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G8MNY  > TECH     11.09.25 18:18l 371 Lines 18994 Bytes #7 (0) @ WW
BID : 40532_GB7CIP
Read: JN1VSI
Subj: 198kHz Off Air Standard
Path: JH4XSY<N3HYM<GB7YEW<GB7CIP
Sent: 250911/0908Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:40532 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G8MNY@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To  : TECH@WW

By G8MNY                                    (Updated Jun 20)
(8 Bit ASCII graphics use code page 437 or 850, Terminal Font)

I can no longer use my TV locked reference system (see my buls on "Off Air lock
for Ref Osc") for calibrating RF gear, as analogue TV has ended. So at a rally
I bought an old homebrew (cheap) veroboard construction version of the BBC
198kHz LW off air reference project. (from a Practical Wireless article Dec
1995 by G8JVE, to go with the Robin counter & follow up Oct 1998). The divider
chain in this design had a rearranged to give more useful reference frequencies
(different to article).

LAYOUT                                    AE       Mains   12V
                                        Ŀ
  Ŀ       ~Trans- ~  ~~PSU~~~~~~     
 ɵExternal Active Ferrite Rod Aerial        former        board       
         ~\_____/~        
                                       Ŀ
Ŀ    RF    Mixer  IF   Det  OpAmp    
    Manual   Ŀ   Ref Freq      Buff    IC    LC          IF     
  o   .-.     Meter      .-.        ٳ
Power(   )       (   )       Ŀ
  o   '-'    CZ =o  Sig    '-'        10   Buff  Counter Counter Phase  
         Not o     o Lock      ()   MHz   IC     IC      IC    Comp IC
  ٳ
                            Ref Output   SW   Pot       Meter      SW   BNC 
                                        
This "type of design" might be usable in other parts of the world if there are
suitable accurate LW or MW stations.

OPERATION PRINCIPLE
          SPECTRUM        Carrier           Rx                     Extracted
                                          Image!                   Carrier
           LSB MOD        PSKPSK     USB    V                         
  /~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\              
>Freq  
191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 kHz    198.00000

As you can see from the spectrum, extracting a pure clean carrier is not quite
as straight forward, when there is phase shift keying to remove too. (PSK in UK
is used for power meter control?)

A close-up should look something like this..

                         
~~\                              /~~~
>
    -20       -10        0        +10       +20     Hz

Where the PSK data sidebands cover the carrier, the data is encoded to have no
mean carrier offset. But no amount of sideband filtering will remove the PSK in
practice, but using a very slow PLL loop filter of a fraction of a Hz, it will
then be ignored.

So from this 198kHz (it used to be 200kHz a Standard Frequency Transmission,
until it had to conform to 9kHz EU region standard!) you can extract phase
control for a reference frequency oscillator.

SCHEME
Ŀ ĿĿĿĿĿĿ
External   RF        2kHz  IF  IF    IF    Rx  Ŀ Lock
 Active >BufferôMixerô LC IFôAMPô Wien ôLimiter>Ĵ          LED
Ferrite             Filterx10Filter x100  2kHz   Phase   
Rod Ant       Comparator>
            200kHz             S meter      Local             
                      <Ŀ                  >Ĵ            
ĿĿ Ŀ Ŀ ĿĿ ĿĿ ĿĿ2kHz  
Variable                                      Ŀ
 10MHz  ôBuffer´2´5´52´2ô5´52ÿ          Multiple
Xtal Osc                                    Slow  
ٳٳٳ ٳٳ ٳ            Loop  
                10MHz 5MHz 1MHz    100kHz    10kHz     1kHz         Filter 
    AFC             Frequency reference/marker outputs             
    <
By using a low 2kHz IF, the superhet's unprotected image is @ 202kHz or @ 4kHz
of USB content. This will affect the phase & level stability of the extracted
carrier! Also using a high LO, then the IF goes down in freq for LO going down
too for a fixed Radio freq.

With this scheme it is important that the RF aerial tuned circuit & both the LC
& Wien filters, in the IF are properly centred on frequency, otherwise residual
AM will give asymmetrically phased sidebands resulting in apparent carrier
phase modulation. As it is the carrier's frequency we want, this is bad news!

WHY WAS MY UNIT CHEAP?
Well it sort of worked, but there was far too much Phase Shift Keying on the
reference output following the low speed PSK DATA on the 198kHz broadcast. As
well as that it was quite insensitive despite an extra RF buffer stage.

FAULTING
On testing with a scope I found the mixer was hard clipping very early, I found
it was incorrectly biased, & carefully following the circuit on the board this
was due to an uncut stripboard track!

The RF buffer was rebuilt to a simpler less lossy circuit. (see 6/ below)

The problem with the PLL I initially solved crudely with a 100uF & series 2k2
across the AFC line, then it gave a steady 10MHz note after a long lockup time.

IMPROVEMENTS
1/ Rx AGC
I found the mixer & other stages could overload & possibly add phase modulation
from the AM signal before the signal was tightly filtered, so I added an AGC.
I did not want to remove RF buffer's gain, as this is useful when in buildings
with weak signals etc. So I used an additional NPN to short out the external
FET preamp's supply, this gave a very good AGC, with no distortion from AGC
action & gave the S meter with usable log scale.

                            +12V
                                    2K2                   >S meter
ferrite     d              22K    1M    4n7               100K
rod      g 15KĿ              Ĵ>Mixer        preset
||>FET            4n7   /                        u1      IF
||(    \ )Ĵ>>ĴĴRF Buff    100KĴ*<OpAmp
||( === /\ s   10n       \       \e            +     __    No  Pin 1
||(   ===    ===        AGCĿ              ===     /_\  Series
||(   /   4K7 10n       e/ ===                5uF         R
  >>)      
External Active Aerial  BNC     u1          AGC 
                                   100K

The two 100K Rs set the AGC gain & with the 5uF sets the AGC time constant. It
is fast enough to remove some of the AM components below 10Hz, but still give a
stable AGC, leaving a fairly unmodulated carrier after the narrow IF filters
have removed the higher frequency sidebands.

2/ MIXER
I also noticed with the scope there was 2kHz IF beats on several of the Mixer
bias points, I changed decoupling capacitors from u1 to u47 & reduced this.

3/ LOCAL OSCILLATOR
The narrow 1:5 200kHz pulses fed to the mixer has been ramped a bit with an
additional 4n7 & 1K (was 10K), this yields 3dB more mixer gain (ideally a 100mV
square wave is best).
                                   >Mixer Pin10
                               4n7      .    .
                            0VĴĴ      \_   \
                                   10n     ~-
                                  ===
       74LS132            74HC390            74HC390
   +5V)
           14              16   1K            16    2kHz
10MHz   Ŀ     10MHz   Ŀ o200       Ŀ  o
Buffer>´1 11Ĵ1  15Ĵ kHz      ڴ3  15>to Phase
       2  8ÿ                9        504   9     Comparator
                                  ڿ    ڿ
                                  ____
                                 5:1

4/ 2kHz IF LC FILTER Q
I found the LC filter after the mixer was heavily loaded by the OpAmp 10k
circuit negating the high Q & narrow bandwidth possible, this may have been
partly due to different component values. Anyway I rewired the OpAmp for high Z
input & reduced the gain from 10 to 3.9, to stop it clipping, now the Q is much
greater (narrow bandwidth equals much less of the broadcast AM on the 2kHz IF!)

     +12V 
         47R
          Ŀ
      4u7    )||        390KĿ
         ===  )||L          -\      
MC1496   __  )||        Ĵ6 \    
Mixer              u1          7>>Wien filter OpAmp
Pin 12 >Ĵ)Ĵ5 /
           2kHz      100K +/       OpAmp common
          ===  ===         1M<half rail
            Cs      u1===
      

After experimenting with the 2 Cs values for exact resonance of the L, the 1M
OpAmp bias R does not load the tuned circuit, & the much better filtered IF
signal now has very little AM left on it. So the following Wien filter has less
to do to extract a clean carrier. But I did look at that too..

5/ 2kHz IF WIEN FILTER
The OpAmp has a gain of half, so it can be driven with a clipped signal from
the earlier OpAmp before its output to the level detector clips. By changing
the feedback R from a 22k to 2x 22k the gain is then 1 & the output to the
signal detector is true until the Wien OpAmp clips. The Wien filter Q is also
doubled, bringing the total IF bandwidth down to about 50Hz. The frequency
setting preset needs to be about 350R, so a suitable R across the multiturn
preset to provide this value at the centre of the preset is ideal.

             Common     \         > Level Detector
            half rail>Ĵ3 \  TP2  
       TP1                 1>o>IF Limiter
x3 amp>o22KĴĴ2 /         
                 u22  /               Output TP2 is
                     22K22KĴ    exactly 180deg
                     u22                (biggest AC difference)
                Ĵ    out of phase to the
              Freq  R                     input TP1 when on tune.
              500R  
      

6/ LIMITER BIAS
With some AM modulation still on the 2kHz IF, there is slight asymmetrical
clipping on the following limiter stage. Slight biasing from +12V applied to
the -ve limiter input @ the 10K with a 560K gives more steady 1:1 symmetry.

             +12V    Common    \
                   half rail>Ĵ13\
  from        560K              14>> 2nd 10x
  Wien >10KĴ12/       Limiter
  Op amp                      /     
                           100K

7/ PLL FILTER
Looking into the PLL jitter problem, there was a very high Z circuit using a 40
Meg ohm (4x 10M) as the R for a 40 second time constant. This obviously was not
working correctly on this layout, possibly due to leaky old PCB or varicap
diodes? (also discussed in the designer's follow up article)

Anyway I redesigned this bit using electrolytics, something avoided by the
original designer. But by using 2 identical electrolytics in series across the
well regulated 5V power rail, I solved most of the leakage problem & gained
instant half rail AFC voltage on power up, for a faster initial lock up time.

            +5V
                +100u      4x 1N4148
                ===      Ĵ<Ĵ<Ŀ          Scope
Varicap                                         o    IC CD4046
 AFC  <)Ĵ>Ĵ>20K< Phase Comparator
         4K7Ĵ                                   Pin 13
                       1M220K    1u
        ===     +100u                    ===
       u1      ===                        
     

I enhanced the variable CR system with 2 more diodes & another resistor, so
initially PLL out of lock you have 20K + 200uF for a 4 Sec time constant, then
at 1V from lock it adds a 220K for a 50 Sec time constant, & at less than
0.5V a further 1M for a 200 Sec "properly in lock" time constant.

The starting 20K + 1uF (20mS) is needed to remove the 5V 2kHz IF pulses &
reduce the residual 12.5Hz Phase Shift Keying data to below 0.5V ripple. This
however is a loop time constant that will oscillate, so I added a 4K7 in series
with the larger Cs to damp this oscillation, but the 4K7 is not big enough to
let much of the PSK data through to the AFC line. The u1 is used close to the
varicap diodes & keeps down any stray clock pickup/noise etc.

At lock, using the scope point with a x10 probe or on AC, & locked to a
fraction of 50Hz mains (e.g. 12.5Hz) you see.
        _
     +5V  2kHz phase
          correction
          needle pulses   \/ PSK Data
       .....__________..     Ripple Under
          Mean 2.3V/      /\ 0.5V Swing.
                      
      0V_             

           SLOW  P.S.K.  DATA
        /~~~~~~~~~~~\____________/

The PSK data pulls on the stored AFC voltage several times a seconds. A steady
2.3V is obtained with Xtal trimmer preset. With an SSB Rx you can hear the
10MHz oscillator (or harmonic of other outputs e.g. 29x 5MHz =145MHz) settle
down to a stable note after several diminishing 4 second cycles.
   _
Off ~\      .-.     _._                    Power
Lock      /   \   /   \__/~~..--       Up .__.--..----
       \__/     '-'                             
   ----------- 20 seconds ------------           --- 10 seconds ---

With the above modifications signal bandwidths down the Rx are now something
like this..

      7kHz                100Hz        50Hz         (10Hz Jitter) <0.005Hz
Ŀ ĿĿĿĿĿĿĿĿ
External   RF        2kHz  IF  IF    IF     Phase     PLL 
 Active >BufferôMixerô LC IFôAMPô Wien ôLimiterôComparatorôFilterAFC
Ferrite             Filterx3 Filter x100                  
Rod Ant  
          200kHz            AGC                2kHz
     <

8/ MANUAL TUNE
There was an ugly hole in my box & a S meter/centre zero meter & switch fitted.
So I developed a circuit for these, to provide a manual Centre Zero mode with a
pot to fill the hole. (I did not have the follow up article then!)

The log pot (old Volume control) I used had a double make on off switch, & I
needed a changeover. Leaving the pot in circuit & using T1 to short incoming
AFC line I achieved the same function, & T2 shorts out the Green in lock LED to
indicate it is in manual off lock mode.

                       Varicap
                  > AFC
    2x pot 27KĴ                                      o< S meter circuit
+5V on/off      \/         Loop    Green        ______/
 o\___o\__47K6K8<Filter  LED                o22K>CD4046
                Pot        AFC                +      CZ mode      Pin 2
                       /         /          /~~~\
     3K9Ĵ T1     Ĵ T2       Meter
                       \e       \e         \___/
                        __       __         __
                                
     3K9

As the pot was a log one the varicap angle-frequency action was not quite
linear (needed square law?) so 27K was put from the max end to centre & 6K8 to
the switched ground, this gave a really even feel to the offset (5Hz @ 10MHz)
with 2.3V at the centre position.

The Centre Zero meter action was taken from pulses directly from the unused IC
pin 2 via a 22k, to set the meter sensitivity. If you scope that pin you see...

 Ŀ ĿĿ
           The average changes a little depending on the two 2kHz phases.
     

9/ OUTPUT FREQUENCIES
As my unit's dividers were not wired up as published, here is the arrangement.

       74LS132            74HC390            74HC390
   +5V)
           14              16   1K            16    2kHz
10MHz   Ŀ    10MHz    Ŀ o200       Ŀ  o
Buffer>´1 11Ĵ1  15Ĵ kHz      ڴ3  15>to Phase
       2  8ÿ                9        504   9     Comparator
       ڴ3 12ô         Ĵ3              kHz     
       ô4 13         Ĵ4  13Ĵ1  13Ŀ
       5  6ÿ                                           
           9ô          ڴ14 12ÿ          ڴ14 12ÿ         
          10ô          ô2   7ô          ô2   7ô         
        ٳ          ٳ          ٳ         
          7              8               8            
     ))))))
              o         o         o         o         o         o
            10MHz      5MHz      1MHz     100kHz     10kHz     1kHz

10/ OUTPUT PROTECTION
By adding a pair of 1N4148 diodes as a clipped attenuator the TTL chips are
protected from external static damage & small amounts of accidental RF (10W?).

              o         o         o         o         o         o
            10MHz      5MHz     1MHz      100kHz     10kHz     1kHz
             /\  +
              Ĵ470R(o Output
                   1u      __ __   1V p-p
                           \_/ /_\ 
                           
11/ 12V POWERING
The original circuit was mains only to provide +12V & 5V rails from centre
tapped 2x 6V transformer & single bridge to make 20V & 10V centre into their
respective regulators etc. The +5V is used for PLL tuning & must be accurate,
but the +12V is not so important, so I made a 12V input option to diode feed
both the regulators.

RESULT
I now have a very accurate marker for HF (VHF/UHF on harmonics with a steady
pure tone), & I can calibrate frequency counters, or lock them up to this
source, as well as lock up my 100Hz-1GHz PLL signal generator.

For VHF & UHF, Xtal oscillators age & can't be relied on to maintain high
accuracy over several years. This accurate source (better than 1 in 10^7
short term & 1 in 10^11 long term) enables checking of standards.


See my buls "Off Air Lock for Ref Osc.", "Comparing Off Air Freq Standards",
"Simple Crystal Oven", "Crystal Drift Compensation" & "Calibrating Frequency"
for more information.


Why Don't U send an interesting bul?

73 De John, G8MNY @ GB7CIP


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