[time-nuts] Broken Ovenaire OSC 85-50 - crystal failure ?

Kit Scally kitscally at iprimus.com.au
Sat Jul 4 08:21:44 UTC 2009


G'day Joe,


My call on <this> question is: "very seldom with a properly designed
circuit and crystal" (NO flames please on these descriptions !)
Having said that, I have a couple of broken crystals from once-working
HP E1938A oscillators.  All appear to have some form of physical
fracture or electrical disconnect within the copper crystal capsule. A
careful shake makes a re-connection but fails if the capsule is moved
even slightly.
I've not attempted to butcher a capsule open to determine the cause -
this to my mind is bordering on the sacrilegious but if given absolution
from another TimeNut, I may attempt it and photograph the results ...

Regards,


Kit
VK2LL

*************
Do XTAL's fail often?  If so, by what mechanism?  Slowly fade away?
Sudden death?  I am not experienced enough to know this answer but in
all my years with various HAM gear, I do not recall the failure of a
single XTAL. However, none of these were in an oven.

Thanks again for all the useful information.

Joe





More information about the time-nuts mailing list