Time & Frequency Solutions Ltd

Precision Timing for Mission Critical Applications

Time & Frequency Solutions have the widest and most advanced range of cost-effective precision time synchronisation and frequency synchronisation solutions for global applications.

We provide synchronisation solutions in all industries where accurate time and frequency is required. We have over thirty years experience in the time and frequency industry, and take pride in ensuring our products meet three critical factors; flexibility, compatibility and reliability.

Time and Frequency Requirement in Military Applications

•Secure Communications
•Range Timing
•Radar Event Tagging
•Command & Control
•Security
•Satellite Ground Stations
•Space Centre Launch Systems

Military Secure Communications

Military communications are by nature required to be highly secure and extremely reliable. Therefore very specialised time codes are necessary to ensure data stability and to provide adequate protection from attempts to intercept data.

Secure communications systems also require accurate and stable frequency references to ensure that either spread-spectrum or frequency-hopping radio systems remain locked when used in anti-jam mode. Time & Frequency Solutions offer Have Quick to ensure that communications always remain secure.

Launch Systems & Telemetry Data Tagging

The ground segments of space systems use precise time to trigger mission-critical events, including launch, booster rocket firing and re-entry. Time is also used to tag telemetry data for subsequent analysis.

Similarly, Military and Aerospace test ranges use time for telemetry data tagging. The profusion of differing types of telemetry equipment and the wide use of legacy systems in this industry means that most ranges use time in a multiplicity of formats, known as timecodes.

The Inter-range Instrumentation Group developed a number of these in the late 1950s and early 1960s particularly for range timing and countdown applications. Known as “IRIG” timecodes, after the initials of the group that developed them, these are available in a wide number of formats. In the US, NASA has developed a similar range of timecodes for Aerospace and Test Range applications.

Security

The security services also use accurate time, in the form of timecodes, to tag intercepted voice and data traffic. Known colloquially as XR3 and 2137 these timecodes are similar in form to the IRIG and NASA codes but differ in speed and code.

Our highly versatile products offer a cost effective means of providing accurate time to a complex, multi-vendor IT system. Due to the product flexibility, we can provide solutions whatever your requirement.

Time & Frequency Products

The range includes:

•time and frequency standards and master clocks
•modular ‘build your own’ timing systems
•bus-level timing boards
•serial and frequency distribution systems
•frequency monitors
•time displays including LED and analogue clocks
•network time protocol (NTP) and precise time protocol (PTP) servers
•dual redundant and triple redundant changeover systems

TFD8000 Ruggedised Ultra-Precision Modular Time & Frequency Distribution System

The TFD8000 is a powerful and versatile time and frequency distribution system designed for applications where a wide variety of high precision analogue and digital time and frequency signals are required. It is suitable for a wide range of high-end industrial and military applications.

The TFD8000 incorporates many features essential in maintaining mission-critical military systems:

•Ruggedised construction
•Hot swappable modules
•Modular platform
•Most modules are hot swappable so no down time for replacement
•Various levels of redundancy can be accommodated
•Can be configured for various space envelopes
•Sophisticated built-in monitoring and alarms
•Highly Stable frequency source

The sophisticated design of the equipment ensures high-speed digital pulse rates, timecodes and network interfaces are available together with low phase noise analogue frequencies in a single instrument.