Frequency Counter TCXO Changeout Part 1

[@johnwest7993]

Thank you. I'm watching videos like your to get ideas for my ow project. I have a consumer grade freq counter, a small, light, bench counter that looks very much like yours. I did add a jack for a nominal 12 volts to make it more portable, and I figure on adding 1 of the several $3 crystal oven pulls I got from eBay or some Chinese website. I just need to put it on a small bd to put in the counter box, add some good supply regulation, calibrate it against my GPS freq reference, and it should make the cheap old counter worthy of having among the higher end gear. Those inexpensive, (dirt cheap,) Xtal ovens can really upgrade a lot of cheap gear to almost lab grade for hobbyists, from my freq counters, to sig gens and function gens, to my old tube and early transistor ham gear they are practically a miracle upgrade for my or any hobbyist's electronics bench. I bought 16 of them at just under than $3 each, with 1 defective one. The rest will slowly go into my bench gear and experiments as the winter snows dictate. Again, thanks for the video.

[@rfburns3472]

Glad your getting some use out of these inexpensive XO's John. Sounds like your having fun with it all. I am just begining to use them. For this project, I really wanted to find a 1 MHz OCXO. I could not find them anywhere for less than $100. Ouch!

[@KF0NNQ]

Thank you. You kept your build at a good mix between NASA engineer and novice techie. Hmm, will this video convince my XYL that I need an oscilloscope? Probably not. Have a Merry Christmas and 73, Bill.

[@rfburns3472]

Thanks Bill and 73's

[@TomSherwood-z5l]

I got a small HP counter but it came without the higher tolerance osc. option. Although the internal one is adjustable and pretty good. I bought an old oven osc. on ebay out of some HP microwave instrument. Had to assemble it as a unit with a power supply and indicators and a buffer in the output in a chassis but now I have a better reference for the counter and my sig. generator that also lacks the high stab. option. I calibrate it from time to time with a Rubidium standard that was made for for portable cellular system use.

[@rfburns3472]

Very cool Tom! My next standard is going to be Rubidium.

[@cha1rtech]

I remember reading somewhere that a quartz crystal oscillator's output frequency would vary in the low single digit parts per billion depending on the orientation of the crystal, would like to see that demonstrated if possible

[@rfburns3472]

Here you go! kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHqvqJqHnc92lbM

[@Timothy_Osman]

I don't know why antique electronics isnt a thing if that shop existed I'd be shopping

[@rfburns3472]

Lots of antique stuff on eBay my friend.

[@Timothy_Osman]

Sure I pick up alot of cheap factory rejects there that have been educational. But thanks I never thought to search it there!

[@Timothy_Osman]

The one that really blows my mind looking at is the original voltaic pile. Like just the sheer enormity of innovation that came from there it's surreal just looking at it 😂