FAQ’s

How do I get a user Manual?

Register with the ORCA Website and download the manual.

What is the difference between UTC, GMT, GPS and local time?

  1. GMT is the same at UTC, which is one of the choices on the GS-101.
  2. Local time is the date/time reported by your PC (as seen by your web browser). If your PC clock is accurate to a second then the other time scales displayed above will also be accurate to within one second.
  3. UTC, Coordinated Universal Time, popularly known as GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), or Zulu time. Local time differs from UTC by the number of hours of your time zone.
  4. GPS, Global Positioning System time, is the atomic time scale implemented by the atomic clocks in the GPS ground control stations and the GPS satellites themselves. GPS time was zero at 0h 6-Jan-1980 and since it is not perturbed by leap seconds GPS is now ahead of UTC by 18 seconds.
  5. Loran-C, Long Range Navigation time, is an atomic time scale implemented by the atomic clocks in Loran-C chain transmitter sites. Loran time was zero at 0h 1-Jan-1958 and since it is not perturbed by leap seconds it is now ahead of UTC by 27 seconds.
  6. TAI, Temps Atomique International, is the international atomic time scale based on a continuous counting of the SI second. TAI is currently ahead of UTC by 37 seconds. TAI is always ahead of GPS by 19 seconds.

What type of connector is used on the portable products?

We use different connectors based on the product. For a specific product please consult the manual.

Can the GS-101B, TTGM-101B and TT-101B boards be used without being enclosed or housed in their respective enclosures?

Yes.

Regarding GS-101B, GS-102B and GS-102B-FPC

  • The IRIG AM code output in our unit passes through zero volts (zero crossing) within approximately 1 microsecond of the 1PPS.
  • Accuracy of GPS vs IRIG is 100ns vis 500ns.
  • 1PPS output Accuracy of DC is + or - 100ns
  • 1PPS output Accuracy of AC is + or - 500 ns

Has an ORCA unit ever been approved for FAA use?

The FAA approved the use of the GS-301 series time receiver (our specific model GS-301-V01) as part of the runway visual range (RVR) measurement system.

What is the power draw for the GS-102B-FPC with OCXO?

  1. The power required to run the GS-102B-FPC with the OCXO is from 2.5 to 3 Watts steady state.
  2. Power consumption at turn on is higher as the OCXO is heating up. Initially this could be about 4.75 Watts.
  3. This says that you should bring the unit up to temperature on external power before you switch over to the batteries if you want to extend the run time.

What is the GS-102B oscillator performance Specifications?

Oscillator (OCXO) specs are:

  1. Temp Stab - +/-3PPB, -40 to +85 Degrees C
  2. Aging - +/-0.5PPB per day
  3. Warm Up Time - 10PPB in 10 minutes
  4. The date shows a typical drift of 30 microseconds in 24 hours when the temperature is held +/-5 degrees C.

How close is the synchronization of the output to the input signal? Example: DCLS IRIG-B in and AM out.

Less than 5 microseconds.

Can we put an OCXO in the GS-301 to get a 10MHz sine wave?

Yes, we offer an OCXO and 10MHz upgrade option for the GS-301. Specs are:

  1. Temp Stab - +/-3PPB, -40 to +85 Degrees C
  2. Aging - +/-0.5PPB per day
  3. Warm Up Time - 10PPB in 10 minutes
  4. The date shows a typical drift of 30 microseconds in 24 hours when the temperature is held +/-5 degrees C.