Internal receiver types for our LANTIME time servers



Meinberg Receivers

GPS Receiver:

The frequency locking of the master oscillator to the GPS-system enables our GPS receiver to generate fixed and optionally programmable standard frequencies with high accuracy and stability. Various oscillator options allow the cost efficient implementation of different requirements concerning the accurracy of the outputs.

The pulse generator of the GPS receiver generates pulses per second and per minute. As an option programmable outputs are available. The pulses are synchronized to UTC-second.

Accuracy of pulse outputs (Dependant on oscillator option):

• < ± 100ns (TCXO, OCXO LQ)
• < ± 50ns (OCXO SQ, OCXO MQ, OCXO HQ, OCXO DHQ)

Optional frequency outputs:10 MHz, 1 MHz, 100 kHz (TTL level)
Accuracy depends on oscillator: oscillator options

Serial interfaces are available for sending timestrings. These ASCII-telegrams include information regarding time, date and status of the GPS-receiver.

GPS Antenna:
Remote powered GPS antenna/converter unit, up to 300m distance to antenna with RG58 and up to 700m distance with RG213 cable.

GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/BeiDou receiver:

This combined GNSS receiver is a 100mm x 160mm microprocessor board. The GNS board has several different optional outputs, including programmable pulses, modulated / unmodulated time code and RS232 COM ports, depending on the hardware configuration. In addition, the GPS/GLONASS receiver is available with different master oscillators (e.g. OCXO- LQ / SQ / MQ / HQ / DHQ) to cover all levels of requirements in accuracy.

The GNS timing board is designed for operating in mobile environments like cars, trains or airplanes. An optimized active GPS antenna RV-76 with 10 meters coax cable for operation in mobile environment is still available.

Satellite receiver for mobile applications:
The GNS timing board is designed for operating in mobile environments like cars, trains or airplanes.

The GNS satellite receiver can determine its position under the following conditions:

• an acceleration of up to 5G
• a speed of up to 500 m/s
• an altitude of up to 18,000 meters

The variety of inputs/outputs makes this receiver the first choice for a broad range of applications, including time and frequency synchronization tasks and the measurement of asynchronous time events.

Technical specifications of the combined GPS / GLONASS receiver:

• Number of channels: 72
• Frequency band: L1 / E1 / B1
• Cable type Coaxial cable Belden H155 indoor or outdoor usage

Accuracy of pulses (depends on oscillator option):

• TCXO/OCXO LQ: better than ± 100nsec
• OCXO MQ /OCXO HQ / OCXO DHQ: better than ± 50nsec

Type of antenna: Combined GPS/GLONASS antenna
Antenna with intgral surge voltage protection

• 3dB Bandwidth: 1575.42 ± 10 MHz / 1602-1615 MHz
• Supply Voltage: 5 V
• max. Length of antenna cable: 70 meters without amplification

Data sheet GLONASS/GPS antenna

MRS - Intelligent switching between different reference time sources:

Possible available references (depending on time server model and configuration):

• GPS Receiver
• GNS Receiver: combined GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/BeiDou satellite receiver
• GNS-UC Receiver: GPS/Galileo - Receiver for Meinberg GPS Antenna-/ Converter Unit (Up-Converter)
• PTPv2 - IEEE1588
• IRIG Time Code (AM, DCLS)
• Pulse per Sekunde (PPS)
• 10MHz (TTL)
• external NTP-Server

The reference time base, integrated into the LANTIME MRS system, consists of a high precision oscillator OCXO HQ. This oscillator can be optionally controlled by the integrated satellite receiver, an external Pulse Per Second (PPS input), an IRIG time code receiver, by max. 7 other NTP timeservers or by an PTP IEEE 1588-2008 Grandmaster. In any case the OCXO HQ is used as a reference for internal NTP, even if no GPS or GLONASS reception is possible or external reference is available. All outputs like serial output, PPS output or 10MHz will be driven by the internal oscillator.

The Meinberg MRS technology (Multi Reference Sources) enables you to utilize one or more time and frequency references in prioritized order - defined by your individual requirements.

IRSA - Intelligent Reference Switching Algorithm
The Intelligent Reference Switching Algorithm (IRSA) developed by Meinberg engineers ensures that switching from a highly accurate reference source (e.g. GPS) to a less accurate one (e.g. IRIG or NTP) is delayed as long as the internal ultra stable oscillator is capable of maintaining an accuracy level that is better than the one of the next available reference source in the priority list.

Main Application fields for MRS technology:
Lab environments: The MRS technology offers a flexible solution to changing availability of different synchronization sources and for highly critical operative systems. The possibility to use multiple independent sync references allows you to fulfill redundancy requirements of your network synchronization solution.

Monitoring and measurement of synchronization sources, e.g. determining and logging the accuracy of an IRIG generator or a PPS source.

PZF (High accuracy DCF77 correlation receiver for generation
of standard frequencies and pulses):

By evaluating the pseudo-random sequence (PZF), which is part of the DCF77 signal in addition to the amplitude modulation, the PZF receiver is capable to reproduce a time pattern in the range of microseconds. This allows generation of high precision pulses and an accurate adjustment of the main oscillator of the system.

Pulse outputs:
High and low active pulses per second and per minute (TTL-level), pulse duration 200 msec

Accuracy of pulse outputs:

• Time delay between two systems with max. distance of 50 km:
  typ. 20 µsec, max 50 µsec
• Time shift of successive pulses: max 1.5 µsec

The module generates various standard frequencies and also has an adjustable frequency output. Pulses per minute and per second are as much about the features of the PZF receiver such as the RS232 interface and the IRIG timecode outputs.

Optional frequency outputs:
100 kHz, 155 kHz, 1 MHz and 10 MHz standard frequencies, TTL-level

Accuracy of frequency outputs:

• Short term stability:
  ± 5 * 10^-9 (standard frequencies and synthesizer up to 10 kHz
  ± 2.35 mHz for synthesizer frequency > 10 kHz
• Holdover: ± 1 * 10^-8 for one hour

IRIG time code receiver:

The MEINBERG time code receiver is synchronized by modulated (DC Level Shift) and unmodulated (AM) IRIG and AFNOR time code signals and can be integrated in industrial systems that require high-accurate time and/or frequency synchronization.

This time code receiver has been optimized for reception of IRIG-A and IRIG-B time signals, as well as the translation of these received IRIG codes into a serial telegram. The receiver can perform a re-calculation of UTC based on the IRIG time. A buffered real time clock maintains time and date while the power supply is not available. The receiver's automatic gain control function (AGC) allows the reception of IRIG signals within an amplitude range from 600mV to 8V (peak to peak).

Precision of timebase:
± 10us referred to reference marker in synchronous mode

Pulse outputs: Pulse per second (PPS) and Pulse per minute (PPM) - TTL level

Frequency outputs: 10 MHz, 1 MHz, 100 kHz - TTL level

Relative accuracy of frequency outputs:

• ± 1*10^-8 with TCXO-HQ option
• ± 5*10^-9 with OCXO-LQ option

Pulse outputs:

• Change of second (P_SEC, TTL level)
• Change of minute (P_MIN, TTL level)

Accuracy of pulses (depends on oscillator option):

• < ± 250ns (TCXO, OCXO LQ)
• < ± 100ns (OCXO MQ, OCXO HQ, OCXO DHQ)
• < ± 100ns (Rubidium)
• better than ± 2 µsec during the first 20 minutes of operation

Frequency outputs: 10 MHz (TTL level)

MSF - Long wave radio receiver 60kHz:

The MSF transmission from Anthorn is used to spread the UK national standards of time and frequency which are maintained by the National Physical Laboratory. The signal provides adequate field strength throughout the UK and it can be received widely in northern and western Europe. A simple on-off modulation of the carrier frequency (60kHz) is used to transmit BCD-coded informations about time and date

Every UTC second is marked by an off stage of carrier of at least 100ms. This second marker has an accuracy better than ± 1ms.

Type of antenna: Outdoor antenna (60 kHz)

WWVB - Long wave radio receiver 60kHz:

NIST radio station WWVB is located near Fort Collins, Colorado. The WWVB broadcast is used by millions of people throughout North America to synchronize consumer electronic timing products such as wall clocks, clock radios, and wristwatches. In addition, WWVB is used for high level applications including network time synchronization and frequency calibration. WWVB continuously broadcasts a time and frequency signal at 60 kHz.

Type of receiver: Direct conversion quadrature receiver with automatic gain control

• Bandwidth: approx. 20Hz
• External ferrite antenna

Type of antenna: Outdoor antenna (60 kHz)