Nixie Tube Clock ‘Halo’
Issue 3 (01 Nov 2018)
www.pvelectronics.co.uk
- 30 -
8.3 Setting Up for First Reception.
1. Ensure the correct setting has been applied to Config 12:
1 = DCF
3 = MSF
2. For the first tests, ensure Config 25 is set to value 1, to make the HV
converter switch off for synchronisation. This stops any noise created by
the HV converter.
3. Set Config 14 - 17 for your location's time zone offset from the
transmitter.
4. Connect the receiver, and place horizontally by a window, broadside on
to the transmitter as far as is possible.
5. Wait until after dark, and preferable the early hours.
6. Command a manual seek, by pressing the middle 'Adj' button. The
tubes should switch off. The LED on the receiver module will now not be
affected by the HV converter, and after 15-30 seconds start to flash
regularly, showing the one pulse per second data from the transmitter.
If your Module's red LED does not start to flash regularly, go back and
check 1-6. of this section. If the red LED does not flash regularly, you will
not get synchronisation!
7. At the start of the minute, the clock should start collecting data, and if
so it will start flashing the green LED rapidly. Look for any LED activity at
the start of the minute, using a known time source as the reference.
8. After 60 seconds of gathering data, the clock will illuminate the green
LED, set the time and switch the tubes back on.
9. Once the system has been seen to work correctly, you can experiment
with the antenna in different locations, and it may be possible to have the
tubes stay on for time synchonisation.
10. Many other electrical applicances such as TVs and mobile phones
reception when in close proximity. Metal objects cause reception problems
too Place and design your case so the antenna is as far away from the
PCB as possible.