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yertle38 t1_ixo4huf wrote

The signal strength in the upper right shows you have reception to the radio signal that broadcasts the current time.

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graveybrains t1_ixoai2h wrote

If anyone wants to nerd out a bit, this is the radio station it’s listening to:

https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwvb

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JerryBoBerry38 t1_ixoho21 wrote

And the station WWV (no B on the end) broadcasts the signal on several high frequency bandwidths. If you have a shortwave radio you can listen to those.

How I've set my watches since the late 80's.

https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwv

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loganwachter t1_ixou18h wrote

There’s also a number you can dial to get the time. I use it to make test calls to verify phones are working at work. (202)762-1401

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ArseholeAlexa t1_ixowb07 wrote

That is so weird, I have that number saved in my phone, and I decided to call it tonight and the computer is not picking up and saying “on the beep, the time is————-“

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loganwachter t1_ixowe3w wrote

I’ve noticed recently it’s been ringing for about 20 seconds and then answers.

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ArseholeAlexa t1_ixown4a wrote

HUH. It just worked after you posted and I called it back.

“US Naval Observatory master clock, at the tone, Eastern Standard time, 22 hours 29 minutes 30 seconds”

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loganwachter t1_ixowqt3 wrote

Just called from one of my phones. Rang forever. Called from the other and it answered immediately. Seems it has a mind of its own.

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ArseholeAlexa t1_ixowz2m wrote

“22 hours 32 minutes exactly.”

Welp, it seems to be working just fine. It must have a small queue of phone calls coming in.

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MDCRP t1_ixqu8de wrote

Or it got the reddit hug

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mr_john_steed t1_ixpfmlk wrote

I tried it and just heard a voice whispering "SEVEN DAYS". Is that bad....?

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jam3s2001 t1_ixqe9j3 wrote

You will find out in a week, I guess. Might be best to avoid any old wells in the meantime.

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milesbeats t1_ixqip9k wrote

Is this popcorn you are speaking of ??

You can spell out P.O.P.C.O.R.N on any handset I remember regardless of area code and you get the time

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ArseholeAlexa t1_ixqjnfv wrote

I’ve never heard of the popcorn thing before. I have no idea.

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milesbeats t1_ixqk3o6 wrote

I'm not even fucking with you this was a huge deal .. it was hella fun... What time is it .. then we would sneak to a phone and call popcorn ... The current time is ... Lol memories

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ArseholeAlexa t1_ixqm769 wrote

Well shoot, it was shut down in 2007. That’s sad as heck.

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ipsumdeiamoamasamat t1_ixq35ev wrote

I didn’t know this existed. We used to have a local version of it, but the telephone company ended that years ago.

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awarmguinness t1_ixroz7p wrote

There was a number like that growing up, I could dial WEATHER for the weather and 777-4647 for the time, it would say "Calling long distance? Make a list of what you want to talk about, you'll save more in less time. The time is..." Still remember that shit....

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loganwachter t1_ixrphfv wrote

That would’ve been a locally controlled device in a phone central office near you. Ours was 774-9998 and the one at my grandparents house was 764-0105 I think. Both had different advertisement messages but the timekeepers voice was identical.

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goetheschiller t1_ixs86r3 wrote

Interesting! I wonder if the “at the tone” takes into account the inherent delay in the signal.

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XS4Me t1_ixpt17z wrote

> wrist watches

To be fair, wrist watches are now a days more jewelry than time keeping devices.

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tatanka01 t1_ixpxh8o wrote

>To be fair, wrist watches are now a days more computer than time keeping devices.

FTFY

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Gernafax t1_ixoezlt wrote

My jam

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Hank_Fuerta t1_ixp6jgd wrote

Lone Star?

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Legato895 t1_ixpbdu5 wrote

Raspberry

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TadeusTaD t1_ixpov5p wrote

Now that's a r/unexpectedSpaceballs worthy thread

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politepauly t1_ixplbbw wrote

I LOVE THIS. Buyitforlife for sure. I get so pissed off at apple and ms and tesla etc.

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JPAchilles t1_ixplra0 wrote

I think you meant to reply to another comment

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skyecolin22 t1_ixpd51l wrote

This is the most detailed government webpage I've ever seen, and I appreciate that even as someone who doesn't understand radio signals all that well

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EarlPeck t1_ixrru5d wrote

That’s NIST for you check out their e-commerce store.

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Gabetanker t1_ixponfl wrote

If nist.gov would ever shut down for a day, the country would probably collapse

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Snoo75302 t1_ixpxuc3 wrote

I have a watch that connects to this. Casio wave ceptor.

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BigEmu9286 t1_ixoq5pa wrote

How do you know

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FilteringOutSubs t1_ixoxybb wrote

There aren't that many time signals in the US. Also, it's in the clock's instructions

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[deleted] t1_ixp9cla wrote

[deleted]

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noroadsleft t1_ixpdxyy wrote

Seems to be an earlier version of this clock:

The clock in the OP seems to be a Model 13131A2, which has its manual linked on the Manuals tab ("Legacy Product 13131A2").

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FilteringOutSubs t1_ixqyvsq wrote

No where in the picture do I see that. I googled the clock brand and looked at the model pictures for a minute, then I looked at that model's information/instructions.

Also again, there are not that many time signals in the US; if there is a clock updating from a radio signal in the US, it's probably the WWV.

And to be thorough, I say US because the clock shows a continental US outline.

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The_alchemist667 t1_ixp6x9f wrote

Man you know whats so cool is ive been learning to produce edm music and been learning a lot about how the synths work and it uses the same terminology like pulse width modulation and such but relating to soundwaves.

Kinda cool how sin wave terminology can apply to so many different things

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PhilipMewnan t1_ixr06w6 wrote

I live pretty close to those, they’re really beautiful at night blinking red on the horizon

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50MillionNostalgia t1_ixrf8ae wrote

This is such a mind trip. I watched a recommended YouTube video at like 2 am last night about NIST. It was the first time I’ve ever heard of it and had no idea it existed. Was interesting af and now I open reddit today and the first thread has this as the top comment. Insane….feels like The Truman Show

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graveybrains t1_ixrhtlq wrote

And, in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!

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BitsAndBobs304 t1_ixrjz2d wrote

there's a classic Terence Hill & Bud Spencer movie where the villain has a bomb that will... delete all numbers. like, the existence of numbers. to which they reply things like "it'll be impossible to figure out what's happening during a football game!" "it'll be impossible to order pizza delivery!" .

now I'm picturing a hacker deciding to destroy the world by... messing with the satellite radios that sync people's alarm clocks, on the day of the daylight savings change.

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CzarDestructo t1_ixodpa5 wrote

And you can install an android app that emulates the signal with your phone speaker. Most modern phone CPUs have high enough quality sound that it can make the signal clean enough to update devices that otherwise can't receive the signal.

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NamityName t1_ixp3pt1 wrote

So it uses the speaker to create sound waves that emulate electromagnetic waves..... I am a bit doubtful

Edit: i ran the app for an atomic watch that i cannot sync where I am, and it worked.

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jonoff t1_ixpfx5n wrote

It's not the sound waves nor speaker that matters here, but what powers the diaphragm of that speaker. The speaker's very small electric coil puts out EM waves at a harmonic frequency the device picks up. Pretty neat trick.

Building just a wire loop greatly improves the signal without any audio. http://www.jrcomputing.com.au/Set_Watch/Set_Watch_Manual.html

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ARoyaleWithCheese t1_ixplk4m wrote

This 100% reads like one of those "charge your phone in the microwave" pranks. Of course it's not, but it does come across just as ridiculous if you don't understand the science behind it. Suddenly it seems not that crazy people would fall for hoaxes like that.

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Liquidretro t1_ixs94dg wrote

Thanks for the explanation, I have always wondered how this works exactly

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tmart42 t1_ixpg8gm wrote

Wait until you hear…that modern speakers can transmit in more than just the mechanical wave spectrum…

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average_AZN t1_ixp6dvx wrote

I'm an electrical engineer and i can't believe this works.. Wild

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yertle38 t1_ixp4b1j wrote

Oh that’s neat. I wonder if you can sabotage public clocks with that 😀

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8dogsinatrenchcoat t1_ixpv0jl wrote

Thank you!!

I have one of these clocks but it has lost the ability to receive a signal. One of those things where it's useless but you hate to throw it out in case there's a fix. And there is!

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VapeMySemen OP t1_ixob0wl wrote

Ahhh interesting, learned something new today thank you

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Bikouchu t1_ixoc4lc wrote

Meanwhile my Honda GPS navigation on my 08 si can't even get the time right.

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yertle38 t1_ixp4dzt wrote

That’s odd since GPS relies on very accurate timing. But maybe it doesn’t know DST, I’d assume it only really needs a universal time that isn’t jittering.

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Bikouchu t1_ixr3e9m wrote

It has its own y2k bug cause they cheaped out on software it happened this year. With 200x-2011 navigation. It would otherwise know dst and date, but know is stuck without dst or correct date. However they fixed it enough where is off only by the hour.

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dcormier t1_ixo8zn8 wrote

And the back has a switch for the time zone.

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LeamNoran t1_ixozhca wrote

And that signal itself has DST bits encoded so whenever DST moves around these can stay current. You can even get watches that can do WWVB. So cool!

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3x35r22m4u t1_ixp4d4s wrote

How's the coverage of WWVB these days with so many switching power supplies? Do these clock work well say from Maine to Florida to Hawaii?

We've tuned the 60KHz signal here in Brazil at night, but we had to use an 300 meter antenna in a rural location (:

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LeamNoran t1_ixtrbku wrote

I live near the antennas normally. I went to the southern east coast of America and my WWVB watch was able to sync from them daily without incident fwiw.

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The_Colorman t1_ixoyqvy wrote

Was going to say it has to be hitting a radio or something.Daylight saving days changed something like 15 years ago.

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1h8fulkat t1_ixqe0mf wrote

And yet my car designed in 2016 can't get it's shit together

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BLomniscientreader t1_ixqy9we wrote

God this reminds me...

My father has a clock that he got from italy. I ve spent hours at some point researching why it was always one hour behind, even if you set it right. Well, it had a signal strength indicator which I finally found out it connected to the radio signal and always sync-ed with italian local time... just disabled it lol

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