NASA's Got the Time
Kirt's Cogitations™ #111

RF Cafe University "Factoids," "Kirt's Cogitations," and "Tech Topics Smorgasbord" are all manifestations of my ranting on various subjects relevant (usually) to the overall RF Cafe theme. All may be accessed on these pages:

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NASA's Got the Time

If the old cesium and rubidium clocks were not accurate enough for you, contact NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Their newest design is a low-friction model. It seems previous containers of the ionized atoms used to gauge the passage of time would rob energy from the atomic system, thereby introducing errors. The new device uses an ion trapping field, which holds a wad of ionized mercury atoms in a near frictionless volume for a more perfect count. You can set your watch by this one; it is accurate to within one minute every 10 billion years.

Crane Aerospace & Electronics (RF & Microwave) - RF Cafe

RF Cafe began life in 1996 as "RF Tools" in an AOL screen name web space totaling 2 MB. Its primary purpose was to provide me with ready access to commonly needed formulas and reference material while performing my work as an RF system and circuit design engineer. The World Wide Web (Internet) was largely an unknown entity at the time and bandwidth was a scarce commodity. Dial-up modems blazed along at 14.4 kbps while tying up your telephone line, and a lady's voice announced "You've Got Mail" when a new message arrived...