[time-nuts] time-nuts Digest, Vol 192, Issue 34

[jsodus]

Pual,I was just about to delete your post when I realized I had wanted to mention Vectron.Besides the Piezo engr, our club has a Vectron egnr, who incidentally is responsible for my becoming a ham. Both are now retired. I also worked at Vectron just for something to do after retiring.73Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
-------- Original message --------From: time-nuts-request at lists.febo.com Date: 7/23/20  12:00  (GMT-05:00) To: time-nuts at lists.febo.com Subject: time-nuts Digest, Vol 192, Issue 34 Send time-nuts mailing list submissions to	time-nuts at lists.febo.comTo subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit	http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.comor, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to	time-nuts-request at lists.febo.comYou can reach the person managing the list at	time-nuts-owner at lists.febo.comWhen replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specificthan "Re: Contents of time-nuts digest..."Today's Topics:   1. "Best Practices" for cascading L1 GPS Antenna Distribution      Amplifiers (JAMES ROBBINS)   2. Re: WWVB PM Time Questions (paul swed)----------------------------------------------------------------------Message: 1Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2020 09:34:11 -0400From: JAMES ROBBINS <jsrobbins at earthlink.net>To: time-nuts at lists.febo.comSubject: [time-nuts] "Best Practices" for cascading L1 GPS Antenna	Distribution AmplifiersMessage-ID: <D454E822-78D0-4CC9-BB41-909E145B4916 at earthlink.net>Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=utf-8I am wondering if anyone either knows (or can point me to some pertinent information regarding) the "best practices" for feeding L1 to two HP/Symmetricom 58517A (8 port) Distribution Amplifiers?1.  Can I simply choose one of the first amplifier?s ports and use that to feed the L1 RF to the input of the second unit?2.  What about the DC needs of the second amplifier?3.  Or, should I use, say, a 58512A (2 port) unit and distribute its? 2 outputs, one to each of the inputs of the two 58517A units?4.  Or, perhaps it doesn?t really matter, as the 58512A outputs are ultimately the same thing as using one of the first 58517A outputs to feed the second 58517A?Thoughts appreciated.Jim RobbinsN1JR------------------------------Message: 2Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2020 10:22:22 -0400From: paul swed <paulswedb at gmail.com>To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement	<time-nuts at lists.febo.com>Subject: Re: [time-nuts] WWVB PM Time QuestionsMessage-ID:	<CAD2JfAgrUyryaPAFBabkCejgFpDvhhVm2Yog+_n94wP7Xk9Weg at mail.gmail.com>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"BobI 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 simplersloppy VCTXO.No time to tinker. But I believe I have some really nice little 10 MHzvectron VCTCXOs.If that worked then what I am dealing with is an efc range control issue.Perhaps the swing is to large...RegardsPaulWB8TSLOn 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> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________> >>>>> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at lists.febo.com> >>>>> To unsubscribe, go to> >>>>> http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.com> >>>>> and follow the instructions there.> >>>>>> >>>> _______________________________________________> >>>> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at lists.febo.com> >>>> To unsubscribe, go to> >>> http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.com> >>>> and follow the instructions there.> >>>> >>>> >>> _______________________________________________> >>> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at lists.febo.com> >>> To unsubscribe, go to> >>> http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.com> >>> and follow the instructions there.> >>>> >>> > _______________________________________________> > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at lists.febo.com> > To unsubscribe, go to> http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.com> > and follow the instructions there.>>> _______________________________________________> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at lists.febo.com> To unsubscribe, go to> http://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.com> and follow the instructions there.>------------------------------Subject: Digest Footer_______________________________________________time-nuts mailing listtime-nuts at lists.febo.comhttp://lists.febo.com/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts_lists.febo.com------------------------------End of time-nuts Digest, Vol 192, Issue 34******************************************