Thanks to all for the replies and suggestions to my query and
especially to Ed for his detailed replies.
The Rb standards that I have are made by FEI Communications Inc.
Mitchel Field, NY.? The manual documents a way of adjusting the
frequency using the RS-232 serial port and software.? They
specifically state that this adjustment is used to compensate for
aging of the rubidium, but after looking inside my unit and trying
to get this option working using some online software I found, I
was unable to get communications set up with my frequency
standard.? I am fairly certain that it does not have this option
built in.? I have a second Rb FS that had a power supply problem,
but I was able to repair that and get it working again.? The
second unit tracks right on at 10MHz on my spectrum analyzer.? As
suggested, I also checked my SA against WWV at 10MHz and my SA
appears to be right on frequency as well.? When I checked the
second Rb FS with my pair of HP 5342A units one tracked at
10,000,000 Hz and the other at 10,000,002 Hz.? So it would appear
that my other Rb FS is off, most probably because of age of the
device.? Curiously, since taking it apart the first unit and
reassembling it, the locked light does not light, as it was doing
before, even though it was over a 170 Hz low to 10MHz.
Thanks again for all the suggestions.? A good piece of learning
for me.
Terry?
On 2020-04-27 1:29 p.m., Ed Breya via
groups.io wrote:
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Another thing that can happen to an Rb source is that its built-in
OCXO may age/drift too far out of its normal range, for the
correction action to properly lock it to the Rb signal. However,
the lock indication should not come on in this case, so there is
probably something else going on....
