You bought a radio receiver for DCF77 and other time transmitting services. The "atomic clocks" are at the transmitter end. :-DDYup. I have one I bought at LIDL but it must be trying to learn German or something because it has not yet changed to summer time.
Lidl recalls ‘most accurate clock in the world’ – because it’s stuck on German time
Disappointed customers have revealed that the supermarket’s £8.99 Auriol clock automatically sets itself to Frankfurt time – and changes back even if reset.
Why don't you post a picture of your radio clock?
You bought a radio receiver for DCF77 and other time transmitting services. The "atomic clocks" are at the transmitter end. :-DD
The ferrite rod antenna is usually stuffed in the enclosure, not on the PCB. Take it apart and look.
What leads you to think you have an "atomic clock" at all?Well, it is made with atoms. It is not only atomic but molecular also.
Unfortunately most of us don't trained for using telepathy and don't have magician crystal ball with magic vision to see what you're talking about. If you post photo of electronics inside your clock it will helps to say how it works.
At a glance, this is just a usual crystal quartz electronic clock.
What leads you to think you have an "atomic clock" at all?
What does the back look like? There is nothing on the front that suggests an "atomic clock".
Typically there is something in the LCD display of a "lock" indicator when it is receiving WWVL (60KHz)
The clock uses about 10 mA, but the converter uses about .2 Volt per day.
I am wondering whether I bought a true atomic clock.
I took apart my clock and it does not have anything like this antenna.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lsae0sulcd1r9zr/Antenna.png?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/lsae0sulcd1r9zr/Antenna.png?dl=0)
Is it supposed to have an antenna?
I assume it needs one to get updated on the time from the time server.
QuoteI am wondering whether I bought a true atomic clock.
I took apart my clock and it does not have anything like this antenna.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lsae0sulcd1r9zr/Antenna.png?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/lsae0sulcd1r9zr/Antenna.png?dl=0)
Is it supposed to have an antenna?
I assume it needs one to get updated on the time from the time server.
Just to clarify.
A true rubidium or caesium based atomic clocks would also have an antenna attached in order to sync with the UTC time broadcasted by the satellites.
A "clock" without antenna would represent some local oscillator for the convenience of timekeeping. It will have accuracy problem over time due to the relative drifts between your oscillator and the standards.
For easy identification in the future, you could look for some glass tubes and ovens on your board if the clock is based on the atomic standards.
For a serious identification, you should measure its long term frequency stability and time stability somehow and make sure that they are below 10-11.
Doesn't look like there's much in the way of radio receiver in there, I'd be pretty sure it's not a radio clock but, does it set itself when you apply power or do you have to do it manually?
The MSF clocks I have flash 12:00 at first (and then 12:01, :02 etc.) until they sync for instance
Yep, ordinary dollar store clock.
I am wondering whether I bought a true atomic clock.Wonder no more... you didn't.
I have to manually set time when changing batteries. How could a radio controlled clock maintain the time if it has no power?
Yep, ordinary dollar store clock.
You are not funny.
Dollar stores do not sell my model.
PS
Someone else seems to have also given this model more attention than it deserves... https://mysku.me/blog/china-stores/48540.html (https://mysku.me/blog/china-stores/48540.html)
Are proper atomic clock even available to general public, or within purchasing power of an average civilian?GPS time transfer from Satellite is dirt cheap nowadays... if you can solve for position then you have already solved for time.
I'm not talking radio clocks, but real caesium/rubidium stuff.
...the position calculation doesn't depend on the receiver getting the correct time..To calculate the distance to the satellite requires the local time and this is solved for; basically in 4D (you need >=4 SV)
I'm pretty sure its just another common cheap LCD clock, maybe cost 5 or 10 bucks.
I am wondering whether I bought a true atomic clock.Wonder no more... you didn't.
PS
Someone else seems to have also given this model more attention than it deserves... https://mysku.me/blog/china-stores/48540.html
I have to manually set time when changing batteries. How could a radio controlled clock maintain the time if it has no power?
It doesn't, it gets the time over the radio, that is why it is called radio controlled.
It does not maintain time without power. It does receive the time via radio after power is supplied via the battery..I have to manually set time when changing batteries. How could a radio controlled clock maintain the time if it has no power?
It doesn't, it gets the time over the radio, that is why it is called radio controlled.
So there are radios that do not need power? A little hard to believe.
So there are radios that do not need power? A little hard to believe.
Doesn't look like there's much in the way of radio receiver in there, I'd be pretty sure it's not a radio clock but, does it set itself when you apply power or do you have to do it manually?
The MSF clocks I have flash 12:00 at first (and then 12:01, :02 etc.) until they sync for instance
I have to manually set time when changing batteries. How could a radio controlled clock maintain the time if it has no power?
Are proper atomic clock even available to general public, or within purchasing power of an average civilian?There are many Rubidium oscillators on Ebay for <$100 and some for even <$50
I'm not talking radio clocks, but real caesium/rubidium stuff.
And everyone's picking on this OP over "atomic radio", give them a break, it'll be one of the time signal receiver clocks, which is tied to an atomic reference clock. thus the "atomic clock". Here in the UK its the MSF time signal, it used to be known as the rugby clock signal.But it is NOT a radio-controlled clock! |O
So there are radios that do not need power? A little hard to believe.
Actually, you CAN get radios that do not need power. They've been about since I was a kid in the 70s. There were crystal radio sets which could work with no power supply. They used the received signal to generate the supply, but it was very low power, it wasn't gonna drive speakers.