[time-nuts] Hydrogen maser success - epilog

[Skip Withrow]

Hello Time-Nuts,

I appreciate all the kind remarks regarding yesterday's post.

Today the maser was tested on each of the attached power supplies and
on battery power.  Unit stayed lit and locked, and the alarm went off
when on just battery.  So, all the covers were replaced and the
readings logged.  We'll see where things stand in a week or so after
it has had time to settle and reach its new thermal equilibrium.

Sigma Tau Standards Corporation was the fist and only commercial
manufacturer of hydrogen masers in the U.S., in fact, I believe there
are only three companies world-wide (the other two being in Russia -
Kvarz and ?).  Harry Peters retired from NASA in 1975 after building
several units there, and moved to Alabama to found Sigma Tau.  Over
the years Sigma Tau was bought by Symmetricom (when Harry Peters
retired again), Symmetricom was purchased by MciroSemi, and MicroSemi
was purchased by Microchip.  The division is still active and
producing product in Alabama.

There is at least one of the old guard left from Sigma Tau, Bryan
Owings.  He was consulted on several occasions when  the maser was
trying to be coaxed into operation.  It was VERY clear that he has
seen many of these units and knows the intimate details of their
construction.  Have to say that I learned a few things from him as
well.

If you need some light reading on hydrogen masers you might try the
following link -
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19740008078.pdf
It is from 1973 by Harry Peters and keeps it pretty basic.  I don't
think there was ever a commercial version of a variable volume unit,
but it makes a good research tool.

I hope to post again some months out when we have some data.

Skip Withrow