Environmental Effects and Control Systems for GPS Disciplined Clocks (GPSDC)

Published

May 15, 2023

Author(s)

Andrew Novick, Demetrios Matsakis, John Clark

Abstract

GPSDCs are sensitive to their environment in many ways, and the susceptibility varies with different GPSDC designs. In the short term, temperature shocks can perturb the frequency of the disciplined local oscillator, causing shifts in the time output. Assuming the GPS receiver module is not separately impacted, GPSDC will return to its steady-state time and frequency setpoint at least until the next environmental shock. We have tested three commercially available GPSDCs with varying results. Performance of these devices in various conditions will be described along with mitigation strategies, including variance of the control loop parameters.

Proceedings Title

Proceedings of the Joint Conference of the IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium and the European Frequency and Time Forum 2023

Conference Dates

May 16-19, 2023

Conference Location

Toyama, JP

Conference Title

Joint Conference of the IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium and the European Frequency and Time Forum

Pub Type

Conferences

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1109/EFTF/IFCS57587.2023.10272190

Local Download

Keywords

time, GPS, metrology, GPSDC, temperature

Citation

Novick, A. , Matsakis, D. and Clark, J. (2023), Environmental Effects and Control Systems for GPS Disciplined Clocks (GPSDC), Proceedings of the Joint Conference of the IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium and the European Frequency and Time Forum 2023, Toyama, JP, [online], https://doi.org/10.1109/EFTF/IFCS57587.2023.10272190, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=936909 (Accessed October 9, 2025)