[R-390] Rubidium Oscillator Questions

[2002tii]

Tim wrote:

>There's "perfect" and then there's "better than good enough" and I 
>feel little compulsion to use a part per billion type reference to 
>check a 50 year old radio which can be serviced just fine without a 
>counter at all :-).

I guess my training and experience (physicist then engineer) just 
naturally makes me a metrology geek.  I tend to want a "spare" 2 or 
even 3 significant digits in all my measurements.

I confess that I don't use boatanchors much anymore -- I mostly use 
modern synthesized radios fed by a GPS-disciplined rubidium time base 
(as are my counters).  But I don't use modern radios so much for the 
frequency accuracy and stability -- that's just a geeky 
perk.  Rather, I find that band conditions now demand narrow IFs, 
passband shifting, notch filters, and for AM, synchronous detection 
with selectable sidebands -- some or all of which older radios tend 
to lack.  I also very much enjoy the easy and immediate access to any 
VLF/LF/MW/HF frequency provided by keypad entry.  I just wish there 
was still something interesting to listen to....  Increasing sunspot 
activity may help.

Best regards,

Don