The Cesium money shot! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: notfaded1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2020, 11:45:36 pm
content: I have to rant a little. I bought an Agilent 5071A recently when a few were auctioned (which was a big thing for me) but I'm more excited about this HP 5061B. I love that it does 10 MHz and the design is just so cool! Anyhow today I got it going and had to post because it's a little like when I got my HP 3458A... it was a goal a kind of pinnacle I wanted to reach some day. Check it out! I'm already running timelab with it as a reference against some better Rb's I have had. At first I was wondering what was going on it wasn't locking then I realized duh you've got the MOD switch turned off. I flicked the switch it locked right on and hit the Logic Reset button and boom the all so awesome green light.Bill

author: notfaded1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2020, 11:59:35 pm
content: Now the real experiments begin!Bill

author: 5065AGuru
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2020, 12:45:03 am
content: Bill,Nice pair! do either have a high performance tube?Whereabouts are you located?Just wondered if you were close by to Lompoc, CA?Cheers,Corby

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2020, 11:15:02 am
content: Quote from: notfaded1 on August 11, 2020, 11:59:35 pmI think I would begin them on more substantial tables!

author: notfaded1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2020, 01:18:04 pm
content: Quote from: 5065AGuru on August 12, 2020, 12:45:03 amThanks Corby that means a lot! I live and work in Scottsdale Arizona. Both tubes are the standard tubes. As you can see the 5071A has the option to not have the front panel controls and display. I've just hooked up to the 9-pin serial port which needed a gender changer compared to my regular Thunderbolts and such. So different between the generations but both are amazing pieces of gear. Google says you're about 534 miles from where I am. Pretty much straight shot W-E and vice versa. After first getting a Datum 4040A with a spent tube (but still has a great OCXO in it the 1000B) it's nice to finally have some solid Cs to compare everything else to and against each other! Really big deal for me. I found at some point you can only compare so many GPS disciplined OXCO and Rb's before you reach a point of diminishing returns. I still would like to have a 5065 though... in a class of it's own for Rb and competes right there with Cs and by some examples you could call superior really. I'm now wondering if we'll ever see some H MASER hit the used market one day! I know they seem impossibly expensive but you never know after time and upgrades occur.Best Regards,Bill

author: notfaded1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2020, 01:21:18 pm
content: Quote from: Gyro on August 12, 2020, 11:15:02 amI actually tried to get a regular card table but they were all sold out so this is kinda a workaround... 9$ each at Walmart for the little tray tables.Not ideal but it's working! There just wasn't room even on my huge Oak desk I usually work on. I completely covered the entire work surface with the antistatic oldschool colored green mat and it's grounded and has snaps for wrist anti static bracelets.Bill

author: notfaded1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2020, 01:29:52 pm
content: I'm curious about the different outputs on the 5071A... it has two Type N connectors with 5 MHz and 10 MHz right now. I think it also has a 10 MHz BNC output on the bottom of the BNCs that are stacked vertically on the back as well. I'm still learning the command line for the thing not exactly intuitive or super user friendly but it works. Tom Van Baak was telling me about some settings to make it log messages to console all the time to track it's progress instead of having to ask for them one at a time.Regards,Bill

author: 5065AGuru
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2020, 04:40:40 am
content: Bill,Don't give up!I have seen 4 Masers over the last 11 years on the surplus market.The EFOS2 (active) that I had the pleasure of playing with for many years. (working great)A VLBA112 Sigma Tau Maser (active) That I had for a couple years. (non working needs a lot of care)A Kvarz CH1-76A (passive) that I still have and worksA prototype passive maser that I've been babysitting for a friend while I try and see if it's repairable.Of course an active Maser will eat up some space, not to mention electricity and consumables (vacuum pumps and Hydrogen)Cheers,CorbyTrying to add a PIX of the EFOS2, if it does not make it I'll resend from home later!

author: notfaded1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2020, 05:50:32 pm
content: I could make the space for the Maser for sure! The EFOS2 looks great!Bill

author: Teti
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2020, 06:40:20 pm
content: Quote from: 5065AGuru on August 13, 2020, 04:40:40 amOh wow, wet dreams! Just for curiosity... how much do they fetch on auction sites?