[time-nuts] Symmetricom CSAC is Cs acting like a Rb unit
WB6BNQ
wb6bnq at cox.net
Wed Jan 19 01:31:17 UTC 2011
Hi Tom,
Well, the phase noise is not as good as other Rb sources that can be
had for around $100 that are not much bigger in size. For example the
FE-5650A or even the FE5680A Rb's.
Would it be useful ? That depends upon your operating requirements.
For wide band FM at 10 GHz it would be ok, but for narrow SSB I would
think it is lacking. Perhaps John Miles, KE5FX, who has experience
with that sort of stuff will chime in.
This CSAC device will shine in those areas where power and size really
matter. If you read the supporting literature, a lot of
computerization in the form of algorithms were required to tame the
beast. All of that will improve over time. So this first to market
item is interesting but let the big boys pay for it and down the road
we mere commoners will reap the benefits.
Bill....WB6BNQ
Tom Holmes wrote:
OK, so aside from the price of this toy, are there any performance
reasons
why this itty bitty gizmo wouldn't be quite useful to my ham friends
who do
portable/mobile microwave operation, as opposed to dragging along a
GPSDO or
OCXO? Think in terms of frequency error at 10 GHz, 24 GHz or even
higher.
Tom Holmes, N8ZM
Tipp City, OH
EM79
> -----Original Message-----
> From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com
[[1]mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On
> Behalf Of Bob Camp
> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 5:55 PM
> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Symmetricom CSAC is Cs acting like a Rb
unit
>
> Hi
>
> In this case, it's an itty bitty gizmo that has some significant
compromises in
> performance compared to it's bigger cousins.
>
> Bob
>
>
> On Jan 18, 2011, at 5:47 PM, William H. Fite wrote:
>
> > Oh gosh, it would never, EVER do to find a li'l bitty product
that
performs
> > as well as our big ole spare rooms full of costly, bulky, heavy,
mostly
> > antiquated equipment. [?]
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Jan 18, 2011 at 5:10 PM, Bob Camp <lists at rtty.us> wrote:
> >
> >> Hi
> >>
> >> Simply having cesium in it does not make it a primary standard.
Since
it's
> >> more like a rubidium than anything else, it's a lot easier to
think of
it
> >> as
> >> a "really small low power rubidium". One other advantage it may
have is
> >> that
> >> the LED may have a longer life than a normal "light bulb"
source. I
suspect
> >> it's a little early to forecast 20 year (or not) life on these
yet.
> >>
> >> Bob
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com
[[2]mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On
> >> Behalf Of WB6BNQ
> >> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 5:03 PM
> >> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
> >> Subject: [time-nuts] Symmetricom CSAC is Cs acting like a Rb
unit
> >>
> >> To the list,
> >>
> >> If you listen carefully to the Symmetricom slide show,
particularly
page 3,
> >> it will tell you all you need to
> >> know:
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
[3]http://www.brainshark.com/Steve_FatSymmetricom/vu?pi=691826191&dm
=5&pau
> se=1&
> >>
>
appKey=77<[4]http://www.brainshark.com/Steve_FatSymmetricom/vu?pi=69
1826191
> &dm=5&pause=1&%0AappKey=77>
> >>
> >> You will discover that that it is indeed a Cesium operated
device.
HOWEVER
> >> ! It is operated in the same manner
> >> as a Rubidium device. Doing such does NOT make it a primary
standard.
> >>
> >> In a Cesium Primary standard, a beam of Cesium atoms are
energized to a
> >> higher state whose decay give off a
> >> photon of light such that being on frequecy produces more light
to the
> >> detector. In the Rb system, the Rb cell
> >> acts simply as a light filter such that when on frequency the
light
level
> >> is
> >> reduced as seen by the detector.
> >>
> >> This Symmetricom CSAC device uses the same process as the Rb
method
> above.
> >> It uses a laser to push light through
> >> a chamber of Cesium gas. This Cesium gas is acting as a simple
light
> >> filter. So in its current state it will
> >> not rival it superior cousins except in size and power
comsumption and
> >> possibly price for performance in some
> >> applications.
> >>
> >> Bill....WB6BNQ
> >>
> >>
> >>
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