[time-nuts] Hello

[Bill Hawkins]

Neville,

I am old to this group. I remember when we could go for days
without a message. My background is BSME in 1960, lifetime
interest in electronics and computing (tho I don't write code
anymore) applied to chemical process control. Always interested
in precision time, intensified after a visit to Greenwich and
the British Science Museum's exhibit on clocks.

The Shortt pendulum was of great interest - what could 70 years
of relentlessly advancing technology have to improve on it?
That is a top priority, behind consulting commitments, financial
management, home maintenance, building computers and looking for
business. Which is to say, I've bought things but haven't had any
time to do anything with them, like the Invar rod.

Many years later, I've been able to buy much more than I've been
able to do. My dear and patient wife wants to know when she will
be able to move about the basement again. We approach 70 now, so
it's not like we'll be searching for alternative partners.

But I digress. My research has shown that a free pendulum would be
doing well to approach 10E-8 in accuracy. The folks on this list
are going for 10E-12.

Can you afford a GPS disciplined receiver, like the HP Z3801? That
is all the accuracy you will ever need, better that 10E-10. Crystals
(undisciplined) do not go that low. Satellites do fly over Oz, no?

I no longer think that I will assemble a vacuum pump, tube, zero-loss
pivot, and electrostatic detection and excitation mechanisms in my
lifetime. Especially since I live 100 meters from a low-speed freight
railroad track. Pity, really. Too soon old, too late smart.

Hope I haven't depressed you.

Best regards,
Bill Hawkins

P.S. Visited Melbourne and Sydney, crossing the bridge on foot, in the
mid 80's. Went to Healsville in a 60 MPH wind, unforgettable. Joeys not
just standing around. Got back from a rainy visit to the Fairy Penguins,
no lights in the bathroom or shower, called the desk, "No worries, mate.
The electrician will set it straight in the morning."



-----Original Message-----
From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On
Behalf Of Neville Michie
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 7:28 AM
To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Hello


Hi I am new to this group, my background; electronics, amateur radio and
clocks.
I am developing a free pendulum and to analyse its operation I compare
it to WWV on 5 or 10 MHz, the only available radio frequency standard on
air in Australia.
To examine the phase drift and jitter I compare it with a 1MHz rock in
an oven.

I have a HP 5328A which is not stable. It is marked as having option 010
but when I look inside there is only one crystal, 10mhz, which looks
like an el cheapo, and no sign of an oven.
Can anyone tell me what option 010 looks like?
I intend to buy a $20, better than average,  10mhz rock and put it in an
oven.
Any advice would be appreciated,
Neville Michie

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