20 Apr
2006
20 Apr
'06
1:16 a.m.
On 4/20/06, Arno Kletzander <Arno_1983 at gmx.de> wrote:
Sat, 15 Apr 2006, "Bruce Lane" <kyrrin at
bluefeathertech.com> wrote:
Interesting that precision clocks should come up just as I start
playing with one...
I have an Odetics SatSync 325 here, with full docs and schematics,
left behind by a science project departing after a 10-year run. It
fires up to its menus (on a 4x40 LCD) - all offline stuff seems to be
fine. I was told that it doesn't work, though. This one happens to
have a Rubidium precision oscillator for internal reference, and GPS
for external reference.
There are dates on the drawings from 1987 to 1989. Internally, it's
run by a couple of 6809s and a couple of ASICs. Even has the IEEE-488
option.
At the moment, I plan to borrow its front panel for an LCDproc
(http://www.lcdproc.org/) display (I'm one of the contributors) - the
interface is 16 pins for the LCD (HD44780 w/2 enables) and a 16-pin
DIP for the keyboard and contrast dial (15 keys, buffered/selected via
two 74HC240s). At some point, though, it might be fun to run this as
is was designed, even though a modern $25 GPS interface can squirt out
an ASCII time stream.
Given that its original cost was between $8000 and $18000 (depending
on the options selected), I'm sure there aren't a lot of these
floating around. Googling for it is just about worthless. I'm happy
that I have the maintenance docs with it.
-ethan
My thanks to all who offered assistance on my
issues with the 'tech
special' Trak Systems 8820 GPS station clock. The unit was successfully
repaired, and has been working for nearly a full week without any
further signs of problems.
Incidentally, I've been having a bit of fun with a MEINBERG GPS166 Satellite
Controlled Clock lately - it had been set aside as defective at the
computing center of Erlangen University...