[time-nuts] precise external reference time for a PC

Jim Lux james.p.lux at jpl.nasa.gov
Sat Jul 12 10:26:23 EDT 2008


Quoting Marc Balmer <marc at msys.ch>, on Sat 12 Jul 2008 04:55:08 AM PDT:

> Hi all,
>
> for an upcoming experiment I am looking for precise external
> time reference, preferrably an atomic clock that I can hook
> up to a computer running a Unix variant.
>
> I should be able to read out the time with a low latency, e.g.
> over PCI or PCI-e bus.
>
> The time reference will serve me as a, well reference, to
> calibrate a series of various radio clocks.
>
> I am looking for used equipment, it should fit in a hobbyists
> budget,  sth. in the 1000-5000$ range would be nice, but it
> should be as precise as possible.
>
> If you have ideas or pointers for me, that would be very
> welcome.


there are a variety of cards made that can generate/receive timecode  
or sync pulses that plug into a PC.  True-Time (now Symmetricom) used  
to make an IRIG timecode card for ISA bus, for instance.  I imagine  
these are in the $1000 range.

For instance the National Instruments PCI-6601 counter timer card is  
about $350

Then, drive that with Rb standard from Stanford Research (I seem to  
recall seeing ads on the back of Electronic Design or some such for  
$1795)...

That's all brand new.  One can do much better if one hunts down  
surplus or used.

Jim



>
> Thanks,
> Marc Balmer, HB9SSB
>
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