[time-nuts] RF Mixers for oscillator comparison

Arnold Tibus Arnold.Tibus at gmx.de
Sun Apr 19 20:47:31 UTC 2009


On Sun, 19 Apr 2009 08:22:53 -0700, Corby Dawson wrote:

>Arnold,

>Look at the top of page 3 on the link below. Not sure how they arrived at
>their conclusion but there is one opinion on the HP mixers!

>http://www.unusualresearch.com/AppNotes/TimeNuts/OptDualMixer.pdf

>Corby Dawson

Corby, 

a real interesting paper, thank you. They seem to think very positive about 
this HP type of mixers. That HP/ Agilent is mentioning always their own
model in all their ANs is understandable, but I do not see similar 
setups of other institutions or labs with other brands. 

Anyway, what they are doing is far more of what I want to. I do not have 
access to ultra stable and very low noise oscillators, nor I have small bw. 
Spectrum Analyzers and as well no FF-Test devices etc. 
I am still setting up my small private lab.

Let me clarify the situation a bit.
The oscillators I work with are mainly 10811 (models A and others), 
some reference oscillators of other brands, a PRS10, a LPRO, a FRK-HLN 5MHz, 
a Trimble Thunderbolt (with a defective temp. measuring device, try o find out 
the impact) and a 1938A, which I have to refurbish,
(is about 4 Hz away from nom. frequency and showing some sudden functional 
stops, btw. I need a  v e r y  small 1:4 transformer RFTM-16/SM3, hp 9100-5563, 
can somebody help me? I could not find any!). 

A lot of work to find out, which oscillator ist the best to serve as reference 
and then to classify the others. Not so easy as private and somewhat limited 
"test lab".
My TI-counters I use are a 5345A with TI-probes and a 53132A, also a 5334A 
and a B model, completed by some other equipment. 
(Cs Standards are not on in view :( ).

So, I try to learn and improve the setup by adding a few mixers for the given task, 
intending to do things right. Most difficult is to get the needed material here. 
(Unfortunately shipment and VAT are a very important counting factor :(  )

Always open I thank you all for the help and hints, 
(such dokuments are helpful for a lot of members not yet skilled and 
well equipped!)

Arnold











More information about the Time-nuts_lists.febo.com mailing list