Hi Rather than having the 940 in there, why not just build a (simple) direct conversion receiver?
Feed something like the 3335 or 6061 into one port of a suitable mixer. Feed the band pass filtered signal from the antenna into another port. Run the IF output into a preamp / filter and then into the sound card. You'll get DSB down to the audio chain, but that can be fixed with more hardware. Often it's a non-issue. It all depends on what sort of signal you are after. Another idea: Butcher the sound card and feed it a synthesized clock that's locked to the z3816. One less step in the data reduction / one less thing to worry about. The sound card *might* even run off of one of the outputs the z3816 already generates. You'd have an odd sample rate, but that's not a big deal. A comment: Cleaner is always going to be better on the RF generator that is your ultimate reference. Anything you can do to improve close in phase noise will likely help things out. Lots of possibilities. Bob -----Original Message----- From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On Behalf Of Guy Lewis Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 4:51 PM To: 'Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement' Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Basic question regarding comparing two frequencies -----Original Message----- >> There is another way to compare two frequencies, relevant when they >> are >> very close together................... ------------------------------------- I am trying to measure the frequency of a distant on-air signal, with path fading, Doppler shift, and maybe even AM modulation and would appreciate comments that might improve accuracy to better than .01Hz. The idea is to measure the frequency of an audio beat between a disciplined synthesized generator and the on-air signal, the subtract out the difference. Here is what I am doing: Equipment: GPS Disciplined Oscillator (HP 3816A with antenna) Synthesized generator with .001Hz resolution (HP3335A locked to GPS 10 MHz reference) PC running Spectrum Lab sound card audio spectrum analyzer software Second locked synthesizer (Fluke 6061A) to determine Spectrum Lab frequency error AM receiver (TS940 for 30kHz to 30 MHz) and antenna covering unknown frequency to be measured Input signal combiner (Merrimac 50 ohm combiner) or leak into receiver across Ext Rx switch Setup: 1a. Disable TS940 transmit mode (power set to minimum, PTT disabled, don't touch SEND) Install power splitter at Rx input to mix unknown and synthesized generator signals --or:-- 1b. (preferred alternative, to avoid accidently transmitting into the generator), leak generator signal into TS940 across Rx antenna switch at a higher level 2. Lock generator to external GPSDO. All OCXOs run full time 3. Connect audio out to PC running Spectrum Lab 4. Allow PC to warm up for at least 30 minutes and measure second locked synthesized generator near the expected unknown frequency to determine Spectrum Lab measurement error Measurement of unknown signal frequency: 1. Set Rx to approximate frequency of unknown signal, AM mode 2. Adjust generator to create a clean audio beat note (power, freq + 600 Hz audio freq, narrow AM filter) 3. Be sure clockwise rotation of generator frequency knob increases audio beat note frequency. Tune generator to upper side of signal if necessary 4. Read peak audio frequency from Spectrum Lab display 5. Subtract audio frequency (Spectrum Lab reading -measured .046 Hz error) from generator dial reading for result. Example measuring WWV @ 10 MHz: Rx tuned to 10 MHz, AM mode, Narrow Filter Antenna signal mixed with -70 dbm (-30dbm if leaked across Rx switch) generator signal. Adjust level for cleanest audio tone. Generator frequency tuned to generate 600 Hz beat note reading in Spectrum Lab Generator frequency reads 10.000599954 Audio frequency increases as generator frequency is increased Spectrum Lab reads audio frequency 600.00 Hz Spectrum Lab frequency readout error known to be .046 Hz high (actual audio frequency is 599.954Hz) Calculation: Unknown freq = Fgen-(Fspeclab-Fspeclaberr) WWV freq = 10,000,599.954Hz-(600-.046Hz) = 10,000,000.000Hz +/-.01Hz Any suggestions appreciated. Guy N2GL _______________________________________________ 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.