[time-nuts] Re: Drop-in replacement receiver boards for Z3801A

[Bob Camp]

Hi

My only real point was that nothing like this is ever an “exact” replacement. In this case it’s a better part. A lot of work goes into making it better. You get it as close as humanly possible. These folks do a very good job at that. Still, it’s not exactly the same as the original in all respects. 

Bob

> On Jan 30, 2024, at 1:55 PM, paul swed <paulswedb at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I ordered a spare Synergy board numbers of years ago. That board did have a tiny micro on it that did the conversion. I may guess exactly the same here. 
> The benefit is when the stock GPS module goes bad, its a great way to recover the 38XX class gpsdo's. Added benefit seems to be more receive channels, faster cold/warm start, most likely better sensitivity and perhaps filtering.
> It does appear to be a drop in. No setting up anything. 
> Regards
> Paul
> WB8TSL
> 
> On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 1:46 PM Bob Camp via time-nuts <time-nuts at lists.febo.com <mailto:time-nuts at lists.febo.com>> wrote:
>> Hi
>> 
>> Just a random comment …..
>> 
>> The Ublox series parts speak a *very* different language than the old Motorola parts. Dropping a stock version of one chip in place of the other isn’t going to work. You either need a custom version of the base chip or some sort of MCU on the board to translate languages. Either way, there’s a whole lot of hard work (and testing) that needs to be done to make that work right. There are a number of fiddly problems you get into. Not at all an easy task. 
>> 
>> Bob
>> 
>> > On Jan 29, 2024, at 6:47 PM, Lon Cottingham via time-nuts <time-nuts at lists.febo.com <mailto:time-nuts at lists.febo.com>> wrote:
>> > 
>> > Greetings to all,
>> > 
>> >        Last September (2023) I placed an order with Synergy Systems for several of their Z3801A replacement receiver boards.  When they did not arrive at the anticipated time, I reached out to them.  I spoke to Gena Aspeytia.  She advised me that the boards would be shipped in mid February, 2024.  I doubled my order, as I needed more boards, and hoped.  Late last week, my bank called to authenticate an international charge for the doubled order.  The boards arrived, just now, by FedEx.  The boards are of the highest quality, use the ublox LEa-6T-1-001 chip, and appear to be exact, drop-in replacements.
>> > 
>> >        I am on my way to the shop to install, and test, one of the boards.  At 82, that will take me a bit longer than in past years.  I will report results.
>> > 
>> > 73 de Lon, K5JV
>> > 281-795-1335
>> > 
>> > 
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