[time-nuts] High end OCXO alternatives (or maybe an high perf Rb ?)

Thu Dec 8 15:56:56 UTC 2011

Mark
As to measurements below 100 sec. the Dual Mixer I have been working on is  
out there beeing tested by six people with good results, what is missing is 
 the link between the counter and Ulrich's plotter. Some smarter than I 
have made  patches using other plotting software. Corby has been using his 
SR620, not using  the 5 channel counter. The advantage of my counter is that you 
do not have  to tie up an expensive counter. As I speak two efforts are 
ongoing one with  a hardware solution that will include a LCD display and also 
a USB memory stick  allowing test runs without the use of a PC.  Data will 
be plotted  afterwards on the PC using Ulrich's plotter. This will increase 
the cost from $  200 to S 250. The second effort is strictly software on the 
PC keeping the cost  below $ 200. Depending on the offset frequency you can 
start your test at 0.1  Hz. I am working on a low cost offset source  using 
a very low noise, low  cost 100 MHz VCXO locked to the reference channel.
Bert

In a message dated 12/8/2011 10:28:22 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
mspencer12345 at yahoo.ca writes:

Bert,  that is a good question and thanks for your feedback.      

At this point the answer is it depends (:  (On availability,  price etc..)

To add a bit more context to this matter, I believe I'm  somewhat limited 
by my measurement systems at Tau's of significantly less than  100 seconds or 
so (I've got two 5370B's and a Tek 2252 scope that can work as  Time 
interval counter and feed data into time lab, each instrument has it's  pros and 
cons but I don't have a lot of confidence in my measurements at Tau's  of 
less than 100 seconds where as measurements at 100 seconds and greater a  
repeatable between different instruments etc..)

In the long run I'll  probably look at getting equipment to measure shorter 
tau's and phase noise  but that's another project for another year or more 
likely another decade, but  getting an OCXO  now that would be usefull later 
on makes some sense as  well.

If I had to put a stick in the ground I'd likely settle for 5E-13  or less 
at a tau of 100 seconds.   I'm not that worried about  performance at 
shorter tau's at this time.   I realize that OCXO's  typically exceed their specs 
if left running in a stable environment (as I  suspect my FTS 1050 is doing.)

Thanks for the comments about the HP  5065.

Regards
Mark

--- On Thu, 12/8/11,  EWKehren at aol.com <EWKehren at aol.com> wrote:

> From:  EWKehren at aol.com <EWKehren at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: [time-nuts]  High end OCXO alternatives (or maybe an high 
perf Rb ?)
> To:  time-nuts at febo.com
> Received: Thursday, December 8, 2011, 10:00  AM
> Mark
> 10E-13 at 100 sec is  a wide range. What about at  1
> and 10 sec. and  are 
> you talking about 3, 5, 9  E-13.
> I personally have quite a few 10811's that brake the  1E-12
> from 1 to 100  
> seconds my best OCXO is a Datum  1000 that is 3.5E-13 at 1
> sec.  and 4 at 10  
> and 7  at 100 sec. I control it with a FRK-H which has 7E-13
> at 100 sec.  
> In this range short of a $ 15 000 Oscilloquartz the best is
> a  HP 5065. They 
>  all are below 1 E-12  some as low as 1E-13  at 100
> sec. but the only  way I 
> know how you know what  you are getting is work with Corby
> Dawson.
> Bert  Kehren
>  
>  
> In a message dated 12/7/2011  9:41:56 P.M. Eastern Standard
> Time,  
>  mspencer12345 at yahoo.ca
> writes:
> 
> Greetings:
>  
> I'm contemplating starting a search on the  "typical
>  auction sites" for a 
> high end OCXO (or possibly a high end Rb)  that  would
> be suitable for 
> characterizing the  performance of an FTS 
> 1050.   From time to time  I've seen ADEV 
> figures of in the 10E-13  range (at a typical Tau  of
> 100 seconds) when 
> comparing the FTS 1050 in  question  to one of my
> GPSDO's and one of my Rb's.    
>  
> At this  point I'm contemplating looking for:
> 
>  Another FTS 1050
> Various Datum  / FTS stand alone OCXO's
>  An Oscilloquartz BVA OCXO
> A Sulzer  OCXO
> Maybe an HP  5065
> 
> (I've already assembled a modest collection of   half a
> dozen various 
> 10811's and don't really want to buy any  more at this 
> point.)
> 
> Essentially I'm looking  for something with a reasonable
> likely  hood of 
>  consistently having an ADEV in the 13's at Taus of 100
> seconds  or  so.   
> I'm thinking that another FTS 1050 is  probably the
> most  likely alternative 
> but I'm trying to  keep an open mind to other
> options.   I'm not really  
> interested in a Cesium standard but if anyone has any
>  other  suggestions of 
> products I could look for (other than a H  maser
> (:   )  comments on or off list 
>  would be appreciated.
> 
> 
> Regards Mark   Spencer
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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