{"id":6846,"date":"2013-07-04T07:03:48","date_gmt":"2013-07-04T11:03:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=6846"},"modified":"2013-07-04T07:05:49","modified_gmt":"2013-07-04T11:05:49","slug":"wwvb-celebrates-50-years-of-keeping-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/wwvb-celebrates-50-years-of-keeping-time\/","title":{"rendered":"WWVB celebrates 50 years of quietly keeping time"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"WWV<\/a>

WWV building in Fort Collins, Colorado (photo courtesy: NIST)<\/p><\/div>\n

Thanks, David, for sharing a link to this brilliant article on the history and future of WWVB:<\/p>\n

(Source: Wired<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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 Mountains. The signal contains a message that keeps the devices on time, helping to make sure their owners keep to their schedules and aren\u2019t late for work the next day.<\/p>\n

The broadcast comes from\u00a0WWVB<\/a>, a station run by the National Institute for Standards and Technology. WWVB marks half a century as the nation\u2019s official time broadcaster on July 5.\u00a0Together with its sister station,\u00a0WWV<\/a>, which is about to hit 90 years in service, NIST radio has been an invisible piece of American infrastructure that has advanced industries from entertainment to telecommunications. (WWV\u2019s broadcast includes a wider range of information, including maritime weather warnings and solar storm alerts).<\/p>\n

Most people aren\u2019t even aware that these stations exist, but they have a rich and fascinating history. Their future is uncertain, however, as newer technologies threaten to make them obsolete.<\/p>\n

[…]WWV began broadcasting reference frequencies for signal calibration using equipment not that different from the chunk of quartz in a modern wristwatch. These days, though, a bit of quantum physics keeps the nation\u2019s signals in sync. Cesium-133 atoms within the NIST-F1 atomic clock oscillate a frantic 9,192,631,770 times per second, acting like the pendulum of a grandfather clock. By tuning into that oscillation, NIST defines the basic unit of time, and by extension, frequency. Over the years, the reference frequencies have been so finely calibrated that they are accurate to beyond a single cycle in a trillion.<\/p>\n

[…]WWVB\u2019s value might have a lot to do with the type of signal it broadcasts and its location. While most commercial radio waves measure only a few meters between peaks, WWVB\u2019s low frequency signal results in a whopping five kilometer wavelength. These long-wavelength signals can reach around the curvature of the planet by clinging to the semi-conductive surface of the Earth.\u00a0On a clear night, a radio-controlled watch can pick up WWVB\u2019s 60 kHz signal as far away as Patagonia or New Zealand.[…]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Read the full article at Wired.com.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 Mountains. The signal contains a […]<\/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":[8,56],"tags":[1119,69,68,948,2016],"class_list":["post-6846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","category-broadcasters","tag-atomic-clocks","tag-nist","tag-wwv","tag-wwvb","tag-wwvb-history"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-1Mq","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2905,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/03\/wwvb-conducting-test-on-air-now-through-march-10\/","url_meta":{"origin":6846,"position":0},"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":6846,"position":1},"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":[]},{"id":33521,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/nist-fy2019-budget-includes-request-to-shutdown-wwv-and-wwvh\/","url_meta":{"origin":6846,"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":33697,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/synchronizing-atomic-clocks-final-tock-time-may-no-longer-be-synchronous\/","url_meta":{"origin":6846,"position":3},"title":"Synchronizing “atomic” clock’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 "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\/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":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":6846,"position":4},"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":41744,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/washington-post-features-wwv-and-wwvb\/","url_meta":{"origin":6846,"position":5},"title":"Washington Post features WWV and WWVB","author":"Thomas","date":"January 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Washington Post via Ulis K3LU) If you tune a shortwave radio to 2.5, 5, 10 or 15 MHz, you can hear a little part of radio history \u2014 and the output of some of the most accurate time devices on Earth. Depending on where you are in the United\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":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6846","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=6846"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6846\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}