In Part Two of his mini-series on time and radio, the editor finds active time signal stations, explains what you can get from receiving those signals and recommends suitable radios, accessories and aerials.
Georg Wiessala wiessala@hotmail.com
In Part One of this article (RadioUser, September 2022: 24-29; The Spectrum Monitor, June and July 2022), I began my exploration of the fascination of Standard Frequency and Time Signal (SFTS) stations, looking at how radio and time-measurement (Metrology) are closely connected. I also explored some of the histories of time signal transmissions, be it through human agency, telegraphy, telephone, and – most importantly to us –radio.
I also surveyed some of the science behind these stations, their links to much more than time measurement, and their central role in navigation (Hyperbolic and GPS), astronomy, and electronics.
I found that SFTS signals occur throughout the bands, from Very Low Frequency (VLF) to HF, and beyond.
To finish off last month’s part, I briefly looked at some special radio-time technology, such as the Northern California DX Foundation (NCDXF) / IARU International Beacon Project, Non-Directional Beacons (NDB) and the use of some brilliant software, such as Faros and other, similar, packages.
Why Do They Matter?
But why do stations like WWV, WWVH, PPE, DCF77 or GBR still count in our, supposedly-advanced, Internet-Age? Well, the World Wide Web is, of course, an unreliable resource; it gets easily manipulated and can be turned off by repressive regimes.
More significantly, in terms of time, the combination of electronic circuits in internet distribution causes delays, where you least need them. Careless is right in pointing out (2020) that, “For a lack of delay, nothing beats terrestrial radio – It is held back only by that pesky speed of light”.
The (temporary, as it turned out) uncertainty over the future of some US stations (WWV/ WWVH) a year or two ago has certainly brought the question about the use of SFTS stations into sharper focus.
I have already hinted at why we still require them in Part One of this article. Simply put, automated time broadcasts, especially on Short Wave (2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, and 20,000kHz) allow us to draw much wider conclusions about the world we live in.
By measuring period, frequency, time interval and relate
