Mechanical Marvel to Digital Innovation: The Geochron Story with KJ7ZSU

Established in 1964, long before the internet revolutionized our world, the mechanical Geochron world clock stood as a marvel. It elegantly anticipated sunrise and sunset times worldwide, while also displaying the current global time. Notably, President Ronald Reagan presented a Geochron to Mikhail Gorbachev, symbolizing American innovation. This remarkable timepiece even made an appearance in the movie "The Hunt for Red October." Despite the internet's widespread influence, Geochron continued to produce a limited quantity of mechanical clocks. It was during this era that Patrick Nolan, KJ7ZSU, found himself in possession of one of these clocks in need of repair. To his surprise, he discovered that they were manufactured not far from his home. This revelation and subsequent interactions inspired him to acquire the company. In this interview with Patrick Bolan, we delve into his journey and challenges as he transitioned the company into the digital age, expanding its presence in ham radio enthusiasts' setups worldwide. Learn more about how the digital Geochron now tracks the grey line, satellites, QSOs, propagation, and more, catering to ham radio operators' evolving needs.

 

WAY OVERPRICED IN MY OPINION.....

 

I own a Geochron 4k and love it. The company is great and so is the product, total eye candy for the shack.

 

I also own a Geochron 4K and it is great. I can leave a TV on displaying the 4k on 24/365 with no issues. I find it a useful addition to the shack.

 

As if the Clock isn't expensive enough there is a $70 per year subscription :-(

 

Have been using the Geochron 4K for 1 1/2 years now, it’s great, the recent updates make it even better.
Worth every dollar and the new $10 subscription bundle gives you ton’s of options
wa6qmq

 

We had a Geochron at our radio station back in 1970. I think it's still there.

 

Is that on top of the $60 a year? Its a shame they went to a subscription model. Puts a lot of people including myself off. paying for something in perpetuity, no thanks

 

I love my Geochron and have almost had it a year now. No extra's yet but that's coming in the near future.
It is a fine piece of eye candy for my shack!
Love it!

73, Ken - KD1KU

 

Or you could just download a free app and have the same look on your PC. I've been using Simon's World Map for years. Among other features, it allows you to toggle between gray line and great circle. Pretty handy!

 

There is also a great standalone one for the Raspberry pi.

 

While the Geochron 4K is neat, I have one, the constant irritation of the renewal for the ham radio package leaves a very bitter taste in one's mouth. Every time I do the autorenewal, I lose the premium layer and have to spend the next several days fighting with them to get it back. I have the receipt and everything, it is still a hassle. Once I could possibly see having this issue, every single time? No, they need to do a lot of work on the subscription services and the customer service in general. Would I recommend the Geochron 4K? Possibly, but if you get any of the premium layers, expect to have to fight to keep them once an autorenewal happens. It will be a source of continual irritation.
The Geochron is an interesting concept for eye-candy, but it is woefully lacking when it comes to the price and the hassle to keep it going if you have ordered any of their premium layers.

 

Be grateful you have not had to fight them on the subscription issues. They have some of the poorest customer service and subscription service of anything I have ever dealt with. Absolutely infuriating to deal with. Are the extra options neat? Certainly, are they worth the hassle of dealing with them? Probably not.

 

Not only is it in perpetuity, their service is buggy at best and downright dishonest at worst in my opinion. Every renewal period is a fight to get what you pay for. You pay for it, you have the receipt, and you get to fight to have them reactivate it. It can often take a week or more to get what you pay for.

 

Great Story and a wonderful success. But like every Budget-minded ham, I feel it is expensive for the average Ham, But if you want the Cadilac of Clocks this is it. For my operating needs, I will stick to Ham Clock or Simon's World Map... But much continued success.