync up within 2-3
> >>>>> minutes any time of day or night. It normally syncs at 2 am but I
> have
> >>>>> done tests to confirm daytime sync works reliably.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Mark, I know virtually nothing about SDR other than it works. I
> bought
> >>> a
> >>>>> RTL-SDR.Com module a couple of years ago and played with it a little
> >>>>> bit. But it quit working and I haven't thought about SDR since then.
> My
> >>>>> Icom 7300 is a SDR and it works very well. I think to attempt to
> design
> >>>>> a SDR would be well over my head. I anticipate this project taking
> 2-3
> >>>>> months. If I get it working I will be glad to share everything with
> the
> >>>>> group.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Lester and Paul, I will test with the Costas loop as it may be the
> >>>>> easiest way to go. To test the Costas loop I am basically going to
> >>>>> duplicate the KD2BD design. I was reluctant about it in the beginning
> >>>>> but more reading seems to indicate it will be fine. My AWG allows me
> to
> >>>>> set the phase from 0 to 360 degrees independently on each channel so
> I
> >>>>> can use that for initial testing. That testing can be done prior to
> >>>>> getting the front end working.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Richard, is your software posted somewhere? I assume it allows you to
> >>>>> specify the time and date you want it to send. That would come in
> handy
> >>>>> for writing the code to extract the timer/date data. I have seen
> >>>>> examples of the Arduino transmitting the old AM signal but don't
> recall
> >>>>> seeing one that sends the BPSK stream.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I have a GPS time receiver with a 1.2 inch LED display that I built a
> >>>>> couple of years ago. I have it setup so the UART outputs the gprmc
> NEMA
> >>>>> string in case I want to look at it. I have a couple of spare GPS
> >>>>> modules lying around and several Arduino Uno modules. I have no
> problem
> >>>>> picking up the GPS satellites using only the patch antenna that is
> >>> built
> >>>>> into the modules.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Ray,
> >>>>> AB7HE
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
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