The Use of GPS Disciplined Oscillators as Primary Frequency Standards for Calibration Laboratories

Published

August 4, 2008

Author(s)

Michael A. Lombardi

Abstract

Many calibration and testing facilities now employ a Global Positioning System disciplined oscillator (GPSDO) as their primary frequency standard. GPSDOs have the advantage of being much less expensive than cesium oscillators, and in theory, serve as "self-calibrating" standards that should not require adjustment or calibration. This makes them an attractive choice for many laboratories. However, there are some performance characteristics that make a GPSDO less suitable for some applications than a cesium. This paper explores the use of GPSDOs in calibration laboratories. It discusses how GPSDOs work, how measurement traceability can be established with a GPSDO, and how their performance can vary significantly from model to model. It also discusses possible GPSDO failure modes, and why a calibration laboratory needs to be able to verify whether or not a GPSDO is working properly.

Proceedings Title

Proc. NCSLI Conf.

Conference Dates

August 3-7, 2008

Conference Location

Orlando, FL

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

calibration, frequency, GPS, traceability, uncertainty

Citation

Lombardi, M. (2008), The Use of GPS Disciplined Oscillators as Primary Frequency Standards for Calibration Laboratories, Proc. NCSLI Conf., Orlando, FL, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=842470 (Accessed May 12, 2026)

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