Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!iuvax!rutgers!cbmvax!grr
From: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Will WWV/WWVH always be here?
Keywords: WWV, WWVH, Heathkit, clock
Message-ID: <9285@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Date: 11 Jan 90 04:05:32 GMT
References: <7319@chaph.usc.edu>
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA
Lines: 29

In article <7319@chaph.usc.edu> cyamamot@aludra.usc.edu (Cliff Yamamoto) writes:
> I ask because I'd like to get one of Heathkit's Most Accurate Clock kits.
> I remember listening to WWV back in elementary school so I know its been
> here a while.  How long has the embedded time format been used in WWV?
> What year was WWV started?  Does anyone think the NBS has any plans or
> reasons to cancel WWV or WWVH transmissions?  I hope it stays around for
> another 50 years at least.

I think they'll be around for a while.  The details of the time codes and
exact schedule of announcements, tones, etc, changes from time to time
but not very quickly.  They've also discontinued transmitting on a couple
of frequences that they used to use  - 25MHz and 20Khz (WWVL) if I recall...

The Heath Clock is fun to build, but not especially challenging.  It only
picks up 3 of the 5 currently used frequencies but the receiver circuitry
is a good bit better than something like the Radio Shack Time Kube.  The
RS232 option kind of fakes RS232 from a single power supply.  May or may
not work for you.

This year's catalog lists a new "Technical Manual", but I haven't gotten
up the energy to order one yet.

I believe there's a Timeline of WWV history in the booklet they send you
if you ask for information, but I don't have it handy...

-- 
George Robbins - now working for,	uucp: {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing	arpa: cbmvax!grr@uunet.uu.net
Commodore, Engineering Department	fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)