GPS Time Server
All 31 satellites of the Global Positioning System (GPS) have an inbuilt highly accurate atomic clock. Is a GPS receiver synchronized to several GPS satellites, a nanosecond accurate time signal can be calculated from it.
A GPS time server utilizes the GPS receiver as a reference time source and distributes the received absolute time throughout the network. By using a time server with NTP the GPS signal looses its timing accuracy, it is therefore rather reasonable to use an IEEE1588 time server in combination with a GPS receiver, since PTP is able to distribute the highly accurate GPS time signal.
All Meinberg time servers are available with a GPS receiver. Meinberg's innovative up/down converter technology allows the user to install the GPS antenna up to 600 m away from the GPS receiver. Like this critical installations as in production halls or skyscrapers can be performed.
Meinberg Time Server with GPS Receiver:
- M150/GPS GPS time server without LC-Display
- M250/GPS Cost effective time server in 1U desktop housing
- M320/GPS Flexible and customizable GPS time server with LC-Display in 1U, 19 inch rackmount housing
- M450/GPS Versatile GPS time server in railmount form factor with LC-Display and keypad
- M900/GPS Expandable modular GPS time server platform - 3U BGT housing, LCD Display
- M1000/GPS High End GPS time server im 1U rackmount case with LC-Display and function keys
Advantages of GPS synchronized time servers:
- worldwide satellite based synchronization
- high accuracy of up to +/-20ns
- relatively fail-safe by 31 active GPS satellites
Disadvantages of GPS time servers:
- Always unobstructed "view" to the sky of the antenna
- Cable length for L1 GPS antenna with low loss is only about 30 m (Meinberg GPS time servers of up to 700 m)
- Dependency of an operator (USA)