{"id":33697,"date":"2018-08-22T12:32:14","date_gmt":"2018-08-22T16:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=33697"},"modified":"2018-08-25T09:57:15","modified_gmt":"2018-08-25T13:57:15","slug":"synchronizing-atomic-clocks-final-tock-time-may-no-longer-be-synchronous","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/synchronizing-atomic-clocks-final-tock-time-may-no-longer-be-synchronous\/","title":{"rendered":"Synchronizing “atomic” clock’s final tock? Time may no longer be synchronous"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Do you have a self-setting “atomic” clock or watch?<\/p>\n

Yep, so do I.\u00a0 A number of them.\u00a0 In fact, although I’m a tech geek of a sort, I don’t even know how many of my standard, everyday devices\u2013\u2013devices I rely on every day\u2013\u2013fall into this category…But I may find out soon.<\/p>\n

Many of us own self-setting clocks known as “atomic” clocks.\u00a0 Indeed, a large portion of wall clocks, alarm clocks, and watches, not to mention weather stations, cameras, and potentially a number of other devices, have a built-in receiver that self-calibrates. And all of these sync to a radio station you use more than any other<\/em>, yet likely have never heard of: NIST Time Signal Station WWVB in Fort Collins, Colorado.<\/p>\n

Here’s the issue:<\/strong> WWVB, the atomic clock time signal station that synchronizes time devices, may be shut down next year if a presidential budget request passes as proposed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

WWVB<\/a> is a time station operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) which derives its time from a system of atomic clocks with frequency uncertainty of less than 1 part in 1012.<\/em><\/p>\n

Translation: How accurate is this time signal? Crazily, insanely<\/strong><\/em> accurate.<\/p>\n

And that’s a good thing, as so many of the things we rely on all the time (and often take for granted) rely on it.\u00a0<\/em>WWVB provides\u00a0a continuous 60 kHz carrier wave that, among other things, is employed by self-setting “atomic” clocks used by consumers and industry. WWVB receivers are embedded in so many consumer appliances from cameras to irrigation controllers,\u00a0<\/a>these devices depend upon the very accurate timing the station imparts.<\/p>\n

Per the NIST<\/a>:<\/p>\n

For huge numbers of people in North America who spend their days in schools, offices, stores, factories and public facilities, the time of their lives comes from clocks controlled by a single radio station that few people have ever heard: WWVB in Ft. Collins, Colorado, operated by PML’s Time and Frequency Division.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

According to the latest estimates, there are at least 50 million radio-controlled clocks in operation (and another few million wristwatches) all receiving accurate time from WWVB’s 60 kHz broadcast\u2014and approximately a million new commercial radio-controlled products are sold each year.[…]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Regular readers of the SWLing Post<\/em>\u00a0are already aware that the NIST Fiscal Year 2019 Presidential Budget Request includes a call to shutdown WWVB and two shortwave radio NIST time stations, WWV and WWVH.<\/a><\/p>\n

What happens if WWVB is shut down?<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>

This budget was not approved by Sir Topham Hatt!<\/p><\/div>\n

If the budget is passed as proposed<\/a>, after WWVB is closed your atomic clock synchronized devices will no longer be accurate<\/em>, nor will they automatically be able to toggle the time between Standard to Daylight Savings Time.<\/p>\n

They’ll continue to operate, albeit without a self-setting function…thus eventually leading, in the words of Thomas the tank engine’s ubiquitous station master, Sir Topham Hatt, to “confusion and delays.”<\/p>\n

And, unfortunately, should the closure occur, there may not even be any public announcement to that effect.<\/p>\n

But what does this have to do with us?<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>These devices are so embedded in our lives here in North America, we scarcely notice them, and many consumers likely assume they’re set by the Internet.<\/p>\n

They’re just an overlooked part of our lives that help keep us ticking\u2013\u2013quite literally. Until a shutdown happens, we won’t know how many of the millions of devices that we rely upon will be affected. While there may be (arguably lesser) alternatives to this station’s time-setting provision, such as those provided by the Navy and the Internet, we will be without the one we rely upon most for accuracy.<\/p>\n

The bottom line…<\/h2>\n

Something that belongs to all of us, and that we all rely upon to help us keep accurate time, may soon be taken away.\u00a0 If you feel strongly about keeping the atomic clock signal on the air, I urge you to\u00a0contact your local representatives,<\/a><\/strong>and\u00a0sign this White House petition<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Otherwise? Time will tell. Or not, as the case may be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you have a self-setting “atomic” clock or watch? Yep, so do I.\u00a0 A number of them.\u00a0 In fact, although I’m a tech geek of a sort, I don’t even know how many of my standard, everyday devices\u2013\u2013devices I rely on every day\u2013\u2013fall into this category…But I may find out soon. Many of us own […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[1119,1120,949,69,948,7223],"class_list":["post-33697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-atomic-clocks","tag-how-atomic-clocks-work","tag-national-institute-of-standards-and-technology","tag-nist","tag-wwvb","tag-wwvb-closure"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-8Lv","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6846,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/wwvb-celebrates-50-years-of-keeping-time\/","url_meta":{"origin":33697,"position":0},"title":"WWVB celebrates 50 years of quietly keeping time","author":"Thomas","date":"July 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Thanks, David, for sharing a link to this brilliant article on the history and future of WWVB: (Source: Wired) Every night, while millions of Americans are fast asleep, clocks and wristwatches across the country wake up and lock on to a radio signal beamed from the base of the Rocky\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"WWV building in Fort Collins, Colorado (photo courtesy: NIST)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/wwvFtCollinsbuilding-300x195.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":34242,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/09\/ieee-spectrum-long-running-u-s-federal-radio-stations-beloved-by-hams-in-danger-of-shutdown\/","url_meta":{"origin":33697,"position":1},"title":"IEEE Spectrum: “Long-Running U.S. Federal Radio Stations, Beloved by Hams, in Danger of Shutdown”","author":"Thomas","date":"September 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: IEEE Spectrum Magazine) Several public radio stations that have broadcast the time of day continuously for nearly 100 years are on the chopping block By Julianne Pepitone Starting in May 1920, the U.S. federal WWV radio stations have broadcast the official time without fail. For ham radio fans, hearing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":33521,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/nist-fy2019-budget-includes-request-to-shutdown-wwv-and-wwvh\/","url_meta":{"origin":33697,"position":2},"title":"NIST FY2019 budget includes request to shutdown WWV, WWVH, and WWVB","author":"Thomas","date":"August 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to a number of\u00a0SWLing Post readers who have pointed out the NIST\u00a02019 Presidential Budget request which has now been posted online and includes a desired reduction of: \"$6.3 million supporting fundamental measurement dissemination, including the shutdown of NIST radio stations in Colorado and Hawaii\" I've always considered WWV\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3488,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/05\/grandfather-of-wwvs-atomic-clock\/","url_meta":{"origin":33697,"position":3},"title":"Grandfather of WWV’s atomic clock","author":"Thomas","date":"May 8, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I just discovered a film produced by the National Physical Laboratory\u00a0(NPL) Film Unit in the 1950s explaining the principles behind the first accurate atomic clock. The clock was designed by Louis Essen and built at the National Physical Laboratory in 1955. This film gives fascinating insight into the physics that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nostalgia"","block_context":{"text":"Nostalgia","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/nostalgia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/800w-npl294_-08_logo-300x110.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2905,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/03\/wwvb-conducting-test-on-air-now-through-march-10\/","url_meta":{"origin":33697,"position":4},"title":"WWVB conducting tests on air now through March 10","author":"Thomas","date":"March 7, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: NIST) IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR WWVB RADIO STATION USERS Radio Station WWVB will be conducting a test of a new broadcast format\u00a0from Monday, March 5th, 2012 at 5 p.m. MST through Saturday, March 10th at noon MST. During the test, Station WWVB will be broadcasting amplitude modulation and phase modulation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/wwvFtCollinsbuilding-300x195.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":33716,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/nist-official-response-to-closure-questions\/","url_meta":{"origin":33697,"position":5},"title":"NIST: Official response to closure questions","author":"Thomas","date":"August 23, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I've just received the following formal response from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) regarding the\u00a0President\u2019s NIST FY 2019 budget request: (Source: NIST) NIST has a long-standing history of providing time and frequency services through our radio stations and we appreciate that many people use these services.\u00a0\u00a0 NIST\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/wwvFtCollinsbuilding.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/wwvFtCollinsbuilding.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/wwvFtCollinsbuilding.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33697"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33697\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}