[time-nuts] How to get unknown frequency quartz crystals oscillating

Bruce Griffiths bruce.griffiths at xtra.co.nz
Sat Jun 4 06:18:52 EDT 2016


On reflection, building a jig to measure the crystal transmission as a function of frequency may be much easier than attempting to build an oscillator for an unknown crystal. However a suitable signal generator and detector are required.
Once the crystal parameters are known its much easier to design a suitable oscillator circuit. Measuring the location of spurious resonances may also be useful.

Bruce
 

    On Saturday, 4 June 2016 9:52 PM, Bruce Griffiths <bruce.griffiths at xtra..co.nz> wrote:
 

 Some idea of the crystal equivalent circuit at the oscillation frequency would help considerably. Usually lower frequency crystals have a considerably higher series resistance than those operated at 1MHz or above.
At frequencies below 100kHz or so a Meacham bridge using something likke a wideband FET opamp may be feasible.
Bruce
 

    On Saturday, 4 June 2016 9:01 PM, Mike Cook <michael.cook at sfr.fr> wrote:
 

 Hi,

I have a number of crystals either in glass, bakelite, ceramic or metal housings that I would like to get resonating . They are of three basic types.
 Square, or rectangular flat  
 Round flat 
 Bar  square section
Sizes range from 2-10cm or more in the longest face.

Some have frequency markings. ranging from IKHz 5MHz. 
Others have none.
Some are of  Military origin, probably radios and as they have markings I can probably find a schematic from the radios to see how to proceed.  There may be dedicated testers still around. I am not so interested in this bunch at the moment. 
Others have no known origin so I have no idea what oscillator circuits were used with them. 
In terms of vintage, I would guess pre 1940  to late 50s 

I have built a little Pierce circuit an tried a few. Some of the later 1-5MHz crystals will oscillate but there are a lot of parasitic signals as well as the supposed fundamental. I cannot make any of the low frequency / big crystals to react.

So my question:
If you had a crystal with unknown frequency and drive requirements that you wanted to investigate. How would you go about it?

If I can get them going I will share the Adevs. I don’t have a spectrum analyser so I can’t do phase noise.

Regards

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it. »
George Bernard Shaw

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