[time-nuts] HP 5090B

[Arthur Dent]

The info I’ve included below appears to be from 1969 and sounds like it 
was the scheme to broadcast standard frequency on the TV channels, or 
to synchronize the broadcasting stations. I  have removed the number 
references scattered in the text because they refer to a drawing that isn’t 
included with the article. On the slim chance that I’m correct, they probably 
didn’t make many of these.  

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3594496.html

"In the system each television program source is arranged to provide a 
television 

signal pertaining to its respective program which includes synchronizing signals 

derived from a common synchronizing source so that the picture signals provided 
by each of said sources are transmitted in unison. To this end , each television 

program source has associated therewith a corresponding synchronizing pulse 
generator which is arranged to be locked to a common synchronizing source 
formed by a transmitter providing an alternating-current signal of a 
predetermined 

frequency. The transmitter may conveniently be one radiating a frequency 
standard 

transmission such for example as that radiated at a frequency of 200 kHz. by the 

B.B.C. Droitwich transmitter in the U.K. or one of the transmission radiated by 
the 

National Bureau of Standards transmitters from station WWV at Bolder, Colorado 
in the United States. The synchronizing pulse generators may be locked to said 
common synchronizing source formed by the transmitter by means of a respective 
radio receiving device which is arranged to receive the frequency standard 
transmission 

from the transmitter and provide an output signal having a frequency and phase 
locked 

with that of the signal received from the transmitter. Some commercially 
available receivers 

which are suitable for this purpose are the type OFS1 manufactured by Advance 
Electronics Ltd., the types 5090B and 5091A manufactured by Hewlett-Packard Ltd. 

and for the WWV transmissions the Gertsch model RLF-1 manufactured by The Singer 

Company and the model GSP manufactured by General Standards Corporation. The 
master oscillator in each synchronizing pulse generator may be arranged to have 
its 

frequency controlled to maintain a predetermined fixed ratio with the output 
signal 

provided by its associated receiver as may be required to control the 
synchronizing 

pulses of the television transmissions at the frequency required by the desired 
line standard."

  -Arthur