So who forgot to update their clock to reflect DST? I have an electronic thermometer that features an "atomic clock" that updates itself periodically from a signal sent from a participating FM station. This is the first time in 20 some years that the clock has failed to update itself for DST. I can force the clock to update itself manually, and I've done so several times yesterday and today, with the thermometer sitting in the window for a strong signal. It appears that it is picking up the signal, as sometimes it takes only a few minutes until the scanning indicator stops flashing, other times much longer. (The time signal from the FM station isn't being constantly sent, only a few times every 10 minutes or so). Anyone know who is transmitting the time signal? I don't have the manual on hand, but I believe it falls in the 90 MHz spectrum.
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Atomic Clock DST
- Thread starter snowdog88
- Start date
So the clock does not use the 60 kHz WWVB time signal? I’ve never heard of an FM station transmitting a time reference for such clocks.
Even 20 years ago, it was common for RDS clock time to not represent DST, or sometimes be set to UTC.
en.wikipedia.org
Radio Data System - Wikipedia
I have a few radios that use RDS for time, very hit and miss (mostly miss). Depends on the radio station's RDS time actually being accurate.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
I was wondering the same thing. Even the concept doesn't make sense, given that most atomic clocks (like the one I have had for a couple of decades now) use WWVB for overnight adjustment. Sometimes that 60kHz signal doesn't get received on the first try, but the clock tries again every hour until it gets in sync. It switched to DST yesterday morning without a hiccup.
I couldn't find anything in search about atomic clocks using a FM time signal, so this must be some oddball system. I did find a nice explanation page at NIST about WWVB, though:
Help with WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks
BTW, I am now down to only three clocks that need manual resetting: My clock-radio (vintage 1998), the old digital alarm clock that has resided in my bathroom for even longer, and the clock in my 2015 smart electric car (which never had an auto-time set function).
My computer, smartphone, DVR, and the aforementioned atomic clock all update by themselves twice a year.
I had one atomic clock which didn't properly set itself yesterday, but after taking out the batteries and putting them back in to reset it, within a few minutes it picked up the WWVB signal and properly set itself to reflect DST. All I had to do was set it to the correct time zone.
That was via XDS (eXtended Data Services), which used part of the vertical blanking interval of the analog TV signal (similar to closed captions) to send station/network ID, program info, "V-Chip" ratings, and time/date.
Extended Data Services - Wikipedia
And yes, plenty of people complained about their VCRs automatically setting themselves to the wrong time:
Time Syncs I seem to have.
Car uses AT&T.
iPhone uses the carriers time.
Dashcam uses GPS.
Weather station, TV, & computers use NIST.
Thermostat does its own thing. Seems to change Daylight/Standard but wanders time wise.
The very old Radio Shack clock uses WWVB. It needs to be reset then set outside to update to Daylight or Standard Time.
Car uses AT&T.
iPhone uses the carriers time.
Dashcam uses GPS.
Weather station, TV, & computers use NIST.
Thermostat does its own thing. Seems to change Daylight/Standard but wanders time wise.
The very old Radio Shack clock uses WWVB. It needs to be reset then set outside to update to Daylight or Standard Time.
My VW is supposed to change to Daylight Saving Time, but it never has. No idea what it uses.
I saw an interesting page a couple of years ago explaining how to set your clocks. It said, paraphrased:
1) computers, phones: they do it themselves
2) wall clock: turn the knob on the back
3) digital clocks: press the buttons on the top
4) car radio clocks: wait six months when it'll be correct again.
What year is your VW? My 2017 has a trick- on the date/time screen you "enable GPS" and that seems to automate the Daylight/Standard feature.
Best car radio I have ever had. And the worst car radio I have ever had is on our newer, more expensive Toyota. Utter hot garbage.
2011, I read about that GPS option but mine doesn’t have that. What kind of Toyota? I was seriously considering that brand for my new car, but if their radios/infotainment suck then maybe not. What don’t you like about the radio?
Well, I managed to find the manual online, but every site that has a copy available only has the UK version, and the way it receives the time is completely different.
Yeah, I could have sworn that the manual that I once had mentioned an FM station, but that was almost 23 years ago.
Yeah, I could have sworn that the manual that I once had mentioned an FM station, but that was almost 23 years ago.
I can try that. I have a habit of quickly switching out low batteries so that I don't lose my hi/low history, but the temperature inside is mostly consistent and the outdoor sensor malfunctioned a long time ago (inaccurate readings), so really there's nothing to lose. It seems to be seeing some sort of signal anyhow.
I doubt that it's using RDS. I think my unit pre-dates RDS or just before it became common.
I’ve wondered if those “atomic clocks” that use the 60 kHz WWVB signal would also work in Europe with MSF in the UK, or in the Far East with JJY in Japan. Both those time reference stations are on 60 kHz, but I don’t know offhand if the data format is compatible with WWVB.
There are a few other longwave time stations, such as DCF77 in Germany on 77.5 kHz, RBU in Russia on 66.6 kHz, and BCP in China on 68.5 kHz. JJY has a second frequency on 40 kHz. I’ve heard all of these on various online SDRs.
Russia has additional time stations that operate around 25 kHz, which is in the VLF frequency range.
It is a 2020 Rav4 Hybrid. I am told by Toyota that they detuned the chips in the hybrids for 2020-2022 to get rid of some interference issues with the electric motors. It's a great car other than that. It is mainly driven by my wife who only streams anyway, so she doesn't care. If it was my car I would try to find a way to replace the head end.
I mean, I am not a huge fan of big SUVs, and would rather zip around in my little souped up Golf, but it is hard to argue with the milage she gets with the Rav4. Very consistent 44mpg in a pretty big car with AWD. And Toyota has a good reputation for quality.
That did it!
When I first saw Easy Rider when I was in college, the opening scene when they take off their wristwatches and ran over them with their bikes had a profound effect on me and I have not worn a watch since then. My car has a clock, there are clocks everywhere and now we carry one on our cell phone and I spent my career ruled by the clock in the studio.
They had it right, if only they had cut their hair before they drove south.
They had it right, if only they had cut their hair before they drove south.
You would think that after decades of this time change crap that car makers would have a clock/car radio that would do this automatically. But noooooooooo, even in my 2024 car I STILL have to futz around and try to figure out how to change it and by the time I do it's ready to be left where it's already at. So from the older LED aftermarket radios to the newest upgraded monolith dumb screen TV that you have to have a degree in quantum physics to adjust the freakin' time, nothing's changed.