[www.marathonwatch.com]

We have several of these at the office. I just replaced the batteries in one unit, and it defaulted to 2018, and the clock was wrong. I adjusted it but it's still a few seconds off.

I wonder how long it takes to pick up the signal from "NIST’s Colorado Atomic Clock."

Do they broadcast at the top of the hour? more often? less often?

Also this unit didn't pick up the signal before since it was a few minutes off, but I am not sure if the radio signal is weak inside the building, or if that feature was turned OFF. There is a "WAVE" button on the back which was OFF for some reason.

I have a similar, older clock that is alleged to talk to the atomic clock as well, but I've never had it work in two different houses. So I just set it and it's fine.

OK Thanks. I don't have much hope...

I did find the manual and it seems to search for 7 minutes and then it gives up. Supposedly it will try again every 3 hours.

I may move it by the window when I leave the office tonight to see if it picks up a signal overnight.

My LaCrosse analogue wall clock takes its time getting back on track after a Daylight Savings time change (up or down). Sometimes it will reset itself, then go back to the old time, and not reset for 24 hours. It has similar quirks after I have to change batteries. But it always settles down to amazing accuracy:

[www.lacrossetechnology.com]

Mine is older than the one pictured on this page; instead of UltrAtomic, it says 'Radio Controlled'.

---

"Hillbilly at Harvard"
Honky-tonk Country and Bluegrass
Founded in 1948 by Pappy Ben Minnich
Saturdays 9am - 11am Eastern
WHRB-FM, Cambridge, MA
Streaming at [www.WHRB.org]
Be there!
The HAH weblog: [hillbillyatharvard.wordpress.com]

Topical weblog: [walkingcreekworld.wordpress.com]

On the river in Saxonville.

The signal is extremely low frequency so it takes a few minutes to get all the data for a reset. It is broadcast from Colorado, so the farther you are from Colorado the weaker the signal.

If it's inside a building and near electronic devices that create interference then it will probably never be able to read the signal.

I have two inside my home (they are weather stations, not wall clocks). One is in the living room with nothing that interferes and it always works. The other is in my office near my computers, monitors, DVR, networking gear, etc. and almost never gets the signal. I occasionally put it the living room for a while to let it read the signal.

Also, interference from electronics in the environment in general have an effect so the instructions say it will work better in the middle of the night when it's more "quiet" in terms of interference.

Most "automatic" clocks try to resync early in the morning (2-4AM)...

my moms LaCrosse never did manage to get the correct time - it was a pita to set for DST, but I have it now and here at my place, it works fine.

It sounds like it would be easier to make a GPS clock rather than pick up that weak signal.

Quote
special
It sounds like it would be easier to make a GPS clock rather than pick up that weak signal.

[digitaldisplay.com]

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Most "automatic" clocks try to resync early in the morning (2-4AM)...


I've got a few 'atomic' clocks, all La Crosse and one ancient Junghans, and this is the case.

Being up often, i've watched this happen.

It's a Low Frequency/longwave signal (60Hz) which gives it greater range, and early morning atmospheric conditions add to that.

The clocks should be placed near a window facing CO for the best reception.

My clocks are all over my place so I have to rotate their location so they update.

By morning they're right on time.

Two get the signal regularly and are never off by more than a second two or three seconds max, if that.

The others might drift a bit by a minute, but are still quite accurate, because of whatever quartz movement a clock might have.

Mine only have to be updated at the time changes.

These updates take about a minute and are actually controlled by the clock 'listening' or receiving the signal, and deciding when to update.

The broadcast of the signal is constant.

I've got at least one radio that can receive an audio time check from WWVB.

Some people, such as some in FL, for various reasons, never get a WWVB time signal.

The 'atomic clock' bit is marketing, borrowing from the actual atomic clocks at Ft. Collins, from which the time code is generated.

I love automatic/atomic clocks.

They made time changes much more manageable before cell phones.

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

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Everybody counts or nobody counts.

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all who would be called good
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At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

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by believing all possible evil of evil men.

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And hope is a lousy defense.

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Quote
mattkime

Quote
special
It sounds like it would be easier to make a GPS clock rather than pick up that weak signal.

[digitaldisplay.com]

That's over $1000!!!

We had one LaCrosse clock, worked well. It's still in a box from this recent move. Why?

Just get an IOT device with a screen such as an Echo Show. Will be accurate for time.

Quote
sekker
That's over $1000!!!

I know - who the hell would buy one?

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who the hell would buy one?


These are obviously not target at the consumer, so you likely wouldn't know any professional that would need that kind of accuracy.

Use cases are mentioned in the product information.

I like it, but no, not at $1100+.

The thing I most like is that the digits are LED segments and not little LED 'dots' or bulbs.

It reminds me of an old Heath-Kit clock that I wanted but snoozed.

Me, not the clock.

However I have been searching for affordable digital wall clocks that show the time in military (not universal) format) as well as AM/PM, in large digits, along with the say of the week spelled out in smaller digits, underneath the width of the time numerals.

I haven't found anything that comes close enough in function or format, in a graceful blend of style and substance, to make me spend any ching.

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.