Shutoff of WWV-WWVH: two days left to the end of the subscription

I operate digital modes like JT65A, JT9, FT8, etc. These modes require very accurate computer time keeping or the received transmission will not decode. So I use a piece of software called Dimension 4 to take care of it. It has countless other time keeping servers available from around the globe.

Of course my 20 or so so called atomic clocks will still no longer set themselves when WWVB goes off the air, if it goes off of the air?!

 

Yes, within their coverage areas, and GPS is worldwide.
AFAIK, WWVB isn't on the chopping block.

 

I had the very same question. Here's the cut and paste response to my inquiry of Casio (I own atomic G-Shocks).

"Margo Kovolesky (CASIO AMERICA, INC.)

Sep 19, 16:35 EDT

Dear Doug

Thank you for contacting C asio. We appreciate you taking time to contact us about the possible shut down of the atomic clock transmission located in Ft Collins CO. We have heard of this. The information has beeen forwarded to the division. If this happens we will be advised and there would be a posting.

Again we appreciate you taking tim eto be sure we were aware of this.

Regards
Margo"

 

WWV is good for so many things. Frequency calibration, signal propagation, and oh yes time! It seems like nothing is in the budget anymore. I hope Canada isn't as short sighted as the US and keeps CHU around for a long time.

 

From voanews.com, the web site of Voice of America and the commenter is Don Sullivan, who managed the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) stations between 1994 and 2005:

"WWV and WWVB in the state of Colorado and WWVH on the island of Kauai in the mid-Pacific state of Hawaii, send out signals that allow millions of clocks and watches to be set either manually or automatically. If you shut down these stations, you turn off all those clocks."

Sorta sounds like the "B" is bygone as well.

Same thing can be said about the GPS as you say about WWV: "within their coverage areas." Again Don Sullivan: "Sixty kilohertz permeates in a way GPS can’t. ...WWVB’s very low frequency signal can be received inside buildings and it is an important backup to GPS in case adversaries attempt to interfere with the satellite radio-navigation system."
[https://www.voanews.com/a/time-may-be-running-out-for-millions-of-clocks/4554376.html]

Which begs the question: "If GPS is so great, why are they leaving on WWVB?"
OR: "How do I calibrate my frequency counter with a GPS unit?"
OR: "Can you calibrate your HF receiver with a GPS unit? Please don't keep me in suspense!

 

Another interesting perspective on the whole concept of "civil time service..."

GPS -- fantastic as it may be -- is a weapon system. That's why it was invented, and that was its primary use for quite some time. It is still to this day a weapon system, administered by the US military. E.g., see JDAM. That's exactly the kind of use for which GPS exists -- placing weapons on target with precision.

There is a good case to be made for keeping certain civil-use standards available through non-military channels, even if those channels are quaint or old-school.

If we completely depend on the military for civil reference standards, one of these days when the military decides that GPS is obsolete, we'll lose that, too. There's nothing wrong with a reasonable separation of concerns for basic civil data.

 

The US government owns GPS, not the DOD. IANAL, but I'm pretty sure it would take an act of Congress to shut down GPS.

In addition, considering there are GPS satellite launches scheduled out to 2036, it won't be obsolete any time soon.

 

Two Apollo landings on the moon were scheduled, and paid for, but they were cancelled. So just because something is scheduled doesn't mean it will happen.

 

Again, the wording of the NIST budget proposal quite clearly describes WWVB along with WWV to be shutdown... if their budget suggestions are accepted. Congress has already tossed it in the circular file like they always do to executive office budget proposals.

We should all bear in mind NIST uses purposefully alarming language in their wording to trigger exactly the awareness raising reactions we are seeing from this QRZ group and others like it. With a few exceptions, the radio clock industry remains eerily quiet. For as big as the WWVB user base likely is (tens of millions of WWVB radio clocks?), the regular citizenry doesn't seem to have a clue. From NIST...

"Clocks that synchronize to NIST radio station WWVB now number in the millions in the United States, and new sales records are being established every year."​

I guess they won't notice till a month after WWVB shuts down.

 

So the situation is normal, then.

If you look past the tragic part of that situation, it's actually quite funny:

WH: Pay us less money next year! We're cutting the budget!
Congress: No! You will spend all this cash -- here!

 

Well, for radio alignment, I have a signal generator which isn't well calibrated plus a freq meter which reads down to the very last Hertz.

For my clocks, the TV channels show time with 1 minute resolution. Good enough.

I used to tune in WWV to show my non-tech friends where our time-standard comes from. I didn't mention the cesium or rubidium standards, because, as I said, my friends are non-tech.

And, I used to listen to foreign short wave on my SP 600. But those are all gone, too.

 

Important, from the Topband reflector today:

WWV has been broadcasting an outdated propagation report for several days, giving the solar flux as of September 18 and K Index as of 1200 on September 19. THIS MAY BE A TEST TO SEE IF ANYONE IS LISTENING, and if not, they’ll shut it down.

We’ve had similar tests from other SW services prior to shutting down – for example, Radio Australia a couple years ago went off the air briefly, allegedly for xmtr maintenance; the response from listeners wasn’t strong enough, and they used that as evidence to shut down permanently.

The NIST website gives an email address of: nist.radio@boulder.nist.gov<mailto:nist.radio@boulder.nist.gov> Does anyone have other addresses for them?

Art Delibert, KB3FJO
_______________
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband​

Also, see this discussion concerning the government shutting down WWV, WWVH, etc.
https://ham.stackexchange.com/quest...l-may-be-shut-down-are-there-any-alternatives

 

RE- Radio Australia

There was nothing as sinister as that going on imo , it was well known for a couple of years previous to the shutdown that there was talk of getting rid of it , the discussion popped up on news feeds every now and then , yet a lot were still surprised when it did happen though lol .

Radio A ustralia had a main stream competitor at the times namely RNZI (Radio New Zealand International) who for years has been known as The Voice of the Pacific , RA just was not viable in the sense on one could just turn on the TV to hear the same content as most of the broadcasts mostly seemed to be actually targeted within the country imo , i found it all quite boring , but i live here too .
JFI , Paul .

Ps: RNZI will go too if it does not curtail all the American content as of the last few years , one can turn on the TV and watch all that stuff , it's losing it's uniqueness all for the sake of a Dollar , imo again .

 

Did I miss WWV?

KA2RRK

 

I received this from NIST last week:

(wwv@nist.gov)

"Your email is being forwarded to Gail Porter, NIST Public Affairs Office for reply."

I haven't heard anything yet.