[time-nuts] My HP5370A performance

[Magnus Danielson]

Rex wrote:
> John Miles wrote:
>
>> The procedure Bruce was describing is basically the jitter test from the
>> manual, at 
>> http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/05370-90031.pdf (this
>> is actually the same copy that David Kirkby scanned a few years ago, 
>> hosted
>> by Agilent.)  Follow the directions on page 3-11 and 3-12, and post the
>> results, especially from step 15.  This jitter figure is usually well 
>> under
>> 50 ps in a 5370 that's working properly.
>>
>> -- john, KE5FX
>>
>>
>>  
>>
>
> Bruce and John,
>
> Thanks for pointing me back to these operator checks. I ran through 
> the procedures this morning and nothing seems out of spec. I guess I 
> just had unrealistic expectations about how stable the displays should 
> be while looking at that counter's own clock.
>
> Here's my results from the Operators Checks on 3-11, 3-12:
>
> 1 - 12. Setup
>
> 13. Initial TI function: 99.59 to 99.68 nS
>
> 14. Sample 100, 99.605 to 99.618
>                1000, 99.603 to 99.612
>                  10K, 99.6xx x
>                100K, 99.6xx x
>
> 15. STD DEV, +-TI
>        SS 100, 18.x to 24.x pS
>              MIN, -0.45 to -0.53
>              MAX, -0.3x
>
> 16. DSP REF 000
>      SET REF 99.613 nS
>      CLR REF 00.000
>      DSP EVTS 100
>
> 17. MEAN, 1, +-TI :   -0.37 to -0.47 nS
>      PERIOD COMPLEMENT  ok
>
> 18. TRIG LEV  ok
>
> 19. FREQ .01S  9.999 999 9xx to 10.000 000 0x
>                 .1S   9.999 999 99x x to 10.000 000 01x
>                  1S  9.999 999 999 xx to 10.000 000 001 x
>
> 20. PERIOD 99.9X to 100.00 nS
>
> 21. Start/Stop Output ok
>
>
> I guess all of that is in specification. Any comments appreciated.
If you have a spectrum analyzer, take a look at the 10 MHz output. If 
you see 5 MHz and overtones, then there is a simple mod for you to do, 
to remove them.

Also, if you feel up for it, check the multiplier chain as indicated in 
the manual.

The higher resolution you have, the more digits will be affected by a 
noise source...

Cheers,
Magnus