[time-nuts] Digital clock competition

[Murray Greenman]

Philip,

I am interested in your design challenge for an accurate digital clock,
but although I've searched the IEEE Spectrum on-line magazine, I can
find no mention of it. All I have is an email from you circulated
through the TimeNuts group.

It will be important to know the ground rules for the project. For
example, what is the expected operating environment? What is the power
budget? Need the display be 7-segment, and is any other technology
permitted? Where, when and how is the calibration to be performed, and
over what time period will accuracy be checked, and by what method?

Most especially, we need to know what the definition of parts being
'generally available' means, and we need to know who decides how the
cost of construction is defined. I published a $30 design using recycled
parts capable of 10sec/year some two years ago - how would I know if it
would it be eligible?

Please send me detailed information, or tell me where I may find it. If
it's not been clearly defined then the competition will not generate any
serious interest.

Regards,

Murray Greenman
Senior Engineer,
Oscillator Engineering,
RAKON