[time-nuts] WWVB paper in May 2014 IEEE communications...

[Bob Camp]

Hi

We are in a “brave new world” of industry / government interaction. Watching how it plays out with WWVB (through real product) probably will provide a number of people with research topics for years to come. Yes it’s frustrating, a lot of it is as new to them as it is to us. I’m willing to cut them a bit of slack on that basis.

Bob

On May 31, 2014, at 5:11 PM, Steven Kluck <stevekluck at gmail.com> wrote:

> I have been able to consistently receive the WWVB phase-modulated data of
> what is now being referred to as "Normal Mode" since last summer, using an
> air-wound coil antenna, multiple op-amp front end, and a PIC
> microcontroller setup that I originally used for receiving the
> amplitude-modulated signal.
> 
> I think that Bob Camp brings up a legitimate issue when he writes "I kind
> of doubt that the watch and clock guys are going to start the fabs turning
> out millions of chips until they can test all the formats."
> 
> One observation has been that data interpretation does not look altogether
> simple.  With the AM scheme, you could easily find the beginning of a
> minute frame, just by looking for two consecutive markers. With the PSK
> Normal Mode, each second begins with a 13-bit sync word.  Sounds simple
> enough, but if you see the sync word pattern, don't jump to any
> conclusions, because the pattern will re-occur sometimes at other places
> within the same minute frame.  It strikes me that when product testers
> develop test cases, their work is complicated by all of these "special
> cases" some of which will not actually occur until decades from now.
> 
> I also wonder if the introduction of new products has been delayed because
> of the seemingly capricious manner in which changes are made to the
> broadcast specification.  Normally, if portions of a communications
> protocol are To Be Determined, we see early versions of specifications
> which formally reserve certain areas or aspects that are subject to change,
> so that early designers can nonetheless work around them. Who wants to put
> a trademark on a product that suddenly ceases to operate when the next
> unpredictable format change occurs? (Can you tell that I might be a little
> frustrated?)
> 
> I've noticed that instrument manufacturers typically have quality programs
> that are useful in establishing the reliability of their products. Such
> manufacturers may run into a traceability problem in that the NIST's
> coverage by quality programs apparently doesn't currently extend to the
> Time and Frequency Division.  --Steve
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Sat, May 31, 2014 at 8:01 AM, Bob Camp <kb8tq at n1k.org> wrote:
> 
>> Hi
>> 
>> Well that’s a bit more information. We seem to be missing the deployment
>> schedule on the other new modulation formats. I kind of doubt that the
>> watch and clock guys are going to start the fabs turning out millions of
>> chips until they can test all the formats.
>> 
>> …… the 100 bps signals looks interesting …. Not real clear how well it
>> will do with a <30Hz wide crystal filter.
>> 
>> Bob
>> 
>> 
>> On May 31, 2014, at 4:14 AM, Tom Van Baak (lab) <tvb at leapsecond.com>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> http://tf.boulder.nist.gov/general/pdf/2719.pdf
>>> 
>>> /tvb (i5s)
>>> 
>>>> On May 31, 2014, at 1:03 AM, "David I. Emery" <die at dieconsulting.com>
>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>  Well the actual details of the WWVB modulation and time
>>>> codes are now published.
>>>> 
>>>>  Was just leafing through some journals while doing some
>>>> boring system configuration here...
>>>> 
>>>>  IEEE Communications Magazine May 2014 has a paper on page 210
>>>> by Yingsi Liang, Oren Eliezer, Dinesh Rajan, John Lowe
>>>> 
>>>> "WWVB Time Signal Broadcast Format and Multi Mode Receiver"
>>>> 
>>>>  Seems to tell a lot more...
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Dave Emery N1PRE/AE, die at dieconsulting.com  DIE Consulting, Weston,
>> Mass 02493
>>>> "An empty zombie mind with a forlorn barely readable weatherbeaten
>>>> 'For Rent' sign still vainly flapping outside on the weed encrusted
>> pole - in
>>>> celebration of what could have been, but wasn't and is not to be now
>> either."
>>>> 
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