[time-nuts] RF Mixers for oscillator comparison

[Arnold Tibus]

Bruce,

Are such as
 SRA-1H or SRA-3H no possible candidates?
Such I have still somewhere in a drawer.

Arnold

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:25:28 +1200, Bruce Griffiths wrote:

>Arnold

>Some of the early equipment produced by NIST used mixers from a company
>that eventually became into Minicirucits.

>Suitable candidates from the Minicircuits range are:

>TUF-1H+:
>http://www.minicircuits.com/pdfs/TUF-1H+.pdf

>This mixer doesnt have isolated RF, LO and IF grounds so external
>transformers would be rrequired.
>It  does have somewhat higher port to port isolation than most mixers.

>The minicircuits phase detectors such as:

>http://www.minicircuits.com/pdfs/RPD-1+.pdf

>http://www.minicircuits.com/pdfs/MPD-1+.pdf

>are worth considering, at least they have separate RF and IF grounds, a
>high maximum output as well as low dc offset and offset drift.


>All of these are below $US25 (at the source).

>The phase detectors are perhaps the safest option however measurement of
>their phase noise would be advisable.

>Bruce

>Arnold Tibus wrote:
>> On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:03:36 +1200, Bruce Griffiths wrote:
>>
>>   
>>> Corby Dawson wrote:
>>>     
>>>> Arnold,
>>>>
>>>> Look at the top of page 3 on the link below. Not sure how they arrived at
>>>> their conclusion but there is one opinion on the HP mixers!
>>>>
>>>> http://www.unusualresearch.com/AppNotes/TimeNuts/OptDualMixer.pdf
>>>>
>>>> Corby Dawson
>>>> ____________________________________________________________
>>>> Debt collectors calling your house?  Click here to consolidate into one payment.
>>>> http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTIk3l9oQnolYGEY40TVwmsBD4opDDeVSRG36KHWHhZWexSiuRrXdm/
>>>>
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>>>>   
>>>>       
>>> Statements about the low flicker noise of these mixers are sprinkled
>>> throughout the phase noise literature.
>>> Someone must have measured the phase noise of these and other mixers at
>>> some time.
>>>     
>>
>>   
>>> Its relatively easy to measure mixer phase noise:
>>> All one needs is a low noise preamp plus a sound card a 90 degree hybrid
>>> (or a suitable length of coax and a splitter) and a low noise source.
>>>     
>>
>>   
>>> However NIST papers often include a phase noise plot (attached) that
>>> illustrates that high level mixers can have a significantly lower phase
>>> noise than low level mixers (like the HP10514A).
>>> When choosing a mixer for this for phase noise measurement applications
>>> one may actually need to measure the phase noise characteristics of
>>> candidate mixers.
>>>     
>>
>>   
>>> Bruce
>>>     
>>
>>
>> Wow, a good overview, Bruce! 
>>
>> But remain the questions: 
>> which are these high level mixers, are they readily available? 
>> Are they affordable? 
>> Perhaps not, why are they then not applied more often?
>>
>> Arnold
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>   


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