[time-nuts] HP 5065A questions

[Joe D'Elia]

 <cdelect at ...> writes:
> 
> Joe,
> 
> Nice find.
> 
> Don't worry about the lamp, they VERY seldom fail.
> 
> Of course there are electronics failures that crop up.
> 
> What color is your physics package?
> 
> Blue paint= old style
> Olive green paint = mid production
> Silver (no paint) = late production
> 
> Also can I get your units serial number for my list?
> 
> With it in the operate mode watch the control voltage and slowly adjust
> the fine quartz back and forth.
> 
> If it is indeed locking to the Rubidium the meter should follow your
> adjustment.
> 
> I would not worry about the physics package case either, just put some
> tape across to seal it from heat loss.
> 
> I can give you some alignment hints if you need them.
> 
> Corby Dawson 
> cdelect at ...
> 
> 
The physics package is silver so you reckon late production. By looking at
date codes I reckon it's late 1988 production, does that come into that
definition. When did they stop making the unit? Also regarding serial number
the tag at the back has been filed so that the number is not legible,
however the calibration stickers and a departmental identification tag list
it as 916-00184, does that tie in with the rest of the numbers you have?
Again from the cal stickers etc this is an ex RAF machine.

I switched to control voltage and initially it was off the scale, adjusting
the fine control just brought it back to 50, so I tweaked the coarse
slightly to take the reading down to 40 and then adjusted the fine as you
suggest and the meter follows the direction of adjustment. This also took
the output from +25 millihertz to -2 around the 5MHz nominal so it does
appear to be locked. 

The unit does not have any options so just a blank plate on the right and
the lock light is red instead of green also the back panel connections are
different to any shown in the manuals I've seen, though I have found some of
the differences by trawling through the changes section.

I'm back to the cal lab next week to pick up a meter that they are calling
for me and whilst there I shall see if I can find something of the same
vintage that uses the same top and bottom covers and side rails that I can
cannibalize to fix this unit. If I can then I'll keep and get it back to
pristine condition, if I can't then I'll find someone else who want's to
take on the burden.

JoeD