High Accuracy Time Transfer Synchronization

Abstract

In July 1994, the US Naval Observatory (USNO) Time Service System Engineering Division conducted a field test to establish a baseline accuracy for two-way satellite time transfer synchronization. Three Hewlett-Packard model 5071 high performance cesium frequency standards were transported from the USNO in Washington, DC to Los Angeles, California in the USNO's mobile earth station. Two-Way Satellite Time Transfer links between the mobile earth station and the USNO were conducted each day of the trip, using the Naval Research Laboratory(NRL) designed spread spectrum modem, built by Allen Osborne Associates(A0A). A Motorola six channel GPS receiver was used to track the location and altitude of the mobile earth station and to provide coordinates for calculating Sagnac corrections for the two-way measurements, and relativistic corrections for the cesium clocks. This paper will discuss the trip, the measurement systems used and the results from the data collected. We will show the accuracy of using two-way satellite time transfer for synchronization and the performance of the three HP 5071 cesium clocks in an operational environment.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1994
Accession Number
ADA496085

Entities

People

  • Angela Davis
  • Anthony Kubik
  • David Chalmers
  • Paul Koppang
  • Paul Wheeler
  • William Powell

Organizations

  • United States Naval Observatory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Acquisition
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Calibration
  • Clocks
  • Data Acquisition
  • Department Of Defense
  • Doppler Effect
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Modulation
  • Frequency Standards
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Measurement
  • Observatories
  • Standards
  • Time Interval Counters
  • Time Intervals

Readers

  • Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology.
  • Radio communications and signal processing.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites