To Bit Sync or Not to Bit Sync? Why This Is a Question

Abstract

The original role of bit synchronizers (“bit syncs”) was to form the interface between the video output of the FM demodulator and the programmable decommutator in a PCM/FM system. Modern receiver/detectors for PCM/FM, SOQPSK-TG, and ARTM CPM produce TTL-level data and clock outputs as a standard feature because bit and symbol timing are required for detection. This development has eliminated the original purpose for bit syncs. But because TTL-level data and clock remain common methods for moving data from one point to another on most test ranges, bit syncs are still required to serve this purpose. As IRIG 218 TMoIP networks become more common, the role of bit syncs in moving data will probably diminish further.