[time-nuts] Ebay FE-5680A Rb: Connections and Features

[Ed Palmer]

On 1/9/2012 7:21 AM, GandalfG8 at aol.com wrote:
> Hi Roy
>
> There's some very good stuff coming out of China via Ebay,  but some does
> come with confusion attached and it's probably best  never to place too much
> reliance on descriptions unless for items  reasonably well known or with
> relevant documentation available.
>
> Just to add to the confusion, quite a few sellers seem to use multiple IDs,
>   sometimes blatantly obvious but sometimes not, and also exhibit almost
> paranoid behaviour at times when it comes to not sharing information with
> those  considered to be local competitors. The paranoia, of course, might be
> well  founded:-)

One other aspect of their paranoia is that many of the Chinese sellers 
make all their auctions private.  It makes me wonder what they're 
hiding.  Maybe their paranoia is a bit contagious.  :-)  Private 
auctions really annoy me because if I see some negative ratings, I can't 
tell what item they were complaining about.  Maybe it was the item I was 
interested in, maybe not.  But since I can't tell, I'm likely to take my 
business elsewhere.

>   Probably best not to assume either that any of these sellers are too  well
> informed electronically.

I asked one of the Fe-5680A sellers if his unit had the 1 PPS output on 
pin 6.  If he had been testing the units, it would have been trivial for 
him to check.  I never received a response from him.  I won't be buying 
anything from him in the future.

> If you think it can be confusing with the surplus commercial gear, just
> wait until you see what they can do when they start to dabble with design,
> either their own or those "borrowed" from elsewhere:-)
>
> The FE5680A has certainly been one of the confusing items, firstly  just
> because there are a number of variants that aren't publicly documented  but
> not helped again by some sellers providing incorrect information.
I've noticed that they often copy their competitor's information - 
particularly amusing when you know that all of them are wrong!

Ed

> I wouldn't necessarily describe the current batch of cheaper FE5680As as
> basic though, or even non programmable.
> They provide both 10MHz and 1PPS outputs, I've identified a well  defined
> 1uS 5V pulse available on pin 6 despite doubts in some quarters, and are
> programmable to the extent that the output frequency can be trimmed under
> computer control with a fair degree of accuracy and without any of the possible
> longer term problems sometimes associated with variable resistors.
> They certainly beat at least one of my FE5660As, an FRS-C compatible  unit,
> where the internal trimmer fell off the PCB in transit:-)
>
> regards
>
> Nigel
>
>
>
>
> In a message dated 09/01/2012 11:57:22 GMT Standard Time,
> phill.r1 at btinternet.com writes:
>
> Nigel
> Thanks for your information. The data given by Bert seems  to be getting
> more
> sensible, and I think you will agree that of all the  items that have been
> purchased and discussed on "Time-Nuts", this one is  hands down for
> confusion. One of the reasons for my trusting and buying  from Bob (Fluke
> I)
> is that he is well informed, , has good electronic  knowledge and has
> always
> provided good items of gear. It would seem that  the number of Chinese
> sellers has increased in the recent past and many of  them would seem to
> have
> little knowledge of the products and even less  English to answer
> questions.
> Again it would seem that if you buy the  "cheapies" then you probably have
> the basic, non programmable model. I  guess the guys at FE are all falling
> about when they see our predicament  !
>