[time-nuts] Does GPS time reception work everywhere all of the time?

Bill Hawkins bill at iaxs.net
Sat Aug 28 23:31:14 UTC 2010


I'm involved with time synchronization of control system
computers for multi-national businesses. GPS springs to
mind as a way to synchronize time anywhere. Or is it?
What about monsoon rains?

The Internet is available almost everywhere that control
computers are used, but many users prefer to use a data
diode between them and the Internet. Control computers
are now essential for manufacturing processes. Some of
the processes run constantly for years without stopping
for any kind of security update. Some of the downtimes
cost millions of dollars per day.

A GPS time system allows the control systems to be
synchronized in time, so that messages sent periodically
through the data diodes will have the correct time stamp
on various events that occur in the process.

But does that work everywhere all of the time? Where can
I find answers?

Thanks in advance, as we used to say.

Bill Hawkins




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