Radio clocks are sometimes referred to as atomic clocks, but they are not a true atomic clock. Are you wondering how does a radio controlled clock work? Atomic clocks have an atomic oscillator inside and the radio clocks have transistors and are actually have a radio inside.
The clock’s radio picks up very low frequency signals at 60 kHz. These signals are not sufficient enough in band width to carry voice or data. AM radio signals are about 530 kHz which is ten times greater than the radio clock uses. These 60kHz signals are sent from Fort Collins, CO from the NIST Radio station WWVB and received by the clock’s receiver. The Radio Controlled Clocks will need to be set initially for your time zone.
The time zone is calculated using the UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) for your area which is calculated using the difference between your local time and Greenwich Mean Time. Once the clock has batteries and is on it will receive the radio signal in about a minute to set the time based on the signal.
Radio Controlled Clocks will re-sync themselves several times a day depending on the manufacturer. Some clocks sync up every minute, others every 4 hours and some only once a day. If you experience problems with your Radio Controlled Clocks not working, here are a few tips to resolve the issue.
Try placing wall Radio Controlled Clocks another wall, preferably perpendicular to the wall you had it on. If the wall was on a north-south facing wall then try an east-west wall.
If it is a table top model try locating it in another area away from any computer monitors. The clock signal is picked up better at night and outside. If you have a metal roof or live in a mobile home or have metal siding, your clock may experience interference with the signal.
If you are still having problems with the clock not working, take it outside at night, take the batteries out and replace them to reset the clock. Wait for approximately 5 minutes, it should reset itself. If the clock works okay outside then you have something interfering with the radio signals in your home. If it still isn’t working the clock may be defective and would need to be returned to the place of purchase for a refund or exchange. Alternatively, purchase a traditional wood wall clock that will look cool in any room or building.
by Kev Mattely
