[time-nuts] Broadband synthesizer

Will Matney xformer at citynet.net
Wed Jul 13 01:41:55 UTC 2011


If you don't mind cranking the tuning knob for the cavity tuner, the 8640B
is a good RF generator, not a synthesizer, which I also have one. The
synthesizer I have, which you still crank or spin the knob, which in turn
turns a digital encoder, is a Racal Dana 9028P, and I enjoy it over it's
simplicity, like I do the 8640B. The Boonton is easy to use too, and I
think it is set up similar to the Racal, internally, but I'm not sure. I
find these easier, and quicker to use, than keyed inputs, and I have a few
of these, which to be honest, draw dust. However, some of the keyed input
synthesizers generally have a few more options too. 

There's just too many different models and makes out there to really say
what's best for a situation, without knowing all the features needed, but
these are the simplest to use, that I've found, and have a decently clean
signal.

Best,

Will

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 7/12/2011 at 6:16 PM J. Forster wrote:

>Oops. Must remember to engage brain. It's not phase locked. It's counter
>locked.
>
>Sorry,
>
>-John
>
>==============
>
>
>> Bill,
>>
>> Believe it or not, the HP 8640B is one of the cleanest, as far as signal
>> goes, that you can get, and you can get an option that will take it to 1
>> GHz, if I remember. You can pick these up pretty cheap, but they have a
>> problem with some plastic gears going out on the tuning assembly. These
>> are
>> old too, but you can find junkers for parts.
>>
>> From a report I read on signal purity once, the next best for these
>> oldies,
>> was a Boonton 102, which outperformed a lot of modern generators
>> concerning
>> purity. However, it won't go to 1 GHz, I don't think, and I don't think
>> there's an option for it.
>>
>> If you're not too worried about extra clean signal purity, there are
>> several others, including ones made by Fluke, and or Wavetek. Don't get
me
>> wrong, these not are cheap junk, it's just they didn't show as clean an
>> output as the HP and Boonton above. Without knowing any other features
you
>> want, it's hard to tell you anymore than these recommendations.
>>
>> I forget where I read the test done on several of these RF generators,
but
>> it's on a website, and others on here may know of the tests I'm speaking
>> of. Also, on the HP 8640B, one could get those plastic gears recut in
>> brass, if they did break, and they would last forever.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Will
>>
>> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
>>
>> On 7/12/2011 at 7:41 PM Bill Dailey wrote:
>>
>>>Looking for recommendations for a broadband synthesizer with external
>> reference connection, at least 1mhz to 1ghz with micro to millihertz
>> resolution.   Oh yeah under $1000 or so.  I found a real nice one from
>> holzworth but it is about $5k which is a bit rich for me.  I have seen.
>> Various hp synthesizer but digging through the specs and the number soup
>> is
>> tough for a non-electronics guy.
>>>
>>>Tia,
>>>
>>>Doc
>>>
>>>Sent from my iPhone
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