{"id":3488,"date":"2012-05-08T06:30:09","date_gmt":"2012-05-08T10:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=3488"},"modified":"2012-05-08T06:36:14","modified_gmt":"2012-05-08T10:36:14","slug":"grandfather-of-wwvs-atomic-clock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/05\/grandfather-of-wwvs-atomic-clock\/","title":{"rendered":"Grandfather of WWV&#8217;s atomic clock"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.npl.co.uk\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-3491\" title=\"800w-npl294_-08_logo\" src=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/800w-npl294_-08_logo-300x110.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"110\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/800w-npl294_-08_logo-300x110.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/800w-npl294_-08_logo-100x36.jpg 100w, https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/800w-npl294_-08_logo.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>I just discovered a film produced by the <a title=\"NPL website\" href=\"http:\/\/www.npl.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">National Physical Laboratory<\/a>\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.<\/p>\n<p>This film gives fascinating insight into the physics that run atomic clocks like those behind the <a title=\"Don\u2019t expect WWV to only give you the time of day\" href=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2011\/08\/dont-expect-wwv-to-only-give-you-the-time-of-the-day\/\">WWV<\/a> and <a title=\"Canada\u2019s shortwave time station, CHU, is moving\" href=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2008\/12\/canadas-shortwave-time-station-chu-is-moving\/\">CHU<\/a> time stations. Better yet, the science is easy to swallow with the traditional &#8220;BBC&#8221; style voice narration. Enjoy!<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MGoVXLzUDsQ\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 run atomic clocks like those [&hellip;]<\/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":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[305,288,304],"tags":[1119,13,1120,1122,1121,68,948],"class_list":["post-3488","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nostalgia","category-radio-history","category-videos","tag-atomic-clocks","tag-chu","tag-how-atomic-clocks-work","tag-national-physics-laboratory","tag-npl","tag-wwv","tag-wwvb"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-Ug","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":33697,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/synchronizing-atomic-clocks-final-tock-time-may-no-longer-be-synchronous\/","url_meta":{"origin":3488,"position":0},"title":"Synchronizing &#8220;atomic&#8221; clock&#8217;s final tock? Time may no longer be synchronous","author":"Thomas","date":"August 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","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\/2018\/08\/La-Cross-Atomic-Clock.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/La-Cross-Atomic-Clock.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/La-Cross-Atomic-Clock.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/La-Cross-Atomic-Clock.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6846,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/wwvb-celebrates-50-years-of-keeping-time\/","url_meta":{"origin":3488,"position":1},"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 &quot;Articles&quot;","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":31461,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/04\/indian-standard-time-via-new-longwave-site\/","url_meta":{"origin":3488,"position":2},"title":"Indian Standard Time via new longwave site","author":"Thomas","date":"April 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Southgate ARC) India to employ long wave radio technology Two towers, about three times the height of the Qutab Minar, are likely to be erected at as-yet-undecided locations in the country for disseminating Indian Standard Time. The National Physical Laboratory, an organisation charged with ensuring that Indian time stays\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Longwave&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Longwave","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/longwave\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"\"India (orthographic projection)\" by Ssolbergj (talk) - Own work,This vector image was created with Inkscape.Aquarius.geomar.deThe map has been created with the Generic Mapping Tools: http:\/\/gmt.soest.hawaii.edu\/ using one or more of these public domain datasets for the relief:ETOPO2 (topography\/bathymetry): http:\/\/www.ngdc.noaa.gov\/mgg\/global\/global.htmlGLOBE (topography): http:\/\/www.ngdc.noaa.gov\/mgg\/topo\/gltiles.htmlSRTM (topography): http:\/\/www2.jpl.nasa.gov\/srtm\/English\u00a0| italiano\u00a0| ??????????\u00a0| ???\u00a0| +\/?Permission is granted to copy, distribute and\/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled GNU Free Documentation License.. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:India_(orthographic_projection).svg#mediaviewer\/File:India_(orthographic_projection).svg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/India.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/India.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/India.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23079,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/leap-second-added-to-2016\/","url_meta":{"origin":3488,"position":3},"title":"Leap second added to 2016","author":"Thomas","date":"December 30, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: NPR) Here's a timely reminder for all you would-be revelers out there: Be careful with your countdowns this New Year's Eve. There will be a little extra time to bask in the glow of a retreating 2016 \u2014 or curse its name, as the case may be. Whatever your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","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","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"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":3488,"position":4},"title":"IEEE Spectrum: &#8220;Long-Running U.S. Federal Radio Stations, Beloved by Hams, in Danger of Shutdown&#8221;","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 &quot;News&quot;","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":13874,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/06\/hang-on-a-second-seriously\/","url_meta":{"origin":3488,"position":5},"title":"Hang on a second&#8230;seriously","author":"Thomas","date":"June 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Tonight, for the first time in three years, we will experience a leap second. What is a leap second? \u00a0Wikipedia provides\u00a0a concise explanation: A leap second is a one-second adjustment that is occasionally applied to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) in order to keep its time of day close to the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Broadcasters&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"WWV-TimeCodeGenerator","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3488","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=3488"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3488\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3488"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3488"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3488"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}