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Help with calibrating a Frequency Electronics FE-5650A OPTION CPOM clock

PR
Paul R. Tagliamonte
Thu, Nov 14, 2024 4:14 PM

Heyya,

first time, long time etc

I bought a Frequency Electronics FE-5650A rubidium frequency standard off
eBay since they are cheap and look reliable and widely used. I saw that it
was "OPTION CPOM", so I figured it was 15 MHz not 10 MHz (as I wanted), but
the DB-9 pinout had a serial calibration interface that I was hoping to use.

It powers up, and I get a good signal out of the SMA port, but
unfortunately, it's both 15 MHz, and I can't seem to coax any of the
documented pins to give me a response. I figured that before I go further
(start to pull out the PCBs and see where the DB-9 pins go), I figured I'd
give the group here an email seeing if anyone else has experience with this
specific unit, and how they calibrated it to 10 MHz.

I keep seeing posts about it online, and it looks possible, I just can't
quite get the right pins. Any pointers at all would be very helpful. Links
to an album with pictures of the unit below.

I don't mind continuing to chip away at blind reverse engineering this to
see if I can work it out myself, but I'm really hoping someone here can
either continue to give me hope (or a lead!) that it's genuinely possible
with this specific unit, tip me off to another calibration procedure, or
convince me i'm off the deep end :)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pBhr3uZEefWypjfdA

Fondly,
paultag

Heyya, first time, long time etc I bought a Frequency Electronics FE-5650A rubidium frequency standard off eBay since they are cheap and look reliable and widely used. I saw that it was "OPTION CPOM", so I figured it was 15 MHz not 10 MHz (as I wanted), but the DB-9 pinout had a serial calibration interface that I was hoping to use. It powers up, and I get a good signal out of the SMA port, but unfortunately, it's both 15 MHz, _and_ I can't seem to coax any of the documented pins to give me a response. I figured that before I go further (start to pull out the PCBs and see where the DB-9 pins go), I figured I'd give the group here an email seeing if anyone else has experience with this specific unit, and how they calibrated it to 10 MHz. I keep seeing posts about it online, and it looks possible, I just can't quite get the right pins. Any pointers at all would be very helpful. Links to an album with pictures of the unit below. I don't mind continuing to chip away at blind reverse engineering this to see if I can work it out myself, but I'm really hoping someone here can either continue to give me hope (or a lead!) that it's genuinely possible with this specific unit, tip me off to another calibration procedure, or convince me i'm off the deep end :) https://photos.app.goo.gl/pBhr3uZEefWypjfdA Fondly, paultag