[AMRadio] Something to ponder

[Rob Atkinson]

I was talking to a few hams last week about WWV and one thing we
realized was that with GPS, you usually have to be outside for some
small device like a watch to get its signal from the birds overhead in
the sky.  Well, the indoor alarm clocks etc. that depend on a radio
signal won't work that way but the 60 kc WWV signal does penetrate
indoors to some degree.  You may have to set the clock near a window
or next to a wall but they work.  My experience with GPS is you don't
get anything unless you're outside and you can't even be under a tree.
So I don't think GPS will replace WWVB or whatever the clock signal
is.

Rob
K5UJ
On Fri, Sep 28, 2018 at 7:38 PM CL in NC via AMRadio
<amradio at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
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> If the planned shutdown of WWV on HF takes place, what will we have to calibrate various things against when it comes to our vintage gear?  Beating an oscillator or signal generator against WWV, you had a cal source for things like freq. counters, and scope time bases.  Harmonics from a VFO could be beat against them to set the dial right on.  Thinking about that, made me wonder if the venerable heterodyne frequency meter might make a comeback.  One issue there, is making sure the 1MC crystal in the freq. meter agrees with the crystal set point numbers spec'd in the calibration book, but locales that have a BC station on 1000KC would have a close source. Even many of the whiz bang radios of today have a TCXO that might need a tweak, what do you check it against?  CHU with their odd ball carrier freqs might work for some things, but not as effectively as being on WWV's standard carrier frequencies.
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> For what it's worth, I fire off emails to my US reps all the time about stuff, they like email now so they don't have to check your letter for contaminants.  The amount of money NBS needs to keep WWV on the air is equal to what the US govt will blow on nothing in a day or less.  Short of armed insurrection, email is the modern pitchfork and burning faggot(Ye Olde English definition).
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