[time-nuts] New WWVB format...

Chris Albertson albertson.chris at gmail.com
Wed Sep 26 19:57:43 UTC 2012


On Wed, Sep 26, 2012 at 11:59 AM, Majdi S. Abbas <msa at latt.net> wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 26, 2012 at 11:38:10AM -0700, Chris Albertson wrote:
>> The first stepis to simply use a regular PC, maybe running Linux.
>> This is the easiest and fastest platform to develop on.  It gets
>> harder and takes longer if you use a smaller and more esoteric
>> platform like a DSP or FPGA.  Using a quad core Intel chip is gross
>> over kill but it allows for quick development.  Later with working
>> software you have actually measurements in hand and can pick a "right
>> size" processor.
>
>         Normally I'd agree with you but where 60 KHz signals are
> concerned, I think I'd rather not use a PC.  There's just too much RFI.

If I do this the PC would likely be a good large distance from the RF
front end.  With an SDR type receiver you'd place the RF stuff very
close to the antenna and the long cable from RF section to computer is
a balanced audio cable, like an XLR microphone cable.    By current
60MHZ WWVB receiver lives outdoors inside a 1 foot length of PVC pipe
far from the house.  Only serial data leaves the pipe and DC power
goes in.

Also the RFI from a PC depends on who built it.  Typical
self-assembled computers are very poor.  Notebooks can be good. bUt
thebest plan is to use the inverse square law and some distance and
RFI goes away.


Chris Albertson
Redondo Beach, California



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