Comments on: 16 Tube Nixie Clock

By: Enci

Enci — Mon, 02 May 2011 21:20:42 +0000

New job, young baby and some demanding personal development have put the squeeze on my hobby time. Sorry folks, I have a real lack of time at the moment.

The date and time extraction is pretty simple. In Europe or North America you should be able to pick up a “local” amplitude modulated time signal. I recommend purchasing a cheap “radio controlled” clock and removing the demodulator ( ferrite and small circuit board). The cheaper the clock, usually the higher the probability the demodulator ferrite and PCB is separate inside.

The easy bit is to simply feed that demodulated signal into an A/D port of a microcontroller. Then it is fairly trivial to write the software to decode ( you will need to know the format of your time signal, usually it is BCD encoded and takes 60 seconds to transmit the date, time and set a few other special flags).

If you don’t want to use a microcontroller then prepare to use a great deal of logic. It is not impossible, but it will take you a considerable amount of time to complete, and would certainly be far out of the realms of a beginner.

Never used a microcontroller? Take a look at the Arduino.. jump in!

By: Marty

Marty — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 03:30:55 +0000

Very impressed. Share please

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:25:24 +0000

What a great clock – the best of the type I have seen. The earlier post by John O’Loughlin is correct that there are not any decent instructions anywhere on the web for date and time type, especially with radio controlled automatic update.
Is there any chance of putting up more details if the clock’s inner workings and parts list? I would love to build one!
Cheers
Mark

By: Enci

Enci — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:29:25 +0000

John, I’ll be putting some information online in the next couple of weeks. I havent had much time recently.

Mike, the post illumination is accidental. For some reason they appear isolated from the anode grid. Driving the posts is as simple as driving them as a numeral but at a much lower current.

I have an update pending. I managed to locate some red perspex with a tint I liked. The clock looks great in clear or red. Pictures soon.

By: mike

mike — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:47:23 +0000

How did you drive the posts as colons? Looks like IN-12a / B5991 type tubes, and the posts connect to the anode screen. Is it a matter of reversing the anode/cathode connections, then adjusting the drive voltage so the screen doesn’t glow?

By: John O'Loughlin

John O'Loughlin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:06:15 +0000

This is the type of nixie clock I am planning to build, the type with date as well as time. There are absolutely no instructions anywhere on how to build this type, do you have the time to publish instructions, both for the beginner but also with schematics? A list of componants and where to purchase perhaps? I have to say well done, this is the best nixie clock I’ve ever seen.

By: Enci

Enci — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:11:31 +0000

The sandwich pcb layering worked well. I was lucky with the case!

No plans to sell it as a kit, sorry. I might consider making one up as a special.

An external timebase is certainly an option I can put in.

The red filter idea is a good one, and yes it would give the clock a more retro look. I’ll get a piece cut down and try it out. Check back soon.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 08:31:38 +0000

Great clock, any plans to sell it as a kit? Are there any plans or possibilities to connect a 1 PPS input to use a 10 MHz Rubidium frequency standard?

I think if you made a housing with red perspex filter, it would emphasise the numbers allowing tube drive power reduction and hide any tube poisoning. Not to mention a more Retro look.

cheers,
Christopher

By: nixiehr

nixiehr — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:28:20 +0000

With such design it will definitely catch attention for decades. Beautiful work, especially “sandwich” PCBs.

By: Enci

Enci — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:30:34 +0000

Thank you! I am very pleased with it.