[time-nuts] Connectors
Another nifty product from 3M is their cold shrink tubing. It is a rubber tube stretched over a peel-able spiral core. You insert the tube over the cable/connector and peel out the core. The rubber shrinks down over the cable and forms a tight seal. It is typically used on buried cables. I use it to repair old printer platens like in the HP9100 calculator and Tektronix TDR thermal printers that have turned into goo. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Connectors
Hi Rick, According to 3M the self amalgamating tape (130) is not UV resistant. They recommend covering it with 33+ to keep the light off. Not sure about the ScotchKote. The self amalgamating tape forms an air and watertight seal. It has no sulpher so no silver tarnishing. The trick with the 33+ cover layer is to minimse the amount of streach. This stops it unravelling. It's just there to block the UV. In particular, cut the end of the tape, don't pull it or tear it to separate the tape. Here in the UK a common alternative for connector protection was Denso tape, a fabric mesh tape filled with a petroleum mastic. http://www.denso.net/densotape/ It was developed for protecting idustrial pipework. Very effective but messy. Going back to 3M tapes, I've used 130 and a 3M high temperature fibreglass tape to do a roadside repair to a burst car radiator top hose. Used a patch of 130 (not streached or wrapped) over the hole, double wrap of fibreglass to keep that in place. Overlap wrap of 130, more fibreglass, final layer of 130. Lasted for a week of 160 miles a day of highway driving until the new hose arrived. I was working on a custom machine for 3M in early September 2001 (my return was delayed due to the flight ban) and had access to the staff discount store, I came back with a lifetime supply of tape :-) Robert G8RPI. From: Richard (Rick) Karlquist rich...@karlquist.com To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement time-nuts@febo.com Sent: Saturday, 13 April 2013, 19:56 Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Connectors OK, so we seem to have: 1) Scotch 130 rubber tape 2) Scotch 33 electrical tape 3) Scotchkote in that order. So the rubber tape waterproofs the connection and the scotch kote protects it from UV, so what does the electrical tape do? Or maybe, the electrical tape does the waterproofing and the rubber tape just keeps goo off the connector. But of course, that can be done with the well known technique of winding the connector with electrical tape adhesive side out. Do we know that the rubber tape is not UV proof? Or none of the above. Can someone in the know clarify this? Thanks, Rick ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Connectors glue lined heatshrink
Hi Dave, Not quite, they do use irradiation crosslinking to make the heatshrink tube, but the hotmelt adhesive is a completly separate layer. They do different combinations of tube and glue for different applications. Really cool are the pre-forms that look like a parallel tube but shrink down into two sises with a smooth transition. The mold the final shape and then streach it (hot) into a parallel tube. They also do multiple entry versions. Raychem are leaders in this. They also do shrink metal parts. Robert G8RPI. From: DaveH i...@blackmountainforge.com To: n...@verizon.net; 'Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement' time-nuts@febo.com Sent: Sunday, 14 April 2013, 3:08 Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Connectors Kind of a cool technology -- they bombard the outside of the tube with an electron beam that cross-links the polymer but leaves the inside untouched. The outside becomes hard but still shrinks. The inside just melts into a goo when heated. Dave -Original Message- From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On Behalf Of Peter Gottlieb Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2013 15:24 To: time-nuts@febo.com Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Connectors Think of heat shrink with a layer of hot melt glue on the inside. Such stuff is used in most outdoor and especially underground utility wiring. Shrink the tubing and it melts the glue and the contracting tubing forces the glue into every crevice making a great waterproof splice. On 4/13/2013 5:07 PM, Hal Murray wrote: Can someone in the know clarify this? I'm not in the know. Several years ago, I found a short chunk of coax that the cable TV guys had left on the ground. It included a piece of heavy wall shrink tubing. There was a layer of sticky goop between the coax and the shrink tubing. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Shrink tubing
Raychem invented that process 50 years ago with polyolefin. Now everybody makes it with all kinds of materials. If it had been invented by Disney, they would have copyrighted it instead of patented it and nobody else would make it :) Didier DaveH i...@blackmountainforge.com wrote: Kind of a cool technology -- they bombard the outside of the tube with an electron beam that cross-links the polymer but leaves the inside untouched. The outside becomes hard but still shrinks. The inside just melts into a goo when heated. Dave -Original Message- From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On Behalf Of Peter Gottlieb Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2013 15:24 To: time-nuts@febo.com Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Connectors Think of heat shrink with a layer of hot melt glue on the inside. Such stuff is used in most outdoor and especially underground utility wiring. Shrink the tubing and it melts the glue and the contracting tubing forces the glue into every crevice making a great waterproof splice. On 4/13/2013 5:07 PM, Hal Murray wrote: Can someone in the know clarify this? I'm not in the know. Several years ago, I found a short chunk of coax that the cable TV guys had left on the ground. It included a piece of heavy wall shrink tubing. There was a layer of sticky goop between the coax and the shrink tubing. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. -- Sent from my Nexus 7 tablet. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] UPDATE: DATUM 9390-52054 Grief again...
I have a 9390-53120. The 16.368 reference for the GPS is coming from a 4 pin (14 pin size ) oscillator on the GPS interface board. The other internal oscillator board mount a 1 MHz TCXO I never had seen locked to GPS. Normally I use it only for UTC time display. This GPS use an antenna with 50dB gain, so I have added a preamplifier to normalize its sensitivity. I had two fault in 10 year of life on the power supply board. Luciano www.timeok.it 2013/4/14 David I. Emery d...@dieconsulting.com On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 11:48:47AM -0700, Burt I. Weiner wrote: Sorry for the delay in posting this update. Things have been hectic, and then there was NAB. Here's what I've discovered: The receiver started working after about 6 hours of just sitting. However, the 9390's internal Vectron oscillator was quite a ways off frequency and did not want to lock after trying to stabilize all night. I had to tweak the adjustment screw quite a ways and then, after a while, it locked. Prior to this episode the oscillator had been sitting at only a few E-12. I suspect that this oscillator has had an intermittent problem for a long time, and I should not have had to tweak it as far as it wanted to go. The receiver portion has not failed in the few weeks since it decided to start seeing satellites again. Maybe because I had tweaked the oscillator? I have an ancient 9390 that has an ancient Trimble GPS board in it that takes a 16.368 reference synthesized from the 10 MHz standard in a PLL loop with a VXCO. This is used in the L band downconversion... and for timing generally and given that is PLL derived from the 10 MHz quite likely if the 10 MHz is significantly wrong the receiver won't find satellites. I remember I had to fix this PLL in my box before the receiver in that box would lock up... initially the PLL wasn't locked, but the 16.368 VCXO output WAS present - so for that receiver it has to be pretty close to right on to work. -- Dave Emery N1PRE/AE, d...@dieconsulting.com DIE Consulting, Weston, Mass 02493 An empty zombie mind with a forlorn barely readable weatherbeaten 'For Rent' sign still vainly flapping outside on the weed encrusted pole - in celebration of what could have been, but wasn't and is not to be now either. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
[time-nuts] LTC6957 Low Phase Noise Buffer/Driver
Not sure if it's already been mentioned, but Linear has introduced a new part that looks interesting : LTC6957 Low Phase Noise Buffer/Driver http://www.linear.com/product/LTC6957-1 From the product blurb: The LTC6957 will buffer and distribute any logic signal with minimal additive noise, however, the part really excels at translating sine wave signals to logic levels. The early amplifier stages have selectable lowpass filtering to minimize the noise while still amplifying the signal to increase its slew rate. This input stage filtering/noise limiting is especially helpful in delivering the lowest possible phase noise signal with slow slewing input signals such as a typical 10MHz sine wave system -Brian ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
[time-nuts] UPDATE: DATUM 9390-52054 Grief again...
From what you're describing, this is what I have, and this could explain why I had trouble getting the unit to lock. Now that I've replaced the 10 MHz oscillator, the receiver finds and starts tracking satellites within about 3 minutes from an overnight off. Burt, K6OQK At 06:24 AM 4/14/2013 someone wrote: I have an ancient 9390 that has an ancient Trimble GPS board in it that takes a 16.368 reference synthesized from the 10 MHz standard in a PLL loop with a VXCO. This is used in the L band downconversion... and for timing generally and given that is PLL derived from the 10 MHz quite likely if the 10 MHz is significantly wrong the receiver won't find satellites. I remember I had to fix this PLL in my box before the receiver in that box would lock up... initially the PLL wasn't locked, but the 16.368 VCXO output WAS present - so for that receiver it has to be pretty close to right on to work. Burt I. Weiner Associates Broadcast Technical Services Glendale, California U.S.A. b...@att.net www.biwa.cc K6OQK ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Shrink tubing
This stuff really does work. You heat it until the hot melt glue just starts to be squeezed out the ends of the tube. There are two grades. The best is a 4:1 shrink the cheaper kind is 3:1. It is really hard to remove it is decide to take it apart later. This is sold by WM. They are only a mile from my house so it is hard to resist buying it there. Best quality bet not cheap.http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001storeId=11151productId=35291langId=-1#.UWrspb_pl4o Here is another source of it one morehttp://www.buyheatshrink.com/heatshrinktubing/4to1adhesive.htm On Sun, Apr 14, 2013 at 4:15 AM, Didier shali...@gmail.com wrote: Raychem invented that process 50 years ago with polyolefin. Now everybody makes it with all kinds of materials. If it had been invented by Disney, they would have copyrighted it instead of patented it and nobody else would make it :) Didier DaveH i...@blackmountainforge.com wrote: Kind of a cool technology -- they bombard the outside of the tube with an electron beam that cross-links the polymer but leaves the inside untouched. The outside becomes hard but still shrinks. The inside just melts into a goo when heated. Dave -Original Message- From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On Behalf Of Peter Gottlieb Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2013 15:24 To: time-nuts@febo.com Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Connectors Think of heat shrink with a layer of hot melt glue on the inside. Such stuff is used in most outdoor and especially underground utility wiring. Shrink the tubing and it melts the glue and the contracting tubing forces the glue into every crevice making a great waterproof splice. On 4/13/2013 5:07 PM, Hal Murray wrote: Can someone in the know clarify this? I'm not in the know. Several years ago, I found a short chunk of coax that the cable TV guys had left on the ground. It included a piece of heavy wall shrink tubing. There was a layer of sticky goop between the coax and the shrink tubing. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. -- Sent from my Nexus 7 tablet. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. -- Chris Albertson Redondo Beach, California ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] UPDATE: DATUM 9390-52054 Grief again...
On Sun, Apr 14, 2013 at 03:23:50PM +0200, Luciano Paramithiotti wrote: I have a 9390-53120. The 16.368 reference for the GPS is coming from a 4 pin (14 pin size ) oscillator on the GPS interface board. The other internal oscillator board mount a 1 MHz TCXO I never had seen locked to GPS. Normally I use it only for UTC time display. This GPS use an antenna with 50dB gain, so I have added a preamplifier to normalize its sensitivity. I had two fault in 10 year of life on the power supply board. The 16.368 in mine is locked to the 10 Mhz (from a Rb in my box) via a PLL. The Rb is disciplined, but of course whether that means locked or not is a matter of definition. But pretty obviously the amount a Rb moves is probably not enough to have any impact on the time base to the GPS receiver at all. That box (that I refered to) is off line and has been for while, the DC to DC converter card died... and while I could fit a PS in there I have been looking for another card to replace it. -- Dave Emery N1PRE/AE, d...@dieconsulting.com DIE Consulting, Weston, Mass 02493 An empty zombie mind with a forlorn barely readable weatherbeaten 'For Rent' sign still vainly flapping outside on the weed encrusted pole - in celebration of what could have been, but wasn't and is not to be now either. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] Connectors
If using silicone oil or grease you do need to keep the water glass issue in mind. If exposed to chlorine or phosphorus in can convert to straight silicon leaving a glass coating. Silicon oil containing contact cleaners used in a marine environment can be an issue. phosphor-bronze alloy contacts as well. Electrical arcing will do it too. A dry connector without phosphorus containing alloys and solid contact (no arcing) is ok though. Personally I use the 3m self fusing silicone tape with 3M 88 overwrap on just about anything outside. On 4/12/13 10:21 AM, Brooke Clarke wrote: Hi: Water has a dielectric constant around 60 compared to plastic that just over 2. So if water gets into the connection there's going to be problems. It turns out that Silicon grease has a dielectric constant very close to plastic so filling an open RF connector with Silicon grease prior to mating them is a great way to water proof the joint. See Weatherproofing at http://www.prc68.com/I/OE254.shtml Have Fun, Brooke Clarke http://www.PRC68.com http://www.end2partygovernment.com/2012Issues.html brent evers wrote: BTW - 3M Scotch rubber tape is regularly used in the offshore industry to make waterproof connections to 6000m/10,000psi. I use it on any/all outdoor signal (RF/Microwve antenna connectors, amphenol, etc) connectors as well. I cover the rubber tape with a layer of electrical tape (Super 88), and then a layer of scotchguard over that. Scotch rubber tape comes in both a linered (23), and liner-less (130C) version. I far prefer the liner-less 130c. To make sure this is time related, my two Thunderbolt antenna connectors are also sealed this way. Brent On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 11:16 AM, Rob Kimberley robkimber...@btinternet.com wrote: It's a very useful material, also called Self Amalgamating Tape. Been using it for years for all sorts of outside cable work. Rob -Original Message- From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On Behalf Of Azelio Boriani Sent: 12 April 2013 14:00 To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Connectors Sorry, not neoprene but self-sealing polyisobutyl tape, very effective for the outdoor antenna work**. I have recently opened a sealed connection, after 10 years, and the protected connector appears as new. On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 2:38 PM, Azelio Boriani azelio.bori...@screen.itwrote: I use neoprene tape to make really water tight connections for all type of connectors. On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 1:27 PM, Bob Camp li...@rtty.us wrote: Hi The fancy F connectors are indeed waterproof if: 1) You have the right cable 2) The cable and connector match up 3) The tool and the connector match up The auction sites are a great place to get samples of connectors and tools that apparently work with no known cable . If you are not careful about the trim on the dielectric / positioning , they can have issues above 1 or 2 GHz. Even a lot of care they don't really do the job above 5 GHz. Exactly where they drop out depends (of course) on your return loss expectations. Bob On Apr 11, 2013, at 4:21 PM, Gordon Batey gpba...@wildblue.net wrote: Greetings, I have used the longitudinal compression F connectors for some time now with several GPS units and RG-6 cable. They certainly appear to be waterproof and quite sturdy. Not inexpensive but very serviceable. I found a kit with the installation tool and connectors and separate connectors at LOWES that does a nice job. I also found one for BNC that use the same principle but have not used it yet. Gordon WA4FJC ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
[time-nuts] spectracom PicoTime
Does anyone have any experience using the spectracom PicoTime test set? Just curious. Datasheet: http://www.spectracomcorp.com/Desktopmodules/Bring2Mind/DMX/Download.aspx?EntryId=379PortalId=0 Using with a CNT-91: http://www.spectracomcorp.com/Desktopmodules/Bring2Mind/DMX/Download.aspx?EntryId=435PortalId=0 Regards, bob darby ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
[time-nuts] Signal Hound
Inexpensive USB spectrum analyzer.. http://www.signalhound.com/ I think it has the ability to capture raw samples, too. (the BB60 definitely does.) They have a 10MHz ref input. The spectrum analyzer has a phase noise feature Phase Noise Plot : Displays the phase noise amplitude, in dBc/Hz, vs. offset from carrier when checked. You must have a span of 10 KHz or less, and the signal should be within 1 division of the reference level (e.g. within 10 dB). This utility takes about 1 minute to run. It will sweep several times, then combine the sweeps into a phase noise plot. The data is approximate and is limited by the phase noise of the SignalHound itself. For best closein phase noise, use an external 10 MHz reference with 10 dBm power level. To resume normal operation,click Phase Noise Plot a second time to uncheck. Anyone fooled with one? Think it might work as a low cost part of a phase noise test set. ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
Re: [time-nuts] haet shrink tubing
For those wanting a moisture sealed heat shrink tubing, McMaster-Carr has many varieties of heat shrink tubing materials, both thick and thin walled. Several types have an internal adhesive that melts when the heat gun is applied. I have used this stuff on coax connectors for years and it works quite well. You can get it in large diameters and in various decorator colors. www.mcmaster.com and search for heat shrink. best regards john c roos K6iql ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
