How do I use this old frequency counter? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: kc8ard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 07:28:27 pm
content: Hello, I got this old frequency counter not too long ago. I've never seen anything like it nor do I have a manual for it. It seems to mostly work except for the third to last digit while connected to my gpsdo. It looks kinda neat as i've never seen any counters with a built in CRT. Any pointers?

author: Inverted18650
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 07:38:36 pm
content: I have no idea but those Nixies are beautiful.

author: kc8ard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 07:45:05 pm
content: I actually have three different systron donner counters of this generation. This one is just the most unusual. The other one I have goes to 1ghz and I dont know about the third one yet. it's a model 6153. I haven't powered on that one. I tried contacting Paul from Mr Carlson's channel to see if he would be interested in having this one, if it was interesting enough to do a video on it, but I haven't gotten a reply yet.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 07:45:13 pm
content: I don't think there is anything wrong with it, it just needs a bit of tweaking/calibration to get the internal reference oscillator on the right frequency.

author: Electro Fan
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 07:45:41 pm
content: Quote from: Inverted18650 on March 01, 2018, 07:38:36 pm+1 for the Nixie tubesHere is a link to a manual for another model made by Systron Donner:http://bama.edebris.com/manuals/systrondonner/6053

author: Inverted18650
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 07:49:42 pm
content: Send it in to Dave. I am sure he'd love to open it up. I will contribute $20 toward the postage as I would love to see the video.

author: kc8ard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 07:53:29 pm
content: Yeah, i haven't touched the oven, but that digit is stuck. I might take out one of the driver ic's from the other counter and see if it helps. I'll warm it up for a little while and see if it changes. When i powered it on, the first digit was stuck too, but is now working.

author: kc8ard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 08:04:00 pm
content: Here's a couple more pictures of the innards. I'll throw it on the 8640b sometime tonight. Unfortunately, i dont have anything that goes up to 18ghz to test the full range of this beast.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 08:06:15 pm
content: Quote from: kc8ard on March 01, 2018, 07:53:29 pmAh, couldn't guess that from the picture

author: kc8ard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 08:10:35 pm
content: Originally I was thinking about Mr Carlson since he's done a few vids with nixie frequency counters and in general deals with stuff of this vintage or older. If not, i'll be happy to send it to Dave.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 08:13:56 pm
content: Quote from: kc8ard on March 01, 2018, 08:04:00 pmWow, I wonder who ever thought it was a good idea to stick random wires in random dip sockets

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 08:46:00 pm
content: I think they're actually soldered and sleeved into dip plugs.

author: kc8ard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 08:51:07 pm
content: They're plugs. There are two latches, one on each side to keep them in place.

author: ArthurDent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 09:16:18 pm
content: My guess is that on frequency up to 200 Mhz it will work as a regular counter as you found out. For Ghz signals you have to select a harmonic of the 10 Mhz oscillator to mix with the input signal to get a Lissajous pattern on the scope tube (1EP11 ??). For instance, if you input 1 Ghz and select the 100th harmonic of 10 Mhz you may get a 1:1 pattern, a circle on the scope. If the 1 Ghz input is 123 Mhz high the nixies will display the difference in frequency and you add the harmonic frequency to the nixie reading to get the actual frequency.This is just a wild-ass guess but if you have a high frequency generator you may be able to see if this actually works.

author: kc8ard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 09:27:59 pm
content: Unfortunately i'm limited to about 500mhz form my 8640b. I need to buy something that at least goes to 1.3Ghz one of these days.

author: ArthurDent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 09:57:14 pm
content: Actually the lower range of 200 Mhz to 3 Ghz could be checked with the 8640B

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2018, 10:26:34 pm
content: Quote from: kc8ard on March 01, 2018, 07:28:27 pmInteresting. I've only seen one of those before. It was listed on eBay last year or something? Not sure if you got it there.Quote from: ArthurDent on March 01, 2018, 09:16:18 pmThat makes sense. kc8ard, does the scope work?

author: kj7e
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2018, 11:18:49 am
content: Quote from: ArthurDent on March 01, 2018, 09:16:18 pmI had an HP 540B Transfer Oscillator (used with a 524B counter) many years ago, this is exactly how it worked.

author: kc8ard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2018, 02:01:45 pm
content: I'm a bit confused. I put a 500mhz sig in and when the counter is on automatic, I get a lissajous waveworm in the display and the counter is just about on minus the stuck nixie and a few hz, though it still needs to be calibrated. When i take it off auto i'm not able to correctly tune it. The reference oscillator is a 1mhz ocxo. it's not the modern 10mhz standard. I'll have to play with it a bit more when I get some extra time.

author: kc8ard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2018, 02:26:51 pm
content: The first digit decided to stay at 4 again. Now the third digit from the last is working again, partially. With no signal, it's stuck at 4 still.

author: ArthurDent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2018, 02:49:15 pm
content: Other than that errant leading 4 it looks like the second image with the circle on the scope is showing a 500.0671 Mhz signal.

author: kc8ard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2018, 03:16:23 pm
content: Quote from: ArthurDent on March 02, 2018, 02:49:15 pmthe 6 digit is also errant.

author: kc8ard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2018, 03:41:27 pm
content: Quote from: bitseeker on March 01, 2018, 10:26:34 pmSorry, i missed this question. What happened was that i fixed my landlord's Marantz amp, so he gave me a frequency counter, a 1Ghz systron donner.. He wanted me to check out the other two. This is one of the other two. He's had them in his basement for a few years and had an electronics scrap contract with the FAA. This one actually came out of Oberlin Center, which happened to be the regional air traffic control hub that primarily conducted the communications during the 9/11 attack. I'm possibly thinking of buying this one off of him and giving it to a youtuber, because i think it might make an interesting video. If not,I'll give it back to him and it'll probably go on sale.

author: Inverted18650
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2018, 03:41:36 pm
content: thats awesome brotha, thank you for sharing. I learned a new trick...circles everywhere now.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2018, 06:44:54 pm
content: Quote from: kc8ard on March 02, 2018, 03:41:27 pmVery cool. Thanks for the backstory. Hope you get them back up and running. They're interesting counters.