[time-nuts] Re: FEI FE-5060A Literature?

[Bob kb8tq]

Hi

FEI tended to “hang on” to model numbers through many generations
of devices. I suspect this made marketing a lot easier. It does not make
working out “what do I have here” very easy these many years later. 

They never intended any of these devices to be field repairable. Their 
customers never had any interest in repairing a device in the field. We 
live in a world of “send it back to the factory” for repairs. This is true 
of a wide range of items and has been true for decades.

Typically the big issue with most Telecom Rb’s ( the FEI’s very much 
included) is drift of the internal crystal oscillator. You tweak a trimmer
and get it in range. The problem unit now works ok. Next up are exploded
electrolytic caps. These are often rattling around inside the housing. 

Fun !!!

Bob


> On Mar 3, 2022, at 7:17 AM, Clint Jay <cjaysharp at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi, there's a link to information on the Time Nuts archive:
> 
> https://time-nuts.febo.narkive.com/Bhntgkdy/changing-fe-5650a-frequency
> 
> Schematics might not be included, FE seem to have kept those close to their
> chests.
> 
> If the link to the ZIP file fails, archive.org might still have it.
> 
> On Thu, 3 Mar 2022 at 10:55, xtronus--- via time-nuts <
> time-nuts at lists.febo.com> wrote:
> 
>> Hello,
>> 
>> Newbie here.
>> 
>> I have a couple of old FEI FE-5650A rubys (one is Opt 3, and the other is
>> Opt 3 & Opt 12) both of which I
>> literally dug out of a garbage can. One is marked 'bad' and the other has
>> no markings. I have not attempted
>> to put power on the units as I would prefer to have a look see on the
>> schematics first and also, to know what
>> the various options provide. Opt 12 is not listed on any literature that I
>> have, while Opt 3 = 5 MHz Out.
>> 
>> Looked around the 'Net on/off for several years for info, I've found a few
>> tid bits here and there, etc.
>> 
>> Although I have tracked down a marketing flyer and a service manual
>> (TM-0107 Dtd Feb 1998), which depicts
>> board silk screens, while the document does not actually contain any
>> electrical schematics of the PCB boards.
>> 
>> Does anyone know of or can point me to any available schematics for these
>> old rubys?
>> 
>> With the can removed I noticed a multi-throw DIP switch, anyone know what
>> those settings do?
>> 
>> Also, on sht 12, Fig 4, block diagram, depicts a "serial digital input"
>> into a block titled, "Serial Interface", and I did
>> track down a FE-5650A RS-232C hack, does anyone know if those signals are
>> brought out to the DB-9 connector,
>> perhaps via pins 6 & 9 which are marked N.C.?
>> 
>> Thanks in advance,
>> 
>> walt w.
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Clint. M0UAW IO83
> 
> *No trees were harmed in the sending of this mail. However, a large number
> of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.*
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