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OT: Nixie clock

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Tony Estep

OT: Nixie clock

My son gave me a Nixie clock kit for Christmas and it looks great in my
shack. If you don't mind SMD components (there's just one), you might enjoy
building this kit from Tubeclock.com.

And BTW, here's wishing everybody a Happy New Year full of DX!

73,
Tony KT0NY
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Phil Kane-2

Re: OT: Nixie clock

On 12/27/2013 3:47 PM, Tony Estep wrote:

> My son gave me a Nixie clock kit for Christmas and it looks great in my
> shack. If you don't mind SMD components (there's just one), you might enjoy
> building this kit from Tubeclock.com.

How funny! Nixie tubes - 1960s components - and SMDs (2000s components)
in the same device!

Don't mean to reopen the topic, but what is the accuracy of this clock?
----
73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
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Mark Bayern

Re: OT: Nixie clock

If you don't like the SMD parts, you could try a nixie clock kit with
only discrete components: http://http://tube-clock.com/ -- lots of
soldering!

.. and this clock uses the utility 60Hz as its time base.

Mark AD5SS

On Fri, Dec 27, 2013 at 5:57 PM, Phil Kane <[hidden email]> wrote:

> On 12/27/2013 3:47 PM, Tony Estep wrote:
>
>> My son gave me a Nixie clock kit for Christmas and it looks great in my
>> shack. If you don't mind SMD components (there's just one), you might enjoy
>> building this kit from Tubeclock.com.
>
> How funny! Nixie tubes - 1960s components - and SMDs (2000s components)
> in the same device!
>
> Don't mean to reopen the topic, but what is the accuracy of this clock?
> ----
> 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
> Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402
>
> From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
> Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT

Re: OT: Nixie clock

In reply to this post by Phil Kane-2

Some NIXIE clocks use GPS for time, which is good enough for most
purposes. :-)

On 12/27/2013 3:57 PM, Phil Kane wrote:
> Don't mean to reopen the topic, but what is the accuracy of this clock?

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Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT

Re: OT: Nixie clock

There is a difference between "some" and "this."

All of the clocks here get their time via some network, or from the GPS
constellation.

On 12/27/2013 5:47 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:

> According to the assembly manual, it uses the power line 60Hz as a frequency reference. Last I heard, the utilities actually manage the frequency so the long-term average is very close to 60Hz.
>
> If you want real-time data on power line frequency, check out the FNET measurement network. It looks like my grid is currently at 59.990.
>
> http://fnetpublic.utk.edu/
>
> wunder
>
> On Dec 27, 2013, at 5:38 PM, "Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT" <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> Some NIXIE clocks use GPS for time, which is good enough for most purposes. :-)
>>
>> On 12/27/2013 3:57 PM, Phil Kane wrote:
>>> Don't mean to reopen the topic, but what is the accuracy of this clock?
>
>
>
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Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT

Re: OT: Nixie clock

I apologize for my tone, I meant for that post to be off-list.

I understand that "this clock" keeps time by counting 60 Hz, and I have
heard that the power company works pretty hard to count cycles and tweak
a little to keep clocks accurate.

Many of the NIXIE kits I've seen offered on eBay have a GPS input for
those who don't like setting clocks.

In most of the world, 60 Hz more than good enough. It certainly is if
you want accurate time to the second, and don't mind going to a little
trouble to set to an accurate source, like WWV.

I like clocks that set themselves. I was simply stating that those
exist if someone wants a retro-technology clock with some new-tech features.

-- Lynn

On 12/27/2013 6:18 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:

> Phil asked about "this clock", and since there is only one clock on that site which is a kit, I am pretty sure that we're discussing the clock built from this manual. Please read it before deciding how it keeps time.
>
> http://www.tubeclock.com/manual.pdf
>
> If there are other Nixie clock kits, please share the information on those. A nice gallery of built Nixie clocks is here:
>
> http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/nixiegallery.html
>
> wunder
> K6WRU
>
> On Dec 27, 2013, at 6:02 PM, "Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT" <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> There is a difference between "some" and "this."
>>
>> All of the clocks here get their time via some network, or from the GPS constellation.
>>
>> On 12/27/2013 5:47 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:
>>> According to the assembly manual, it uses the power line 60Hz as a frequency reference. Last I heard, the utilities actually manage the frequency so the long-term average is very close to 60Hz.
>>>
>>> If you want real-time data on power line frequency, check out the FNET measurement network. It looks like my grid is currently at 59.990.
>>>
>>> http://fnetpublic.utk.edu/
>>>
>>> wunder
>>>
>>> On Dec 27, 2013, at 5:38 PM, "Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT" <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Some NIXIE clocks use GPS for time, which is good enough for most purposes. :-)
>>>>
>>>> On 12/27/2013 3:57 PM, Phil Kane wrote:
>>>>> Don't mean to reopen the topic, but what is the accuracy of this clock?
>>>
>>>
>
>
>
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>

Mark Bayern

Re: OT: Nixie clock

In reply to this post by Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT

>>"Phil asked about "this clock", and since there is only one clock on that site which is a kit, I am pretty sure that we're discussing the clock built from this manual. Please read it before deciding how it keeps time.

... well, there appear to be at least two clocks on the tubeclock.com
website. One that uses the IN-12, and one that uses the IN-14 nixie
tube. There is also another totally separate business (KABtronics)
that sells a discrete nixie clock kit at tube-clock.com.

The tubeclock.com website is confusing. In the manual for the IN-12
clock, the utility 60Hz is used for the time base. The website's FAQ
says, "The IN-14 clocks use a crystal oscillator to keep track of
time. The default accuracy of the oscillator is 20 parts per million
(0.002%)."

The tube-clock.com website which has the totally discrete nixie clock
uses the utility 60 (or 50) Hz as a timebase.

Mark AD5SS

On Fri, Dec 27, 2013 at 8:18 PM, Walter Underwood <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Phil asked about "this clock", and since there is only one clock on that site which is a kit, I am pretty sure that we're discussing the clock built from this manual. Please read it before deciding how it keeps time.
>
> http://www.tubeclock.com/manual.pdf
>
> If there are other Nixie clock kits, please share the information on those. A nice gallery of built Nixie clocks is here:
>
> http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/nixiegallery.html
>
> wunder
> K6WRU
>
> On Dec 27, 2013, at 6:02 PM, "Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT" <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> There is a difference between "some" and "this."
>>
>> All of the clocks here get their time via some network, or from the GPS constellation.
>>
>> On 12/27/2013 5:47 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:
>>> According to the assembly manual, it uses the power line 60Hz as a frequency reference. Last I heard, the utilities actually manage the frequency so the long-term average is very close to 60Hz.
>>>
>>> If you want real-time data on power line frequency, check out the FNET measurement network. It looks like my grid is currently at 59.990.
>>>
>>> http://fnetpublic.utk.edu/
>>>
>>> wunder
>>>
>>> On Dec 27, 2013, at 5:38 PM, "Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT" <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Some NIXIE clocks use GPS for time, which is good enough for most purposes. :-)
>>>>
>>>> On 12/27/2013 3:57 PM, Phil Kane wrote:
>>>>> Don't mean to reopen the topic, but what is the accuracy of this clock?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
>
>
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VE3GAM Allen McRorie

Re: OT: Nixie clock

In reply to this post by Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT

still have a digital clock I put together from a kit that I bought at Dayton
probably in the late 70s from OptoElectronics, it just keeps turning
over the digits on my desk every day. probably last longer than I will.

73 Al ve3gam

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Friday, December 27, 2013 8:38 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: Nixie clock

> Some NIXIE clocks use GPS for time, which is good enough for most
> purposes. :-)
>
> On 12/27/2013 3:57 PM, Phil Kane wrote:
>> Don't mean to reopen the topic, but what is the accuracy of this clock?
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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