[time-nuts] Looking for a Counter

Jim Lux jimlux at earthlink.net
Thu Oct 6 16:09:31 UTC 2011


On 10/6/11 8:46 AM, Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX N2469R wrote:
> I would like to get a counter that
> a) has 10 MHz clock input
> b) counts directly to 30 MHz (50 or 145 preferred)
>
> I would like it to be maintainable and well under $100
> including shipping.
>
> I have seen Fluke 1953a counters advertised on Ebay.
> Is this a good choice or would something else be better?
>

What sort of performance are you looking for? Not that I would suggest 
it, but as an example, a cheap FPGA eval board or even a Arduino with 
the right programming might do this, but might not be suitable for, say, 
comparing your 3 hydrogen masers against your Cs source and your 
experimental Hg ion fountain.

I'm actually looking a similar problem.. I want to set up an experiment 
to characterize a bunch (several dozen?) of cheap XOs over temperature 
and time and power cycles. I'm not looking for 1e-15 adev at 100 seconds 
kind of performance: maybe more like 1E-6 or 1E-7 ADEV.

Some sort of off the shelf box would be preferable to getting an eval 
board, putting it in a box with a power supply and connectors, etc. 
That kind of thing can be a remarkable time suck at work (as opposed to 
at home, where I'd just lash it down with double stick foam tape and not 
worry about no stinkin connectors)



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