Thanks, Tom (and others)! That's fascinating.
I was interested in the mention of diode programming systems. It's a
little off topic, but I encountered a few of those in the 1970s amateur
radio world. A couple of the early synthesized (as opposed to
fixed-frequency-crystal) controlled ham radios had memory channels that
were "programmed" in BCD digits by installing or removing 1N914 diodes,
often in a row of DIP sockets.
Another early design was in the first synthesized "police radio" scanner
by Regency. It used aluminum combs that looked like, well, combs. You
broke off the tines as instructed for a particular frequency and then
inserted the comb into a socket. The presence or absence of the tine
signified 1 or 0.
----
On 4/13/2016 3:57 PM, Tom Van Baak wrote:
John,
I agree with Paul, an absolutely amazing instrument. The early models have
nixie display, later ones plasma. 11 digits! In 1969! It was the first hp
instrument that was capable enough to compute stability statistics. In
real-time! Like Paul I have a couple, along with various the accessories. Built
like a tank, even the keyboard.
You'll find mention of the counter in old technical articles, sometimes including
the programs people would write for automated statistics. I've always thought the
5360 was uniquely at the cross-roads between hp as an instrument company and hp as
a computer company (not to mention hp as a printer ink company). You can see the
DNA of each of these in the 5360 & its accessories.
You were probably reading this major 5360A Computing Counter issue:
http://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1969-05.pdf
Here's all about the 5375A keyboard:
http://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1970-03.pdf
And this is where the diode and punch card interface is shown, as well as ADEV
from 1 us to 1 s (see page 4, fig 4).
http://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1970-12.pdf
More on ADEV on the 5360:
http://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1971-11.pdf
Select high-res page scans from my own hardcopy HPJ collection are here:
http://www.leapsecond.com/hpj/
For example, the 79-step ADEV program is here:
http://www.leapsecond.com/hpj/v22n4/v22n4p10.jpg
Finally, do not miss HP AN116 "Precision Frequency Measurements":
http://www.hpmemoryproject.org/an/pdf/an_116.pdf
/tvb
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Ackermann N8UR" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2016 9:38 AM
Subject: [time-nuts] HP 5360A History?
I was browsing through the HP Journal archives and came across the May,
1969 issue, dedicated to the new 5360A Computing Counter -- "An
Electronic Counter for the 1970s!"
I don't recall hearing much about these in time-nuts lore. I can guess
from the Journal articles that it was a beast to keep running and was
very expensive (500 ICs and a 10A 5V power supply).
Is anyone here familiar with the story of this product?
John
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