APX-TS200-GN GNSS Network Time Server
Product Overview
The APEX APX-TS200-GN is a GNSS network time server: it locks to a satellite reference, then serves that time to every device on the IP network through NTP and SNTP, with physical timing outputs for equipment that does not speak packet time at all.
The reason a network needs one is traceability. Servers, controllers, protection relays and log systems all stamp events, and those stamps only correlate if they come from one authoritative source. The APX-TS200-GN provides that source from GPS and BeiDou, so time in the building, the plant or the central office is aligned to a global reference rather than to each device's own clock.
It is used in carrier and metro sites, data centres, power and utility substations, transport infrastructure and industrial networks. The unit is a 1U rack mount chassis with a web interface for configuration and monitoring, and it can hold time locally if the satellite signal is briefly interrupted.
The GNSS family has three members: the standard APX-TS200-GN, the APX-TS200-GN-O with an OCXO holdover oscillator, and the APX-TS200-GN-R with a rubidium oscillator. Which one fits depends on how long the site must stay accurate after the antenna is lost, not on the network size.
Key Features
- GNSS reference from GPS, BeiDou or combined GPS + BeiDou
- NTP v1/v2/v3/v4 and SNTP server for the whole IP network
- 1PPS satellite timing accuracy of better than 30 ns RMS
- Typical NTP performance within the site, and handover to holdover if the antenna is lost
- Up to 6 x Gigabit Ethernet interfaces for separate management and service networks
- Network bonding and virtual IP based redundancy for server-side availability
- Physical timing outputs including 1PPS, 10MHz, IRIG-B and TOD
- Reference inputs for 1PPS + TOD, IRIG-B, PTP and external sources
- Web configuration, SNMP, SYSLOG, email and dry contact alarms
- Embedded Linux platform with optional monitoring software for reference and NTP statistics
- Optional redundant power supply for sites with dual DC feeds
- RoHS compliant, supplied with a test report and a 3 year warranty
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|
| Part Number | APX-TS200-GN |
| Product Type | GNSS network time server (NTP / SNTP) |
| GNSS Reference | GPS, BeiDou, GPS + BeiDou |
| Satellite Timing Accuracy | Better than 30 ns RMS (1PPS, hardware timestamped) |
| Network Protocol | NTP v1/v2/v3/v4, SNTP |
| NTP Accuracy | Typically 0.1 to 2 ms inside the local network |
| Network Interfaces | Up to 6 x Gigabit Ethernet |
| Timing Outputs | 1PPS, 10MHz, IRIG-B, TOD, PTP (option) |
| Reference Inputs | 1PPS + TOD, IRIG-B, PTP, external frequency reference (option) |
| Time Server Throughput | Sized for large client counts across the site |
| Holdover | Standard oscillator; OCXO and rubidium available in the same family |
| Redundancy | Redundant power supply option, reference priority with automatic switching |
| Management | Web interface, SNMP, SYSLOG, email, dry contact alarms |
| Platform | Embedded Linux, optional monitoring software |
| Mounting | 1U 19 inch rack mount |
| Compliance | CE, RoHS |
Model Comparison
Family members are listed below as plain text so they can be copied into an RFQ or a spreadsheet.
| Model | Reference | Oscillator | Fits |
|---|
| APX-TS200-GN | GPS, BeiDou, BeiDou-3 | Standard | Sites with a clear antenna view and short outages |
| APX-TS200-GN-O | GPS, BeiDou | OCXO | Sites that lose the satellite for minutes at a time |
| APX-TS200-GN-R | GPS, BeiDou | Rubidium | Sites that must hold time for hours after an outage |
Applications
Carrier and Central Office Timing
Give transport, transmission and service platforms one traceable time reference per site, with NTP for the management network and 1PPS or 10MHz for the racks that still expect a physical signal.
Power and Utility Substations
Align event records, RTUs and protection devices to a common reference so the sequence of an incident can be reconstructed from logs taken across the substation.
Data Centres, Transport and Industry
Serve time to server fleets, storage, CCTV, fare and ticketing systems, plant controllers and building systems that stamp events and must agree with each other.
Deployment and Selection Notes
Three things decide the model and the layout: the antenna view, the holdover the site needs, and whether the equipment speaks NTP. The antenna is the part that most often goes wrong, so the survey comes first: a clear view of the sky, a short low loss cable run, and surge protection at the entry point. The GNSS antennas and accessories range covers the antenna, the cable, the splitter and the protector as one set.
Holdover decides the oscillator. If the antenna is on the roof of the same building and outages are short, the standard APX-TS200-GN is enough, because the unit holds the last known good time across a brief interruption. If the site sits on a mountain top, shares the roof with other tenants, or has a history of cable damage, choose the OCXO or rubidium member of the family so the NTP and 1PPS outputs stay inside their limits while the sky is blocked.
On the network side, keep the timing service on its own interface where you can. One port to the management network, one to the service network, and the remaining ports for equipment that must poll the server directly. Where more than one server is deployed, the reference priority and automatic switching settings decide which unit answers, and the monitoring tools will report client counts and per-reference statistics so you can see it working.
For a topology view of the whole line, start from the GNSS / NTP network time servers range, then move to the PTP grandmaster clocks if part of the network needs phase as well as frequency.
Compatibility
The APX-TS200-GN serves any device that speaks NTP or SNTP, including servers, switches, routers, firewalls, cameras, controllers and building systems, and it feeds non-packet equipment from the 1PPS, 10MHz, IRIG-B and TOD outputs. Tell us the devices that must be synchronised, the number of clients you expect, and whether a second server has to protect the site, and we confirm which member of the family to quote.
Related Products
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the three APX-TS200-GN models?
They use the same GNSS receiver and the same NTP and timing interface set. The difference is the oscillator that carries the site through a satellite outage: standard, OCXO or rubidium.
Which GNSS constellation should I specify?
GPS alone is enough in most regions, BeiDou where the local constellation gives better geometry, and combined GPS + BeiDou where the antenna view is partly blocked and you want the receiver to work with more satellites.
How many devices can one time server serve?
The platform is sized for large client counts, but the practical limit is the network and the polling interval rather than a fixed number. Send the client count and poll interval and we confirm the interface plan.
Does the server keep time if the antenna fails?
Yes. It holds the last known good time and returns to the satellite reference automatically. How long it stays inside your accuracy budget during that outage is what the OCXO and rubidium versions extend.
Can it feed equipment that does not support NTP?
Yes. The 1PPS, 10MHz, IRIG-B and TOD outputs are provided for equipment that needs a physical time or frequency reference.
Why Choose Apex
- Timing and synchronisation configured for your network rather than shipped with default settings.
- GNSS reference, oscillator grade and interface set chosen with you before the order is released.
- Configuration kept on file so repeat units match the first one exactly.
- Standards based design for interoperability with carrier and enterprise equipment.
- Backed by a 3 year warranty and technical support on link and sync planning.
