Am I Reading My Counter Correctly? Help!

[NT0Z]

Hi, gang,

Got my GPSDO working solidly (outdoor antenna), and Lady Heather is quite pleased. (And if she's pleased, I am too.)

I connected the 10-MHz sine wave reference signal to the ref input on my HP counter and began "counting" the various outputs of my AADE 1-Hz to 10-MHz TCXO frequency reference (running 24/7 for a week).

Yes, long ago I had four semesters of calculus, and yes, I hate scientific notation. In that vein, I do not like how my HP counter displays most frequencies. But the price was right... And if Lady Heather can discipline, it was REALLY right.

For the 10-MHz pic, which reads 9999.9981 kHz, if I slide the decimal point three places to the left, I come up with 9.999.998.1 MHz, which I think suggests that the AADE standard, after sitting in a box for eight years, is running 1.9 Hz low @ 10 MHz. Is that right?

And for the 1 MHz pic, which reads 999.9999 kHz, is that a tenth of a Hz low -- or is it 1 Hz low at 1 MHz?

These digit strings really tax my brain... Don't tell LH, cuz I don't want her to discipline me...

Thanks,

Kirk, NT0Z

[xrunner]

For the 10-MHz pic, which reads 9999.9981 kHz, if I slide the decimal point three places to the left, I come up with 9.999.998.1 MHz, which I think suggests that the AADE standard, after sitting in a box for eight years, is running 1.9 Hz low @ 10 MHz. Is that right?

Yep.

And for the 1 MHz pic, which reads 999.9999 kHz, is that a tenth of a Hz low -- or is it 1 Hz low at 1 MHz?

0.1 Hz low - yes

These digit strings really tax my brain... Don't tell LH, cuz I don't want her to discipline me...

Two beers and I can do it. 

[NT0Z]

Thanks. My math teacher is smiling down on me for not screwing that up!

I'm so impressed with the build quality and accuracy (when disciplined or with a properly aligned internal reference) of this 1975 model HP counter. I bought it for $20 on CL. It sat in the trunk of my friend's car for four months, and then sat in my ham shack, without being powered, for eight years. The fan worked but had blown bearings. I replaced it for $16 -- nearly my original price for the entire unit! It has the GPIB and DVM modules which I probably won't need, and it doesn't have either of the prescalers, but I can build a prescaler or find the HP module on eBay if this thing hangs in there for a while (it's "new" to me and hasn't had its chance to "fail early.")

Boy, they sure don't build 'em like that anymore. What a thing of beauty!

--Kirk, NT0Z

[xrunner]

Thanks. My math teacher is smiling down on me for not screwing that up!

I'm so impressed with the build quality and accuracy (when disciplined or with a properly aligned internal reference) of this 1975 model HP counter. I bought it for $20 on CL. It sat in the trunk of my friend's car for four months, and then sat in my ham shack, without being powered, for eight years. The fan worked but had blown bearings. I replaced it for $16 -- nearly my original price for the entire unit! It has the GPIB and DVM modules which I probably won't need, and it doesn't have either of the prescalers, but I can build a prescaler or find the HP module on eBay if this thing hangs in there for a while (it's "new" to me and hasn't had its chance to "fail early.")

Boy, they sure don't build 'em like that anymore. What a thing of beauty!

--Kirk, NT0Z

Yea hp is a great line of test equipment - I'm kinda partial to them myself, not that it's obvious. 

Now that it's got your GPSDO ext. ref input it's as good as gold. I'd power it up every day and admire it if I were you.