Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Using a NWTS on a NixiSat to replace a Haicom 204III puck...

[Jeff Walton]

Get some of the small adhesive silicone bumps at Home Depot and punch a small 
hole in the middle.  Perfect solution to cover the screw and protect surfaces. 
Jeff 
 Original message From: 'Greg P' via neonixie-l 
 Date: 9/14/21  9:11 AM  (GMT-06:00) To: 
neonixie-l  Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Using a 
NWTS on a NixiSat to replace a Haicom 204III puck... Then NWTS' are great 
units.  I have a few of them on my Jeff Thomas clocks and they work perfectly.  
I wish I could find a suitable rubber foot to put on the bottom of the NWTS, 
don't like them sitting on the screw heads.On Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 
7:57:07 AM UTC-4 Nick wrote:Just received some new NWTS units and sorted the 
B7971 GPS FLW too - this clock has a reversed PS/2 connector - Pin 1 is Vcc, 
Pin 2 is GND and Pin 6 is RXD at RS232 levels and 4800 baud. The unit requires 
$GPRMC once per second - remember to set the NWTS to RS232 levels.Also gave me 
an opportunity to dismantle the clock and clean it all out - there's been a 
steady build-up of fine dust over many years, so a clean was long overdue.I've 
also set the NWTS units for all my older clocks that don't have inbuilt DST to 
do automatic DST changeover too...NickOn Sunday, 29 August 2021 at 19:33:32 
UTC+1 Nick wrote:Having my NixieSat happily running on a NWTS, I've bought some 
more...Next in line is a Pete Hand B7971 FLW. This is interesting as the P/S2 
port is messed up as when the PCB was inverted a small error crept in and the 
P/S2 socket was mounted under the board but the pins were not re-routed, so 
it's a mirror of what it should be, hence the need for a specially wired Haicom 
204III puck (an unmodified Haicom 204III with the pre-wired P/S2 plug won't 
work).Anyone done this one yet? Again, should be pretty trivial...On Friday, 27 
August 2021 at 05:18:28 UTC+1 b...@bencrosby.net wrote:Terry, I have used both 
(first) an NWTS and later also MichaelB's timelink reciever to drive my 
NixieChron. I did buy the Microchip processor upgrade from Michael for the 
Nixiechron with the last firmware. The process is very simple as described 
above by Nick. At one point I was looking at getting a Chinese manufacturer to 
make up a bunch of 6" P/S2 minidin to 3.5mm cables for exactly this. Like many 
things, I got sidetracked.I do recall there was one NWTS setting that wasn't 
obvious, potentially the baud rate 4800 not 9600. I honestly can't recall. On 
the P/S2 port, Pin 1 is GND, Pin 2 is +5v and Pin 5 is RXDEffectively I'm using 
the master Mod-Six GPS reciever and transmitter to send time to my Mod-Sixes 
and to the 
Nixiechron.https://groups.google.com/g/neonixie-l/c/vcNOdSB3nYM/m/3AmeUTtCAQAJOn
 Tuesday, 27 July 2021 at 9:16:23 am UTC+10 Terry S wrote:Guys, I also need 
help with this, as I have a Nixichron and I'm moving to a location where I will 
not have a good GPS signal (metal roofed house with large overhangs!)Can 
someone help me out with an explanation of what I need to do? Rather purchase a 
solution than home brew.Thanks, TerryOn Thursday, July 22, 2021 at 11:04:33 AM 
UTC-5 Jeff Walton wrote:The NWTS also checks for latency of the response from 
the NTP and if the response time is outside of an acceptable range, it does not 
update.  Later firmware is more forgiving, according to the original developer, 
and the accessibility of multiple pools beginning with 2.20 firmware resolved 
sync issues for me. Early NWTS firmware also did not have the ability to tweak 
the time.  That is a useful feature to synchronize clocks from different 
designers.  It's useful if you have clocks near each other and they differ by a 
second or two.  Jeff  Original message From: 'Nick' via 
neonixie-l  Date: 7/22/21  3:26 AM  (GMT-06:00) To: 
neonixie-l  Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Using a 
NWTS on a NixiSat to replace a Haicom 204III puck... I had considered 
re-flashing to 2.21 as I bought this unit in 2017 and never used it until now 
(never even built it), so the firmware is "old".Having said that, it works just 
fine for me. I don't need the multi-multi-pool NTP server stuff - by using 
pool.net.org or one of its regional sub-domains you already have multiple 
servers available and those lists are shuffled every hour, so for domestic use 
it's more than adequate.NickOn Wednesday, 21 July 2021 at 23:55:24 UTC+1 Jeff 
Walton wrote:The latest NWTS software is version 2.21 (yes, this is later than 
2.5)  Version 2.21-20190701SF Luis Ramos is maintaining the NWTS and I believe 
that he has an OEM customer that is using the NWTS module in their product.  
Luis did the latest codes for the NWTS and it now supports multiple NTP pools – 
if the NWTS does not get a valid answer from the first time source, it will now 
go to another time source for the NTP solution.  It is a nice feature to have 
if the NTP source is busy or non-responsive.  The multiple NTP sources begins 
with firmware 2.20 and 2.21 The NWTS is still available through 

Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Using a NWTS on a NixiSat to replace a Haicom 204III puck...

['Greg P' via neonixie-l]

Then NWTS' are great units.  I have a few of them on my Jeff Thomas clocks 
and they work perfectly.  I wish I could find a suitable rubber foot to put 
on the bottom of the NWTS, don't like them sitting on the screw heads.

On Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 7:57:07 AM UTC-4 Nick wrote:

> Just received some new NWTS units and sorted the B7971 GPS FLW too - this 
> clock has a reversed PS/2 connector - Pin 1 is Vcc, Pin 2 is GND and Pin 6 
> is RXD at RS232 levels and 4800 baud. The unit requires $GPRMC once per 
> second - remember to set the NWTS to RS232 levels.
>
> Also gave me an opportunity to dismantle the clock and clean it all out - 
> there's been a steady build-up of fine dust over many years, so a clean was 
> long overdue.
>
> I've also set the NWTS units for all my older clocks that don't have 
> inbuilt DST to do automatic DST changeover too...
>
> Nick
>
> On Sunday, 29 August 2021 at 19:33:32 UTC+1 Nick wrote:
>
>> Having my NixieSat happily running on a NWTS, I've bought some more...
>>
>> Next in line is a Pete Hand B7971 FLW. This is interesting as the P/S2 
>> port is messed up as when the PCB was inverted a small error crept in and 
>> the P/S2 socket was mounted under the board but the pins were not 
>> re-routed, so it's a mirror of what it should be, hence the need for a 
>> specially wired Haicom 204III puck (an unmodified Haicom 204III with the 
>> pre-wired P/S2 plug won't work).
>>
>> Anyone done this one yet? Again, should be pretty trivial...
>>
>> On Friday, 27 August 2021 at 05:18:28 UTC+1 b...@bencrosby.net wrote:
>>
>>> Terry, I have used both (first) an NWTS and later also MichaelB's 
>>> timelink reciever to drive my NixieChron. I did buy the Microchip processor 
>>> upgrade from Michael for the Nixiechron with the last firmware. The process 
>>> is very simple as described above by Nick. At one point I was looking at 
>>> getting a Chinese manufacturer to make up a bunch of 6" P/S2 minidin to 
>>> 3.5mm cables for exactly this. Like many things, I got sidetracked.
>>>
>>> I do recall there was one NWTS setting that wasn't obvious, potentially 
>>> the baud rate 4800 not 9600. I honestly can't recall. On the P/S2 port, Pin 
>>> 1 is GND, Pin 2 is +5v and Pin 5 is RXD
>>>
>>> Effectively I'm using the master Mod-Six GPS reciever and transmitter to 
>>> send time to my Mod-Sixes and to the Nixiechron.
>>>
>>> https://groups.google.com/g/neonixie-l/c/vcNOdSB3nYM/m/3AmeUTtCAQAJ
>>>
>>> On Tuesday, 27 July 2021 at 9:16:23 am UTC+10 Terry S wrote:
>>>
 Guys, I also need help with this, as I have a Nixichron and I'm moving 
 to a location where I will not have a good GPS signal (metal roofed house 
 with large overhangs!)

 Can someone help me out with an explanation of what I need to do? 
 Rather purchase a solution than home brew.

 Thanks, Terry

 On Thursday, July 22, 2021 at 11:04:33 AM UTC-5 Jeff Walton wrote:

> The NWTS also checks for latency of the response from the NTP and if 
> the response time is outside of an acceptable range, it does not update.  
> Later firmware is more forgiving, according to the original developer, 
> and 
> the accessibility of multiple pools beginning with 2.20 firmware resolved 
> sync issues for me. 
>
> Early NWTS firmware also did not have the ability to tweak the time.  
> That is a useful feature to synchronize clocks from different designers.  
> It's useful if you have clocks near each other and they differ by a 
> second 
> or two.  
>
>
> Jeff 
>
>  Original message 
> From: 'Nick' via neonixie-l  
> Date: 7/22/21 3:26 AM (GMT-06:00) 
> To: neonixie-l  
> Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Using a NWTS on a NixiSat to replace a 
> Haicom 204III puck... 
>
> I had considered re-flashing to 2.21 as I bought this unit in 2017 and 
> never used it until now (never even built it), so the firmware is "old".
>
> Having said that, it works just fine for me. I don't need the 
> multi-multi-pool NTP server stuff - by using pool.net.org or one of 
> its regional sub-domains you already have multiple servers available and 
> those lists are shuffled every hour, so for domestic use it's more than 
> adequate.
>
> Nick
>
> On Wednesday, 21 July 2021 at 23:55:24 UTC+1 Jeff Walton wrote:
>
>> The latest NWTS software is version 2.21 (yes, this is later than 
>> 2.5)  
>>
>> Version 2.21-20190701SF 
>> 
>>
>>  
>>
>> Luis Ramos is maintaining the NWTS and I believe that he has an OEM 
>> customer that is using the NWTS module in their product.  Luis did the 
>> latest codes for the NWTS and it now supports multiple NTP pools – if 
>> the 
>> NWTS does not get a valid answer from the first time source, it will now 
>> go 

Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Using a NWTS on a NixiSat to replace a Haicom 204III puck...

['Nick' via neonixie-l]

Just received some new NWTS units and sorted the B7971 GPS FLW too - this 
clock has a reversed PS/2 connector - Pin 1 is Vcc, Pin 2 is GND and Pin 6 
is RXD at RS232 levels and 4800 baud. The unit requires $GPRMC once per 
second - remember to set the NWTS to RS232 levels.

Also gave me an opportunity to dismantle the clock and clean it all out - 
there's been a steady build-up of fine dust over many years, so a clean was 
long overdue.

I've also set the NWTS units for all my older clocks that don't have 
inbuilt DST to do automatic DST changeover too...

Nick

On Sunday, 29 August 2021 at 19:33:32 UTC+1 Nick wrote:

> Having my NixieSat happily running on a NWTS, I've bought some more...
>
> Next in line is a Pete Hand B7971 FLW. This is interesting as the P/S2 
> port is messed up as when the PCB was inverted a small error crept in and 
> the P/S2 socket was mounted under the board but the pins were not 
> re-routed, so it's a mirror of what it should be, hence the need for a 
> specially wired Haicom 204III puck (an unmodified Haicom 204III with the 
> pre-wired P/S2 plug won't work).
>
> Anyone done this one yet? Again, should be pretty trivial...
>
> On Friday, 27 August 2021 at 05:18:28 UTC+1 b...@bencrosby.net wrote:
>
>> Terry, I have used both (first) an NWTS and later also MichaelB's 
>> timelink reciever to drive my NixieChron. I did buy the Microchip processor 
>> upgrade from Michael for the Nixiechron with the last firmware. The process 
>> is very simple as described above by Nick. At one point I was looking at 
>> getting a Chinese manufacturer to make up a bunch of 6" P/S2 minidin to 
>> 3.5mm cables for exactly this. Like many things, I got sidetracked.
>>
>> I do recall there was one NWTS setting that wasn't obvious, potentially 
>> the baud rate 4800 not 9600. I honestly can't recall. On the P/S2 port, Pin 
>> 1 is GND, Pin 2 is +5v and Pin 5 is RXD
>>
>> Effectively I'm using the master Mod-Six GPS reciever and transmitter to 
>> send time to my Mod-Sixes and to the Nixiechron.
>>
>> https://groups.google.com/g/neonixie-l/c/vcNOdSB3nYM/m/3AmeUTtCAQAJ
>>
>> On Tuesday, 27 July 2021 at 9:16:23 am UTC+10 Terry S wrote:
>>
>>> Guys, I also need help with this, as I have a Nixichron and I'm moving 
>>> to a location where I will not have a good GPS signal (metal roofed house 
>>> with large overhangs!)
>>>
>>> Can someone help me out with an explanation of what I need to do? Rather 
>>> purchase a solution than home brew.
>>>
>>> Thanks, Terry
>>>
>>> On Thursday, July 22, 2021 at 11:04:33 AM UTC-5 Jeff Walton wrote:
>>>
 The NWTS also checks for latency of the response from the NTP and if 
 the response time is outside of an acceptable range, it does not update.  
 Later firmware is more forgiving, according to the original developer, and 
 the accessibility of multiple pools beginning with 2.20 firmware resolved 
 sync issues for me. 

 Early NWTS firmware also did not have the ability to tweak the time.  
 That is a useful feature to synchronize clocks from different designers.  
 It's useful if you have clocks near each other and they differ by a second 
 or two.  


 Jeff 

  Original message 
 From: 'Nick' via neonixie-l  
 Date: 7/22/21 3:26 AM (GMT-06:00) 
 To: neonixie-l  
 Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Using a NWTS on a NixiSat to replace a 
 Haicom 204III puck... 

 I had considered re-flashing to 2.21 as I bought this unit in 2017 and 
 never used it until now (never even built it), so the firmware is "old".

 Having said that, it works just fine for me. I don't need the 
 multi-multi-pool NTP server stuff - by using pool.net.org or one of 
 its regional sub-domains you already have multiple servers available and 
 those lists are shuffled every hour, so for domestic use it's more than 
 adequate.

 Nick

 On Wednesday, 21 July 2021 at 23:55:24 UTC+1 Jeff Walton wrote:

> The latest NWTS software is version 2.21 (yes, this is later than 
> 2.5)  
>
> Version 2.21-20190701SF 
> 
>
>  
>
> Luis Ramos is maintaining the NWTS and I believe that he has an OEM 
> customer that is using the NWTS module in their product.  Luis did the 
> latest codes for the NWTS and it now supports multiple NTP pools – if the 
> NWTS does not get a valid answer from the first time source, it will now 
> go 
> to another time source for the NTP solution.  It is a nice feature to 
> have 
> if the NTP source is busy or non-responsive.  The multiple NTP sources 
> begins with firmware 2.20 and 2.21
>
>  
>
> The NWTS is still available through 
> https://www.tindie.com/stores/mazevedo/ 
>
>  
>
> Jeff
>
>  
>
>  
>
> *From:* 'Nick' via neonixie-l 
>