How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work? I today bought a
cheap LCD rc alarm clock from Littlewoods but can't get the clock to
automatically update to the correct time. The instructions say the clock
updates itself at certain times of the day from the the signal via a
transmitter in Rugby. There's also a manual "receive" button to start
receiving the signal immediately if required (or as soon as the
batteries are inserted). The "receive" indicator will flash for about 8
minutes but then goes out without updating the clock. I thought perhaps
I may have bought a faulty clock so took it back and swapped it for
another one but the same thing is happening. It's been about 3 hours now
and still no correct time. Any ideas welcome?

The clock incorporates a radio receiver to receive the time signal, as you
say, from Rugby on 16kHz, very low frequency.I believe it is continuous, it
is not a 'pips' type time signal but a complex signal containing time info
which the clock/radio de-codes.Make sure you are not using it in a shielded
area where radio waves can be attenuated,re-check the instructions etc. More
info on Rugby Radio just put the name into Google.
Mark Atherton
"Mark" wrote in message
...
How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work? I today bought a
cheap LCD rc alarm clock from Littlewoods but can't get the clock to
automatically update to the correct time. The instructions say the clock
updates itself at certain times of the day from the the signal via a
transmitter in Rugby. There's also a manual "receive" button to start
receiving the signal immediately if required (or as soon as the
batteries are inserted). The "receive" indicator will flash for about 8
minutes but then goes out without updating the clock. I thought perhaps
I may have bought a faulty clock so took it back and swapped it for
another one but the same thing is happening. It's been about 3 hours now
and still no correct time. Any ideas welcome?

On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 15:15:11 +0100, "Mark"
wrote:

How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work? I today bought a
cheap LCD rc alarm clock from Littlewoods but can't get the clock to
automatically update to the correct time. The instructions say the clock
updates itself at certain times of the day from the the signal via a
transmitter in Rugby. There's also a manual "receive" button to start
receiving the signal immediately if required (or as soon as the
batteries are inserted). The "receive" indicator will flash for about 8
minutes but then goes out without updating the clock. I thought perhaps
I may have bought a faulty clock so took it back and swapped it for
another one but the same thing is happening. It's been about 3 hours now
and still no correct time. Any ideas welcome?

The MSF transmitter at Rugby provides a time signal service on a very
low (60kHz) frequency from a highly accurate atomic clock.

IIRC, the time data are transmitted once per minute so it should not
take more than a couple of minutes for the clock to synchronise. It's
up to the clock to decide how it uses the signal, and it may choose to
compare successive time codes before changing anything to reduce the
risk that interference affects the setting.

The signal is susceptible to local interference and the level may be
low if you are a long way away. However it should be OK over most
of the UK.

You could try taking the clock outside on the side of the house that
faces in the direction of Rugby and you could also try rotating the
clock. Depending on the design, the built in antenna may be
directional.

It may simply be that the problem is in your first sentence ("cheap"
and "Littlewoods") and you have a second dud clock.....




..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Mark

are the minutes correct?......if so you may need to manually adjust for time
zone.

"Mark Atherton" wrote in message
...
The clock incorporates a radio receiver to receive the time signal, as
you
say, from Rugby on 16kHz, very low frequency.I believe it is
continuous, it
is not a 'pips' type time signal but a complex signal containing time
info
which the clock/radio de-codes.Make sure you are not using it in a
shielded
area where radio waves can be attenuated,re-check the instructions
etc. More
info on Rugby Radio just put the name into Google.
Mark Atherton

I did wonder if perhaps I'm in an area where the signal's not getting
through but I did try it during the 5 mile trip home in the car and
still no update! Can't see that I'm doing anything wrong, Just press
the receiving button to start a forced update. The instructions say the
RCC symbol will flash for a maximum of 8 minutes and if signal is
successful it will update the clock and the RCC symbol will become
stationary - otherwise the RCC symbol will be off (which mine is after
the maximum 8 minutes of trying). I will have a read up on the Rugby
transmitter.

In article , Andy Hall
writes
On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 15:15:11 +0100, "Mark"
wrote:

How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work? I today bought a
cheap LCD rc alarm clock from Littlewoods but can't get the clock to
automatically update to the correct time. The instructions say the clock
updates itself at certain times of the day from the the signal via a
transmitter in Rugby. There's also a manual "receive" button to start
receiving the signal immediately if required (or as soon as the
batteries are inserted). The "receive" indicator will flash for about 8
minutes but then goes out without updating the clock. I thought perhaps
I may have bought a faulty clock so took it back and swapped it for
another one but the same thing is happening. It's been about 3 hours now
and still no correct time. Any ideas welcome?

The MSF transmitter at Rugby provides a time signal service on a very
low (60kHz) frequency from a highly accurate atomic clock.

IIRC, the time data are transmitted once per minute so it should not
take more than a couple of minutes for the clock to synchronise. It's
up to the clock to decide how it uses the signal, and it may choose to
compare successive time codes before changing anything to reduce the
risk that interference affects the setting.

I have got an Oregon Scientific MSF alarm clock, and it will only pick
up MSF in certain areas of the house. My bedside table is a place it
does not work! 10cm either way and it works. I would try leaving it in
different places in the house, you will probably find the place you have
it now is in an MSF "dead spot" or there is too much interference there.
--
Tim Mitchell

Mark Atherton wrote:

The clock incorporates a radio receiver to receive the time signal, as you
say, from Rugby on 16kHz,


60Khz I believe.

very low frequency.I believe it is continuous, it
is not a 'pips' type time signal but a complex signal containing time info
which the clock/radio de-codes.Make sure you are not using it in a shielded
area where radio waves can be attenuated,re-check the instructions etc. More
info on Rugby Radio just put the name into Google.
Mark Atherton
"Mark" wrote in message
...

How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work? I today bought a
cheap LCD rc alarm clock from Littlewoods but can't get the clock to
automatically update to the correct time. The instructions say the clock
updates itself at certain times of the day from the the signal via a
transmitter in Rugby. There's also a manual "receive" button to start
receiving the signal immediately if required (or as soon as the
batteries are inserted). The "receive" indicator will flash for about 8
minutes but then goes out without updating the clock. I thought perhaps
I may have bought a faulty clock so took it back and swapped it for
another one but the same thing is happening. It's been about 3 hours now
and still no correct time. Any ideas welcome?

"Skip" wrote in message
...
Mark

are the minutes correct?......if so you may need to manually adjust
for time zone.

No, it just starts from the default 12 o'clock settings. I even tried
manually adjusting the clock to close to the right time to give it a
helping hand but it still refuses to budge on its own.

"Mark" wrote in message
...
How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work? I today bought a
cheap LCD rc alarm clock from Littlewoods but can't get the clock to
automatically update to the correct time. The instructions say the clock
updates itself at certain times of the day from the the signal via a
transmitter in Rugby. There's also a manual "receive" button to start
receiving the signal immediately if required (or as soon as the
batteries are inserted). The "receive" indicator will flash for about 8
minutes but then goes out without updating the clock. I thought perhaps
I may have bought a faulty clock so took it back and swapped it for
another one but the same thing is happening. It's been about 3 hours now
and still no correct time. Any ideas welcome?


I changed the batteries in my r/c clock last weekend & it took a few hours
before it picked up the Rugby signal.
It tries to sync every hour. Just leave it near a window overnight & forget
about it.

JW

In article , Mark
wrote:
How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work? I today
bought a cheap LCD rc alarm clock from Littlewoods but can't
get the clock to automatically update to the correct time.

I've got one on which you need to set the time manually to the
nearest hour before the current time and then it adjusts itself
on the next time pulse. It's quite uncanny to watch the second
hand moving round on the time pips and hitting the 12 spot on

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser
http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm

On 17 Oct 2003, Mark wrote

How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work? I today
bought a cheap LCD rc alarm clock from Littlewoods but can't get
the clock to automatically update to the correct time.

-snip-

Any ideas welcome?

I suspect that out of sheer rotten luck you've hit an outage during the
annual maintenance period -- my bedside clock hasn't updated since
about 9 am this morning.

This shouldn't last more than a day, though: take a look at the NPL
outages page at http://www.npl.co.uk/time/msfoutages.html: that notes
that this year's annual maintenance fortnight is 6 - 20 October, and
that:

Usually during annual maintenance periods it is likely that
the service will be interrupted, although these outages will
be kept to a minimum. The service is restored overnight
between 2000 BST and 0800 BST whenever possible.

So: leave it overnight, and see if it picks up the signal.

HTH

--
Cheers,
Harvey

For e-mail, change harvey to whhvs.

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 15:15:11 +0100, "Mark"

It may simply be that the problem is in your first sentence ("cheap"
and "Littlewoods") and you have a second dud clock.....

I'll give it till tomorrow and get a refund if now't happens.

In article ,
Mark wrote:
How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work? I today bought a
cheap LCD rc alarm clock from Littlewoods but can't get the clock to
automatically update to the correct time. The instructions say the clock
updates itself at certain times of the day from the the signal via a
transmitter in Rugby. There's also a manual "receive" button to start
receiving the signal immediately if required (or as soon as the
batteries are inserted). The "receive" indicator will flash for about 8
minutes but then goes out without updating the clock.

It's possible it's not receiving the signal. Mine shows a steady 'receive'
indication when things are ok, flashes when it's not happy, and goes out
completely when the signal is lost.

I'd say mine is sited well to receive an LF signal but still shows no
signal at times - perhaps you could try moving yours to see if it works ok
elsewhere.

--
*Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker? *

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

On 17 Oct 2003, Mark wrote

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 15:15:11 +0100, "Mark"

It may simply be that the problem is in your first sentence ("cheap"
and "Littlewoods") and you have a second dud clock.....

I'll give it till tomorrow and get a refund if now't happens.

Sounds wise.

Given the "outages" link in my other post and my clock's failure to
reset itself, it would be interesting to know if anyone has
successfully had a radio-controlled clock reset itself since around 9
this morning.

--
Cheers,
Harvey

For e-mail, change harvey to whhvs.

"Harvey Van Sickle" wrote in message
I'll give it till tomorrow and get a refund if now't happens.

Sounds wise.

Given the "outages" link in my other post and my clock's failure to
reset itself, it would be interesting to know if anyone has
successfully had a radio-controlled clock reset itself since around 9
this morning.

Yes thanks for the link. Looks like problems solved. Still no update but
I rang the number on the NPL site and a recorded message confirmed the
MSF signal was down from 9am 6th Oct until 9am 20th Oct, but will be
working overnight whenever possible.

On 17 Oct 2003, Mark wrote
"Harvey Van Sickle" wrote in message

Given the "outages" link in my other post and my clock's failure
to reset itself, it would be interesting to know if anyone has
successfully had a radio-controlled clock reset itself since
around 9 this morning.


Yes thanks for the link. Looks like problems solved. Still no
update but I rang the number on the NPL site and a recorded
message confirmed the MSF signal was down from 9am 6th Oct until
9am 20th Oct, but will be working overnight whenever possible.

Excellent -- I hope mine updates as well!

--
Cheers,
Harvey

For e-mail, change harvey to whhvs.

On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 14:15:11 UTC, "Mark" wrote:

How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work?

The Rugby transmitter sends a continuous time signal. It takes exactly
one minute to send the time *once*. Most clocks try to receive two or
three consecutive signals, with time values that differ by one minute,
before they commit to updating the clock itself. So, a weak signal can
mean they don't ever update, and even a string one will take three or
four minutes.

Bear in mind this is long wave. It's subsceptible to nearby metallic
objects, so try moving the clock around the room and trying again. Try
it upstairs too. Some of them have pretty useless antenna systems.

Try also taking it upstairs!
--
Bob Eager
rde at tavi.co.uk
PC Server 325*4; PS/2s 9585, 8595, 9595*2, 8580*3,
P70...

On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 16:02:52 +0100, "Mark"
wrote:

I did wonder if perhaps I'm in an area where the signal's not getting
through but I did try it during the 5 mile trip home in the car and
still no update!

Being low frequency it won't have a problem going round corners
because the signal bounces off the upper atmosphere, whereas with high
frequency (FM, VHF, TV etc) you have to have line of sight.

They use low frequency to communicate with submarines on the other
side of the world from Northwood in north London (the signal might go
out from Rugby though - I don't know the details). A sub can receive
signals at periscope depth, as happened in the Falklands when HMS
Conqueror was told to take out Belgrano by Northwood (the instruction
was issued from Downing Street).

Leastways, that's what was explained to me a few years back. So if I'm
right then the submarine will always have an accurate clock....

RCC symbol will flash for a maximum of 8 minutes and if signal is
successful it will update the clock and the RCC symbol will become
stationary - otherwise the RCC symbol will be off (which mine is after
the maximum 8 minutes of trying). I will have a read up on the Rugby
transmitter.

I've got one of those radio clocks sitting on my desk. Every so often
the receiving signal flashes for a period of time when it updates
itself. I don't have a problem with the clock being wrong.

Are you sure you haven't got it set to some other time zone? You need
GMT in the UK.

PoP

On 17 Oct 2003, PoP wrote

-snip-


I've got one of those radio clocks sitting on my desk. Every so
often the receiving signal flashes for a period of time when it
updates itself. I don't have a problem with the clock being wrong.


Are you sure it's been able to reset itself during the day, today?

As noted in my other posts, the NPL site says the Rugby transmitter is
on annual maintenance from 6 to 20 October, with signal transmission
probably out from 9 am to 9 pm. (There's an indicator on my clock that
shows if the hourly update was successful, and if not how many hours
it's been since the last update was made: that's now sitting at 8 hours
missed, and since it's currently 17:30, it must have last updated at 8
am, in line with what the NPL site says.)

--
Cheers,
Harvey

For e-mail, change harvey to whhvs.

In article ,
"Bob Eager" writes:
On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 14:15:11 UTC, "Mark" wrote:

How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work?

The Rugby transmitter sends a continuous time signal. It takes exactly
one minute to send the time *once*.

The signal is transmitted at 1 bit per second, represented by
a 100ms or 200ms break in the carrier IIRC. I built a rugby
clock receiver about 12 years ago, together with a driver for
Interactive UNIX for it to keep the system clock in sync.
If you arrange for the breaks in the carrier to cause an
audiable tone, it's quite easy to decode it by ear. I sat up
on a few occasions to listen to it handling the daylight savings
shift (not sure I should admit things like this;-).

For some years (certainly when I built my receiver 12 years ago),
there was also a fastcode transmission in the last second of
each minute which encoded much (maybe all) of the data again
within that second. I vaguely recall hearing they have since
dropped the fastcode transmission.

--
Andrew Gabriel

In article ,
Tony Bryer wrote:
It's quite uncanny to watch the second
hand moving round on the time pips and hitting the 12 spot on

You don't have DAB, then?

--
*Very funny Scotty, now beam down my clothes.

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

"PoP" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 16:02:52 +0100, "Mark"
wrote:

I did wonder if perhaps I'm in an area where the signal's not getting
through but I did try it during the 5 mile trip home in the car and
still no update!

Being low frequency it won't have a problem going round corners
because the signal bounces off the upper atmosphere, whereas with high
frequency (FM, VHF, TV etc) you have to have line of sight.

They use low frequency to communicate with submarines on the other
side of the world from Northwood in north London (the signal might go
out from Rugby though - I don't know the details). A sub can receive
signals at periscope depth, as happened in the Falklands when HMS
Conqueror was told to take out Belgrano by Northwood (the instruction
was issued from Downing Street).

Leastways, that's what was explained to me a few years back. So if I'm
right then the submarine will always have an accurate clock....

RCC symbol will flash for a maximum of 8 minutes and if signal is
successful it will update the clock and the RCC symbol will become
stationary - otherwise the RCC symbol will be off (which mine is after
the maximum 8 minutes of trying). I will have a read up on the Rugby
transmitter.

I've got one of those radio clocks sitting on my desk. Every so often
the receiving signal flashes for a period of time when it updates
itself. I don't have a problem with the clock being wrong.

Are you sure you haven't got it set to some other time zone? You need
GMT in the UK.

PoP


1. They work on a LOW radio frequency 60KHz, you need a location with little
radio interferance. Go find a Longwave radio, and make sure you can recive
Radio 4 ok. Try the clock outside.

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Bob Eager" writes:
On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 14:15:11 UTC, "Mark" wrote:

How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work?

The Rugby transmitter sends a continuous time signal. It takes exactly
one minute to send the time *once*.

The signal is transmitted at 1 bit per second, represented by
a 100ms or 200ms break in the carrier IIRC. I built a rugby
clock receiver about 12 years ago, together with a driver for
Interactive UNIX for it to keep the system clock in sync.
If you arrange for the breaks in the carrier to cause an
audiable tone, it's quite easy to decode it by ear. I sat up
on a few occasions to listen to it handling the daylight savings
shift (not sure I should admit things like this;-).

For some years (certainly when I built my receiver 12 years ago),
there was also a fastcode transmission in the last second of
each minute which encoded much (maybe all) of the data again
within that second. I vaguely recall hearing they have since
dropped the fastcode transmission.

--
Andrew Gabriel

Yes Fast Code has been droped and MSF is currently OFF AIR

On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 16:47:01 UTC, (Andrew
Gabriel) wrote:

For some years (certainly when I built my receiver 12 years ago),
there was also a fastcode transmission in the last second of
each minute which encoded much (maybe all) of the data again
within that second. I vaguely recall hearing they have since
dropped the fastcode transmission.

I didn't notice it, although there are some gaps during the minute. I
supervised a student's hardware/software project last year and part of
it was to design and build a clock peripheral for a PC...had a lot of
trouble in a reinforced concrete building.

--
Bob Eager
rde at tavi.co.uk
PC Server 325*4; PS/2s 9585, 8595, 9595*2, 8580*3,
P70...

"Mark" wrote in message
...
How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work? I today bought a
cheap LCD rc alarm clock from Littlewoods but can't get the clock to
automatically update to the correct time. The instructions say the clock
updates itself at certain times of the day from the the signal via a
transmitter in Rugby. There's also a manual "receive" button to start
receiving the signal immediately if required (or as soon as the
batteries are inserted). The "receive" indicator will flash for about 8
minutes but then goes out without updating the clock. I thought perhaps
I may have bought a faulty clock so took it back and swapped it for
another one but the same thing is happening. It's been about 3 hours now
and still no correct time. Any ideas welcome?

The MSF Annual Maintenance Period in 2003
The MSF 60 kHz transmitter system at the BT Rugby Radio Station will be shut
down for maintenance for the following period:

From 0800 UTC Monday 6 October 2003 to 0800 UTC Monday 20 October 2003.

Please note that the scheduled outage for maintenance on Tuesday 7 October
2003 falls within this period.

Usually during annual maintenance periods it is likely that the service will
be interrupted, although these outages will be kept to a minimum. The
service is restored overnight between 2000 BST and 0800 BST whenever
possible.

Some of these time clocks originate from Europe and use the German DCF
(MSF Rugby equivalent) as the transmitting station (on a different frequency)

Nick

In message ,
Dave Plowman wrote:

In article ,
Mark wrote:
How do these Radio controlled clocks supposed to work? I today bought a
cheap LCD rc alarm clock from Littlewoods but can't get the clock to
automatically update to the correct time. The instructions say the clock
updates itself at certain times of the day from the the signal via a
transmitter in Rugby. There's also a manual "receive" button to start
receiving the signal immediately if required (or as soon as the
batteries are inserted). The "receive" indicator will flash for about 8
minutes but then goes out without updating the clock.

It's possible it's not receiving the signal. Mine shows a steady 'receive'
indication when things are ok, flashes when it's not happy, and goes out
completely when the signal is lost.

I'd say mine is sited well to receive an LF signal but still shows no
signal at times - perhaps you could try moving yours to see if it works ok
elsewhere.


The radio station at which I used to work had a very fancy Rugby
receiving clock. Several hundred pounds worth. Of course, this was
purchased in the days before you could get one for a tenner from Argos.

It sat in Racks and had an external antenna that had to be placed as
nearly outside the building as possible as VLF is easily blocked by
structure (look at the way R4 LW disappears briefly as you pass
underneath motorway bridges. That's at 198kHz, so 60kHz is worse.)

The main point of it was to keep all the clocks in the building
precisely synchronised with each other. It was nice if they also
synchronised with the NPL! To this end it had a serial line
daisy-chained to a clock in each studio. It had its own battery backup
in case of mains failure (so that you wouldn't have to wait 5 minutes
for it to reset itself), it also had its own, laser-trimmed quartz
crystal clock so that if Rugby went off air for an extended period (the
annual maintenance *might* take it off for the complete 2 weeks rather
than off in the day and on in the night) it could keep very accurate
time, and each studio clock also had its own quartz movement so that if
the main clock failed, you had a couple of days before they became more
than a second or two out of synch.

It used to confuse the overnight jocks by fast-forwarding at GMT/BST
changes!

One presenter was severely lacking in the sight-department and as soon
as stand-alone clocks became available we had to buy a couple (at about
£40 each ISTR) so that we could put one on the desk next to him. For
some reason it seemed to get the signal better inside the building than
the "big" clock in Racks did!

Just a fun story...

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove: http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/
Don't fight technology, live with it: http://www.livtech.co.uk/
.... As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error.

"froggers" wrote in message
...
Some of these time clocks originate from Europe and use the German DCF
(MSF Rugby equivalent) as the transmitting station (on a different
frequency)

Nick



I got one the other day from Aldi (or was it Lidl) for £3.99 and it works a
treat of DCF on 77KHz - even on the floor of the car (before got it home.


--
Woody

"Martin Angove" wrote
| The radio station at which I used to work had a very fancy
| Rugby receiving clock. Several hundred pounds worth. Of
| course, this was purchased in the days before you could
| get one for a tenner from Argos. It sat in Racks

It wasn't a Wharton was it? I used to salivate looking at the Wharton clocks
in the catalogue.

.....
| It used to confuse the overnight jocks by fast-forwarding at GMT/BST
| changes!

I can remember when the studio clock was stuck during a late night programme
phoning the porter's desk asking them what the time was (on the asusmption
that if you want to know anything you asked a porter). "Are you having a
bleedin' laugh sonny?" "No I'm on air and the clock has broken and I need to
reset it before the next record finishes"

Owain

On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 17:20:27 +0100, PoP wrote:

They use low frequency ...

Very Low Frequency, VLF, 16kHz.

... to communicate with submarines on the other side of the world
from Northwood in north London (the signal might go out from Rugby
though - I don't know the details).

The time standard, MSF, on 60kHz is the only signal transmitted from
the BT site at Rugby now. I think most of the masts have or are about
to be removed apart from the single MSF mast.

One of the 16kHz transmitter sites for subs etc was at Criggion, but
that has been closed and the masts removed. Take a peek at
http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/s...io/index.shtml.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

"harrogate" wrote in message
...

"froggers" wrote in message
...
Some of these time clocks originate from Europe and use the German DCF
(MSF Rugby equivalent) as the transmitting station (on a different
frequency)

Nick



I got one the other day from Aldi (or was it Lidl) for £3.99 and it works
a
treat of DCF on 77KHz - even on the floor of the car (before got it home.


--
Woody





You might have to place it next to window or even outside for a while to
make sure it is picking up the signal properly. If this doesn't help
matters, then take it back and get a refund 'cause it's a duff radio.

In article ,
froggers wrote:
Some of these time clocks originate from Europe and use the German DCF
(MSF Rugby equivalent) as the transmitting station (on a different
frequency)

Mine is switchable, and of course won't be on BST in this mode. It also
goes to a 24 hour display - which I'd actually prefer.

--
*Organized Crime Is Alive And Well; It's Called Auto Insurance.

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

In message , Mark
writes

I did wonder if perhaps I'm in an area where the signal's not getting
through but I did try it during the 5 mile trip home in the car and
still no update! Can't see that I'm doing anything wrong, Just press
the receiving button to start a forced update. The instructions say the
RCC symbol will flash for a maximum of 8 minutes and if signal is
successful it will update the clock and the RCC symbol will become
stationary - otherwise the RCC symbol will be off (which mine is after
the maximum 8 minutes of trying). I will have a read up on the Rugby
transmitter.

Well , I have one which I got in Germany years ago, which uses the
Frankfurt time signal, which must be at least 500 miles away. It works
fine and I have no problem with the signal - you must be in some sort of
faraday cage
--
geoff

On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 01:15:58 +0100, geoff wrote:

Well , I have one which I got in Germany years ago, which uses the
Frankfurt time signal, which must be at least 500 miles away.

So do I - a Phillips. It has the best alarm time setting interface
I've ever used (a speed sensitive wheel) and has only one problem -
it's resolutely accurate to the squillisecond, only an hour ahead.
There's no way to move it off the German time zone !

It works
fine and I have no problem with the signal - you must be in some sort of
faraday cage

It would be an incredible Faraday cage to stop 60kHz (my house is
infamously proof against GHz radio, but nothing is proof against this
sort of LW), but it is sensitive to all manner of interference from
electrical gear. Try leaving it on the top floor of the house, until
it synchronises.

--
Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

"Dave Plowman" wrote in message
...
In article ,
froggers wrote:
Some of these time clocks originate from Europe and use the German DCF
(MSF Rugby equivalent) as the transmitting station (on a different
frequency)

Mine is switchable, and of course won't be on BST in this mode. It also
goes to a 24 hour display - which I'd actually prefer.

--
*Organized Crime Is Alive And Well; It's Called Auto Insurance.

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn


Curiosly mine is DCF - it says so on the box - but it shows UK time!
Hmmm.....


--
Woody

"geoff" wrote in message
...
Well , I have one which I got in Germany years ago, which uses the
Frankfurt time signal, which must be at least 500 miles away. It works
fine and I have no problem with the signal - you must be in some sort
of
faraday cage

Everything is ok and working fine now. I checked at around 7pm last
night and it had updated itself to the correct time, so it must have
been due to the maintenance work on the transmitter. As previously
mentioned, the maintenance work is scheduled to complete on the 20th Oct
so there will probably be more downtime until them. Thanks for all the
replies.

"harrogate" wrote in message
...
I got one the other day from Aldi (or was it Lidl) for £3.99 and it
works a treat of DCF on 77KHz - even on the floor of the car (before
got it home.

I was after one of the Lidl weather stations in last weeks special
offers. I'm not sure if it also had a built in RC clock but even so it
was a great buy at £9.99. Unfortunately they sold out before I could get
down.

In message ,
"Owain" wrote:

"Martin Angove" wrote
| The radio station at which I used to work had a very fancy
| Rugby receiving clock. Several hundred pounds worth. Of
| course, this was purchased in the days before you could
| get one for a tenner from Argos. It sat in Racks

It wasn't a Wharton was it? I used to salivate looking at the Wharton clocks
in the catalogue.

....

No, it was from a company called, predictably enough, Radiocode Clocks.
I believe they're still available from the likes of Canford :-)

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove: http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/
Don't fight technology, live with it: http://www.livtech.co.uk/
.... Constant change is here to stay.

In article ,
"froggers" wrote:

Some of these time clocks originate from Europe and use the German DCF
(MSF Rugby equivalent) as the transmitting station (on a different frequency)

Some of these time clocks allow you to use German, UK, Japanese, US
stations at will.

In article , Dave
Liquorice writes
On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 17:20:27 +0100, PoP wrote:

They use low frequency ...

Very Low Frequency, VLF, 16kHz.

... to communicate with submarines on the other side of the world
from Northwood in north London (the signal might go out from Rugby
though - I don't know the details).

The time standard, MSF, on 60kHz is the only signal transmitted from
the BT site at Rugby now. I think most of the masts have or are about
to be removed apart from the single MSF mast.

Don't they transmit Radio4 LW still from there? (also isn't it actually
Droitwich rather than Rugby?)
--
Tim Mitchell