Specifications

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Star Card
Specifications

Star Sync GPS Specifications

ClockCard PCI Specifications

 Star Sync includes the Heavy Duty Receiver and PCI ClockCard

ClockWatch Star Sync
Specifications

 

Heavy
Duty

Received Frequency 1575.42 MHz (L1)
Coarse Acquisition (C/A)
Satellites Tracked up to Twelve, simultaneous
Acquisition Time Cold start, typically less than 20 minutes. Warm start with ephemeris data and position, typically less than 2 minutes.
Accuracy Typical
Network: ±30 millisecond typical
Inputs/Connectors RS-232 Setup Interface: DB9 female
The port works at 19200 baud, 8N1.
Power 115 VAC to 5 VDC @ 0.3 amps,  UL/CSA approved power adapter (supplied). An international power supply (90-264 VAC input) is available for applications outside North America at no extra charge. 
Warranty One year 
Weight  1.3 lbs. (0.59 kg)
Temperature 32° to 122° F, 0° to 50°C operating range, 0 to 95% relative humidity, non condensing
Antenna
Size 

Size: 2.22" (w) x 3.79" (l) x 1.05" (h) (56.4mm x 96.3mm x 26.7mm)

Weight: 3.88 oz. (110 g), not including cable

Cable:  10' of  antenna cable.  Mounting brackets available separately. 

Temperature  -30° to +80° C operating range 
 

 

Standard
Duty
Receiver:
  • Differential-ready 12 parallel channel receiver tracks and uses up to twelve satellites to compute and update a position.

Acquisition Times:

  • 15 seconds warm (all data known)
  • 45 seconds cold (initial position, time and almanac known, ephemeris unknown)
  • 5 minutes AutoLocate (almanac known, initial position and time unknown)
  • 5 minutes search the sky (no data known)

Update Rate:

  • 1 pulse per second (+/-1 microsecond subject to Selective Availability), continuous

Antenna:

  • Built in

Physical

  • Single construction integrated antenna/receiver
  • Weight: 125 g, including cable
  • Size: 61 mm in diameter and 19.5 mm in height

Environmental

  • Operating Temperature: -30°C to +80°C
  • Storage Temperature: -40°C to +90°C
Power
  • Input Voltage: 120 VAC to 5 VDC volt power supply (included), International power supply is also available
  • Typically draws 60 mA @ 5 VDC

Backup Power

  • Internal 3V Lithium coin cell battery, recharges during normal operation, holds up to  6 month charge, up to 10 year life
Portable Receiver
  • Differential-ready 20 parallel channel receiver tracks and uses up to twenty satellites to compute and update a position.

Acquisition Times

  • 35 seconds warm (all data known)
  • 42 seconds cold (initial position, time and almanac known, ephemeris unknown)
  • 5 minutes Auto Locate (almanac known, initial position and time unknown) 5 minutes search the sky (no data known)

Update Rate

  • 1 pulse per second (+/-1 microsecond subject to Selective Availability), continuous

Antenna

  • Built in patch antenna
  • Single construction integrated antenna/receiver

Physical

  • Weight: 115 g, including cable
  • Size: 42 x 35 mm and 15 mm in height
  • Integral magnetic mount
  • LED
    Blue blinking LED when GPS is fixed

Environmental

  • Operating Temperature: -40°C to +85°C
  • Storage Temperature: -55°C to +100°C

Interface

  • RS-232 (DB 9-pin male serial port)
  • Port parameters: 9600 baud (8,1,n)

Input Voltage

  • 3.3 to 5 VDC
  • USB (type-A plug) power cable (included)
    Typically draws 62 mA @ 5 VDC

Backup Power

  • Internal battery, recharges during normal operation, allows for fast time to first fix (TTFF)
     
Client Software
  • An NIST or NTP client is required for client-side synchronization with the network time server.
  • ClockWatch Client  is recommended for clients running MS Windows.
  • Contact Beagle Software for recommendations on clients for other operating systems.
External Time Sync Protocols Supported
  • NIST
  • Daytime
  • ACTS
  • NTP (RFC 1305)
  • SNTP (RFC 1361)
  • TIME (RFC 868)
Internal Time Sync Client Protocols Supported
  • NIST
  • Daytime
  • NTP (RFC 1305)
  • SNTP (RFC 1361)
  • TIME (RFC 868)

For more information


Star Sync Product Information:
  Advanced Features
  Frequently Asked Questions about GPS
  Star Sync GPS Receiver
    Installation Information - Installation Video
    Antenna Mounting Options
 

Star Sync Main Page
Star Sync Site Index

Questions?

For more information on Star Sync, please complete the information request form.  Or call us toll-free at 1-877-845-2549.


 

ClockCard Technical Specifications

PCI version

ISA version
 

PCI CARD
Setup
  • Address: plug and play compatible
  • Interrupt: None required
Operating Systems
  • Windows 98SE/ NT/2k/2003*/XP*
    *32-bit versions only. Not currently supported on 64-bit platforms or on any versions of Windows Vista
Bus
Clock
  • Power control circuitry supports system power on from date/time alarm or key closure
  • Century register, Y2K–compliant
  • Date alarm register
  • Compatible with existing BIOS
  • Timekeeping algorithm includes leap year compensation valid up to 2100
Oscillator
  • Temperature-Compensated 32 KHz Crystal Oscillator
  • Meets the 1998 European network server recommendation for real-time clock (RTC) accuracy.
  • The steady 32.768 kHz output of the DS32KHz maintains the accuracy of the real-time clock within 2 PPM (±1 minute) per year from 0 to 40°C
  • Temperature Stability: < 2 PPM 0 - 40 °C
  • Calibration: < 1 PPM @ 23 °C (room temperature)
  • Aging: < 1 PPM
Battery
  • Includes replaceable lithium  battery for backup power.
  • Battery is lithium thionyl chloride, high drain capability 3.6V AA-sized cell. It has a 2.25Ah rated capacity. Battery will operate reliably up to 85C, and has a self discharge rate of less than 0.5% a year. Has a stainless steel container and hermetic glass-to-metal sealing. Widely used in  military, aerospace and technical service.
  • Battery Life: approximately 5 years without host computer power.
     
Dimensions
  • PCI card - 4.5" l x 4.0" h

 

ISA CARD
Setup
  • Address: User selectable with jumpers (6 possible DMA addresses)
  • Interrupt: None required
Operating Systems
  • Windows, DOS (no drivers required)
Bus
  • ISA bus, short (8 bit) slot. 
Clock Resolution
  • 0.01 seconds
Oscillator
  • Temperature Stability: < 5 PPM 0 - 50 °C
  • Calibration: < 1 PPM @ 23 °C (room temperature)
  • Aging: < 1 PPM
Power Requirements
  • 35 mA @ 5Vdc
Battery
  • Includes integral lithium  battery for backup power
  • Battery Life: approximately 5 years without host computer power.
Dimensions
  • half height ISA card - 4.8" l x 3.0" h

 

 

Temperature Compensation in the PCI version Oscillator

The ClockCard PCI includes a temperature compensated 32KHz oscillator DS32KHz is a highly  accurate replacement for standard 32.768-kHz crystals commonly used in real time clocks (RTC).  

The oscillator provides accuracy at ±1 minute per year (±2 parts per million) in operation from 0 to 40°C, making it one of the industry's most accurate 32.768-kHz oscillators.

Accurate timekeeping is very important in network servers that have lots of PCs connected to them, With timed-access communications, there's a need for accuracy and synchronization. When a great deal of information is coming in and every system time-stamps it differently, more accurate references are needed.

Nobody puts an RTC in a system and expects it to keep inaccurate time. Most people don't understand why a $9.95 watch can keep accurate time but a $3,000 PC and a $20,000 server can't. Watches keep good time because they're trimmed to operate at body temperature. The inside temperatures of most computer chassis vary more than few degrees.

Most other Real time clocks are calibrated to keep time accurately at 25°C. If internal computer temperatures are hotter or colder, the clocks run more slowly. Accuracy over temperature typically depends on crystal characteristics, and higher accuracy over temperature is achievable by trimming the crystal.  Accuracy needs to be repeatable day in and day out Timekeeping in computers that operate at elevated temperatures can be significantly inaccurate. The effect of temperature on accuracy is cumulative; it is not self-correcting.

Inside the ClockCard PCI oscillator package are a quartz crystal and a temperature-compensation IC. The compensation IC employs low current oscillator technology and  thermal-sensing technology. It is this temperature compensation that gives the overall precision of the PCI ClockCard in the 2 PPM range.

ClockCard PCI meets the precision timekeeping requirements of large computer networks, financial transaction processing applications, and timed-access communications.
 

Oscillator Error, ISA version

The precision of the ClockCard is entirely dependent on the quality of the oscillator circuit. There are three sources of error in the oscillator:  (1) calibration error, (2) temperature stability, and (3) aging.  Understanding these will allow you to estimate the precision of the ClockCard in your application.

Calibration error:  The ClockCard oscillator is calibrated at the factory to within 1 PPM part per million) of its specified frequency at room temperature (23° C or 73° F).

Temperature Stability:  The frequency of oscillation of crystal oscillators is highly dependent on temperature. The oscillator used in the ClockCard has an extremely low temperature dependency of 5 PPM from 0° C to 50° C (32° F to 122° F).  Since the oscillator is calibrated to 1 PPM at room temperature (23 °C), it will only exhibit 1 PPM error if its environment is held to this temperature. The worst case condition is if the temperature of the ClockCard is held at one of the extremes, 0 or 50 °C. At these points, there will be an error of 5 PPM. If the temperature variation covers a smaller span, less error will be exhibited.

Aging:  All crystal oscillators have an aging characteristic. The crystal used in the ClockCard uses the coldweld manufacturing technique, which exhibits the lowest aging characteristic of 1 PPM per year.  In practice, this aging rate improves significantly with time, but for practical purposes the value of 1 PPM is adequate.

To estimate the error in your application, sum the error from the three sources above. This estimate can be used to determine how frequently the time should be updated using Beagle Software's ClockWatch or another method.

Parts Per Million (PPM) Terminology

The unit PPM (parts per million) provides a number similar to error expressed with percentages, but reduces the number of decimal places required.  For example, 0.001% converts to 0.00001which is equivalent to 10 PPM.  Using the PPM notation makes it easier to deal with very small deviations.

The PPM terminology is also useful for calculating ClockCard error in terms of seconds per month. Since an average month has approximately 2.63 million seconds, if the ClockCard error was 2 PPM, then total error for the month would be 2 x 2.63 = 5.26 seconds.

ClockCard Product Guide
ClockCard Product List
ClockCard Main Page

 

For more information

Star Card Product Information:
  Advanced Features
  Specifications - Installation information
 
  Star Sync GPS Receiver
     GPS installation video
     Antenna Mounting options  - Troubleshooting

     International options -  Support
 
  Star Sync User's Guide
 
ClockCard User's Guide

 Star Sync Site Index -
 Frequently Asked Questions about GPS

 

Questions?

For more information on Star Card, please complete the information request form.  Or call us toll-free at 1-877-845-2549.

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Copyright © 2007 Beagle Software. All rights reserved
Last reviewed March 19, 2008