[time-nuts] Frequency counter recommendations

Tom Clark, K3IO K3IO at verizon.net
Wed Mar 21 00:51:07 EDT 2007


For over a decade in the VLBI world, we found that the HP53131 and 53132
(now Agilent, of course -- see
http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5967-6039EN.pdf) were very
good, low cost counters well suited to the time-interval world. GPIB is
always a pain, and we found that the 131/132 counters, with their RS232
output (designed to drive a printer) were quite good and easy to use.
Rick's TAC32Plus software has data logging and sawtooth corrections
already well supported, and 99+% of the data we show on
http://GPSTIME.COM was taken with either a 131 or 132. The interface
with Stable32 is flawless.

The other counter that people swear by is the Stanford Research SR620
(see http://www.thinksrs.com/products/SR620.htm). I have seen it in use
in professional timing applications on at least 5 continents.

73, Tom



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