RUBIDIUM 10 MHz ACCURATE TIMEBASE |
Rubidium timebase, and pictures updated january 2012
By Dominique F1FRV
These equipments from Tchongland are VERY good substitutes to complicated 10 MHz OCXO's / TCXO's "disciplined" by GPS with phase noise generating PLL's. On ebay, LPRO-101 cost is now, mid 2016, ~200-250 $ for a long life unit (more than 6 working years).
If less than a few Hz absolute error at 10 GHz is enough for you, dont lose time and money with other solutions ... Small inconvenient for portable operation only, is that a DC supply 12 Volts is not enough. You will need to have a small DC-DC ~2 Amps low cost converter, for 15-18 VDC or 19-24 VDC, according to the specification of your equipment. Adaptation to 1 Volt sine and / or TTL output instead of 0.55 V sine, are often necessary. They are quite simple to do with a 17 dBm output MMIC.
If a 3 GHz frequency counter is enough for you, this one (TF930) with 10 digits, a built-in TCXO, USB connection, internal battery, and external 10 MHz timebase input is a good choice. But, only if you are ready to pay ~400 Euros to Farnell, Radiospares or similar retailers.
If you need more than 3 GHz, up-to 6 GHz, the TF960 exists now (~525 Euros).
Click here for other pictures of my timebase
Download 10 MHz Rubidium timebases complete information
Download TF930/TF960 complete information
Nota. I am in no way involved in marketing of these equipments.
f1frv@sfr.fr 
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