[time-nuts] Different Thunderbolt versions

Dave M masondg44 at comcast.net
Sun Feb 22 01:13:09 UTC 2009


I currently have an HP Z3801A, which seems to be running well.  I've been looking at the T-Bolts on Ebay for a while, but have been holding off buying.  This post just gave me an opportunity to ask some questions.

I've seen references to the TAPR group buy in previous posts.  It obviously happened before I found this group, but am interested in the details.  
Things like: 
When did the buy happen?
Which model T-Bolt was bought?
What was the price?
Was PSU included?
Are any units still available?
Is another buy planned for the near future?

Thanks for the info.

Dave M
MasonDG44 at comcast dot net  (Just substitute the appropriate characters in the address)

Life is like a roll of toilet paper; the closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. 

  ------------------------------

  Message: 6
  Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:46:31 -0800
  From: "John Miles" <jmiles at pop.net>
  Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Different Thunderbolt versions
  To: "Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement"
  <time-nuts at febo.com>
  Message-ID: <PKEGJHPHLLBACEOICCBJCEEHCPAC.jmiles at pop.net>
  Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"


  > I believe that the blue trace (#3) on the last figure from John Miles'
  > page [3] is with the integrated 24 to -12, +12, +5 V PSU. So you are
  > better off buying a cheap barebones Thunderbolt and a cheap linear PSU.

  That's my thinking, assuming the currently-available surplus ones all have
  good-quality rocks like the TAPR ones did.  I don't have any basis to
  speculate on that, or to assume that all of the older Thundebolts with PIEZO
  OCXOs are as unstable (and spur-ridden) as mine was.

  My original unit had been in continuous service for over 5 years at the time
  I measured it.   Until the TAPR group buy happened, it was the only one I'd
  ever used.

  -- john, KE5FX



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