Chris,
The 8170 was originally intended to be a frequency reference source
tied to the USFS (United Stated Frequency Standard). It also gave
the time of day, but I believe that wasn't it's primary purpose. As
I recall, there were some versions that did not have the clock
readout and some that had a chart recorder. Back in the 80's I used
to drool (it was a disgusting sight!) over the Spectracom receivers
with the chart recorders. At that time I was usuing a Gertsch RLF-1
with an external Moseley 680 chart recorder. The remodulator
precludes it from being used as a frequency standard, but in my
opinion, so does the fact that WWVB is now phase shifted a bunch.
The 8170 uses a coherent detector and that's where the problem
lies. While the 8170 still locks to the WWVB carrier, the new BPSK
scheme causes the detector to output bad data in spite of the
original dips in the carrier still being present. I had always
wondered how it was able to pull the data out the noise, but never
had a manual until just recently. I had naively assumed that the
WWVB new BPSK scheme would not affect the time of day aspect of the
8170. Like I said, I only use it as a clock in my shoppe, and being
an old dog I don't easily learn new tricks such as looking in a
different direction for one of the other clocks.
Burt, K6OQK
From: Chris Albertson <albertson.ch...@gmail.com>
At 02:08 PM 6/17/2013, time-nuts-requ...@febo.com wrote
Yes, I see what it does. It is a simple circuit. But I just thought
(wrongly, now I see) that the 8170 somehow used the 60KHz signal for some
purpose. I gues not, It is just a carrier that is discarded.
Some receivers used the 60HKz signal as a 60KHz frequency reference and
phase locked their internal clock to the 60KHz signal. I gues the 8170
does not do that.
Burt I. Weiner Associates
Broadcast Technical Services
Glendale, California U.S.A.
b...@att.net
www.biwa.cc
K6OQK
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