What watch/clock/device do you set your watches to?

[miked10270]

I'm another Radio 4(FM) checker. It's on in the car and it's very difficult to resist glancing at the watch during the pips.

I suppose that for absolute accuracy it "should" be BBC R4 (AM) or World Service, but since I'm not currently using my watch(es) for navigation then it's not all that important.

Regards,

Mike.

Edited to add:

Incidentally, if you want to pose, you can always set your watch to the datejust on the Rolex English Homepage (http://www.rolex.com/en/index.jsp#/en/index) .... It just takes a few seconds for the watch pic to synch. :roll:

[JasonG]

But predictably different, and corrected! You just have to leave your GPS system running long enough continuously to receive the corrections. Then the question becomes how well your hardware gets that information to you! A navigational device will be out by a few seconds simply because updating the clock on the screen isn't of the utmost importance with the limited processing power available. The device knows exactly what time it is though otherwise your fix would be wrong.

There are GPS devices sold specifically to give the time to extremely high accuracy.

Indeed there are! You have to be a little careful with (non-TomTom) domestic/outdoor GPS receivers as I have seen several which display GPS time and call it UTC; ie: they don't apply the leap seconds corrections. Oh, and the UTC offset is transmitted with each system status word, so should be received every few minutes or so. ;) Incidentally, the precise time isn't required for an accurate (enough) fix for most purposes, however the timing differential is needed with sub-chip-period precision.

Besides, it's always time for tea!

[JasonG]

I'm another Radio 4(FM) checker. It's on in the car and it's very difficult to resist glancing at the watch during the pips.

I suppose that for absolute accuracy it "should" be BBC R4 (AM) or World Service, but since I'm not currently using my watch(es) for navigation then it's not all that important.

Actually, the distribution delays for AM are slightly worse than for FM (in general)...I shall dig out some figures for you when I'm next in the office... but I have to say that The Pips (more correctly GTS - Greenwich Time Signal) should be good enough for all but the most anal of watch-setters. Just don't use DAB! Actually, that's probably pretty good advice actually, though don't tell my boss I said it!

Tra

Jason

[NJH]

Correct about properly set up NTP. They must have set this up at work as I have noted recently that the works computers are within 1 second of my Breitling Aerospace that I use to set my other watches. Its not a superquartz but it seems to be amazingly accurate none the less. I used to use teletext but we are digital only down here, they turned the analog of a couple of months ago so no more teletext, only the rubbish red button stuff :( .

[WatchScout]

[Giles]

Dare I say: teletext. Seems to work, I've known how late i've been at getting up, arriving to work, meetings and social occasions with pretty good precision.

[Maris]

For those using the radio, bear in mind that digital radios have a buffer and as such aren't correct.

My atomic radio matches second for second with my atomic Seiko getting its signal from Cumbria.

I was referring to the BBC pips broadcast/any other announced time service, rather than the time on the radio itself, sorry.

OOh, my pet subject. ;)

There are several sources of delay in the broadcast chain;

For digital radio, there is coding delay and the consequent decoding delay. This is mostly caused by interleaving and simple processing delays in the codecs. Add to this a good dose of delay introduced by the distribution system (either satellite feed or line feed) and the network synchronization delays added at the transmitter to ensure correct coverage and to prevent self-interference in the DAB network. In all, this adds up to something in the region of one to one and a half seconds, though the exact figure varies depending on where in the network you are and the precise behaviour of the receiver you are using.

For analogue radio, the main source of delays, IIRC, is in the digital distribution to the main transmitters...FM isn't too bad, being generally fed from NICAM tribs, though the digital network (RAMAN) feeding the AM sites can introduce significant, variable and unpredictable delays.

The best bet is to use one of the LF systems, like MSF or DCF.

Oh, and GPS timing isn't anywhere near as simple as you might think..."GPS Time" and UTC are considerably different!

Tra

JAson

Non of which matters if you use an automatic analogue watch which aren't that accurate.......

[Glamdring]

Er,
I use the BBC teletext service :?

Andy

That get its signal from one of the atomic clocks. Very accurate - though I've found if you switch back and forth between Ceefax and Teletext they vary by a full second (not to do with the time taken to switch!).

[JasonG]

Non of which matters if you use an automatic analogue watch which aren't that accurate.......

Not that I've ever seen an analogue watch...they're all digital (literally) to some degree. ;)

[rfrazier]

Er,
I use the BBC teletext service :?

Andy

That get its signal from one of the atomic clocks. Very accurate - though I've found if you switch back and forth between Ceefax and Teletext they vary by a full second (not to do with the time taken to switch!).

A. 111111222222333333
B. 111222222333333444444

A and B will show different seconds 50 percent of the time, but not vary by a second.

Best wishes,
Bob

[Stefan Tapp]

At home I use my Citizen Skyhawk AT and at work I use this which perfectly matches timeticker.com (which is a bit more funky!)

Stef

[Maris]

Non of which matters if you use an automatic analogue watch which aren't that accurate.......

Not that I've ever seen an analogue watch...they're all digital (literally) to some degree. ;)

What do you call watches without hands then ? Can`t call them digital watches now ? It doesn't matter I dont want to get dragged into semantics......

[Blapto]

Non of which matters if you use an automatic analogue watch which aren't that accurate.......

Not that I've ever seen an analogue watch...they're all digital (literally) to some degree. ;)

What do you call watches without hands then ? Can`t call them digital watches now ? It doesn't matter I dont want to get dragged into semantics......

This is going to degrade into "nothing is analogue because everything is quantum" at some point.

[arvpart101]

I've always used my Mac to set my watches. Although not accurate to the nth degree, given that the watches I own, either gain or lose some time during the day, it works out in the end!

[Maris]

I've always used my Mac to set my watches. Although not accurate to the nth degree, given that the watches I own, either gain or lose some time during the day, it works out in the end!

Too true, my pc is accurate enough for me, it syncs with a time server once a week.

[pabr]

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=239 or phone no 90510 (in Sweden):

[JasonG]

This is going to degrade into "nothing is analogue because everything is quantum" at some point.

It doesn't need to get quite that extreme...most, if not all, mechanical and quartz watches "tick" in some way, with the possible exception of the Seiko SpringDrive beasties, so IMO they are all digital.

Tra

Jason

[Steve748]

I used the R4 pips and I know on digital it isn't correct but it gives me an idea of how much the watch is gaining or losing time.

[waltham]

My atomic G-shock Waveceptor - GW 300U. Had it nearly 10 years now.....

[IAmATeaf]

I use one of any one of my quartz watches or my phone. When I can't find my phone I've been known to use the sky box :)

[Henk Hoving]

Just use my iPhone or other watch that is lying around at the time, I'm a bit done by setting a watch precisely onto atomic-time, never had an appointment that needed SUCH accuracy...

[walkerwek1958]

I have a pre-Bond Seamaster Pro, the only quartz watch I own. I use it for checking timing on mechanicals after servicing them. I`m interested in timekeeping over a 3-4 day period, not 6 months, so this is perfectly adequate.

Paul

[itsgotournameonit]

Laptop or IPad dependant on location

[o u t a t i m e]

Anything nearby. I don't need to launch space shuttles or run military missions, so as long as the watch on my wrist is within a minute or so of the correct time, I'm usually ok.

[Vanguard]

I use this website which is in tune with the speaking clock

http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/info/current-time

[Andyc319]

Either my Iphone, Ipad or Macbook pro - whichever is closest at the time (yes I like apple)

[winster]

My iMac when I have the time or else its the Samsung SIII for on the fly time setting.

[Foxy100]

Crikey you lot are anal! I mostly guess. The wife's bedside clock is fast and my home laptop and work computer can't seem to decide on the same time, despite both clocks lining up with whatever the GMT time website says (does it just copy the computer's clock?!). That or both my MegaQuartzes go forward by 20 seconds when I'm at work and then back again when I'm at home.

[Steve748]

I think if you click on the computer clock you can set it to the correct time...

[learningtofly]

I've had one of these Roberts atomic jobbies on my bedside table for years now. It's absolutely accurate is it continuously re-calibrates itself, and it's a lot easier to synchronise to than a G.

[JYvdK]

Computer at work .....

- - - Updated - - -

Computer at work .....that's the one that really matters unfortunately...

[Artistmike]

I've had one of these Roberts atomic jobbies on my bedside table for years now. It's absolutely accurate is it continuously re-calibrates itself, and it's a lot easier to synchronise to than a G.

That's really nice, I have a standard Roberts Radio and I love it but that one I really like the look of. I shall have a look and see what the current version is like.....

[learningtofly]

That's really nice, I have a standard Roberts Radio and I love it but that one I really like the look of. I shall have a look and see what the current version is like.....

I don't think they've changed much, Mike. You can also adjust the light from bright to dim and when the alarm activates it turns pale blue. Very soothing

Excellent options for the alarm setting too so - what with the atomic accuracy - it's a great clock.

[Foxy100]

I think if you click on the computer clock you can set it to the correct time...

How do I find the correct time though?!

[hako]

One of my mobiles corrects its time to network time, and I set my watches to it. The reference time itself if very accurate, but for daily purposes I am not very interested in high accuracy. To the minute is certainly good enough.

[spaceslug]

I use either my Oregon Scientific Weather Station with radio-controlled time, or I have an older Tandy Micronta radio-controlled clock that keeps perfect time - provided it's near a window. Failing that I have a couple of Casio and Citizen radio controlled watches to fall back on.

[DB9yeti]

I set my watch from whatever watch I wore last!

Every now and again I set them standing on the train platforms using the screens; trains are the only things I need to be on time for!

[Steve748]

How do I find the correct time though?!

This is near enough for me

[Foxy100]

This is near enough for me

Hmm, that's the one I go for!

[cdmed]

my g shock riseman

[Cirrus]

I have a radio adjusted watch - just some cheap German thing - that always seems to agree with the Atomic Clock, so I use that.

[PickleB]

Heh... They're different (and not just by the timezone, the difference is about 1.5 seconds.)

They're the same on my laptop...and agree with the radio-controlled clock in my living room.

[PickleB]

I use:



...or any of the radio-controlled clocks in the house (4 in number).

...I use http://www.exacttimenow.com.

That's a useful site as it immediately tells you how far out the clock is on your PC/laptop.

[kdes24uk]

[QUOTE=walkerwek1958;873173]Radio Leeds time signal at 8 AM whilst driving to work. I check the timekeeping of whatever watch I`m wearing.

Me too, only radio4 on the car radio

[Michael_Mcr]

I use either my Oregon Scientific Weather Station with radio-controlled time, or I have an older Tandy Micronta radio-controlled clock that keeps perfect time - provided it's near a window. Failing that I have a couple of Casio and Citizen radio controlled watches to fall back on.

I too have an Oregon Scientific Weather Station with radio-controlled time and also a radio controlled digital clock in another room and they are both always perfectly synchronised to each other and to the speaking clock and to my smartphone ( which syncs to the 02 network time ). I use any of them for checking my Sub, which is running nicely at about + less than one second a day.

[sestrel]

None of your fancy modern junk than you. The most unerringly accurate clock in my house - no idea how it is so good at it though..
(borrowed pic, but same face / hands as mine.

[MST]

I use time.is; usually via an app on my Galaxy S4, but rather fancy the idea of an Oregon Scientific Weather Station having read this thread.

[Mr Tetley]

I use time.is; usually via an app on my Galaxy S4, but rather fancy the idea of an Oregon Scientific Weather Station having read this thread.

Similar here, I use thetimenow.com. Has a nice mobile site too.

Although I don't check accuracy half as much as I used too. The counselling sessions are paying off :-)

[Newbear]

Got me a G-Shock Wave Ceptor Tough Solar. Always tells the right time, never needs a battery, hard to break. Perfect.

I agree.

[apm101]

Another G- fan here:

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/...s9a5c0673.jpeg