[time-nuts] 60 KHz Receiver

Heathkid heathkid at heathkid.com
Tue Oct 5 05:26:11 UTC 2010


One more note before I just "read the posts for a while"...

> a) broadcasts aren't legal for US hams

Do some reading on telemetry and when broadcasts ARE allowed.  I've been a 
Ham for more than 30+ years.

> b) ionospheric uncertainty in the skywave path makes this no better than 
> WWV

No kidding... but without GPS (and assuming no Internet as well) how do we 
sync our clocks besides RF?

> c) Whats wrong with GPS and/or WWV and/or CHU or whatever?

Nothing as long as they are TRANSMITTING.

> d) A cheap Rb would give you a local reference that is much better than 
> what you could do with receiving something via skywave.

I have three Rb standards to go along  with my two Thunderbolts.

> If you want something that isn't run by governments,and is a technical 
> challenge, how about pulsars?   I'd guess (not having looked into it at 
> all) that is would be cheaper to set up a station to receive pulsars than 
> to run a Cs standard.

Are you serious?  Cheaper?  Really?  I'll trade you a Thunderbolt... 
complete kit! for a full Pulsar time/frequency reference receiving station 
that is reliable (and the real-estate plus equipment for a dish large enough 
for it!).  ;)

> While I fully sympathize with the "stand alone" approach (that's one of 
> the appeals of HF comms in general.. you aren't depending on anyone else's 
> infrastructure), I don't know that setting up a time standards station 
> fits in with that..

I have *many* mechanical watches.  I can easily calculate NOON from the sun 
at anytime during the year.  That's a reference and I can "set my watch by 
it".  I don't need you or anyone else to tell me what time it is.  If my 
watch isn't accurate or precise or is off my 1mS/day (or hour)... does it 
*really* matter if the GPS sats are down (think about it... why would they 
be down)?

What time is it?

*that wasn't my point*  ---- it's "relative" and I'm not going to go further 
with this discussion.  I just thought a "time-nuts based time system" was an 
interesting prospect.

...done.




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