[CW] Ship Radio Room clock

[Hans Brakob]

Jim mentioned a “comparing watch”, and shared some images to me.  Here is one.

An explanation follows the image.


[Image.jpeg]





Prior to LORAN and GPS, navigation at sea depended on precise time for celestial position measurements. The ships chronometer was the onboard time standard, kept in a gimbal mounted double box on the bridge.

About once a week a Quartermaster would come to radio and obtain a time tick from WWV, CHU, JGY, or similar source. (Navy Quartermasters were navigators, not supply clerks.). Using the “comparing watch”, he’d compare that with the ships chronometer and record any deviation noted.

Additionally, on a daily basis in late morning he’d use the “comparing watch” to compare all the other important ships clocks against the chronometer. That daily comparison would be noted in the ships log by the OOD and reported to the Skipper by messenger.

"Good morning sir, officer of the deck sends his respects and wishes to report the approach of the hour 1200. All daily reports have been submitted, ships chronometers have been wound and compared. All magazine temperatures measured and are normal. Request permission to strike 8 bells on time sir.”

73, de Hans, KØHB
“Just a Boy and his Radio”™
Master Chief Radioman, US Navy (Ret)

________________________________
From: abqcooks at aol.com <abqcooks at aol.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 9, 2022 11:16 AM
To: kzerohb at gmail.com; CW Reflector
Subject: Re: [CW] Ship Radio Room clock

So here's a dumb question.  My clock has silent periods marked Hans but yours doesn't.  Did military ships not have to observe silent periods ?  And do you think the one I posted a picture of is perhaps from a merchant marine ship ?
I love the history but I don't know it all ...yet.
Oh and I have a Bureau of Ships Navy comparing watch (Hamilton 2974) that has an early serial #.  #23 made in 1940/1.     Jim N5KY

Sent from the all new AOL app for Android<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aol.mobile.aolapp>

On Sun, Jan 9, 2022 at 9:31 AM, Hans Brakob
<kzerohb at gmail.com> wrote:
Someone asked “Why 24 hour format?”

Answer: Because it was always ZULU-time in the radio shack.

73, de Hans, KØHB
“Just a Boy and his Radio”™
Master Chief Radioman, US Navy (Ret)

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