[time-nuts] Frequency processing scheme of HP5065 vapour rubidium standard

[Magnus Danielson]

From: John Ackermann N8UR <jra at febo.com>
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Frequency processing scheme of HP5065 vapour rubidium standard
Date: Mon, 06 Nov 2006 11:11:56 -0500
Message-ID: <454F5ECC.80304 at febo.com>

> Ulrich Bangert wrote:
> 
> > Agreed! But you are talking about things that happen INSIDE the physics
> > package, don't you? Ok, let us assume that there WERE big differences in
> > the physics packages that need to be compensated for. In THIS case the
> > tunable synthesizer would indeed make sense and even more the printed
> > synthesizer settings on the physics packages! If this were the only
> > information available, i would immediatly agree to you!
> 
> Ulrich, one thing that hasn't been mentioned is that back in the ancient 
> days, before leap seconds, UTC was "corrected" by applying a frequency 
> offset that changed annually.  IIRC, it was typically something like 
> 300x10e-10.
> 
> I think the main use of the adjustable synthesizer was to allow you to 
> dial in that offset.
> 
> I believe that in later versions of the 5065A, the thumbwheel setting 
> was removed because after leap seconds came along the need to adjust the 
> frequency annually went away.  My 5065A is a very late one and I don't 
> think it has those thumbwheels (but I'm not going to take it out of the 
> rack to find out...).

This makes sense. I think John nailed it.

Cheers,
Magnus