Frequency counter recommendation - Basic
List,
The opinions given have been fascinating. However I see this discussion going in two
directions. One is making a
counter. This is fine. Go for it if you have all the resources and
time it will require. The Achilles heel
that I see to this project is being able to duplicate the math functions found
in commercial counters but if one can do that, great.
The other is what one can buy on the market that is
better than the HP 5328?
The first step up IMHO is the HP 5335. I have two.
AFAIK it is the first of the series that will do TIC. The TIC specification is 100 pico-seconds.
For reference the HP 5370A/B TIC spec is 10 pico-seconds.
Compared to the 5328 it has more real estate on the
interior and will take the 110811 type of high stability oscillator. The one I have that just has the standard
oscillator appears to have the 10811 type crystal in the open but seems very
stable.
One can find them on ePay for a wild range of prices
but around $200 is a reasonable price with the high stability oscillator. This is the most important item affecting the
price. Beware of the listings. They are usually copies of a brochure. Before bidding have the seller verify if there is an Option
10 sticker. If the tag is there but
someone has removed it, you have recourse.
If possible, have the seller open it up and see if it is actually in the
unit because it will work W/O it.
I paid $35 for one with the regular oscillator and $37 for shipping from
Ridge Equipment. (It was guaranteed to work).
They are regulars on ePay.
Soap Box Opinion.
Personally I’d wait until the Christmas season is over. After the January and February credit card
statements are sent and the depression continues it will be more of a buyers
market with realistic prices. Adding
market pressure is a whole line of new test equipment coming out of China. With the decline of the US electronics
industry and the use now of computerized board testers, I believe in the near
future we will see the market flooded with dealers taking anything they can
get.
Regards,
Perrier
The other is what one can buy on the market that is
better than the HP 5328?
The first step up IMHO is the HP 5335. I have two.
AFAIK it is the first of the series that will do TIC. The TIC
specification is 100 pico-seconds.
For reference the HP 5370A/B TIC spec is 10 pico-seconds.
The 5328 will do TIC. It may not be too good at it or have the resolution of
the 5335/5370's, but it will do it, both a->b and c,a->b.
Compared to the 5328 it has more real estate on the
interior and will take the 110811 type of high stability oscillator. The
one I have that just has the standard
oscillator appears to have the 10811 type crystal in the open but seems
very
stable.
The 5328 will also take a 10881. Plugs right into the motherboard.
On 12/23/2010 04:29 PM, Bob Bownes wrote:
The other is what one can buy on the market that is
better than the HP 5328?
The first step up IMHO is the HP 5335. I have two.
AFAIK it is the first of the series that will do TIC. The TIC
specification is 100 pico-seconds.
For reference the HP 5370A/B TIC spec is 10 pico-seconds.
The 5328 will do TIC. It may not be too good at it or have the resolution of
the 5335/5370's, but it will do it, both a->b and c,a->b.
Indeed. If you have the option 040/041/042 boars you go from 100 ns to
10 ns single-shot solution, and in addition when you do averaging noise
is added to the reference clock such that higher average resolution is
achieved. I would like to have a GPIB-interface for my 5328 so I would
have a lower threshold for doing statistical analysis of the properties.
Compared to the 5328 it has more real estate on the
interior and will take the 110811 type of high stability oscillator. The
one I have that just has the standard
oscillator appears to have the 10811 type crystal in the open but seems
very
stable.
The 5328 will also take a 10881. Plugs right into the motherboard.
You go via a separate board to have a 10811 oscillator. It is not
uncommon for 10811s to be delivered with this board since some figure
they get more by selling the 5328 separate from the 10811. Ah well. I
use that board to drive my lab-bench 10811... need to box it up.
Cheers,
Magnus
The 5328 will also take a 10881. Plugs right into the motherboard.
You go via a separate board to have a 10811 oscillator. It is not uncommon
for 10811s to be delivered with this board since some figure they get more
by selling the 5328 separate from the 10811. Ah well. I use that board to
drive my lab-bench 10811... need to box it up.
Interesting. Mine have the 10811 plugged straight into the main board. I
got the 'daughtercard' with a bare 10811 I bought a while back. Maybe I
should go dig it out.
Bob
Here you can find a 10MHz LC filer with vna measurements.
http://www.timeok.it/files/10_mhz_bandpass_filter.pdf
Hope to help someone.
Luciano IZ5JHJ
Luciano P. S. Paramithiotti
Here you can find a 10MHz LC filer with vna measurements.
http://www.timeok.it/files/5to10doubler.pdf
I hope to help someone.
Luciano IZ5JHJ
Luciano P. S. Paramithiotti
Hello Luciano,
Thanks for the info.
The swept performance plots say it all.
Could you suggest a part number/source for the T2, T3, T4 10.7 MHz IF
transformers ?
I hope you and yours are having then very best of this holiday season.
Thanks Stan, W1LE Cape Cod
On 12/27/2010 9:37 AM, Paramithiotti, Luciano Paolo S wrote:
Here you can find a 10MHz LC filer with vna measurements.
http://www.timeok.it/files/5to10doubler.pdf
I hope to help someone.
Luciano IZ5JHJ
Luciano P. S. Paramithiotti
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.
Hi I have just broken up an old 10-Base-T 16 ay switch and recovered 16 DIL
filter/isolating transformers ( identified as a 10F434 from YCL) ....and the
spec an pin-out was still available on the YCL web site.....worth a look for
10MHz distribution??
I am concerned that a narrow 10MHz filter might give significant phase
shifts (the YCL is a LP) is this likely to be a problem??
Alan G3NYK
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paramithiotti, Luciano Paolo S" luciano.paramithiotti@hp.com
To: "Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement"
time-nuts@febo.com
Sent: Monday, December 27, 2010 2:37 PM
Subject: [time-nuts] Simple 5 to10MHz frequency doubler
Here you can find a 10MHz LC filer with vna measurements.
http://www.timeok.it/files/5to10doubler.pdf
I hope to help someone.
Luciano IZ5JHJ
Luciano P. S. Paramithiotti
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to
and follow the instructions there.
Luciano,
Thanks. But what is a 0range Coil?
Particular make?
Thanks
On Mon, Dec 27, 2010 at 5:02 AM, Paramithiotti, Luciano Paolo S <
luciano.paramithiotti@hp.com> wrote:
Here you can find a 10MHz LC filer with vna measurements.
http://www.timeok.it/files/10_mhz_bandpass_filter.pdf
Hope to help someone.
Luciano IZ5JHJ
Luciano P. S. Paramithiotti
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to
https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.
Hi Stan,Alan,
++++++++++++++++++
Could you suggest a part number/source for the T2, T3, T4 10.7 MHz IF transformers ?
+++++++++++++++++
R: I have a little stock at home for my use.
There is a seller http://www.rfmicrowave.it/catalogue.php?lang=ita have the green type I think is usable. The part nr is: "B-10.7-B-10-Verde" but I suggest you to ask to a local RF parts distributors. These transformers are used in FM radio.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
I am concerned that a narrow 10MHz filter might give significant phase shifts (the YCL is a LP) is this likely to be a problem??
++++++++++++++++++++++++
R: If you think the filter is a problem for the phase stability you can remove it, but the harmonics and fundamental will be high. I remember the frequency distributor HP5087A use tuned amplifiers inside. The Racal 1992 TI counter use a 5MHz oscillator and an active doubler inside with LC band pass filter and ALC.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi I have just broken up an old 10-Base-T 16 ay switch and recovered 16 DIL filter/isolating transformers ( identified as a 10F434 from YCL) ....and the spec an pin-out was still available on the YCL web site.....worth a look for 10MHz distribution??
++++++++++++++++++++++++
R: I have not experience with this kind of transformers,I think the separation between the channels is very important (trigger level stability when we will measure it)), so I am preparing an active frequency doubler with high separation between the 3 outpus. The circuit use separate elements and will take particular attention to the ground loops. I will email it to the Web when will be terminated.I use the core described as T1 in the doubler.
Thanks,
Luciano
Orange is the colour you can see on the top of the transformer see the picture in the doubler's description. The FM radio use different type of colours to mark different couplig and Q of the transformers used in.
Luciano IZ5JHJ
Luciano P. S. Paramithiotti
-----Original Message-----
From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On Behalf Of paul swed
Sent: lunedì 27 dicembre 2010 17.07
To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] LC filter for 10 MHz fx
Luciano,
Thanks. But what is a 0range Coil?
Particular make?
Thanks
On Mon, Dec 27, 2010 at 5:02 AM, Paramithiotti, Luciano Paolo S < luciano.paramithiotti@hp.com> wrote:
Here you can find a 10MHz LC filer with vna measurements.
http://www.timeok.it/files/10_mhz_bandpass_filter.pdf
Hope to help someone.
Luciano IZ5JHJ
Luciano P. S. Paramithiotti
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@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@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.
Luciano,
Great they are 10.7 MC IF xformers then.
Thanks
On Mon, Dec 27, 2010 at 11:09 AM, Paramithiotti, Luciano Paolo S <
luciano.paramithiotti@hp.com> wrote:
Hi Stan,Alan,
++++++++++++++++++
Could you suggest a part number/source for the T2, T3, T4 10.7 MHz IF
transformers ?
+++++++++++++++++
R: I have a little stock at home for my use.
There is a seller http://www.rfmicrowave.it/catalogue.php?lang=ita have
the green type I think is usable. The part nr is: "B-10.7-B-10-Verde" but I
suggest you to ask to a local RF parts distributors. These transformers are
used in FM radio.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
I am concerned that a narrow 10MHz filter might give significant phase
shifts (the YCL is a LP) is this likely to be a problem??
++++++++++++++++++++++++
R: If you think the filter is a problem for the phase stability you can
remove it, but the harmonics and fundamental will be high. I remember the
frequency distributor HP5087A use tuned amplifiers inside. The Racal 1992 TI
counter use a 5MHz oscillator and an active doubler inside with LC band pass
filter and ALC.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi I have just broken up an old 10-Base-T 16 ay switch and recovered 16 DIL
filter/isolating transformers ( identified as a 10F434 from YCL) ....and the
spec an pin-out was still available on the YCL web site.....worth a look for
10MHz distribution??
++++++++++++++++++++++++
R: I have not experience with this kind of transformers,I think the
separation between the channels is very important (trigger level stability
when we will measure it)), so I am preparing an active frequency doubler
with high separation between the 3 outpus. The circuit use separate
elements and will take particular attention to the ground loops. I will
email it to the Web when will be terminated.I use the core described as T1
in the doubler.
Thanks,
Luciano
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to
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and follow the instructions there.
Here you can find a project of the Multiplier:
http://www.timeok.it/files/10_to_100_mhz_multiplier.pdf
Luciano P. S. Paramithiotti