[time-nuts] HP E1938

[Tom Van Baak]

> I purchased one of these HP E1938 OCXO recently on eBay but have not yet 
> received it.
> 
> Is that special D-Submin connector a receptacle-shell, pin contact 
> version? Will a standard plug-shell, socket contact 25-pin D-Submin fit it?

Hi,

I'll cc the group here since we may get some useful comments.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean. The E1938A oscillators that I've seen and tested look like this:

http://www.leapsecond.com/museum/e1938a/

And those can be interfaced with a simple D-sub DB25 connector on the PCB. For connections, see that page, or any number of postings about the E1938 in the time-nuts archives.

Note that on eBay there are at least three variations of E1938A oscillator. The item#'s below are just random search picks (I have no affiliation with any buyers or sellers) and I also know not all surplus refurbished surplus recycled surplus stuff works. But we do this because when they did work, they are sometimes totally amazing.

1) There's the bare "puck" alone, as in http://www.ebay.com/itm/290829077542 -- and I have no idea where one would start with that item since all the support circuitry on the PCB would have to be re-created by hand.

2) There's the integrated PCB assembly, as in http://www.ebay.com/itm/181043193416 -- which is more like what I tested.

3) There's the full instrument version, as in http://www.ebay.com/itm/171293069062 -- which is most likely to work, or be less hacked up, or dented, or salvaged, or rusted. It even has all the connectors and power supplies, and GPS, etc.

If any other time nuts have experience with each of these methods to obtain a E1938 oscillator, please let us know.

Thanks,
/tvb