[time-nuts] FW: Re: Low-Cost 6+ GHz Prescaler board for

[Rich Stolte]

N connector would be preferable if space would accomidate the cutout being
drilled to a larger size.  If not, the front panel from the 5 GHZ /12 GHz
counter is available from Agilent.  They did not use a BNC connector past 3
GHz and I don't think you want to either.   As far as the specification
tradeoffs, I think you should try to mirror Agilent's specs as closely as
possible for their 5 GHz opton
<http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/product.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&nid=-53690243
8.536907575&pageMode=OV>
http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/product.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&nid=-536902438
.536907575&pageMode=OV  Anything that does not meet Agilent's spec will
cause calibration problems for anyone who wants to send it off to a
commercial calibration lab unless they are given very specific instructions
which might be hard to do years in the future when the specs to your board
have been forgotten and mislaid.
 
Pricing would depend on a few factors, not the least of which would be your
fixed cost, and how much work / cost are involved in making the front panel
connector work.  I would say a range from $250 each to $1000 each wouldn't
be unreasonable.  If you hit the low end of that range, I would be
interested in talking about buying a quantity of them from you to resell.
At the high end of that range, you can probably find a few buyers if you
work hard at marketing, but definitely count me out.   
 
Right now, it is also hard to find option 010 oven timebase for these
counters.  I wonder if you or someone else on this list has any insight
about the possibility of retrofitting one of the older ubiquitous oven
oscillators, or possibly even an lpro?