[time-nuts] Loran and SRS FS700 in the UK

Björn bg at lysator.liu.se
Sat Jul 11 18:51:05 EDT 2015


Are not Excelis and UrsaNav doing test transmissions again?

<div>-------- Originalmeddelande --------</div><div>Från: paul swed <paulswedb at gmail.com> </div><div>Datum:2015-07-11  17:23  (GMT+01:00) </div><div>Till: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement <time-nuts at febo.com> </div><div>Rubrik: Re: [time-nuts] Loran and SRS FS700 in the UK </div><div>
</div>Nigel
I have a FS700 and would like a copy of the software.
I enjoyed the use of LORAN C when it existed and even in some of the test
runs.
The runs have been pretty quite or I have missed them.
But LORAN C made a really nice alternate to GPS and I tended to use it as
the absolute. I do here LORAN from Europe in the winter at night and can
occasionally lock the systems here and I am some 2000 miles east.
If became a drop motivated I could build a far better antenna for the job.
Though there never seems to be any detail of large loran c antennas its
always the whip and preamp for boats.
Regards
Paul
WB8TSL

On Sat, Jul 11, 2015 at 1:02 AM, Dr. David Kirkby (Kirkby Microwave Ltd) <
drkirkby at kirkbymicrowave.co.uk> wrote:

> On 11 Jul 2015 03:28, "GandalfG8--- via time-nuts" <time-nuts at febo.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > This is a reply to the topic "Loran-C reception in the UK" with specific
> > emphasis on the Stanford Research FS700.
>
> > Points to note.....
> >
> > All three of my units seem to have the Option 01 oscillator fitted,
> > although only one states this on the option label, so perhaps this became
> > standard with later production. I don't know and wouldn't take it for
> granted  but
> > thought it worth a mention. The fitted oscillator in each unit is an
> > identically specified SRS SC10.
> >
> > Mine are off air right now as I swap about stuff in the timing rack,  and
> > haven't really been run for much more than initial tests, albeit for
> quite
> > long periods. My general impression so far is that the reported frequency
> > offset  might be a bit optimistic, this is compared with Thunderbolt
> GPSDOs,
> > but I need  to do more work on this.
>
> Useful to know, but of course it could be the errors are on the
> Thunderbolts! The problem with having multiple GPS units is that they are
> not exactly independent of each other.
>
> > The latest FS700 firmware I have seen is version 1.20.
> > I can make the 1.20 firmware available if anyone would like a  copy.
>
> I might take you up on that if I get an FS700.
>
> > FS700s have become available on Ebay at very good prices since the USA
> > Loran-C chain was closed down, that's why I have three:-), but it needs
> to be
> > noted that these are mainly from "recycling" outfits, what we might once
> > have  referred to as scrap yards in the UK, and usually untested and with
> no
> > warranty.
>
> > On average mine have cost me about 200GBP each, including shipping and
> tax,
> >  but beware of some sellers still asking anything up to 1000USD before
> > shipping  and import tax.
>
> I have never seen them at anything like the price you see. About the
> cheapest I have seen is $600. I did notice one or two on eBay that are
> rusty, which struck me as odd.
>
> > That small mains transformer runs really hot, not too surprising perhaps,
> > and I've seen at least one online photo showing two larger transformers
> > mounted  in the space towards the front of the unit. One or two probably
> depends
> > on  what's to hand but I would suggest a very worthwhile change. Mains
> > voltage here  is generally over 245 volts, so a bit on the high side, but
> I do
> > believe that  transformer is underrated.
>
> Are there multiple secondries? If not getting a replacement should not be
> hard but otherwise it could be tricky.
>
> I know someone who run his whole house on an autotransformer because his
> mains voltage was too high.
>
> > Small point, but a nuisance, there's no backlighting on the LCD  display.
> >
> > Overall impression, an excellent unit with programmable output frequency
> > and built in phasemeter, and I can't wait to get mine back on the air:-)
>
> If I could get one for £200 imported into the UK I would definitely get
> one. I thought I would need to pay considerably more than that.
>
> I have seen some in Hong Kong and China. I don't know if the system ever
> worked there,  but if not then
> > Regards
> >
> > Nigel
> > GM8PZR
>
> Cheers Nigel.
>
> Dave G8WRB.
> _______________________________________________
> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at febo.com
> To unsubscribe, go to
> https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
> and follow the instructions there.
>
_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


More information about the time-nuts mailing list