New Member / Z3801
Hi guys
Dave at ArtekManuals.com here. Long time electronics
enthusiast/tinkerer/ ham radio op.
Recently moved and am in the process of setting up my long dreamed of a
planned electronics lab and radio shack (NR1DX).
At the heart of the lab is a HP Z3801 GPSDO to provide an external
10MHz frequency reference. I bought the unit about 15 years ago but it
has been in environmentally controlled storage ever since. Serial prefix
is 3517Axxxxx and I am running this on a +54VDC supply. Upon firing the
Z3801 up, the first conundrum I am running into is that the unit does
not seem to support setting the date above 12/31/2007. Sometimes during
the survey mode it will automatically set the correct 2016 date , other
times during the survey the date stays stuck on 1996. The unit tracks
the satellites and mostly settles in around 1 second PPS at +/- 20ns
with a holdover of 4 to 8us. More about the "mostly" comment in a later
post.
On the surface the actual reported date is not a big deal for me. as
long as the date is not critical to the GPSDO function? The engineer in
me would like to be able to set the date correctly ......just because.
When attempting to set the using GPS:INIT:DATE I get an E-222 error
(data out of range).
So here are my initial questions.
- I assume that the date thing is a firmware issue? Is there updated
firmware out there that allows dates above 2007, 12, 31? - If all I care about is 10MHz accuracy, do I need to care about the date?
- Is there a different command string I should be using?
4)Software: I am running HP SATSTAT and Z38XX on a WIN-XP/32 laptop
...IS there something better (or different) I should be running in the
way of FREE software? I looked at the GPSCon package and so far
questions about support for the software and portability eventually to
WIN-10 supported have gone unanswered (not a good sign)
Finally I am sure that the above have been addressed on older posts, but
I gave up searching in frustration. Is there an easy way to search the
ENTIRE list archive. It seems that the archives must be queried one
month at time which is REALLY TEDIOUS
Dave
NR1DX
ArtekManuals.com
--
Dave
Manuals@ArtekManuals.com
www.ArtekManuals.com
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
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On Sun, 17 Jan 2016 09:59:22 -0500, Artek Manuals wrote:
Finally I am sure that the above have been addressed on older posts, but
I gave up searching in frustration. Is there an easy way to search the
ENTIRE list archive. It seems that the archives must be queried one
month at time which is REALLY TEDIOUS
Dave NR1DX ArtekManuals.com
I use this url for searching they mirror time-nuts :
https://www.mail-archive.com/time-nuts@febo.com/info.html
I also have a Z3801 w. a 1996 date, and think i saw that you should
manually set the date before it gets a GPS fix. Then it will remember it
(until next reboot)
CFO
Hi
On Jan 17, 2016, at 9:59 AM, Artek Manuals Manuals@ArtekManuals.com wrote:
Hi guys
Dave at ArtekManuals.com here. Long time electronics enthusiast/tinkerer/ ham radio op.
Recently moved and am in the process of setting up my long dreamed of a planned electronics lab and radio shack (NR1DX).
At the heart of the lab is a HP Z3801 GPSDO to provide an external 10MHz frequency reference. I bought the unit about 15 years ago but it has been in environmentally controlled storage ever since. Serial prefix is 3517Axxxxx and I am running this on a +54VDC supply. Upon firing the Z3801 up, the first conundrum I am running into is that the unit does not seem to support setting the date above 12/31/2007. Sometimes during the survey mode it will automatically set the correct 2016 date , other times during the survey the date stays stuck on 1996. The unit tracks the satellites and mostly settles in around 1 second PPS at +/- 20ns with a holdover of 4 to 8us. More about the "mostly" comment in a later post.
On the surface the actual reported date is not a big deal for me. as long as the date is not critical to the GPSDO function? The engineer in me would like to be able to set the date correctly ......just because. When attempting to set the using GPS:INIT:DATE I get an E-222 error (data out of range).
So here are my initial questions.
- I assume that the date thing is a firmware issue? Is there updated firmware out there that allows dates above 2007, 12, 31?
The firmware issue is in the GPS module inside the 3801. The “solution” is to swap out the GPS module.
- If all I care about is 10MHz accuracy, do I need to care about the date?
No, the date in no way impacts the 10 MHz accuracy.
- Is there a different command string I should be using?
You may eventually get it to take for a while. Check “GPS rollover” in the archives. There is a lot of information there on what’s going on.
4)Software: I am running HP SATSTAT and Z38XX on a WIN-XP/32 laptop ...IS there something better (or different) I should be running in the way of FREE software? I looked at the GPSCon package and so far questions about support for the software and portability eventually to WIN-10 supported have gone unanswered (not a good sign)
Again, check the archives. The Z38xx software is a good way to go. It was originally written for the 3801.
Finally I am sure that the above have been addressed on older posts, but I gave up searching in frustration. Is there an easy way to search the ENTIRE list archive. It seems that the archives must be queried one month at time which is REALLY TEDIOUS
Google will search them quite nicely.
Bob
Dave
NR1DX
ArtekManuals.com
--
Dave
Manuals@ArtekManuals.com
www.ArtekManuals.com
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Welcome,
you hit the usual GPS week rollover issue, see these:
http://www.leapsecond.com/notes/gpswnro.htm
https://www.febo.com/pipermail/time-nuts/2011-December/061725.html
No impact on the 10MHz/PPS accuracy.
No command can correct the rollover, I seem to remember that if you
set the date before the GPS has a fix (right after a power cycle),
then the date will be correct (until the next power cycle).
There is also this software:
http://www.ulrich-bangert.de/Z38XX.zip
On Sun, Jan 17, 2016 at 3:59 PM, Artek Manuals Manuals@artekmanuals.com wrote:
Hi guys
Dave at ArtekManuals.com here. Long time electronics enthusiast/tinkerer/
ham radio op.
Recently moved and am in the process of setting up my long dreamed of a
planned electronics lab and radio shack (NR1DX).
At the heart of the lab is a HP Z3801 GPSDO to provide an external 10MHz
frequency reference. I bought the unit about 15 years ago but it has been in
environmentally controlled storage ever since. Serial prefix is 3517Axxxxx
and I am running this on a +54VDC supply. Upon firing the Z3801 up, the
first conundrum I am running into is that the unit does not seem to support
setting the date above 12/31/2007. Sometimes during the survey mode it will
automatically set the correct 2016 date , other times during the survey the
date stays stuck on 1996. The unit tracks the satellites and mostly settles
in around 1 second PPS at +/- 20ns with a holdover of 4 to 8us. More about
the "mostly" comment in a later post.
On the surface the actual reported date is not a big deal for me. as long as
the date is not critical to the GPSDO function? The engineer in me would
like to be able to set the date correctly ......just because. When
attempting to set the using GPS:INIT:DATE I get an E-222 error (data out of
range).
So here are my initial questions.
- I assume that the date thing is a firmware issue? Is there updated
firmware out there that allows dates above 2007, 12, 31? - If all I care about is 10MHz accuracy, do I need to care about the date?
- Is there a different command string I should be using?
4)Software: I am running HP SATSTAT and Z38XX on a WIN-XP/32 laptop ...IS
there something better (or different) I should be running in the way of FREE
software? I looked at the GPSCon package and so far questions about support
for the software and portability eventually to WIN-10 supported have gone
unanswered (not a good sign)
Finally I am sure that the above have been addressed on older posts, but I
gave up searching in frustration. Is there an easy way to search the ENTIRE
list archive. It seems that the archives must be queried one month at time
which is REALLY TEDIOUS
Dave
NR1DX
ArtekManuals.com
--
Dave
Manuals@ArtekManuals.com
www.ArtekManuals.com
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
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Dave
Welcome to the group and have always appreciated the help from Artek.
If only frequency no need to care about the date. I learned this from
fellow time nuts. Yes I also hate 1996. Now I think there are later
software releases. I haven't had my 3801 on for a bit as I discovered that
I actually have a jumping frequency issue. But If need be happy to copy the
software.
Also check KO4bbs website later eproms may be there.
I don't actually recall seeing eproms in the unit.
Up until recently my 3801 of 10-14 years just worked thats why I am unclear
about the internals.
Unfortunately seems I may be digging into it.
Regards
Paul.
WB8TSL
On Sun, Jan 17, 2016 at 9:59 AM, Artek Manuals Manuals@artekmanuals.com
wrote:
Hi guys
Dave at ArtekManuals.com here. Long time electronics enthusiast/tinkerer/
ham radio op.
Recently moved and am in the process of setting up my long dreamed of a
planned electronics lab and radio shack (NR1DX).
At the heart of the lab is a HP Z3801 GPSDO to provide an external 10MHz
frequency reference. I bought the unit about 15 years ago but it has been
in environmentally controlled storage ever since. Serial prefix is
3517Axxxxx and I am running this on a +54VDC supply. Upon firing the Z3801
up, the first conundrum I am running into is that the unit does not seem to
support setting the date above 12/31/2007. Sometimes during the survey mode
it will automatically set the correct 2016 date , other times during the
survey the date stays stuck on 1996. The unit tracks the satellites and
mostly settles in around 1 second PPS at +/- 20ns with a holdover of 4 to
8us. More about the "mostly" comment in a later post.
On the surface the actual reported date is not a big deal for me. as long
as the date is not critical to the GPSDO function? The engineer in me would
like to be able to set the date correctly ......just because. When
attempting to set the using GPS:INIT:DATE I get an E-222 error (data out of
range).
So here are my initial questions.
- I assume that the date thing is a firmware issue? Is there updated
firmware out there that allows dates above 2007, 12, 31? - If all I care about is 10MHz accuracy, do I need to care about the date?
- Is there a different command string I should be using?
4)Software: I am running HP SATSTAT and Z38XX on a WIN-XP/32 laptop ...IS
there something better (or different) I should be running in the way of
FREE software? I looked at the GPSCon package and so far questions about
support for the software and portability eventually to WIN-10 supported
have gone unanswered (not a good sign)
Finally I am sure that the above have been addressed on older posts, but I
gave up searching in frustration. Is there an easy way to search the
ENTIRE list archive. It seems that the archives must be queried one month
at time which is REALLY TEDIOUS
Dave
NR1DX
ArtekManuals.com
--
Dave
Manuals@ArtekManuals.com
www.ArtekManuals.com
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
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.