[time-nuts] New NTBW50AA

[Bob Camp]

Hi

Looks very much like the units I have here. 

I would not put AC on it since the switcher might not like the ripple. If you want the switcher to last a long time, stay away from the ends of it's range. Their efficiency drops at each end, heat goes up, and lifetime goes down. 

By far the best bet for coax is quad shield satellite TV cable from your local big box store. Its cheap / low loss at GPS / outdoor rated / easy to mate connectors to. 

Given you are in the US, you very much want a clear view of the southern sky. There's nothing of interest due north GPS wise. 

If you plug it in without com, it probably is locked on it's old position. Without a reset it will not "find" any sats at it's new location. 

Bob


On Sep 6, 2013, at 4:18 PM, quartz55 <quartz55 at hughes.net> wrote:

> I got this thing today.  Here's some pics of it.  http://s251.photobucket.com/user/DogTi/library/time?sort=3&page=1
> 
> Can anyone tell me anything significant about it?  I know less than nothing as I'm real new to this.  It came with a Alcatel Lucent 26dB antenna, pipe mount and a couple of SMB pigtails.  I have a couple of SMB to BNC connectors I can use easier for the antenna and 10MHz out.
> 
> I looked at the PS circuit and indeed pins 1 and 4 on the back connector that are isolated from ground go directly to the AC input of a bridge, so it looks like one could put about anything on the input in either polarity. I made a drawing of the input circuit. I wonder if I could put AC on it?  I've got a 19.5VDC 4A brick I may try unless someone tells me not to.  Otherwise I can make up a 24 to 48VDC supply. Instead of buying the $6 connector I think I'll just push some #20 wires into the pins and fasten them down somehow.  Looks like 1a,b,c,d are one side and 4a,b,c,d are the other.  The connector looks unsexed, but I suppose this unit just pushes into a rack so it doesn't matter.
> 
> I'll install the antenna and feed, not sure what I'm going to use for cable, I have a bunch of RG-8X and also some 75 ohm tv stuff, but how to get the 75 ohm stuff to the N connector on the antenna and the SMB on the unit.  I have an N to BNC and maybe I can just rig some BNC connectors on the 75 ohm stuff.  I suppose I should check the feed line for shorts or opens before I hook anything up to anything.  Should I check the unit antenna input for +5V before I connect the antenna, the antenna instructions says it takes +5DC bias for the active antenna?
> 
> Will the antenna be high enough just above the peak of the roof, above that is about another 50' of a couple of oak trees right above and to the north?  I could put it on the deck but not as high, but it gets out from under the oak trees a bit and has a real good southern view, I'm not sure where these birds are.
> 
> Suggestions welcome.  I'm going out to get the feed line ready.  We're leaving in another hour or so, so I don't have much time to play with this thing.
> 
> Should I get the LH and com port working before I get too far or should I just plug this thing together and see what happens?
> 
> Dave
> N3DT
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