[time-nuts] EFRATOM TS-105A TEST SET

[Tom Van Baak]

> I wonder if anyone knows anything about it? Looking at the pictures, the 
> asking price seems rather high. I don't think I want it but it aroused 
> my curiosity. Looks like there is an Efratom rubidium source in it and a 
> card cage that looks like 80's or early 90's technology.
> 
> I guess it automates the measurement process, but I assume it couldn't 
> measure better than the source that is in it.

Rex,

It's a wonderful piece of equipment. It contains a special low
noise rubidium with a deliberate synthesized frequency offset
of something like 10 Hz. This allows direct measurement of
the UUT using the heterodyne method with resolution down
in the -13's and -14's.

The computer inside collects data, does all the math, and displays
(in real-time) average frequency offset and Allan Deviation for
tau 0.1 to 100 seconds. It uses one of those 80's bright orange
plasma screens you don't see much anymore.

If you happen to have a better reference there is an ext ref input
that you can use and it switches from single to dual mixer mode.

I put some old photos of a TS-105A for you at:

http://www.leapsecond.com/museum/ts105a/

I've seen a couple over the years; none of them cheap.

/tvb