Frequently Asked Questions - General
- How can the FireFox Synthesizers offer such high performance for such a low price?
- How did you decide what features to include in the FireFox synthesizers?
- How long does the FireFox system take to warm up?
- Why is there no power switch on the FireFox?
- 1. How can the FireFox Synthesizers offer such high performance for such a low price?
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From the outset the FireFox synthesizers were designed for the lowest cost possible while still beating competitive units in quality. They eliminate unnecessary features the competition may offer, yet focus on providing the best quality essential features that customers need. The FireFox synthesizers use the latest RF chips, Microprocessors, PLD’s and discrete components available on the market to significantly reduce the component count and thus cost, while simultaneously increasing the units’ reliability. Other reasons are that Jackson Labs offers and supports these units directly from the factory, and does not have to maintain a bloated administrative, or advertising overhead.
- 2. How did you decide what features to include in the FireFox synthesizers?
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A team of engineers each with decades of development experience designed the FireFox synthesizers. The engineers asked themselves what features they would like to see and use on a laboratory bench-top instrument most. The requirements’ documents were thus designed with real-life applications in mind, and not with a focus on making marketing documents look good. Extensive customer feedback was then incorporated to fine-tune the instruments’ performance, features, and firmware. Feel free to contact Jackson Labs to offer your feedback, requirements, suggestions, and questions.
- 3. How long does the FireFox system take to warm up?
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The FireFox system typically warms up to within 10-8 within 15 minutes. Its specified operating parameters and GPS lock are typically achieved in less than 5 hours from a cold start when receiving satellites in position hold mode.
- 4. Why is there no power switch on the FireFox?
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The FireFox is designed for permanent power-on to achieve its rated accuracy. Cold power-on requires ca. 5 hours of operation to achieve UTC lock, and the unit is kept operating to avoid this initial delay. In order to stay locked to UTC, the OCXO oscillator receives constant drift corrections from the GPS timing receiver. Over time the drift errors of the OCXO and the GPS receiver will decrease, and the system errors that need to be corrected will thus decrease as well. The unit only has to lock to UTC once after power-up, and will remain locked as long as GPS signals are received and power is supplied. Power consumption is typically low at 18W when operating from 110V AC, and less than 10W when running from a 12V DC supply.