GPS Improves TCXO, OCXO and Rb Referenced Products

by Boris Sheyer and Chris Symanski, Berkeley Varitronics Systems

As the industry leader in field test equipment, Berkeley Varitronics Systems is always looking for better frequency sources to reference and synchronize its products. A simple crystal oscillator is suff icient in many applications; sometimes a temperature compensated oscillator is required. There are, however, several very distinct classes of test equipment that require far better accuracy and stability of the frequency oscillator than a TCXO or even OCXO could provide. Examples of such instruments are Channel Sounders, CDMA Scanners, CDMA stimulus transmitters. These employ three types of timing solutions: GPS referenced TCXO, Pilot signal referenced TCXO and Rubidium oscillators. In these devices oscillators are important auxiliary functional components. BVS also designs and manufactures Frequency Standards for laboratory and field applications.