Re: [Elecraft] WWV Clocks -- It's really WWVB
Hi Craig. We have a total of 8 automatic WWV synched clocks of various types... And I live 30 miles from the WWV transmitter. Incidentially, it is _WWVB_ on 60 kHz, not WWV or WWVH on HF that is used by these radio controlled clocks for periodic time checks, usually once a day during the early morning hours (local time). Despite your short distance to WWVB, you still might be experiencing poor reception due to local interference sources. Computer monitors, switching power supplies, AC operated motors, and thunderstorms tend to generate a lot of 60 kHz noise. All three NIST stations transmit DST, leap year, UT1, and leap second information bits. With regard to DST flags transmitted by WWVB, NIST Publication 432 states: Daylight saving time (DST) and standard time (ST) information is transmitted at seconds 57 and 58. When ST is in effect, bits 57 and 58 are set to 0. When DST is in effect, bits 57 and 58 are set to 1. On the day of a change from ST to DST bit 57 changes from 0 to 1 at UTC, and bit 58 changes from 0 to 1 exactly 24 hours later. On the day of a change from DST back to ST bit 57 changes from 1 to 0 at UTC, and bit 58 changes from 1 to 0 exactly 24 hours later. With this in mind, poor or inconsistant reception might explain some of the effects you've recently seen. I'm 1622 miles east of WWVB and own a WWVB-based frequency standard / UTC clock of my own design. Even at this distance, when proper receiving techniques are used, reception of WWVB is generally excellent, day or night. 73, de John, KD2BD Visit John on the Web at: http://kd2bd.ham.org/ . . . . __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] WWV Clocks -- It's really WWVB
Twice a year, I take my clocks out to the back porch and out of my shack/office. That is around the time of DST/ST switches. The rest of the year, my Atomic Clock from LaCrosse is always in perfect sync to the ability of my eye to detect. I always do it after the switch because I never remember to do it before the switch!. In central NJ, FN20rg, in eight years of owning this clock, I have never once had this procedure fail: back porch with full western exposure, one night, the clock resets and from then until the next change over, it keeps great time. After acquisition, it seems to do some kind of matched filtering for what it expects to stay synchronized and gets better Eb/N0 performance as a result. I have repeated this every time I need to replace a battery or change ST/DST. Bob N4HY John Magliacane wrote: Hi Craig. We have a total of 8 automatic WWV synched clocks of various types... And I live 30 miles from the WWV transmitter. Incidentially, it is _WWVB_ on 60 kHz, not WWV or WWVH on HF that is used by these radio controlled clocks for periodic time checks, usually once a day during the early morning hours (local time). Despite your short distance to WWVB, you still might be experiencing poor reception due to local interference sources. Computer monitors, switching power supplies, AC operated motors, and thunderstorms tend to generate a lot of 60 kHz noise. I'm 1622 miles east of WWVB and own a WWVB-based frequency standard / UTC clock of my own design. Even at this distance, when proper receiving techniques are used, reception of WWVB is generally excellent, day or night. 73, de John, KD2BD -- AMSAT VP Engineering. Member: ARRL, AMSAT-DL, TAPR, Packrats, NJQRP/AMQRP, QRP ARCI, QCWA, FRC. ARRL SDR Wrk Grp Chairman Laziness is the number one inspiration for ingenuity. Guilty as charged! ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] WWV Clocks -- It's really WWVB
On Apr 4, 2006, at 7:43 AM, John Magliacane wrote: Despite your short distance to WWVB, you still might be experiencing poor reception due to local interference sources. Computer monitors, switching power supplies, AC operated motors, and thunderstorms tend to generate a lot of 60 kHz noise. It's also a good idea to position the clock on a non-metallic surface. The no-name-brand clock in my shack works perfectly, but at 0700Z each day it beeps loudly as it goes through the reset procedure with WWVB. No problem there, but I wouldn't want it in my bedroom. 73, Bob N7XY ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] WWV Clocks -- It's really WWVB
My old Heathkit clock received WWV on 5Mhz, 10Mhz and 15Mhz. You could turn up the audio and listen if you wanted. Incidentially, it is _WWVB_ on 60 kHz, not WWV or WWVH on HF that is used by these radio controlled clocks for periodic time checks, usually once a day during the early morning hours (local time). ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] WWV Clocks -- It's really WWVB
- Original Message - From: John Magliacane [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 7:00 PM While every amateur text I've come across states that the D and E layers disappear at night, they, in fact, do not. They rise to higher altitudes and remain ionized through background cosmic radiation. -- So I believe, and the elevated E layer during the night could also be responsible for some of the single hop transcontinental openings on 6m - unfortunately IMHO also called Auroral Es openings since they can occur occasionally when the Aurora is 'quiet'. I have noticed similar openings on 40m at this QTH. 73, Geoff GM4ESD ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
