Calculation method about frequency measurement error when using 53131A to measure 1Hz signal

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)SummaryExplain how to calculate frequency measurement error when using 53131A to measure 1Hz signal.QuestionHow does user calculate frequency measurement error when using 53131A to measure 1Hz signal?AnswerGenerally speaking, users can do it using the instrument’s standard time base, medium-stability time base (Option 001), or  high-stability time base (recommended) and the following instrument settings: Gate Time: 1 second Auto Trigger: off Level: 50% By selecting “Assumptions” you can view the assumptions the calculator uses in its calculations. The first assumption listed is the total measurement error equation: Measurement Error =  Systematic Uncertainty + 2  * RMS Resolution Because the time base error term in the Systematic Uncertainty equation is dominant (much larger than the other terms in the equation) and much larger than the RMS resolution, the measurement error is effectively, the time base error. By selecting “Details” as shown above, you can see the calculated time base error. For the medium-stability time base selected, the time base error, thus the measurement error (accuracy) is 3.6 ppm. For comparison, when calculating the accuracy of measuring a 1 Hz signal using the standard time base and high-stability time base, you can get the following: Standard Time Base: 8.6 ppm High-Stability Time Base: 0.1825 ppm