Re: [time-nuts] Ultralink
j...@febo.com said: > The modular cable connecting the receiver to the decoder is wired straight > through, not reversed as most telephone cables are. My fear is that > someone (like me) might at one point have used a reverse cable and thus put > reverse polarity on the board; I don't see any reverse power protection. Many thanks for that comment. I hadn't checked that before. My cable was reversed. A new/correct one arrived today. The meter is working. With a bit of practice, I'll bet I could read the data pattern off the wiggles. But after an hour, the LCD still shows time-since-power-up rather than date and time. -- These are my opinions. I hate spam. ___ 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] Ultralink
Hi Brooke -- Yes, all the chips on the board are low power devices. I'm measuring the receiver as drawing 0.9 MA at about 2.3 volts. Update -- I moved the receiver and farted around with the wiring, and now the S-Meter is off the peg, responds to orientation changes, and I actually got a couple of indications of bits being decoded. So, I think the hardware is working fine. However, there must be a lot of local interference as decoding is very erratic and I'm nowhere near getting a full sequence. I don't have any experience at this location with WWVB reception, so I'm not sure what to expect. At my previous Ohio house a mile south of here the signals were very good and there were no noticeable problems with the Spectracom receivers (may they rest in peace). Next step is to experiment with receiver placement. John On 03/30/2018 03:15 PM, Brooke Clarke wrote: Hi John: The U4226B chip operates at very high impedance levels in order to minimize battery drain in its main application, battery powered clocks. So some sort of buffer is needed on all the output pins. The 333 model, with the analog meter, was made for the folks working for WWVB as a way for them to know the transmitter was on the air. http://www.prc68.com/I/timefreq.shtml#WWVBrcvr http://www.prc68.com/I/Loop.shtml (WWVB) ___ 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] Ultralink
Hi John: The U4226B chip operates at very high impedance levels in order to minimize battery drain in its main application, battery powered clocks. So some sort of buffer is needed on all the output pins. The 333 model, with the analog meter, was made for the folks working for WWVB as a way for them to know the transmitter was on the air. http://www.prc68.com/I/timefreq.shtml#WWVBrcvr http://www.prc68.com/I/Loop.shtml (WWVB) -- Have Fun, Brooke Clarke http://www.PRC68.com http://www.end2partygovernment.com/2012Issues.html Original Message On 03/30/2018 03:39 AM, Hal Murray wrote: t...@leapsecond.com said: I updated http://leapsecond.com/museum/ulio/ with more manuals, and many exterior / interior photos of the 301 module. Thanks. My 301 says it is a 30TH Rev-A - mostly through hole parts. Same layout. Mine is the same. Circuit is very simple. The 20 pin IC is the U4226B receiver chip and it has two external 60 kHz filter resonators. The 8 pin DIP is a TLV2770C op amp which seems to be a buffer to drive the S meter from the very high impedance AGC test point on the receiver chip. And I am guessing that the 2N3904 transistor is a buffer for the time code output. The modular cable connecting the receiver to the decoder is wired straight through, not reversed as most telephone cables are. My fear is that someone (like me) might at one point have used a reverse cable and thus put reverse polarity on the board; I don't see any reverse power protection. Later today I'll tap into the four conductors on the cable and see what signals I see on them, and also look for signs of life on the receiver chip. BTW -- Donald Resor pointed me to UTSource which shows several Chinese vendors as having them in stock. I get nervous about whether they are the real thing or not, but will probably order a couple just in case. The chip is a 20 pin TSSOP package, which isn't too hard to rework but before putting hot air on the receiver board there are one or two surrounding parts one would want to remove to avoid collateral damage. John ___ 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] Ultralink
On 03/30/2018 03:39 AM, Hal Murray wrote: t...@leapsecond.com said: I updated http://leapsecond.com/museum/ulio/ with more manuals, and many exterior / interior photos of the 301 module. Thanks. My 301 says it is a 30TH Rev-A - mostly through hole parts. Same layout. Mine is the same. Circuit is very simple. The 20 pin IC is the U4226B receiver chip and it has two external 60 kHz filter resonators. The 8 pin DIP is a TLV2770C op amp which seems to be a buffer to drive the S meter from the very high impedance AGC test point on the receiver chip. And I am guessing that the 2N3904 transistor is a buffer for the time code output. The modular cable connecting the receiver to the decoder is wired straight through, not reversed as most telephone cables are. My fear is that someone (like me) might at one point have used a reverse cable and thus put reverse polarity on the board; I don't see any reverse power protection. Later today I'll tap into the four conductors on the cable and see what signals I see on them, and also look for signs of life on the receiver chip. BTW -- Donald Resor pointed me to UTSource which shows several Chinese vendors as having them in stock. I get nervous about whether they are the real thing or not, but will probably order a couple just in case. The chip is a 20 pin TSSOP package, which isn't too hard to rework but before putting hot air on the receiver board there are one or two surrounding parts one would want to remove to avoid collateral damage. John ___ 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] Ultralink
t...@leapsecond.com said: > I updated http://leapsecond.com/museum/ulio/ with more manuals, and many > exterior / interior photos of the 301 module. Thanks. My 301 says it is a 30TH Rev-A - mostly through hole parts. Same layout. -- These are my opinions. I hate spam. ___ 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] Ultralink
> I have a 333 box with 301 antenna. It was a gift several years ago. The > display updates, but the meter never gets off 0. At the time, I thought the > new modulation scheme had killed it and didn't investigate. But tvb > suggested it should still work, so I took the cover off. Hal, I tested several old Ultralink WWVB receivers this evening and, yes, they work fine. The products were designed for precise timing rather than stabilized frequency. Thus they don't rely on the carrier and are not caught by the "enhanced" WWVB format that killed all the Spectracom WWVB receivers. Model 332 has small LCD with date, time, status display. Model 333 has larger LCD and calibrated analog signal level meter. Both connect to a remote model 301 antenna module. Yes, the antenna module contains a Temic U4226B. My 333/301 signal levels idle at around +9 or +10, and bounce down each second as expected. I updated http://leapsecond.com/museum/ulio/ with more manuals, and many exterior / interior photos of the 301 module. Hopefully you and John can get yours working. Let me know on- or off-list if there's anything I can do to help. /tvb ___ 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] Ultralink
I have a 333 box with 301 antenna. It was a gift several years ago. The display updates, but the meter never gets off 0. At the time, I thought the new modulation scheme had killed it and didn't investigate. But tvb suggested it should still work, so I took the cover off. Anybody know anything about the innards? I see a 20 pin DIP that says Atmel. I assume that's the CPU. The display updates, so it's obviously mostly working. There are also 2 8 pin DIPs and a transistor. There are 3 pots in one corner, labeled: LCD, AGC, and A/D. I haven't opened the antenna box yet. -- These are my opinions. I hate spam. ___ 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] Ultralink WWVB receiver manuals?
It appears that UTSource has the U4226B in stock under several manufacturers, including Atmel. https://www.utsource.net/sch/U4226B Donald Resor N6KAW -Original Message- From: time-nuts On Behalf Of John Ackermann N8UR Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2018 4:12 PM To: time-nuts@febo.com Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Ultralink WWVB receiver manuals? Thanks to another list memo, I got the basic manual. Got it fired up and while it does things, I think there's a problem. The S Meter is pinned all the way over to the right (very, very strong signal) and stays there no matter how I shield the antenna. And I never see any decoded bits. I hope the receiver chip (U4226B, unobtanium except from China) isn't shot. ___ 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] Ultralink WWVB receiver manuals?
> It would be very nice to have a direct NIST time source in the lab > again, complete with PPS output. If you have a 1200/9600 baud modem and a land line, 303.494.4774 is also a reliable backup source of NIST time. https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/services/automated-computer-time-service-acts /tvb ___ 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] Ultralink WWVB receiver manuals?
Thanks to another list memo, I got the basic manual. Got it fired up and while it does things, I think there's a problem. The S Meter is pinned all the way over to the right (very, very strong signal) and stays there no matter how I shield the antenna. And I never see any decoded bits. I hope the receiver chip (U4226B, unobtanium except from China) isn't shot. Will do more testing when I get some cycles free. It would be very nice to have a direct NIST time source in the lab again, complete with PPS output. Thanks! John On 03/29/2018 05:55 PM, Tom Van Baak wrote: Congrats on your acquisition. The Ultralink WWVB receivers are very nice. It should still work -- it's an AM subcode (not carrier phase) receiver. If you have more questions let me know. These modules were the darling of precise time at the turn of the century; before mobile phones, before GPS was affordable. Ultralink discontinued the product line within a few years when the market for WWVB-based timing dried up. Manuals here: http://leapsecond.com/museum/ulio/ Good question on the cable. If you don't see it in the manual let me know; I'll dig out my cable and have a look. Note the inner 4 of 6 pins are Vcc, TCO, AGC, gnd. /tvb - Original Message - From: "John Ackermann N8UR" To: "Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement" Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2018 8:57 AM Subject: [time-nuts] Ultralink WWVB receiver manuals? I just acquired an Ultralink WWVB timecode receiver -- more specifically, model 301 receiver and model 333 decoder. I'm looking for documentation on these guys. Anyone have a manual they'd be willing to share? The key questions are really just two: (a) is the 6P6C modular cable connecting the receiver and decoder straight, or reversed, and (b) what are the four DIP switches on the back of the 333 used for? Thanks for any info. John ___ 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] Ultralink WWVB receiver manuals?
>From info for a 332A, YMMV, etc... > (a) is the 6P6C modular cable > connecting the receiver and decoder straight, or reversed Receiver/decoder cable RJ11-4/6 wired pin 1 to pin 1 - 500 feet maximum length > (b) what are the four DIP switches on the back of the 333 used for? Option switches - 4 position dip switch provides installed option selection as follows: 1Battery backup - ON is enabled 2Report time each second - ON is enabled 3,4 Reserved Backup Battery Enable Upon power up, place Option Switch 1 in the ON position to enable RTC battery backup. During ship- ment and periods of no use, set this switch to OFF to avoid battery cell reversal. Reset The decoder may be reset by removing power and setting Option Switch 1 to OFF for a few seconds. -- These are my opinions. I hate spam. ___ 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] Ultralink WWVB receiver manuals?
Congrats on your acquisition. The Ultralink WWVB receivers are very nice. It should still work -- it's an AM subcode (not carrier phase) receiver. If you have more questions let me know. These modules were the darling of precise time at the turn of the century; before mobile phones, before GPS was affordable. Ultralink discontinued the product line within a few years when the market for WWVB-based timing dried up. Manuals here: http://leapsecond.com/museum/ulio/ Good question on the cable. If you don't see it in the manual let me know; I'll dig out my cable and have a look. Note the inner 4 of 6 pins are Vcc, TCO, AGC, gnd. /tvb - Original Message - From: "John Ackermann N8UR" To: "Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement" Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2018 8:57 AM Subject: [time-nuts] Ultralink WWVB receiver manuals? > I just acquired an Ultralink WWVB timecode receiver -- more > specifically, model 301 receiver and model 333 decoder. > > I'm looking for documentation on these guys. Anyone have a manual > they'd be willing to share? > > The key questions are really just two: (a) is the 6P6C modular cable > connecting the receiver and decoder straight, or reversed, and (b) what > are the four DIP switches on the back of the 333 used for? > > Thanks for any info. > > John > ___ > 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] Ultralink WWVB receiver manuals?
I just acquired an Ultralink WWVB timecode receiver -- more specifically, model 301 receiver and model 333 decoder. I'm looking for documentation on these guys. Anyone have a manual they'd be willing to share? The key questions are really just two: (a) is the 6P6C modular cable connecting the receiver and decoder straight, or reversed, and (b) what are the four DIP switches on the back of the 333 used for? Thanks for any info. John ___ 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.
