[time-nuts] How dies a Rubidium ?

[Claude Fender]

Thanks for your answer.

Actually, I use a 5334B counter locked on a GPS to record the output of the rubidium 24/7, with gate times of 10s and 100s . 
The measurements are constants between 10,000,000.002 and 10,000,000.004 Hz, the resolution is 1 mHz for 10s and 0.1 mHz for 100s. I have not enough records to see a drift.

In your opinion, with this method, when the Rb will become older, I will see some short "jumps" in frequency from time to time ?

I agree this is an heavy method compared to your blink-ometer but I am still learning !

Claude




________________________________
 De : paul swed <paulswedb at gmail.com>
À : Claude Fender <labtf1 at yahoo.fr>; Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement <time-nuts at febo.com> 
Envoyé le : Samedi 20 avril 2013 17h58
Objet : Re: [time-nuts] How dies a Rubidium ?
 


In my experience with numbers of less expensive cel tower pulls, they blink out and re-ignite and then relock this is infrequent. But occurs more and more often. If RB is suspected of going to the darkside, I use the blink-ometer to catch this.


What the heck is a blink-ometer?
Simply one of those little pedometer counters that I have tapped into and through a opto coupler allow the blink to trigger a count. Happy to sell you one for $199 plus shipping and if you act now will include another for postage and handling....

The other clue is the lamp voltage. This is a relative clue if your unit even gives you access to it. The FRS start at 9 or so volts and seem to start to blink about 3. Its relative and your milage will vary.
Regards
Paul
WB8TSL



On Sat, Apr 20, 2013 at 5:13 AM, Claude Fender <labtf1 at yahoo.fr> wrote:

Hi,
>
>I would like to know if there is a way to know if a Rubidium is at his end of life or not : when it stops working, does this happen suddenly or are there percursory symptoms ?
>I am looking fora method that does not need to open the case (I have a 5680A and I am waiting a Racal Dana).
>
>Thanks for your advices !
>
>Claude
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