My 5061A was recovered from a skip 25 years ago, and has been kept going in standby mode with just the OCXOp and presumably the ion pump, going for all that time. Perhaps 3 or 4 times a year I turn the Cs on to either do some real measurements, just play about, or just to make sure it still goes. Just turned it on again today, and the tube was warmed up and the green light came on after just 30 minutes - may even have been a bit less. Does this indicate it's still in good condition? The beam current is indicating around "30%" on the internal meter but who knows what that means or if the calibration of that has drifted more during its long standby periods than the tube itself. I'll keep it going for a few hours and make sure the green lock light stays on continuous. Andy www.g4jnt.com

Andy I think it does indicate its good and locked. Also amazing. The fact that it was in standby really was good. Oh to have a beam current of 30 on one of mine. However this being time-nuts good is always a bit of a question. How good? As a Ham most of what I do would call it totally good. You run the way I do 3-4 times a year check and compare.... But I suspect that the noise may be higher in the system so maybe graphed against something else it could appear noisy and jittery. Still sounds like a keeper to me. Others will have better comments. Good luck. Paul WB8TSL On Sat, May 25, 2024 at 9:01 AM Andy Talbot via time-nuts < time-nuts@lists.febo.com> wrote: > My 5061A was recovered from a skip 25 years ago, and has been kept going in > standby mode with just the OCXOp and presumably the ion pump, going for all > that time. Perhaps 3 or 4 times a year I turn the Cs on to either do some > real measurements, just play about, or just to make sure it still goes. > > Just turned it on again today, and the tube was warmed up and the green > light came on after just 30 minutes - may even have been a bit less. > > Does this indicate it's still in good condition? The beam current is > indicating around "30%" on the internal meter but who knows what that means > or if the calibration of that has drifted more during its long standby > periods than the tube itself. I'll keep it going for a few hours and make > sure the green lock light stays on continuous. > > Andy > www.g4jnt.com > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com >