[time-nuts] hm H Maser

[Bob kb8tq]

Hi

Masers pop up in good (as in new or almost so) condition in the $30 to $70K 
range from time to time. You *do* need to be a bit lucky, but compared to a decade
long development process … not very lucky. The biggest issue with Masers is that there
isn’t much of a market. They simply are to expensive for what they do. Neat devices 
most certainly. I’d love to have several of them. Selling the house to buy several, is not
going to go over well with the rest of the family …..

One point about this that is a bit significant:

I have a pile of stuff. You have a pile of stuff. Others each have their pile of stuff. Doing
a design that works only with my pile is possible. Doing a design that works with my pile
and your pile is unlikely. Doing one that works with all the piles is impossible. If I sit here and 
decide that my pile is the only one that matters, I then conclude that others should put a few 
(hundred) man-years into making it all work. That’s nonsense. The only rational project that
others will toss in a decade of time to is one where they each get a device as a result. You
can’t do that with my pile / your pile / all the piles. You have to do it with a fairly standardized
design. That means buying (at the very least) kits of parts. Like it or not, the parts kit for a
Rb will be cheaper than the parts kit for any of the other devices…..

Bob

> On Jan 10, 2017, at 6:24 PM, paul swed <paulswedb at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I have enjoyed reading the thread and learned a bit. But given some of the
> other threads I have read on improving RBs and CS's don't they make more
> sense for most Time Nuts. I mean the conversations in the $100K and above
> and outside of being fun to read doesn't make sense at all.
> If I had $100K I would buy a new CS or slightly worn and save the rest...
> 
> There is a very real aspect of the conversation thats very interesting. Say
> you are building a maser thats as good as a C or maybe not quite. The fact
> that it can be refilled does give the system a very very long life. What
> opportunity does this give you in simplifying the design and cost? What is
> the thing thats driving up the cost?
> Hex pole magnets, the cavity....
> 
> Regards
> Paul.
> WB8TSL
> 
> 
> 
> 
>