Tīma 2P/2R GPS Master Clocks: Reference Manual

tīma 2P/2R GPS Master Clocks
Reference Manual
tima-reference-en v3.14
20099
Copyright Notice
All information provided in this document is the property of mergedK.
mergedK grants its customers or potential customers the right to download,

copy, store and print this document for the sole purpose of assisting them in
the correct application of the products mentioned in this document.
All other uses of this document are expressly prohibited.
Trademark Property Notice

tīma and mergedK are registered trademarks of mergedK GmbH.
Contents Disclaimer
Although the information and recommendations in this document are pre-
sented in good faith and believed to be correct as of publication date, mergedK
makes no representations as to the completeness or accuracy thereof.
In no event shall mergedK be responsible for damages of any nature resulting

from the use of or reliance upon the contents of this document.
Continuous Improvements
Products developed by mergedK are continuously improved. The information
in this document may, therefore, be out of date.
Please make sure you have the latest release of this document before pro-
ceeding by checking its name and revision code. This information is printed
on the front cover of this document, underneath the title. The latest release
of this document can be downloaded from https://downloads.mergedk.com.
Alternatively, you may contact mergedK at any of the addresses provided on
the rear cover of this document.
Contents
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Product Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.3 Firmware Versions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.4 Applicable Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.5 Part Number (SKU) and Serial Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.6 Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.7 Attention, Caution, Danger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.8 General Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2 Installation 5
2.1 Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.2 Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.3 Power Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.4 Antenna Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.5 Decommissioning and Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3 Operation 11
3.1 Front Panel Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.2 Power Up Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.3 Equipment States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.4 Web Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4 Configuration and Equipment Log 17
4.1 The Configuration File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.2 The Log Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.3 Access using SFTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.4 WinSCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.5 Other SFTP Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

5 Settings 21
5.1 General Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

5.2 GPS Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5.3 Time Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.4 Out-of-bounds Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.5 NTP Access Restrictions and Strata Specification . . . . . . . . . 22

5.6 Serial Time Strings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5.7 Output Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5.8 Display Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.9 Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.10 Virtual LANs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.11 SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.12 Access Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6 Troubleshooting, Maintenance, Equipment Return 29
6.1 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.2 Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.3 Returning a Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
A Ordering Codes (SKUs) 31
B Technical Specifications 33
C Mechanical Dimensions and Panel Cutouts 37
D Time Strings 39
E Daylight Saving Time Rules 43
F Firmware Upgrade Procedure 47
G Sample Configuration File 49
ii tīma 2P/2R GPS Master Clocks Reference Manual

1 Introduction
1.1 Product Description
tīma GPS Master Clocks are specifically developed for application in protec-
tion, automation and control of power systems.
The master clocks provide GPS-derived synchronization signals in different

formats and protocols for use by, among others, protection relays, phasor-
measurement units, revenue meters, fault recorders and fault locators.
Signals can be distributed over a dedicated wiring (copper or fiber optic) or

using network-based protocols such as NTP/SNTP.
A bright dot matrix display on the front of the unit provides feedback to sub-
station personnel and allows for easy checking of correct configuration of time
zones and daylight saving times.
Status can also be monitored remotely using a web browser.
1.2 Key Features
• 60 ns (99%) maximum time deviation
• single or dual 10/100Base-T Ethernet
• RS232 and RS422/485 serial port with PPS output, supports most com-
monly used time strings
• timing signal generators for IRIG-B, PPS or PPM signals
• up to six additional outputs (isolated hi-power electrical or optical fiber)
• supports NTP/SNTP
• built-in SNMP agent, with trap generation
• dry contact for remote signaling
• antenna cable delay compensation
• user-configurable rules for daylight-saving-time (DST)
• leap second announcement
1.3 Firmware Versions
Information in this manual applies to firmware revisions 0125-xxx and later.

The firmware revision is displayed on the unit’s dot matrix display for a couple
of seconds immediately after power up.
The newest firmware versions and up-to-date versions of this document can
be downloaded from https://mergedk.download.
1.4 Applicable Models
tīma Master Clocks are available in two chassis versions: a narrower one that
supports only one expansion card (tīma 2P) and a wider one that supports
three expansion cards and redundant power supplies (tīma 2R).
Each chassis in turn can be ordered with two different front panel heights:
1U (44 mm, 1.75 in) or 1.5U (66 mm, 2.625 in).
The tīma 2P chassis (figure 1.1) have SKUs in the form 120XXXX (1U front panel)
and 125XXXX (1.5U front panel).
LOCKED
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM
GPS MASTER CLOCK

tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM
SERVICE
10033
10041
GPS MASTER CLOCK SERVICE
10041
10033
Figure 1.1: tīma 2P chassis with 1U and 1.5U front panels
The tīma 2R chassis (figure 1.2) have SKUs in the form 130XXXXXXX (1U front
panel) and 135XXXXXXX (1.5U front panel).
LOCKED
tīma 2R HOLD OVER
ALARM
GPS MASTER CLOCK
10058
SERVICE
10058
tīma 2R
LOCKED
HOLD OVER
ALARM
10066
10066
Figure 1.2: tīma 2R chassis with 1U and 1.5U front panels
There are no differences between the models apart from the ones described
above. All information in this document applies to all tīma GPS Master Clock
models.
1.5 Part Number (SKU) and Serial Number
Part number (SKU) and serial number are stated on the label at the top cover
of the master clock, see figure 1.3.
1.6 Unpacking
Unpack the product carefully and make sure that all pertinent parts like an-
tennas and surge arresters are put aside so they will not be lost.
Check the contents against the packing list. If any of the contents listed are
missing, please contact mergedK immediately (see contact information at the
rear cover of this document).
Examine the product for any shipping damage. If the product is damaged,
notify the shipping company without delay. Only the consignee (the person
or company receiving the unit) can file a claim against the carrier for shipping
damage.
2 tīma 2P/2R GPS Master Clocks Reference Manual

20123
Figure 1.3: SKU and serial number location
1.7 Attention, Caution, Danger

The following symbols are used through this document:
Paragraphs marked in this way contain important information for the correct
ATTENTION → installation and operation of the equipment.
Paragraphs marked in this way contain information which, if not properly fol-
CAUTION → lowed, may cause damage to the equipment and/or installation.
Paragraphs marked in this way contain information which, if not properly fol-
DANGER → lowed, may cause personal injury or even death.
1.8 General Safety Instructions

Installation and operation of the products described in this manual is only
DANGER → to be performed by personnel that has been trained or is knowledgeable in
substation protection, automation and control.
This reference handbook is an integral part of the scope of delivery and pro-
vides basic instructions for installation and operation of the equipment here
described. Shall additional information be needed, please contact mergedK
at any of the addresses provided on the rear cover of this document.
Do not open or disassemble the product unless instructed to do so by mergedK.

ATTENTION → The warranty will be void if the product is disassembled or otherwise handled
inappropriately.
Introduction 3
2 Installation
2.1 Rear Panel
Due to its modular architecture, tīma master clocks have different rear panels.
Refer to your unit’s SKU and to the information in appendix A (page 31) to find
out which configuration is applicable. See section 1.5 on page 2 to locate your
unit’s SKU.
The label on the top cover of the equipment always reflects the particular con-
figuration of the unit and can be used to determine the correct allocation of
all connectors and signals, see figure 2.1 for an example.
20073
mergedK GmbH • Reuchlinstr. 10-11 • 10553 Berlin • Germany • www.mergedk.com
POWER SUPPLY ALARM GPS SERIAL ETHERNET ISOLATED OUTPUT

ANTENNA A
18-72 Vdc dry 50 Ω active

max 10 VA contact antenna 10/100 Zi = 15 Ω
Base-T max. 200 mA
S/N 11553021 • SKU 125 111 5
max 3.3 Vdc

300 mA max 100 mA
TX485+ •
TX485- •
PPS485+ •
PPS485- •
@ 300 Vdc
UNFUSED!
Made in Germany
OUT1
•
• PPS232
• TX232
• OUT1+
• OUT1-
• GND1
+ -
• GND
• GND
• OUT1
•
• • • • •
GPS- L1
10082
Figure 2.1: Example of rear panel and associated equipment label
2.2 Mounting
tīma master clocks have been designed to be mounted on a 19” rack (tīma 2R
models only) or on the front panel of a cabinet (tīma 2P and 2R models). In both
cases, the unit should be mounted using four M6x15 screws (not included).
If mounting a unit on the front panel of a cabinet, refer to appendix C on

page 37 for the recommended panel cutout.
2.2.1 Clearances
Allow adequate clearance for all connections on the rear panel.
Make sure that the clearances provided for the antenna cable respect the
specified minimum bending radius. Minimum bending radius depends on the
cable used, see section B.4 (page 35) for applicable values.
If the minimum bending radius of the antenna cable is not respected its impedance
ATTENTION → might be altered, compromising the units performance.
2.2.2 Environment
Make sure that temperatures inside the cabinet do not exceed the limits stated
ATTENTION → in section B.1.10 (page 34). Appropriate heating or cooling measures must be
provided to guarantee that this requirement is met at all times.
Also, air humidity should respect the limits described in section B.1.10 (page 34).
2.3 Power Connections

There are two power supply models available for the tīma master clocks. Please
refer to your unit’s SKU and to the information in appendix A (page 31) to de-
termine which power supply is installed. See section 1.5 on page 2 to locate
your unit’s SKU.
Alternatively, use the information provided on the label located on the top
cover of the equipment, see figure 2.2.
Make sure that the voltage provided by the power source is within the limits
specified in section B.1.3 (page 33).
Do not proceed with the installation until you are sure that the correct power
CAUTION → source is being used.
POWER SUPPLY POWER SUPPLY
18-72 Vdc 80-300 Vdc

max 10 VA 85-264 Vac 50/60Hz
max 10 VA
+ - F/+ N/-
• • • • • •
10074
Figure 2.2: Examples of power supply information on equipment’s top cover
All power connections should use 1.5 mm2 (16 AWG) cross section insulated
flameproof flexible cables and use the header connector supplied with the
equipment. To reduce the risk of electrical shock, pre-insulated pin terminals
should be used on the ends of the power connections.

If using an unit with redundant power supplies, repeat the above steps for the
second power supply.
A 1.5 mm2 (16 AWG) ground lead shall be connected to the terminal marked
DANGER → with the protective earth symbol to protect the operator against the risk of
electrical shock.
2.3.1 Fusing Requirements
If compliance with IEC 61010 is required, install an external bipolar circuit

ATTENTION → breaker or switch near the unit so that both current-carrying conductors of
the power supply are interrupted.
DO NOT interrupt the protective earth conductor.
The use of a 10 A, category C, IEC 60947-2 compliant, bipolar circuit breaker

with an interruption capacity of at least 25 kA is recommended.
If using an unit with redundant power supplies, use a separate circuit breaker
or switch for the wiring of the second power supply.
2.3.2 Equipment Grounding
For optimal electromagnetic compatibility, use a grounding wire with at least

ATTENTION → 6 mm2 (10 AWG) cross section to connect the grounding bolt at the rear panel
of the unit to a good ground point on the mounting cabinet, see figure 2.3.
20115
Figure 2.3: Grounding bolt location
2.4 Antenna Installation

tīma master clocks require an active antenna in order to track GPS satellites.
mergedK recommends using the antenna provided with the unit (SKU 90 02 01 5),
but any other active antenna that can be powered from 3.3 Vdc (100 mA max-
imum) can be used. Contact mergedK on any of the addresses provided at
the back cover of this document for further information if you wish to use a
different antenna.
2.4.1 Antenna Location
Mount the antenna outdoors, with the radome pointing skywards and with an
unobstructed view of the sky. As far as possible, mount the antenna above any
surrounding buildings.
Installation 7
A partially obstructed sky view might delay or even prevent the initial GPS fix
ATTENTION → required to start operation of the master clock.
2.4.2 Antenna Mounting
The antenna has a threaded base that allows it to be mounted through any
hole with a 12 or 13 mm (1⁄2 in) diameter. Maximal thickness of the mounting
base is 4 mm (1⁄6 in).
There is a 50 cm (20 in) long antenna cable routed through the threaded base
with a BNC female connector at its end permanently attached to the antenna.
When mounting the antenna, pay attention that the weather seal is placed
ATTENTION → close to the antenna base and that the lock washer is placed on the same side
as the nut.
2.4.3 Antenna Cables
The antenna has to be connected to the master clock by using a 50 Ω coaxial

cable with BNC male connectors at both ends.
The antenna cable should be routed through a conduit, shielded from rain
ATTENTION → and/or solar radiation. The conduit should not be shared with any power ca-
bling.
Total cable attenuation should be less than 45 dB. If using mergedK supplied
cables, following maximum lengths can be achieved:
External Maximum
Cable Attenuation Diameter Length
RG 58 C/U 100 dB/100 m 5 mm 40 m
Aircell 5 39 dB/100 m 5 mm 100 m
Aircell 7 27 dB/100 m 7 mm 150 m
LMR-400 17 dB/100 m 10 mm 250 m
Contact mergedK on any of the addresses provided at the back cover of this
document to order cables cut to length or if you require help selecting an
antenna cable.
2.4.4 Surge Arrester
To avoid lightning damages to the master clock, a Gas Discharge Coaxial Surge
Arrester (SKU 90 02 05 6) should be installed at the building or cabinet en-
trance.
Mount the surge arrester using a ‘L’-shaped bracket (not included) and ground
ATTENTION → it using a cable with a cross section of, at least, 6 mm2 (10 AWG). Use the same
ground-point as the master clock to avoid ground-rise-potential damage.
Connect the surge arrester to the master clock using a 50 Ω coaxial cable with
BNC male connectors at both ends.
Contact mergedK at any of the addresses shown in the back cover of this doc-
ument if you need additional coaxial cables to connect the surge arrester to
the master clock.
2.5 Decommissioning and Disposal

There are no batteries inside of the tīma master clocks and all components
are ROHS compliant.

Nevertheless, dispose of the equipment in a safe, responsible and environ-
mentally friendly manner, observing all applicable country-specific regula-
tions.
Avoid incineration or disposal to water courses at all costs.
Installation 9
3 Operation
3.1 Front Panel Indicators

The unit’s front panel comprises a dot matrix display and three LED indicators.
3.1.1 Dot Matrix Display
The dot matrix display will show different information, depending on the equip-
ment state.
Startup: Immediately after power-up, the display shows the firmware version:
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM
10090
During startup the display shows a progress bar and a percentage indicator.
The whole startup process takes around 30 seconds.
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM
10108
At the end of the startup sequence, the unit will display the IPv4 address as-
signed to Ethernet port A. This may be:
• the address defined in the configuration file (see section 5.9, page 26)
• an address obtained from a DHCP server in the local network (if no ad-
dress is defined in the configuration file)
• a self-assigned link-local address in the address block 169.254.0.0/16 (as

defined in RFC 3927) if no address is defined in the configuration file and
if no DHCP server is active on the local network
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM

10116
First lock: After startup, the dot matrix display will show the number of currently tracked
satellites. At least 4 satellites are needed to obtain a first fix. Additionally
almanach and ephemeris data must be downloaded from the satellites and
the UTC offset must be determined.
Ephemeris data has to be downloaded from each satellite, this requires several
minutes of strong signal from the tracked satellites.
The UTC offset is broadcast only once every 12 minutes, so that additionally
up to 12 minutes may pass before first lock is achieved, longer if the sky view
is partially obstructed.
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM
10124
Normal operation: During normal operation the display will show date, time and/or time zone
information. Several formats are available, see section 5.8 on page 25 for de-
tails.
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM
10033
10033
Alarm: If an alarm is detected (e.g. antenna cable open), the display will show the
corresponding alarm message.
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM
10132
3.1.2 Locked indicator
Blinking green: Unit is searching for satellites for the first GPS fix. Dot matrix display shows
number of satellites currently tracked.
Solid green: Time reported by the unit is locked to atomic clocks on board the GPS satel-
lites. Dot matrix display shows local time, date and/or time zone, as config-
ured.
3.1.3 Holdover indicator
Solid yellow: Time reported by the unit is derived from the internally temperature compen-
sated crystal oscillator. Error estimates are continuously compared to the user
defined thresholds.
If the first error threshold is exceeded, the unit will generate a LOW QUALITY
alarm but will continue to report and show time.
If the second error threshold is exceeded, the unit will generate a BAD TIME
alarm and stop showing and reporting time.
3.1.4 Alarm indicator
Solid red: A level 2 alarm has been raised in the equipment and requires operator atten-
tion. The dot matrix display will report the alarm cause.
3.2 Power Up Sequence

tīma’s power up sequence is shown in figure 3.1.
After power is applied to the unit, a brief short test is performed whereby the
Alarm indicator lights up for less than a second. Then the firmware version is
briefly shown on the dot matrix display, while the Holdover indicator is lit.
After that, the firmware will be loaded. This takes around 30 seconds. During
this time a progress bar and a percentage indicator will be shown on the dot
matrix display.

STATE INDICATORS DISPLAY OUTPUTS ALARM CONTACT
POWER
off off none on (closed)
OFF
SELF Alarm blinks once

firmware version none on (closed)
TEST Holdover on
progress bar
STARTUP off followed by none on (closed)
IP address
number of satellites
NOTIME Locked blinks none on (closed)
being tracked
number of satellites
GPSFIX Locked blinks none on (closed)
being tracked
LOCKED Locked on local time as configured off (open)
1. power applied
2. self test (2 seconds)
3. firmware load and initialization (approximately 30 seconds)
4. satellites acquired, almanach and ephemeris data downloaded
5. determined UTC offset (up to 12 minutes, longer if antenna poorly located or weak signal)
Figure 3.1: Power up sequence
At the end of the firmware load, the IP address assigned to Ethernet port A
will be briefly shown on the dot matrix display, but only if a network cable is
plugged in.
The equipment will now start tracking satellites. During this phase, the number
of satellites being tracked is shown on the dot matrix display. At least 4 satel-
lites are needed to obtain a first fix. Additionally almanach and ephemeris
data must be downloaded from the satellites and the UTC offset must be de-
termined.
Ephemeris data has to be downloaded from each satellite, this requires several
minutes of strong signal from the tracked satellites.
The UTC offset is broadcast only once every 12 minutes, so that additionally
up to 12 minutes may pass before first lock is achieved, longer if the sky view
is partially obstructed.
Operation 13
Once all needed information is obtained and the internal oscillator is adjusted
in phase and frequency, the equipment will enter the Locked state. Only now
will the unit start displaying the local time on the dot matrix display and dis-
tributing time over the outputs, as configured.
3.3 Equipment States

After first lock has been achieved (see section 3.2), tīma master clocks will be
in one of four states (see also figure 3.2):
STATE INDICATORS DISPLAY OUTPUTS ALARM CONTACT
LOCKED Locked on local time as configured off (open)
4 1
Locked off
4 HOLDOVER local time as configured off (open)
Holdover on
4 2
LOW Locked off

local time as configured on (closed)
QUALITY Holdover on
Locked off
BAD
Holdover off ‘bad time’ message none on (closed)
TIME
Alarm on
1. satellites signal too weak, not enough visible satellites

2. estimated time accuracy below threshold 1 (default is 500 µs)
3. estimated time accuracy below threshold 2 (default is 1 second)
4. reacquired enough satellites
Figure 3.2: Equipment states
Locked: Enough GPS satellites are being tracked, the internal oscillator is locked in
time, frequency and phase to the atomic clocks on board the satellites.
Calibration factors for the internal oscillator are derived and kept up-to-date.
Holdover: Not enough satellites can be tracked to compute a solution. Time, frequency
and phase are derived from the internal oscillator.
An error estimate is constantly updated and compared against two user-defined

thresholds.
Low quality: Time, frequency and phase are still derived from the internal oscillator. How-
ever, the error estimate is greater than the first user-defined threshold value.
A level 1 alarm is raised to signal to the user that the first error limit has been
exceeded. The default value for this threshold is 500 µs. See section 5.4 on
page 22 for information about how to change this to a different value.
Bad time: The error estimate is greater than the second user-defined threshold value.

The equipment will raise a level 2 error and stop generating time signals. The
dot matrix display will show a corresponding message.
The default value for this threshold is 1 s. See section 5.4 on page 22 for infor-
mation about how to change this to a different value.
Normal operation, with time signal generation and display, is resumed as soon
as enough satellites are re-acquired and the error estimate drops below the
user-defined threshold.
3.4 Web Interface

tīma master clocks provide a web interface with a dashboard showing all rel-
evant information, see figure3.3. This is a read only page, no sensitive infor-
mation is displayed.
The page can be accessed by pointing a web browser to the IP address of the
equipment. Only requirement is that the browser supports HTML5 and java-
script.
30015
Figure 3.3: tīma’s dashboard
Operation 15
4 Configuration and Equipment Log
This chapters describes the configuration and log files of tīma master clocks
and ways to access them.
See chapter 5 on page 21 for a description of the settings and how they affect
the behavior of the master clock.
4.1 The Configuration File
tīma’s configuration file is a single text file (or ASCII file), segmented into Sec-
tions. In each section there are one or more Variables. Values are assigned
to variables using the equal sign (‘=’).
The structure is very similar to the INI files used in Microsoft Windows, see
appendix G for a sample configuration file.
tima.cfg The configuration file is named tima.cfg. It can be downloaded/uploaded

using the SFTP protocol (user “cfg”, see section 4.3). Some SFTP clients, like
WinSCP (see section 4.4), also allow on-line editing of the configuration file.
If editing off-line, use only “pure text” editors (like Notepad on Windows).
Do NOT use a word-processor (like Microsoft Word or Wordpad) to edit the

ATTENTION → configuration file. Word processors insert hidden formatting characters that
will not be correctly interpreted by the master clock.
Sections and variables are case insensitive, any combination of upper and
lower-case letters will be accepted. Most values are also case insensitive, the
exception being passwords.
Blank characters (ASCII 32) and tabs (ASCII 08) can be freely used to improve
the legibility of the configuration file.
4.1.1 Sections
The configuration file is segmented into Sections, declared by the following

syntax:
[SectionName]
i.e. the section name enclosed in square brackets, alone on a line. Sections
names are case insensitive.
Section names should be kept on a line of their own. Comments (see below)
ATTENTION → are NOT allowed on lines with section names.
4.1.2 Variables and Values
In any section there are one or more variables, declared with the following
syntax:
Variable = value
Variable names are case insensitive.
The value is any character on the right side of the equal sign.
Quotes can be used to enclose the values, but they are not required.
If no quotes are present, the value is understood as containing all characters

between the first and the last non-blank characters before the comment.
If quotes are present, the value is understood as containing all characters be-
tween the quotes, with the quotes themselves not being considered to be part
of the value.
The following declarations are identical:
Hello = "this is a long string value"

Hello = this is a long string value
4.1.3 Comments
Lines starting with a hash sign (‘#’) are considered to contain comments and
discarded by the master clock:
# This is a comment, notice the hash sign
Comments can also be given on value lines using a semicolon. Everything after
the semicolon up to the end of the line is ignored by the master clock:
SomeVariable = some_value ; this is also a comment
4.1.4 Blank Lines
Blank lines (i.e. lines containing only blanks or tabs) can be used to visually
separate the sections of the configuration file and increase readability.
4.2 The Log Files

There are two log files in the master clock:
tima.log This file registers major events in the master clock, like power-up, first lock,
transitions to and from HOLDOVER, LOWQUALITY and BADTIME, configuration
file changes and firmware upgrades.
cfg.log This file contains the configuration history of the equipment.
Log files are “rotated” after reaching a size of 1 MByte: tima.log is renamed
into tima.log.1, tima.log.1 is renamed into tima.log.2 and so on. The
tenth file (tima.log.10) is erased.
The same happens with the cfg.log file.
All log files can be downloaded using the SFTP protocol (user “log”, see sec-
tion 4.3).
4.3 Access using SFTP

tīma master clocks use SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) to provide access
to the configuration file, the log files and to perform firmware upgrades.
The server runs on port 22 (the default port for SFTP).
Following usernames are defined:

Username Default Password Files
cfg cfg tima.cfg (read/write)
log log tima.log and cfg.log (read only)
fw fw see Appendix F
On the Windows platform, we suggest the use of WinSCP (refer to the sec-
tion 4.4 for details), but any other program that supports SFTP can be used.
4.4 WinSCP
WinSCP can be downloaded from https://downloads.mergedk.com or from the

WinSCP developer’s website (http://winscp.net).
You can download an installation package or, instead, use the “portable” exe-
cutable. This is just a .EXE file that can be copied and run whitout needing to
install anything.
When the program is started, you will be prompted for a hostname, username
and password, see figure 4.1.
Figure 4.1: WinSCP login window 30023
For the hostname, enter the IP address of the master clock1 .
Use the suggested values for Port number (22) and File Protocol (SFTP).
Enter the appropriate username and password in the corresponding fields, see
section 4.3.2
After entering hostname, username and password, press the Login button.
If this is the first time that WinSCP is connecting to this particular master clock,
you will see a warning about this being an “unknown server”, see figure 4.2.
Select “Yes” to add the host key to the cache of known keys.
After accepting the master clock’s fingerprint you will see a screen similar to
Windows Explorer: on the left side are the files stored locally on your machine
and on the right are the files on the master clock.
1
This IP address is shown briefly at the end of the equipment startup sequence, see section 3.2
on page 12 for details.
2
See section 5.12 on page 27 for information on changing the default passwords.
Configuration and Equipment Log 19

30031
Figure 4.2: WinSCP warning window
You can click and drag from either window to copy files between your computer
and the equipment.
You can also use the built-in editor to edit the configuration file on-line. Changes
in the configuration file become active as soon as the file is saved or closed.
4.5 Other SFTP Clients

On Mac OS X, use Cyberduck3 or ForkLift4 . You can also use the built-in com-
mand line sftp client.
On Linux, use FileZilla5 or the built-in command line sftp client.
There are also several SFTP clients for the iOS (for example, Transmit6 ), Android
and Windows Mobile platforms.
3
https://cyberduck.io
4
http://www.binarynights.com/forklift/
5
https://filezilla-project.org
6
https://panic.com/transmit-ios/

5 Settings
This chapter describes the master clock’s settings. See chapter 4 on page 17
for the syntax of the configuration file and instructions on how to access it.
5.1 General Settings

The parameters in this section allow the definition of identifier, location and
contact strings for the unit. These strings are shown on the web-based dash-
board and reported as sysName, sysLocation and sysContact over SNMP.
They are also included in all log files.
[GENERAL] General parameters are defined in section [GENERAL].
IDENTIFIER User-defined identifier for the equipment, up to 30 characters long. Default is

tima-<serialnr>.
LOCATION User-defined string for the equipment location, up to 30 characters long.
CONTACT User-defined contact string (Email or telephone) for the equipment, up to 30

characters long.
5.2 GPS Receiver

The parameter ANT_DELAY can be used to compensate the propagation delay
in the antenna cable.
Additionally, it is possible to force the equipment to operate in a “fake” mode,

where reception of GPS signal and atenna connection are simulated. This can
be usefull during comissioning work, where the equipment is required to op-
erate before antenna installation has been completed.
[GPS] GPS related parameters are defined in section [GPS].
ANT_DELAY Value (in nanoseconds) that corresponds to the delay introduced by the an-
tenna cable, typically 4 ns/m (1.2 ns/ft).
The exact delay can be computed by:
1
t= ×l
c × Kv
where c = 3 × 108 m/s is the light speed, Kv is the velocity factor of the cable
being used and l is the cable length in meters. Kv is 0.82 for the Aircell 5
cable and 0.85 for the Ecoflex 10 plus cable. For other cables, refer to the
corresponding datasheet.
Default value is 60 ns, which corresponds to a 15 m (50 ft) antenna cable.
FAKEGPS If TRUE, antenna connection and reception of GPS signals is simulated by the
unit.
The time reported by the unit will not be correct if FAKEGPS is enabled. Make
ATTENTION → sure to set FAKEGPS to FALSE (alternatively, delete or comment-out the line
from the configuration file) before normal operation.
5.3 Time Zone
The parameters in this section allow the equipment to derive local time from
UTC. If a daylight saving time (DST) rule is specified, summertime changes will
be performed automatically.
[TIMEZONE] Time zone parameters are defined in section [TIMEZONE].
OFFSET OFFSET is the time value that has to be added to the local time to get UTC
during standard (not daylight saving) time.
OFFSET is positive if the local time zone is west of the Prime Meridian and
negative if it is east.
STD_NAME Time zone abbreviation during standard time. Should not be shorter than 3
letters. Only the first 4 characters are used, default is “UTC”.
DST_NAME Time zone abbreviation during daylight saving time. Only the first 4 characters
are used, default is blank.
DST_RULE During daylight saving time, local time is one hour ahead of standard time.
DST_RULE should be one of NONE, US, EUROPE (or EUROPE_C), EUROPE_W,

EUROPE_E, BRAZIL, or CUSTOM. Default is NONE.
See appendix E on page 43 for details about each of the daylight saving time
rules above.
DST_BEGIN Only used if DST_RULE = CUSTOM. See section E.6 on page 44 for syntax.
DST_END Only used if DST_RULE = CUSTOM. See section E.6 on page 44 for syntax.
Example: Configuration for a master clock in Central Europe:
[TIMEZONE]
OFFSET = -01:00 ; one hour east of Greenwich
STD_NAME = CET ; central european time
DST_NAME = CEST ; central european summer time
DST_RULE = Europe
5.4 Out-of-bounds Limits

The parameters in this section configure the user defined out-of-bounds limits.
All values are in milliseconds. Valid values are from 0.001 (1 microsecond) to
4000 (4 seconds).
See section 3.3 on page 14 for an explanation of how these limits affect equip-
ment operation.
[LIMITS] out-of-bounds limits are defined in section [LIMITS].
LOWQUALITY threshold for the LOWQUALITY alarm, default is 0.5 ms (500 µs).
BADTIME threshold for the BADTIME alarm, default is 1000 ms (1 s).
5.5 NTP Access Restrictions and Strata Specification

Parameters in this section allow fine tuning NTP (the Network Time Protocol).
[NTP] Section name for NTP fine tunning.
RESTRICT Restricts access to the NTP service to hosts in the specified address range.
The subnet should be specified using CIDR (classless inter-domanin routing)

notation in the form A.B.C.D/n where /n is the network prefix (the number
of significant bits used to identify a network). Only /8, /16, /24 or /32 are
recognized as network prefix.
For example, RESTRICT = 192.168.0.0/24 restricts accesss to hosts in the

range 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.0.255.
STRATUM_HOLDOVER Stratum to be reported by the NTP service during HOLDOVER. Values between
0 and 4 are accepted, default is 0.
STRATUM_LOWQUALITY Stratum to be reported by the NTP service during LOWQUALITY. Values between
0 and 9 are accepted, default is 0.
STRATUM_BADTIME Stratum to be reported by the NTP service during BADTIME. Values between 0
and 14 are accepted, default is 0.
5.6 Serial Time Strings

Parameters in this section allow the configuration of the time reported at the
serial port. The configured time string is sent once per second shortly (a few
milliseconds) after the UTC second rollover.
[SERIAL] Serial port parameters are defined in section [SERIAL].
TIMESTRING Selects contents of time string sent over the serial port.
Possible values are NONE (serial port is disabled), GPZDA, MEINBERG, SAT, SELB1,
SELB5, SELB6, SELB8 or TRUETIME. Default is NONE.
See appendix D on page 39 for a detailed description of each TIMESTRING.
BITRATE The speed at which the time string will be transmitted.
Valid values are 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200 or 38400 bits per second (bps).
Default is 9600.
FORMAT The number of data bits, parity and stop bits to use for the messages trans-
mitted.
Specified using a three-character shortcut in the form dps, where

d number of data bits 7 or 8
p parity N (none), E (even), O (odd)
s number of stop bits 1 or 2
Default is 8N1.
TIMEBASE Selects if the time reported in the time string is local time (LOCAL) or UTC time
(UTC), default is LOCAL.
If LOCAL is selected, it will be subject to the daylight saving time rules. UTC
time ignores daylight saving time rules.
PPS This parameter selects which PPS pulse refers to the time reported in the time
string.
Possible values are CURRENT or NEXT, default is CURRENT.
If CURRENT is selected, the time string will contain the time stamp of the “cur-
rent” PPS pulse, see figure 5.1. This is probably the right configuration if the
time string is not being latched by the PPS signal on the receiving device.
If NEXT is selected, the time string will contain the time stamp of the next PPS
pulse (figure 5.2). This configuration allows the use of the PPS signal to latch
the reported time in the receiving device.
Settings 23
time 12:34:56 12:34:57 12:34:58 12:34:59
UTC second rollover

PPS
time reported in time string 12:34:56 12:34:57 12:34:58 12:34:59
Figure 5.1: Reported time with option PPS = CURRENT
time 12:34:56 12:34:57 12:34:58 12:34:59
UTC second rollover

PPS
time reported in time string 12:34:57 12:34:58 12:34:59 12:35:00
Figure 5.2: Reported time with option PPS = NEXT
POLARITY Configures the polarity of the PPS signal (NORMAL or INVERTED), default is
NORMAL. The pulse width is fixed at 200 ms.
UTC second rollover

TX
NORMAL PPS
INVERTED PPS
Figure 5.3: NORMAL and INVERTED PPS signals
Example: Configuration for a revenue meter, where the time zone and daylight saving
time rules are defined in the revenue meter. No PPS signal is used:
[SERIAL]
TIMESTRING = TRUETIME
BITRATE = 9600 ; default, could be omitted
FORMAT = 8N1 ; default, could be ommited
TIMEBASE = UTC
5.7 Output Signals

This section allows the configuration of the timing signals that will be gener-
ated at the outputs 1 through 6 of the master clock. The number of outputs
depends on the model (tīma 2P has up to 2 outputs, tīma 2R up to six) and the
SKU of the unit purchased.
See appendix A on page 31 for information about how to interpret the SKU and
determine the number and type of outputs available in your unit.
[OUTPUTn] Outputs are defined in sections [OUTPUT1] through [OUTPUT6].

SIGNAL Configures the type of signal that will be generated on OUTPUT n. Valid values
are OFF, PPS, PPM and IRIG-B004. Default is OFF.
SIGNAL = OFF Output is disabled.
SIGNAL = PPS A pulse with 200 ms width is generated once per second. The rising edge of

the pulse marks the second rollover.
SIGNAL = PPM A pulse with 200 ms width is generated once per minute. The rising edge of
the pulse marks the minute rollover.
SIGNAL = IRIG-B004 IRIGB is a pulse-width modulated time signal encoding whereas the time/date
information is encoded using 100 bits per time frame. The time frame is re-
peated every second.
POLARITY Configures the polarity of the signal at OUTPUT n. Valid values are NORMAL
and INVERTED. Default is NORMAL.
5.8 Display Settings
This section configures the information presented on the dot matrix display.
[DISPLAY] The settings are in section [DISPLAY].
MODE Selects the information that is shown on the dot matrix display during nor-
mal operation. Possible values are 1 (day-of-year + HH:MM:SS), 2 (HH:MM:SS
+ STD_NAME/DST_NAME), 3 (HH:MM:SS + OFFSET), 4 (day-of-month month +
HH:MM:SS) or 5 (HH:MM:SS + number of satellites used in solution).
Default is 1 (day-of-year + HH:MM:SS).
MODE = 1 Displays day-of-year (001 to 366) and local time:
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM
10140
MODE = 2 Displays local time and the appropriate time zone abbreviation (STD_NAME
during standard time, DST_NAME during daylight saving time):
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM
10157
MODE = 3 Displays local time and the current time zone offset (OFFSET during standard
time, OFFSET plus one hour during daylight saving time:
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM

10165
MODE = 4 Displays day-of-month, month and local time:
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM

10173
MODE = 5 Displays local time and the number of satellites used in the solution:
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM

10215
Settings 25
5.9 Network
The network parameters for the Ethernet port can be explicitly declared (see
below) or left blank1 to force the equipment to get the network parameters
from a DHCP server.
[NETWORK] Network parameters are defined in the section [NETWORK]
IPADDR IPv4 address in the form a.b.c.d
NETMASK Network mask in the form a.b.c.d
GATEWAY IPv4 address of gateway in the form a.b.c.d
To use a fixed IP address, all fields fields above have to be specified, otherwise
the equipment will reverto to using DHCP.
Example: To force the master clock to use IP address 192.168.0.50 in a class C private
network with a gateway located at 192.168.0.1, place the following in the con-
figuration file:
[NETWORK]
IPADDR = 192.168.0.50
NETMASK = 255.255.0.0
GATEWAY = 192.168.0.1
5.10 Virtual LANs

This section allows the definition of Virtual LANs (VLANs), a broadcast domain
that is partitioned and isolated at the data link layer.
[VLANid] VLANs are specified using sections in the form [VLANid], with id being any num-
ber from 1 to 4094. As many as 4094 VLANs can be defined. VLANs can’t use
DHCP.
IPADDR IPv4 address in the form a.b.c.d
NETMASK Network mask in the form a.b.c.d
GATEWAY IPv4 address of gateway in the form a.b.c.d
Example: To define a VLAN with id 100 and assing the IP addres 192.168.2.10 in a class C
private network with a gateway located at 192.168.2.1, place the following in the
configuration file:
[VLAN100]
IPADDR = 192.168.2.10
NETMASK = 255.255.0.0
GATEWAY = 192.168.2.1
5.11 SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)

This section allows configuration of the built-in SNMP agent. There are sepa-
rate configurations for SNMPv1, SNMPv2c and SNMPv3 protocol versions.
The associated MIB (SNMP Management Information Base) file can be down-
loaded using a web browser from the equipment’s HTTP dashboard.
[SNMPv1] Section name for SNMPv1 parameters.
RO_COMMUNITY Read-only community string for SNMPv1. Default is blank (access is disabled).
1
or commented out

[SNMPv2c] Section name for SNMPv2c parameters.
RO_COMMUNITY Read-only community string for SNMPv2c. Default is blank (access is disabled).
TRAP_COMMUNITY Trap community name for SNMPv2c traps.

TRAP_HOST1 / TRAP_HOST2 IPv4 trap destination address (or adresses), specified in the form a.b.c.d.
[SNMPv3] Section name for SNMPv3 parameters.

AUTH_NAME User name for read-only access using SNMPv3. Default is blank (disabled).
AUTH_KEY Password for read-only access using SNMPv3.
AUTH_PROTOCOL Authentication protocol to use when validating AUTH_NAME and AUTH_KEY.

Possible values are MD5 or SHA. Default is MD5.
5.12 Access Passwords

This section allows the user to change the passwords for configuration, logs
and firmware upgrade. See section 4.3 on page 18 for the accounts associated
with these passwords.
Enclosing passwords in double quotes is optional. If you choose to do so,
please note that the double quotes will be discarded and will not be part of
the password.
The default passwords are very weak ones. They are provided only as a con-
ATTENTION → venience for initial setup and should be changed before the equipment is de-
ployed.
Choose robust passwords, do not use the same password for different units.
It is also recommended that the firmware upgrade password be made distinct
from the configuration password.
[ACCESS] Access passwords are defined in section [ACCESS].

CFG The password that allows reading and writing the configuration file. Default
password is “cfg”.
LOG The password that allows download of the equipment log files. Default pass-
word is “log”.
FW The password that allows upload of firmware upgrade files. Default password
is “fw”.
Settings 27
6 Troubleshooting, Maintenance, Equipment Return
6.1 Troubleshooting
Problem Possible causes

ant. open message no antenna connected
Alarm LED on antenna cable defective
surge arrester defective
wrong antenna connected
ant. short message short-circuit in antenna cable or connector
Alarm LED on antenna cable defective
surge arrester defective
wrong antenna connected
bad time message poor antenna location
Alarm LED on
6.2 Cleaning
Before cleaning the equipment make sure that the primary voltage has been
DANGER → disconnected.
Should it be necessary to clean the exterior of the equipment, use only a dry
cloth.
To avoid damages to the electrostatically sensitive electronic parts, no clean-
ing of internal parts should be performed.
6.3 Returning a Unit

To return a unit for service, please contact mergedK at any of the addresses
found on the back cover of this document and obtain an equipment return
code (ERC).
Please do not return a unit to mergedK whitout an ERC. mergedK can’t track
ATTENTION → units returned whitout an ERC and will not assume any responsibilities in this
case.
The equipment shall be sent in its original package or an equally suitable one
in order to protect it against impacts and moisture.
Send the unit to the address supplied in the ERC. Please include sender’s iden-
tification and ERC on the outside of the package.
Appendix A Ordering Codes (SKUs)
A.1 tīma 2P
SKU 1 2 □ □ 1 □ □
Front panel height 1U 0
1.5U 5
Power supply 18–72 Vdc 1
80–300 Vdc / 85–264 Vac 2
Expansion card none 0
single isolated output 1
dual isolated outputs 2
dual open collector outputs 3
dual fiber outputs (ST connectors) 4
dual fiber outputs (FC connectors) 5
quad open collector outputs 9
Check digit X
A.2 tīma 2R
SKU 1 3 □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
Front panel height 1U 0
1.5U 5
Power supply 1 18–72 Vdc 1
80–300 Vdc / 85–264 Vac 2
Power supply 2 none 0
18–72 Vdc 1
80–300 Vdc / 85–264 Vac 2
Ethernet ports single port (copper, RJ45 connector) 1
additional port (copper, RJ45 connector) 2
Expansion card 1 none 0
dual fiber outputs (ST connector) 4
dual fiber outputs (FC connector) 5
Check digit X

Appendix B Technical Specifications
B.1 GPS Master Clock
B.1.1 GPS receiver
• 16-channel GPS receiver

• L1 (1575.42 MHz) signal, C/A code
• active antenna, up to 250 m [820 ft] cable length
• -162 dBm tracking sensitivity
• single-satellite operation supported
• 60 ns accuracy (99 %)
• antenna cable open and short-circuit detection
• BNC coaxial connector (female)
B.1.2 Internal oscillator
• digital temperature compensated oscillator (DTCXO)

• 0.1 ppm typical drift
• user-defined out-of-bounds alarm
B.1.3 Power supply
• operating voltages: 18–72 Vdc or 80–300 Vdc / 85–264 Vac (50/60 Hz)
• power consumption: 7 VA max (tīma 2P), 10 VA max (tīma 2R)
B.1.4 Alarm dry contact
• normally closed (opens to signal alarm)

• breaking capacity: 300 mA @ 300 Vdc (resistive load)
B.1.5 Isolated electrical outputs
• 5 V and RS422/RS485 signal levels

• 200 mA drive capability at 5 V level
• up to 50 m [160 ft] cable
• 15 Ω output impedance
• fully-isolated from remaining outputs
• protected against short-circuit and overload
• BNC coaxial connector (for 5 V level signal) and/or 5.08 mm [0.2 inch]
pitch connector (for 5V and RS422/RS485 level signals)
B.1.6 Open collector outputs
• 250 V max load voltage

• 100 mA max load current
• current limit protection
• fully-isolated from remaining outputs
• pin header connector
B.1.7 Fiber-optic outputs
• 820 nm wavelength
• optical power: -15.8 dBm into 50/125 µm fiber
(-12 dBm into 62.5/125 µm fiber)
• up to 1500 m [1600 yards] multimode optical fiber
• ST or FC connectors
B.1.8 Ethernet
• single or dual 10 / 100 Mbps ports for configuration, monitoring and

time-based protocols
• VLAN IEEE 802.1Q support
• embedded NTP/SNTP server (protocol version 4), configurable access
restrictions and strata levels
• SNMP agent, with trap generation (protocol versions v1, v2c and v3)
• RJ45 connectors
B.1.9 Serial output
• RS232 and RS422/485 signal level

• 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400 bps
• 7 or 8 data bits, 1 or 2 stop bits
• none, even, odd parity
• 5.08 mm [0.2 in] pitch connector (includes PPS signal)
B.1.10 Environmental
• rated for operation from -40 to +85 °C [-40 to +185 °F]

• 5 to 95%, non-condensing relative humidity
• IP40-rated enclosure protection
B.1.11 Dimensions, Weight
tīma 2P:
• width x depth: 269 mm [10.6 in] x 141 mm [5.6 in]

• front panel height: 1U (44 mm, 1.75 in) or 1.5U (66 mm, 2.625 in)
• unit weight: 1.4 kg [3.1 lb]
• shipping dimensions: 400 x 200 x 100 mm3 [15.8 x 7.9 x 3.9 in3 ]
• shipping weight: 2.5 kg [5.5 lb]
tīma 2R:
• width x depth: 483 mm [19 in] x 141 mm [5.6 in]

• front panel height: 1U (44 mm, 1.75 in) or 1.5U (66 mm, 2.625 in)
• unit weight: 2.3 kg [5.1 lb]
• shipping dimensions: 600 x 200 x 100 mm3 [23.6 x 7.9 x 3.9 in3 ]
• shipping weight: 3.5 kg
B.1.12 Type tests
• IEC 61000-4-2: Electrostatic discharge immunity test

• IEC 61000-4-3: Radiated, radio-frequency, electromagnetic field
immunity test (80 – 2500 MHz)
• IEC 61000-4-4: Electrical fast transient/burst immunity test
• IEC 61000-4-5: Surge immunity test
• IEC 61000-4-6: Immunity to conducted disturbances, induced by
radio-frequency fields (0.15 – 80 MHz)

• IEC 61000-4-11: Voltage dips, short interruptions and voltage variations
immunity tests
• IEC 60255-5: Insulation coordination for measuring relays and
protection equipment
B.2 Antenna
• GPS L1, Glonass G1 active antenna
• 50 Ω impedance
• +28 ±3 dB typical gain
• 3.0 to 5.0 ±0.3 V supply voltage
• 15 mA typical current consumption (at 5.0 V)
• temperature range: -55 a +85 °C [-67 to +185 °F]
• relative humidity: up to 95%
• water-proof (IP-67 rated)
• UV resistant
• weight: 100 g [3.5 oz]
• 0.5 m [20 in] cable length
• BNC coaxial connector (female)
B.3 Surge Arrester

• type: gas discharge
• spark-over voltage: 90 V
• maximum discharge current: 20 kA
• insertion loss: less than 0.2 dB
• temperature range: -55 a +85 °C [-67 to +185 °F]
• relative humidity: 5 to 95%, non-condensing
• weight: 100 g [3.5 oz]
• BNC coaxial connectors (female)
B.4 Antenna Cables
RG58 C/U Aircell 5 Aircell 7 LMR-400

maximum length 40 m 100 m 150 m 250 m
external diameter 5 mm 5 mm 7.3 mm 10.3 mm
attenuation @ 1.5GHz 100 dB/100 m 39 dB/100 m 27 dB/100m 17 dB/100 m
min bending radius 25 mm 25 mm 25 mm 25 mm
weight 36 g/m 36 g/m 72 g/m 100 g/m
pulling strength 56 daN 12 daN 2 daN 7 daN
DC resistance 53 Ω/km 34 Ω/km 17 Ω/km 10 Ω/km
velocity factor 0.66 0.82 0.83 0.85
connectors BNC (male) BNC (male) BNC (male) BNC (male)
temperature range -35 to +80 °C -55 to +85 °C -30 to +80 °C -40 to +85 °C
[-31 to +176 °F] [-67 to +185 °F] [-22 to +176 °F] [-40 to +185 °F]
Technical Specifications 35
Appendix C Mechanical Dimensions and Panel Cutouts
C.1 tīma 2P
221.0 mm [8.70 in]
TOP 140.8 mm [5.54 in]
269.2 mm [10.60 in]
31.8 mm [1.25 in] 1U FRONT 44.0 mm [1.73 in]
252.0 mm [9.92 in]
269.2 mm [10.60 in]
31.8 mm [1.25 in] 1.5U FRONT 66.0 mm [2.60 in]
252.0 mm [9.92 in]
225.0 mm [8.86 in]

6.5 mm [0.25 in]
31.8 mm [1.25 in] PANEL CUTOUT 48.0 mm [1.89 in]
252.0 mm [9.92 in]

10017
C.2 tīma 2R
434.4 mm [17.10 in]
TOP 140.8 mm [5.54 in]
482.6 mm [19.00 in]
31.8 mm [1.25 in] 1U FRONT 44.0 mm [1.73 in]
465.0 mm [18.31 in]
482.6 mm [19.00 in]
31.8 mm [1.25 in] 1.5U FRONT 66.0 mm [2.60 in]
465.0 mm [18.31 in]
439.0 mm [17.28 in]

6.5 mm [0.25 in]
31.8 mm [1.25 in] PANEL CUTOUT 48.0 mm [1.89 in]
465.0 mm [18.31 in]

10025

Appendix D Time Strings
D.1 NMEA GPZDA

$GPZDA,hhmmss.00,DD,MM,YYYY,SZZ,zz*CC<CR><LF>
When TIME = UTC is selected in the [SERIAL] section of the configuration file,
the contents are:
hh UTC hours 00–23
mm UTC minutes 00–59
ss UTC seconds 00–59
DD UTC day-of-the-month 01–31
MM UTC month 01–12
YYYY UTC year 2000–2099
SZZ local zone hours +00 to ±13
zz local zone minutes 00 to 59
CC checksum two hexadecimal digits representing the result
of the XOR of all characters between ‘$’ and ‘*’
(‘$’ and ‘*’ not included in the computation)
<CR> carriage-return ASCII 13d
<LF> line-feed ASCII 10d
Local time zone is the magnitude of hours plus the magnitude of minutes
added, with the sign of local zone hours, to local time to obtain UTC. Local
zone is generally negative for East longitudes with local exceptions near the
International Date Line.
When TIME = LOCAL is selected in the [SERIAL] section of the configuration

file, the contents are:
hh local hours 00–23
mm local minutes 00–59
ss local seconds 00–59
DD local day-of-the-month 01–31
MM local month 01–12
YYYY local year 2000–2099
SZZ local zone hours fixed at +00
zz local zone minutes fixed at 00
CC checksum two hexadecimal digits representing the result
of the XOR of all characters between ‘$’ and ‘*’
(‘$’ and ‘*’ not included in the computation)
In this case, local time zone is set to +00:00.
D.2 Meinberg Standard
<STX>D:DD.MM.YY;T:w;U:hh.mm.ss;uvxy<ETX>
where
<STX> start-of-text ASCII 02d
DD day-of-the-month 01–31
MM month 01–12
YY year 00–99
w day-of-week 1–7 (1 means Monday)
hh hours 00–23
mm minutes 00–59
ss seconds 00–59
u clock status ‘␣’ : locked to satellites
‘#’ : low quality time signal
v equipment status ‘␣’ : all well
‘*’ : alarm
x time zone indicator ‘␣’ : local standard time
‘S’ : local daylight saving time
‘U’ : UTC
y discontinuity announcement ‘␣’ : nothing to announce
(lasts one hour) ‘!’ : start or end of DST
‘A’ : leap second insertion
<ETX> end-of-text ASCII 03d
D.3 SAT
<STX>DD.MM.YY/w/hh:mm:sszzzzuy<CR><LF><ETX>
where
<STX> start-of-text ASCII 02d
DD day-of-the-month 01–31
MM month 01–12
YY year 00–99
w day-of-week 1–7 (1 means Monday)
hh hours 00–23
mm minutes 00–59
ss seconds 00–59
zzzz time zone abbreviation up to 4 characters long (UTC, CET, CEST, …)
u clock status ‘␣’ : locked to satellites
‘#’ : low quality time signal
y discontinuity announcement ‘␣’ : nothing to announce
(lasts one hour) ‘!’ : start or end of DST
<ETX> end-of-text ASCII 03d

D.4 SEL B1
ddd:hh:mm:ss<CR><LF>
where
ddd day of the year 001–366
hh hours 00–23
mm minutes 00–59
ss seconds 00–59
D.5 SEL B5
l␣YY␣ddd:hh:mm:ss.000<CR><LF>
where
l satellite locked status ‘␣’ : locked to satellite
‘?’ : low quality time signal
YY last two digits of year 00–99
hh hours 00–23
mm minutes 00–59
ss seconds 00–59
D.6 SEL B6
ddd:hh:mm:ss␣q<CR><LF>
where
hh hours 00–23
mm minutes 00–59
ss seconds 00–59
q time quality ‘␣’ : locked to satellite
‘.’ : better than 1 microsecond
‘*’ : better than 10 microseconds
‘#’ : better than 100 microseconds
‘?’ : worse than 100 microseconds
Time Strings 41
D.7 SEL B8
YYYY:ddd:hh:mm:ss␣q<CR><LF>
where
YYYY year 2000–2099
hh hours 00–23
mm minutes 00–59
ss seconds 00–59
q time quality ‘␣’ : locked to satellite
‘.’ : better than 1 microsecond
‘*’ : better than 10 microseconds
‘#’ : better than 100 microseconds
‘?’ : worse than 100 microseconds
D.8 Truetime/Kinemetrics
<SOH>DDD:hh:mm:ssq<CR><LF>
where
<SOH> start-of-header ASCII 01d
DDD day-of-year 001–366
hh hours 00–23
mm minutes 00–59
ss seconds 00–59
q clock status ‘␣’ : normal
‘?’ : low quality time signal

Appendix E Daylight Saving Time Rules
E.1 Western European Summer Time

Known as British Summer Time (BST) in the United Kingdom.
Daylight saving time starts at 01:00 local time on the last Sunday in March
and ends at 02:00 local time on the last Sunday in October.
Selected by using
DST_RULE = EUROPE_W
in the configuration file.
E.2 Central European Summer Time

Selected by using
DST_RULE = EUROPE
or
DST_RULE = EUROPE_C
E.3 Eastern European Summer Time

Selected by using
DST_RULE = EUROPE_E
E.4 North-American DST Rule

Daylight saving time starts at 02:00 local time on the second Sunday in March
and ends at 02:00 local time on the first Sunday in November.
Selected by using
DST_RULE = US
E.5 Brazilian DST Rule
Daylight saving time starts at 00:00 local time on the third Sunday in October
and ends at 00:00 local time on the third Sunday in February.
Selected by using
DST_RULE = BRAZIL
Brazilian DST rule provides an exception should DST end during Carnival,
stating that “details will be decided in time”. For this type of exception, use a
custom DST rule, see section E.6 for details.
E.6 User-Defined DST Rule

To use a custom DST rule, place the following in the configuration file:
DST_RULE = CUSTOM
Additionally, values for DST_BEGIN and DST_END also have to be defined.

These values can be specified using relative dates (“3rd Sunday in October”)
or fixed dates (“the 3rd of March”).
For the specific syntax, see the folowing sections.
E.6.1 Begin / End using relative dates
Use a value in the form
Mm.w.d/hh:mm
to specify day d of week w of month m. Day d must be between 0 (Sunday)
and 6 (Saturday). Week w must be between 1 and 5; week 1 is the first week in
which day d occurs, and week 5 specifies the last d day in the month. The
month m should be between 1 (January) and 12 (December). Time hh:mm
should be specified as local time.
Example: DST should begin at 02:00 on the second Sunday in March and end at 02:00
on the last Friday in October:
DST_RULE = CUSTOM
DST_BEGIN = M3.2.0/02:00 ; second Sunday in March
DST_END = M10.5.5/02:00 ; last Friday in October
E.6.2 Begin / End on fixed dates
Use a value in the form
Jnnn/hh:mm
to specify the ordinal day-of-year (also referred to as Julian day) and the
local time at which the change to/from DST should occur.
nnn should be in the range 001 to 365. February 29 is never counted, even in
leap years.
Example: DST should begin at 02:00 on the 1st of March and end at 00:30 on the 30th of
October:

DST_RULE = CUSTOM
DST_BEGIN = J060/02:00 ; 1st Mar is ordinal day 60
DST_END = J304/00:30 ; 30rd Oct is ordinal day 304
Daylight Saving Time Rules 45

Appendix F Firmware Upgrade Procedure
There are two ways of upgrading the firmware in the master clock:
• Use a SFTP client to upload the firmware. After a power cycle the
firmware procedure installation is automatically started.
• Use a small Windows program to upload the firmware and start the
upgrade procedure.
F.1 Upgrade using a SFTP client

1. Obtain the desired firmware upgrade file (extension ‘.fw’) from
https://downloads.mergedk.com/private/upgrades
2. Using a SFTP client1 , transfer the file to the ‘upload‘ folder of user ‘fw’.
Default password for this user is ‘fw’.
3. Turn the master clock off
4. Wait 10 s
5. Turn the master clock on again, the equipment will show the current
firmware version and the progress bar, as usual
6. At the end of the startup sequence, the dot matrix display will show
FW UPGRADE
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM
10181
soon followed by Checking ...
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM

10223
and then Working ...
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM

10199
7. When the upgrade is finished, the dot matrix display will show Done.
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM

10207

9. Wait 10 s
1
See section 4.3 on page 18 for suggested SFTP clients and their configuration.
10. Turn the master clock on again, the equipment should show the new
firmware version on the dot matrix display and start as usual
F.2 Upgrade using a Windows application

1. Obtain the desired firmware upgrade file (extension ‘.fw’) from
https://downloads.mergedk.com/private/upgrades
2. Obtain the Windows executable (‘fw-installer.exe’) from

https://downloads.mergedk.com/private/utilities
3. Place both files in the same folder an start the executable with a
double click.
4. After entering the IP address of the master clock to be ugraded and the
corresponding firmware upgrade password, select the appropriate
firware upgrade file:
30049
5. The selected file will be transfered to the equipment, expanded,
checked and finally installed:
30056
6. When the upgrade is finished, the dot matrix display will show Done.
LOCKED
tīma 2P HOLD OVER
ALARM

10207
8. Wait 10 s
9. Turn the master clock on again, the equipment should show the new
firmware version on the dot matrix display and start as usual
F.3 Possible Error Messages

Error 01 Checksum invalid, file corrupted. Try downloading the file from
https://downloads.mergedk.com again.
Error 02 Digital signature invalid. Only digitally signed firmware upgrade files can be
installed.
Error 03 Wrong firmware version. Upgrade not possible. Contact mergedK.
Error 99 Unexpected error. Contact mergedK.

Appendix G Sample Configuration File
# tima c o n f i g u r a t i o n f i l e
# f o r firmware v e r s i o n s 0125− xxx and l a t e r
# IDENTIFIER , LOCATION and CONTACT are shown on the dashboard web page and
# reported as sysName , s y s L o c a t i o n and sysCont act when using SNMP
# Replace with values meaningful to the i n s t a l l a t i o n
[ GENERAL ]
; I D EN T I FI ER = any . i d e n t i f i e r
; LOCATION = somewhere
; CONTACT = someone@your . o r g a n i z a t i o n . com
# GPS r e l a t e d s e t t i n g s
[ GPS ]
ANT_DELAY = 60 ; antenna cable delay compensation i n nanoseconds ( 1 5m/50 f t of coax cable )
FAKEGPS = FALSE ; s imulates antenna connection and GPS s i g n a l r e c e p t i o n i f s e t to TRUE
; ( use f o r commissioning work only , s e t to FALSE before normal operation ! )
# Timezone and d a y l i g h t s a v i n g time r u l e s

[ TIMEZONE ]
OFFSET = 00:00 ; OFFSET i s the time value t h a t has to be added to the l o c a l time
; to get UTC during standard ( not d a y l i g h t s a v i n g ) time .
; OFFSET i s p o s i t i v e i f the l o c a l timezone i s west of the Prime
; Meridian and n e g a t i v e i f i t i s east . During d a y l i g h t s a v i n g time
; l o c a l time i s one hour ahead of standard time .
; use − 01:00 f o r C e n t r a l Europe , 03:00 f o r B r a z i l
STD_NAME = UTC ; timezone a b b r e v i a t i o n during standard time ( e . g . use CET f o r C e n t r a l Europe )
DST_NAME = ; timezone a b b r e v i a t i o n during d a y l i g h t s a v i n g time ( e . g . use CEST f o r C e n t r a l Europe )
DST_RULE = NONE ; d a y l i g h t s a v i n g time r u l e to use
; p o s s i b l e values are NONE , CUSTOM , US , BRAZIL , EUROPE_C ( or EUROPE ) , EUROPE_E or EUROPE_W
; see r e f e r e n c e manual f o r CUSTOM ’ s syntax
# User defined out−of−bounds l i m i t s ( i n miliseconds )

# V a l i d values are from 0 . 0 0 1 ( 1 microsecond ) to 4000 ( 4 seconds )
[ LIMITS ]
LOWQUALITY = 0 . 5 ; l i m i t f o r LOWQUALITY alarm
BADTIME = 1000 ; l i m i t f o r BADTIME ( stops time d i s p l a y and a l l outptus )
# S e t t i n g s f o r the Network Time P r o t o c o l

[ NTP ]
; RESTRICT = 192.168.0.0/24 ; r e s t r i c t time s e r v i c e to a c e r t a i n subnet
; ( only 3 2 , 2 4 , 16 or 8− b i t masks supported ! )
STRATUM_HOLDOVER = 0 ; stratum during HOLDOVER (0 . . 5)
STRATUM_LOWQUALITY = 1 ; stratum during LOWQUALITY ( 0 . . 9 )
STRATUM_BADTIME = 10 ; stratum during BADTIME (0 . . 14)
# S e l e c t s datagram contents and speed f o r output over the s e r i a l port

[ SERIAL ]
TIMESTRING = NONE ; NONE , SELB1 , SELB5 , SELB6 , SELB8 , GPZDA , MEINBERG , TRUETIME or SAT
BITRATE = 9600 ; 1 2 0 0 , 2400 , 4800 , 9600 , 19200 or 38400 BPS
FORMAT = 8N1
TIMEBASE = LOCAL ; timebase to use ( UTC or LOCAL )
PPS = CURRENT ; t i m e s t r i n g r e f e r s to CURRENT or NEXT PPS pulse
# S i g n a l generation on OUTPUT1 . . OUTPUT6
# ( repeat f o r a l l outputs )
[ OUTPUT1 ]
SIGNAL = OFF ; OFF , PPS , PPM or IRIG −B004
POLARITY = NORMAL ; NORMAL or INVERTED
; [ OUTPUT2 ]
; SIGNAL = IRIG −B004
; POLARITY = NORMAL
# S e l e c t s what i s shown on the unit ’ s dot matrix d i s p l a y

[ DISPLAY ]
MODE = 1 ; 1 : day−of−year ( 0 0 1 to 3 5 6 ) + HH :MM: SS
; 2 : HH :MM: SS + STD_NAME/DST_NAME of TIMEZONE
; 3 : HH :MM: SS + TIMEZONE OFFSET
; 4 : dd mmm HH :MM: SS
; 5 : HH :MM: SS + number of s a t e l l i t e s used i n s o l u t i o n
# Network parameters
# Comment out ( or del ete ) to use DHCP
[ NETWORK ]
; IPADDR = 172.16.0.220
; IPMASK = 255.255.255.0
; GATEWAY = 172.16.0.1
# VLAN c o n f i g u r a t i o n
# ( repeat as often as needed )
; [ VLAN10 ]
; IPADDR = 172.16.1.100
; IPMASK = 255.255.255.0
; GATEWAY = 172.16.1.1
; [ VLAN230 ]
; IPADDR = 192.168.0.99
; IPMASK = 255.255.255.0
; GATEWAY = 192.168.0.1
# SNMP parameters : there are separate s e c t i o n s f o r v e r s i o n s 1 , 2 c and 3 . Uncomment to enable .

[ SNMPv1 ]
; RO_COMMUNITY = public ; read−only community f o r SNMP v1 agent
[ SNMPv2c ]
; RO_COMMUNITY = public ; read−only community f o r SNMP v2c agent
; TRAP_COMMUNITY = s e c r e t . t r a p . community ; t r a p v2c community , probably d i f f e r e n t from RO_COMMUNITY
; TRAP_HOST1 = 172.16.0.10 ; i p addres to send t r a p s to
; TRAP_HOST2 = 172.16.0.20 ; i f defined , w i l l send t r a p s to t h i s address too
[ SNMPv3 ]
; AUTH_NAME = whatever . you . want
; AUTH_KEY = s e c r e t . password ; should be at l e a s t 8 chars long
; AUTH_PROTOCOL = MD5 ; MD5 or SHA , d e f a u l t i s MD5
# Passwords f o r c o n f i g u r a t i o n , l o g s and firmware upgrade

# ( surrounding quotes are not p a r t of the password )
[ ACCESS ]
CFGPWD = ” cfg ”
LOGPWD = ” log ”
FWPWD = ” fw ”
# Leaving DEBUG = TRUE w r i t e s a d d i t i o n a l debug i n f o r m a t i o n to the lo g area .

# T h i s might be u s e f u l l i f you need t e c h n i c a l support someday .
[ DEBUG ]
DEBUG = TRUE

mergedK GmbH Reuchlinstr. 10–11 • 10553 Berlin • Germany • Tel +49 30 38305710 • www.mergedk.com

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1.1 Product Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.2 Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.3 Firmware Versions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.4 Applicable Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1.5 Part Number (SKU) and Serial Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1.7 Attention, Caution, Danger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

1.8 General Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2.1 Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.3 Power Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2.4 Antenna Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2.5 Decommissioning and Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

3.1 Front Panel Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

3.2 Power Up Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

3.3 Equipment States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

3.4 Web Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

4 Conﬁguration and Equipment Log 17

4.1 The Conﬁguration File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

4.2 The Log Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

4.3 Access using SFTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

4.5 Other SFTP Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

5.1 General Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

5.3 Time Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

5.4 Out-of-bounds Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

5.5 NTP Access Restrictions and Strata Speciﬁcation . . . . . . . . . 22

5.7 Output Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

5.8 Display Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

5.11 SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) . . . . . . . . . . 26

5.12 Access Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

6 Troubleshooting, Maintenance, Equipment Return 29

A Ordering Codes (SKUs) 31

C Mechanical Dimensions and Panel Cutouts 37

E Daylight Saving Time Rules 43

F Firmware Upgrade Procedure 47

G Sample Conﬁguration File 49

ii tīma 2P/2R GPS Master Clocks Reference Manual

1.1 Product Description

The master clocks provide GPS-derived synchronization signals in different

Signals can be distributed over a dedicated wiring (copper or ﬁber optic) or

Status can also be monitored remotely using a web browser.

1.2 Key Features

• 60 ns (99%) maximum time deviation

• single or dual 10/100Base-T Ethernet

• timing signal generators for IRIG-B, PPS or PPM signals

• up to six additional outputs (isolated hi-power electrical or optical ﬁber)

• built-in SNMP agent, with trap generation

• dry contact for remote signaling

• antenna cable delay compensation

• user-conﬁgurable rules for daylight-saving-time (DST)

• leap second announcement

1.3 Firmware Versions

Information in this manual applies to ﬁrmware revisions 0125-xxx and later.

GPS MASTER CLOCK

tīma 2R HOLD OVER

GPS MASTER CLOCK