[time-nuts] Looking for TimePod 5330A for purchase or rental

[Magnus Danielson]

Stephan,

On 03/03/2013 10:57 AM, Stephan Schiller wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I'd like to purchase or rent a milesdesign TimePod 5330A Programmable Cross
> Spectrum Analyzer.
>
> Rental would be for a duration of a few to several months (can be agreed on), in
> this year. Careful treatment of the device will be assured.
>
> My application is the measurement of phase noise of ultrapure microwave signals
> generated by a femtosecond laser. This state-of-the-art approach produces
> ultra-low noise microwaves. The goal specifications are -70 dBc/Hz at 0.1 Hz and
> -90 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz, -110 dBc/Hz at a frequency of 9 GHz.

This would require down-mixing, and the TimePod can do that, but the 
larger Symmetricom boxes can't handle it. with down-mixing I mean that 
after splitting the signal, two mixers with a pair of 8,99 GHz signal 
sources (to make the signal about 10 MHz) should do it. You also want a 
quiet reference oscillator. Got to try this one myself one day.

> The Symmetricom version of the TimePod does not have the capability of
> measurement at 0.1 Hz offset frequency, therefore I am looking for the original
> device.

Good point.

Can the Symmetricom version grab data so it can be presented by the 
TimeLab with that range?

Cheers,
Magnus