[Collins] Collins Oscillator

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

On Sun, 2009-04-19 at 16:17 -0400, Glenn Little wrote:
> While cleaning the shed today, I uncovered, what looks like a Collins 
> oscillator.
> This is a tube based oscillator.
> The only numbers that I see are, 541 0085 003 0A and 543 8612 005 E. 
> There is MCN 268.
> 
> This appears to be a high stability oscillator in a cylinder. Mounted 
> on the same chassis with the cylinder is a box that appears to be 
> the  components to get the oscillator netted to its required frequency.
> 
> This chassis is shock mounted to the main chassis which appears to be 
> to amplify and distribute the oscillator.
> 
> Any ideas as to what it might have been used with and its accuracy 
> and stability?
> 
> Before long, it will probably become parts for my junque box, if I 
> cannot find some information on it.
> 
> Thanks
> 73
> Glenn
> WB4UIV
> 
If could be a frequency standard. I don't find anything with those part
numbers though, but they are proper for oscillator assemblies. It kind
of sounds like what is pictured as a 40K-1 in my old yellow book. That
has 8 tubes along side the round tube where some are the oven controls.
The 40K-1 is listed as a secondary frequency standard. Likely stability
to parts in 10^-8 or 10^-9 per day, ten times worse per year.

http://www.ieee-uffc.org/main/history/frerking/Figures-web/Fig-6.jpg is
a poor picture of a 40K-1. Referenced from 
http://www.ieee-uffc.org/main/history.asp?file=frerking an interesting
article by Frerking, the Collins oscillator guru on frequency standards.
I'll be studying it for a while.
-- 
73, Jerry, K0CQ, Technical Advisor to the CRA
All content copyright Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer