[time-nuts] Rubidium standard

Roy Phillips phill.r1 at btinternet.com
Thu Nov 12 16:21:02 UTC 2009


Glenn
I understand that manufactures may state that a Rubidium unit is good for 
ten years, but they do not necessarily support this claim with  their 
warranties, which at best are for three years, and most are one year only.
 It seems that ten years of working life is likely, and perhaps this is why 
used FRS. are probably better purchased from a ex. military source as they 
probably have not been in continuous use, in fact they are often sitting on 
a shelf for five or more years before being disposed off.
regards
Roy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "paul swed" <paulswedb at gmail.com>
To: "Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement" 
<time-nuts at febo.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 3:33 PM
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Rubidium standard


> Glenn,
>    I believe thats the case.
> I have a number of the small x cel tower rbs.
> You can nurse them a bit.
> But the failures I have run into are other things.
> Like the tuning cap on the lamp exciter getting noisy
> Also I have found re-peaking the multiplier chain can help
> It definitely stretches the life a bit.
> I would bet things like bypass caps fit into the failures also.
> 10 years is a long time for these itty bitty electrolytic s. No reserve 
> like
> the older ones.
> Plus they are just fun to play with to try to recover them.
> I see date codes like 94-03 on the stuff that I get. So they are long in 
> the
> tooth as it is.
> Now the old HP5065 1985 still is going strong.
> Believe thats because there simply is more of everything. Gas caps... 
> Built
> like a tank.
> regards
>
>
> On Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 12:40 AM, Glenn Little WB4UIV <
> glennmaillist at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
>> I was told by a Technical Support Engineer from Symmetricom Global 
>> Services
>> that
>> "The typical life span is ~10 years for these Rubidium Time Bases".
>>
>> This is in response to my request for information on a Ball/Efratom
>> PTB-100.
>>
>> Is this a typical life span of a rubidium standard?
>>
>> Do some standards last longer than others?
>>
>> What are the symptoms of a failing rubidium bulb?
>>
>> Thanks
>> 73
>> Glenn
>> WB4UIV
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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