[time-nuts] Re: Spectracom 9383, IRIG to GPS, Update

[Chris Quayle]

Thought the following might be of interest:

     Symmetricom Netclock/IRIG 9383. Modify for GPS Input
     ----------------------------------------------------

     Modification Notes: Chris Quayle, 03-September 2023
     ---------------------------------------------------

* From a photo, able to identify the gps module in use,
   a Trimble Resolution T

* Replace IRIG card with Trimble Resolution T gps module
   (See below)

* Firmware is on 256 Mb CF card, Vile Linux 2.6.15 Ext3
   file system

* Card into laptop, Suse Linux 11.4 here

     * image the card
         "dd if=... of=9383.img bs=1m"
     * Mount on /mnt
     * chroot to /mnt, to reset root password
     * Rewite edited image using dd to 512mb card, as
       original is slightly greater than 256mb. Verify
       it still boots and reaches login prompt.

* Reboot system, login as root via internal
   keyboard and vga port
* In /etc/ssh/sshd_config
    PermitRootLogin yes
* Reboot, login as root from remote, "ssh root at 192.9.200.170"
* Dig around the system, (no 'more' on this box :(, then:

* cd /etc/ntp
* cat ntp.conf, looks ok
     restrict 127.0.0.1
     restrict -4 default noquery nomodify
     restrict -6 default noquery nomodify
     keys /etc/ntp/keys/ntp.keys
     controlkey 65533
     requestkey 65534
     trustedkey 65533 65534
     server 127.127.1.0  Clock (LOCAL)
     fudge 127.127.1.0 stratum 15
     enable pps
     server 127.127.45.0 prefer  PCI
     server 127.127.22.0 minpoll 4 maxpoll 4Discipline
     fudge 127.127.22.0 stratum 0
     keysdir /etc/ntp/keys/
     driftfile /etc/ntp/ntp.drift
     logfile /opt/log/ntp.log
     statsdir /opt/log/ntpstats/
     statistics loopstats peerstats clockstats
     filegen loopstats  file loopstats  type day enable
     filegen peerstats  file peerstats  type day enable
     filegen clockstats file clockstats type day enable

* login to command line interface
    cd /opt/usr/bin
    cli

     Welcome to the Spectracom Command Line Interface
     (c)Copyright Spectracom Corporation 2006

* root at 192.9.200.170 > help
     Command line interface (CLI) help.
     Type 'help cmd' for a detailed help on the 'cmd' command.
     The following are the available commands.
             time     - time
             reboot   - reboot
             halt     - halt
             log      - log COMMAND OBJECT [ HANDLE ]
             option   - option COMMAND [OPTION | PRODUCT] [VALUE]
             ltc      - ltc COMMAND [INDEX | NAME] [...]
             clean    - clean [restart | halt]
             net      - net COMMAND [Arguments]
             disc     - disc COMMAND ARG
             sys      - sys COMMAND [Arguments]
             photo    - photo COMMAND [Arguments]
             ser      - ser COMMAND SERIAL [Arguments]
             rem      - rem COMMAND REMOTE [Arguments]
             sernum   - sernum COMMAND
             irig     - irig COMMAND ARG
             show     - show [on | off]
             frq      - frq COMMAND INDEX [Arguments]

* root at 192.9.200.170 > option display
     Product Name: 9383

         Security               : on
         Modem                  : off
         Serial Port 1          : on
         Serial Port 2          : on
         Remote Port 1          : on
         Remote Port 2          : on
         IRIG Output            : on
         Front Panel Display    : on
         Relays                 : on
         Oscillator Disciplining: on
         10 MHz Frequency Output: on
         IRIG Input             : on
         Oscillator             : TCXO
         Gps Receiver           : NONE
         Board                  : NONE

* Try setting defaults ???

* root at 192.9.200.170 > option default
   Default options restored for: 9383

* root at 192.9.200.170 > option display
     Product Name: 9383

         Security               : on
         Modem                  : off
         Serial Port 1          : on
         Serial Port 2          : on
         Remote Port 1          : on
         Remote Port 2          : on
         IRIG Output            : on
         Front Panel Display    : on
         Relays                 : on
         Oscillator Disciplining: on
         10 MHz Frequency Output: on
         IRIG Input             : off
         Oscillator             : TCXO
         Gps Receiver           : Trimble Resolution T
         Board                  : NONE

Looks like default config is for a gps  reference,
not IRIG

* GPS Modules

     Dump the application: od -S 5 usr/bin/hs92XX
     looking for gps module references, we find:

     Motorola Oncore M12+ Timing
     Motorola M12M Timing
     Motorola M12M Navigation
     Trimble Resolution T
     Trimble Force-22 SAASM

     So, looks like quite a choice.

Had thought the IRIG and GPS types might need a
different firmware load, but there were entries
early on in log files which suggested an initial
default to a gps install, with IRIG being an
option set at build time. Anyway was able to
identify the GPS module in use from pics from
another time-nuts member, with thanks.
Found online and all seems to work, with good
timing accuracy, though suspect would be better
with a more stable oscillator. Good enough for ntp
use though.

A useful addition to the time & frequency
collection...

Chris