[time-nuts] PTS synthesizers

GandalfG8 at aol.com GandalfG8 at aol.com
Thu Feb 9 18:34:00 UTC 2012


In a message dated 09/02/2012 02:08:49 GMT Standard Time, eb at telight.com  
writes:

I don't  remember which owns which, but some PTS models are under the 
Wavetek  brand. I have a Wavetek 5135A, which looks and acts just like 
the PTS  160
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As far as I can tell, it seems to have started with  Rockland, eventually 
absorbed by Wavetek, with PTS coming along a bit  later and perhaps formed by 
ex Rockland or Wavetek personnel.
 
The earliest unit I've seen, not saying there might not have been something 
 earlier, is the Rockland 5600 and the original Wavetek 5120As were branded 
 "Wavetek Rockland" with later ones just branded "Wavetek".
 
All PTS units I've seen seem to be more recent, so  although the PTS web 
site does claim they announced their first product in  1975 I have wondered if 
that's actually a reference to the original Rockland  products, which again 
might suggest some at least of the original personnel  still being involved.
 
I'm not familiar with the 5135A, but if that's very similar to the PTS160  
then it sounds like yet another variant.
 
One things for sure, not only do the Rockland 5600, Wavetek  5120A, and 
PTS160, have basically the same spec, but having compared them  in detail I was 
quite surprised just how much of the electronics they share  too.
 
There are differences but there's also a heck of a lot that's the same  
even though module part numbers may vary, and some differently laid out  module 
schematics turn out to be almost, if not completely, identical.
 
----------------------------

I also  have a PTS D310 that I plan to fix up with two 
sets of wheel switches to  be built into the front panel, but don't 
recall if I already found the  parallel interface data - especially 
the pinout. Is that readily  available?
----------------------------
I've not seen the internal layout of the D310, but all the necessary  
schematic information for the switching should be in any of the manuals.
I've got some High Res photos of the motherboard of one on my PTS160s that  
might help give a better idea of how the switch wiring is implemented in  
practice, and could take more of the actual switch connections if that would  
help.
 
regards
 
Nigel
GM8PZR


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