[time-nuts] Frequency counter recommendation - Basic

[Magnus Danielson]

On 12/23/2010 04:29 PM, Bob Bownes wrote:
>> The other is what one can buy on the market that is
>> better than the HP 5328?
>>
>> The first step up IMHO is the HP 5335.  I have two.
>> AFAIK it is the first of the series that will do TIC.  The TIC
>> specification is 100 pico-seconds.
>> For reference the HP 5370A/B TIC spec is 10 pico-seconds.
>>
>
> The 5328 will do TIC. It may not be too good at it or have the resolution of
> the 5335/5370's, but it will do it, both a->b and c,a->b.

Indeed. If you have the option 040/041/042 boars you go from 100 ns to 
10 ns single-shot solution, and in addition when you do averaging noise 
is added to the reference clock such that higher average resolution is 
achieved. I would like to have a GPIB-interface for my 5328 so I would 
have a lower threshold for doing statistical analysis of the properties.

>> Compared to the 5328 it has more real estate on the
>> interior and will take the 110811 type of high stability oscillator.  The
>> one I have that just has the standard
>> oscillator appears to have the 10811 type crystal in the open but seems
>> very
>> stable.
>>
>>
> The 5328 will also take a 10881. Plugs right into the motherboard.

You go via a separate board to have a 10811 oscillator. It is not 
uncommon for 10811s to be delivered with this board since some figure 
they get more by selling the 5328 separate from the 10811. Ah well. I 
use that board to drive my lab-bench 10811... need to box it up.

Cheers,
Magnus