In this case, the reference clock appears to refer to GPS satellite
time,
but
uses a standard wall clock to display it. It is the reference clock
that
slowed down when it should have failed to work at all. Perhaps the
wall
clock
(maybe it was really a HP 113) needed oil. There's the real
question for
time
nuts: How did the reference clock slow down?
I just went and re-read the article. It reads to me that the
synchronous clock, not the GPS reference clock, was what suffered the
problem.
-----------
quote:
The control centre’s wall clock was running faster than the satellite
clock over the last few days, so staff simply turned down generation
as they normally do, without knowing there was an internal problem
with their electric clock, he explained.
Morgan said when the generation was turned down, electric clocks that
were plugged into the wall – alarm clocks, stove clocks, microwave
clocks – all slowed down. The change was quite slow and unnoticeable
until several minutes had been lost over a few days, he said.
-----------
Or do y'all think I am misinterpreting the story? Easier to believe
that the synchronous clock went bad than the GPS clock.
On a related note, I visited a remote navy base once and went to talk
to the folks running the station power plant, which was comprised of
24 very large diesel generators. They had a $2 synchronous clock
sitting next to a $2 battery operated quartz wall clock, and were
manually controlling the frequency. I suggested that they at least
get a high quality quartz clock, if not a GPS based clock for the
reference...but that costs money, so they weren't planning to change.
Also related, I have an Electro Industries frequency meter that I use
to monitor the power line here in Rhode Island. I have never seen it
vary more than .05 Hz from nominal (59.95 to 60.05). On the other
hand, during a trip to Scotland, the power frequency went fully 0.5
Hz out, from 49.50 - 50.50, Hz while I was there.
In both cases, the average is right on over the course of several days.
Tom Frank, KA2CDK
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