[time-nuts] App Note describing the "multi-TICC" 8 channel timestamping counter

[John Ackermann N8UR]

The TICC hardware design has features that make it possible to
synchronize and run several units from a common clock, allowing creation
of 4, 6, 8 or even larger multi-channel timestamping counters.  The TICC
firmware has sort-of supported this capability as well.  I think a
couple of people may have tried it, but I haven't had any feedback on
their results.

A recent project here led me to build an 8-channel "multi-TICC" and
update the firmware to match, and I've documented how it's put together
and how it works in the first-ever TAPR Appplication Note.  It's a bit
too large for the list, but you can download it from:

https://github.com/TAPR/TICC/blob/master/multi-ticc/multi-TICC_App_Note_2020-01.pdf

and probably other locations later.

As a teaser, attached is a plot showing ADEV of 8 GPS units measured
simultaneously for over 500K seconds vs. a Cesium standard.

The multi-TICC currently is *not* available as a TAPR product. The
material cost is significant, as is the labor required for assembly and
testing. We suspect that this is very much a niche device, and TAPR
can’t justify the financial and human resources required to stock it as
a completed item. However, we know of sources potentially willing to
build units to order. Please contact me if you’re seriously interested
in that.

Enjoy!

John

PS -- the system includes a Python server script running on a Raspberry
Pi.  If someone would like to help me robustify that code, I would
appreciate that very much.
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