[time-nuts] Re: Phase noise of HP8663A 640 MHz reference?

[John Miles]

> -----Original Message-----

> From: ed breya via time-nuts [mailto:time-nuts at lists.febo.com]

> Thanks all, for replies and possibly running some tests. The reason I'm

> asking about this is that now that I finally have the HP8663A, I'd like

> to rig it up with the HP11179C, and its documentation mentions all this

> option 3 stuff on the 8663A. So I started wondering, just how good is

> it, and if there's a "typical" or representative spec. Again, I believe

> option 3 just means that the particular unit was tested at the factory

> before delivery, and the results documented and included with the unit.

> Over time, this info could be lost.

 

The 5953-8376 brochure from 2001 shows both specified and typical values for
the option-003 output.  Here's what the 8663As around here do, vis-a-vis
those numbers:

 



Each one was measured by downconverting its rear-panel output to 11 MHz
using a pair of external mixers driven by the other two.  This wasn't a
great test setup -- lots of cables running all over the place and the
generators were powered from different AC outlets -- so I didn't leave the
spur markers turned on.  Still looked reasonably clean, though.  Hard to
complain considering the oldest of the units is >35 years old.

 

I don't have an easy way to measure the 640 MHz output from the 11729C's SAW
oscillator (would have to pull it out of the rack and open it up), but
Product Note 11729C-2 says that it's quieter than the 8662/3 rear panel
output above 70 kHz and noisier below that.  Sounds plausible enough.

 

-- john

 

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