[time-nuts] Thanks for antenna advice

[David Medin]

   I've gotten an overwhelming amount of antenna pointers from my Tbolt
   question--thanks to all!

   I've got one prospect from someone in the group, as well as a couple
   Trimble bullets and the Symmetricom in my sights at eBay. If the Tbolt
   gods smile on me, I may actually receive more than one eventually--one
   for my home lab and one for my work lab.

   My interest in the TBolt is basically for a 10 MHz standard for locking
   or gating test equipment. Right before I started looking for a
   disciplined frequency standard, I got burned by a cheap frequency
   counter timebase that had drifted, and determined then that I'm going
   to excise this demon from my lab once and for all. My interest differs
   from being a true Time Nut, as my needs are not for absolute time with
   so many parts per billion accuracy but for 10.000000 MHz with
   reasonable phase noise, although I learn a lot by listening to the
   discussions here.

   I'm a systems engineer with aviation and military design experience,
   much in RF up to a couple hundred MHz (although the US Navy's CASS GPS
   L1/L2 simulator is based on my design, and some work with the Agilent
   synthesizer crew in "Rodent Park" in the late 80's). Still, I like
   Smith charts about as much as a kid loves broccoli.

   I keep a full surface mount design and prototying gig at my home with
   microscope and rework capabilities, where I even venture to do
   difficult packages. My latest test is the newer Silabs SW/LW receiver
   chip in an impossible 3mm X 3mm QFN package. I feel for everyone that
   wants to stay thru-hole, as I see component availability evaporating by
   the day. My current employer's product line is highly thru-hole, and I
   have almost a full-time job keeping Purchasing in alternate component
   sources. I have learned to adapt, and find my stereo microscope my best
   friend, and an occasional very small dose of propranolol or xanax when
   the jitters may be a problem (with physician agreement of course).

   As far as the Tbolt monitor project, my candidate monitoring board
   would only be for basic status monitoring--that was my intent, so I
   don't keep a PC tied up to assure our test tech that the standard
   is "locked" at any given time. My intent was not to create a full GUI,
   as a PC is a better platform to use IMO. I'd be satisfied with a
   red/green status indicator. I already have the general purpose RS-232
   monitor board from another project which would only need programming to
   stimulate/monitor the stream from the Tbolt. Still, if there is
   agreement on a board which offers other functions such as a phase
   comparator or distribution amp, I'd listen to what the group may want.
   I do a lot of business with Mini Circuits too...!

   Thanks to all.

   Dave
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