Re: [time-nuts] time-nuts Digest, Vol 130, Issue 27

2015-05-19 Thread Demian Martin
charset=us-ascii >Hi >The simple answer is that Google maps may or may not be correct. There are a >lot >of examples of them being off by 10M or more. That said, my *guess* would be >that the >Thunderbolt is closer to the truth. >Bob > On May 18, 2015, at 2:34 AM, Demi

[time-nuts] Thunderbolt Height Error

2015-05-18 Thread Demian Martin
do I have wrong in the Thunderbolt? Would it affect the operation as a frequency standard in any way? Demian Martin San Leandro, CA 94577 ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailma

Re: [time-nuts] OCXO Voltage Input?

2014-09-06 Thread Demian Martin
I have used an FM tuner pretty successfully to look at modulation and phase noise in oscillators. For a 10 MHz oscillator you will be looking at the 10th harmonic so modulation and phase noise is multiplied and much easier to see. You do need a square wave output to get a lot of harmonics. Sinew

Re: [time-nuts] 5370 processor boards available

2014-02-27 Thread Demian Martin
Most routers use a similar model and can save important settings but still recover from a crash with no problem. There are several router distros that are good examples on how to do it. I would suggest looking at Voyage Linux http://linux.voyage.hk/ for an example. They have a specific versing for

[time-nuts] SITime oscillators

2013-08-06 Thread Demian Martin
08/SiT8208-datasheet.pdf They look too good to be true. However the phase noise plot stops at 1 KHz. There is another that stops at 100 Hz elsewhere on the site. Does anyone have real experience with the technology? Demian Martin PDS ___ time-nuts ma

Re: [time-nuts] have 10MHz need 19.5Mhz

2013-06-06 Thread Demian Martin
> From: kevin-use...@horizon.com > To: albertson.ch...@gmail.com > Cc: time-nuts@febo.com, kevin-use...@horizon.com > Subject: Re: [time-nuts] have 10MHz need 19.5Mhz > Message-ID: <20130606162408.10277.qm...@science.horizon.com> > > > Any 2-pin crystal connection to an IC is a simple Pierce osci

Re: [time-nuts] Trimble Thunderbolt, any easy way to create 500 MHz reference from one?

2013-05-15 Thread Demian Martin
I have had some experience with the 6130a. It's all one board inside. The internal oscillator's crystal is ovenized. There are some power supply issues that cause some hum spurs on the output. I reduced them a lot cutting some traces and cleaning up the power supply rectifier routing. I would like

Re: [time-nuts] Best phase detector / mixer for 100MHz?

2012-11-26 Thread Demian Martin
I asked Wenzel about mixers for phase noise measurement and they directed me to Marki Microwave as what they use: http://www.markimicrowave.com/2770/Mixers.aspx I have not obtained or tested any myself but it's a pretty solid recommendation I think. I got this guy to add cross correlation to his

[time-nuts] 5MHz ocxo- Opening Solder sealed cans

2012-07-25 Thread Demian Martin
Bob: Perhaps you can describe how to do this. I can't see a way that would not make a huge mess (big torch) or not ever get there (big soldering iron). I would really like to be able to get inside of some of these without making them all into trash. Demian

Re: [time-nuts] disciplining sound card

2012-07-07 Thread Demian Martin
a capture system would be to make a count down from the 10 MHz to an audio frequency and capture it. Do a really deep fft and look for stuff that should not be there (anything but the countdown). Demian Martin ___ time-nuts mailing list -- ti

Re: [time-nuts] broadband MPX signal stereo

2012-03-15 Thread Demian Martin
I have tested a number of soundcards and while the EMU 2020 has issues (serious jitter and noise from the USB interface) I can recommend the ESI Juli@ as having flat response and good SNR up to 90 KHz. It's a PCI card, no USB. I have measured the performance of FM MPX adapters and tested FM Transmi

Re: [time-nuts] WWVB BPSK Receiver Project?

2012-03-15 Thread Demian Martin
There are a number of sound cards (and have been for 10 years now) that can capture up to 95 KHz with extraordinary fidelity. They sample at 192 KHz and usually have "24" bit converters good tor 20+ bits. These can capture the complete FM MPX output pretty easily. Some of the newer ADC's have less

[time-nuts] Lightsquared's latest PR

2011-10-13 Thread Demian Martin
#x27;m sure most others on this list will also feel that way. How do we organize enough to exert some political pressure? Notwithstanding the impact of obsolescing the GPS in my car (not replacable) so they can make some money. Demian Martin Product Design Services 784 Cary Drive S

Re: [time-nuts] Could someone please recommend GPIB card?

2011-10-09 Thread Demian Martin
Paul The quick and cheap migration to a desktop PC if you have the PCMCIA GPIB card is to get a PCI to PCMCIA adapter. They are cheap and plentiful for as little at $6.50. e.g. http://www.ebay.com/itm/PCI-PCMCIA-CARD-ADAPTER-/130584195663?pt=LH_DefaultD omain_0&hash=item1e676cb24f#ht_500wt_1413 T

Re: [time-nuts] Fast TI counter

2011-05-23 Thread Demian Martin
I was looking it up and ran across this link: http://www.alstonpatlaw.com/files/FirmService/4871d8f2-6135-465b-8ad2-3829e4 21c91f/Presentation/ceServiceDocument/09-cv-5517%202009-11-20%20Complaint.pd f Ignoring the patent issues there seems to be a number of interesting TI interval patents attach

Re: [time-nuts] Plot phase noise spectrum from DMTD

2011-03-12 Thread Demian Martin
I would like to see more in one place about implementing these ideas. The bits are scattered in different places and I'm not sure where to find them all. One resource for getting the signals sampled at SOTA performance for a reasonable price is this demo board from TI: PCM4222EVM http://focus.ti.c

[time-nuts] Changing frequency of an HP 10811 oscillator

2010-11-21 Thread Demian Martin
custom SC crystals that would work in an HP10811? I have been quoted prices in the $500+ range for finished products and want to explore a more cost effective option before I spend a lot of money. Demian Martin Product Design Services San Leandro, CA 94577 209 613 6990

Re: [time-nuts] A different timenuts interest

2010-07-22 Thread Demian Martin
Another perspective on time: http://www.longnow.org/clock/ And some fascinating mechanical stuff. -Demian Message: 4 Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 02:11:04 +0200 From: Magnus Danielson Subject: Re: [time-nuts] A different timenuts interest To: Discussion of precise time and fr

[time-nuts] Wavecrest vs. HP 5370 vs. SR620 Jitter measurements

2010-03-19 Thread Demian Martin
>At some point I'll re-run tempco and jitter measurements of the dividers and 1PPS distribution amps >I have here. >Last time I used a 5370B and a SR620. This time I'd like to try a Wavecrest. If someone on the list >has done this already can you let me know? >Thanks, >/tvb I have read through th

Re: [time-nuts] 5370A vs 5370B

2010-03-09 Thread Demian Martin
Being naïve I didn't know the HP custom chip would be difficult to substitute. Since it was blown and not available I went searching and found a Maxim chip (MAX9691 I think) that would work on paper. It is surface mount and I managed to find a header that fit the HP socket and some careful wiring f

Re: [time-nuts] 5370A vs 5370B

2010-03-09 Thread Demian Martin
I got an almost perfect 5370A some years ago for less than $100. It had one dead input. I discovered that those input devices were essentially unobtanium so I went shopping for a substitute. I found a Maxim chip that seems to work as well as the original comparator, possibly slightly better. I also

Re: [time-nuts] Sound Card Spectrum Analyzer

2010-02-18 Thread Demian Martin
While I have little experience looking at phase noise I have a lot with using commercial sound cards in acoustic analysis. I use a system from this guy : http://libinst.com/ called Praxis. The designer had to resolve the same issues re: calibration of the chain. He uses an external box that generat

Re: [time-nuts] Cheap Rubidium

2009-12-24 Thread Demian Martin
s are. >If I had a bunch of mu metal sitting in the basement I'd certainly use it in the setup. Last time I checked the stuff was not cheap >Bob Demian Martin Product Design Services * ___ time-nuts m

[time-nuts] Splitting GPS antenna output

2009-09-02 Thread Demian Martin
eceiver and a Wenzel Oscillator. Demian Martin Product Design Services ___ 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] Using cheap sound cards for measurements

2009-08-24 Thread Demian Martin
udio for USB standard but not used except by a few devices. A lot of the pro market uses Firewire for this reason and others. The spec for a good digital audio chip is here: http://envy24.svobodno.com/datasheets/via/vt1724.pdf and a lot more here: http://envy24.svobodno.com/datasheets/ Demian Mar

Re: [time-nuts] Using cheap sound cards for measurements

2009-08-23 Thread Demian Martin
rd to get around. You can use ASIO drivers to go around the internal engine if you write your app for that. The EMU 0202 isn't supported fully in Linux yet. Demian Martin PDS Ok, I have looked at a few USB cards and reviews. For SD radios, and as far as I can tell for time use, the Cre

Re: [time-nuts] Using cheap sound cards for measurements

2009-08-21 Thread Demian Martin
that have high sample rates etc, but they use special drivers to work. Emu has several high performance boxes to consider. Linux support is problematic. . . Demian Martin PDS From: "Don Latham" Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Using cheap sound cards for measurements To: "Discussion of p

[time-nuts] Using cheap sound cards for measurements

2009-08-21 Thread Demian Martin
Modern soundcards using stereo DACs have very little shift between the channels. Usually much less than a sample period, probably less than m-clock period (64 to 256 X the sample period). And a high res card at 24 bits (probably 20 usable) will give you a lot of data to chew on. Demian Martin

Re: [time-nuts] Using cheap sound cards for measurements

2009-08-21 Thread Demian Martin
wer jitter than the cheap solutions. If it helped the measurement you could drive the crystal input with an external oscillator etc. For more extended low frequency response you could bypass the input caps but the dc offsets would need attention. Demian Martin Product Design Services Date: Fri, 21 A

Re: [time-nuts] EFRATOM MFTD-AC4 FREQUENCY REFERENCE DISTRIBUTION AMP - update

2009-07-23 Thread Demian Martin
ce be better if I bypass the input module and drive the output modules with a sine wave? I'm using it as a reference for some not-too-sophisticated counters and generators so the phase noise will be much better than those could benefit from regardless. Demian

[time-nuts] EFRATOM MFTD-AC4 FREQUENCY REFERENCE DISTRIBUTION AMP

2009-07-20 Thread Demian Martin
about it? I'm planning to mount a Thunderbolt inside it. There is a decent datasheet on the family of products here: http://www.freewebs.com/beststuff2u/MFS-207.pdf Demian Martin ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to

Re: [time-nuts] Prologix GPIB-USB vs. GPIB-LAN

2009-07-05 Thread Demian Martin
t 100 for a business application since it supports DHCP and NI supports it in the latest releases. Demian Martin Product Design Service ___ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ti

Re: [time-nuts] Sound Cards

2009-01-13 Thread Demian Martin
Magnus Danielson wrote: > > The digital link in question is S/PDIF; with the current popularity > > of Home Theater systems cheap cards with digital I/O have become > > quite prevalent. As an added bonus, S/PDIF can be run over both > > coaxial and optical media, the latter being attractive in f