960-14

Special

Publication

960-14

Michael A. Lombardi, Andrew N. Novick,John P. Lowe, Matthew J. Deutch,Glenn K. Nelson, Douglas S. Sutton,William C. Yates, and D. Wayne Hanson

i

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

NIST Recommended Practice Guide

Special Publication 960-14

WWVB Radio

Controlled Clocks:

Recommended Practices

for Manufacturers

and Consumers

Michael A. Lombardi, Andrew N. Novick,

John P. Lowe, Matthew J. Deutch,

Glenn K. Nelson, Douglas S. Sutton,

and William C. Yates

NIST Physics Laboratory

D. Wayne Hanson

Time Signal Engineering

January 2005

(Minor text corrections made in December 2005)

U.S. Department of Commerce

Donald L. Evans, Secretary

Technology Administration

Phillip J. Bond, Undersecretary for Technology

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Arden L. Bement, Jr., Director
ii

◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

Certain commercial entities, equipment, or materials may be identified in

this document in order to describe an experimental procedure or concept

adequately. Such identification is not intended to imply recommendation or

endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor is it

intended to imply that the entities, materials, or equipment are necessarily the

best available for the purpose.

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Special Publication 960-14

Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol.

Spec. Publ. 960-14

54 pages (January 2005)

CODEN: NSPUE2

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 2005

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents

U.S. Government Printing Office

Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2250

Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-0001
iii

FOREWORD

Radio controlled clocks represent a true revolution in timekeeping. 

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. As a result, many of us are now accustomed to having clocks

in our homes, offices, and on our wrists that always display the correct

time and that never require adjustment. This NIST Recommended

Practice Guide was written to provide guidance to both manufacturers

and consumers of radio controlled clocks. Through voluntary compliance

with the recommended practices listed here, manufacturers can benefit

by continuing to develop more reliable and usable radio controlled products,

increasing both consumer confidence and sales. Consumers can benefit

by using this guide to help them select and purchase radio controlled

clock products, to learn how the products work, and to help troubleshoot

reception problems.

Foreword ◆
iv

◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks
v

Acknowledgments ◆

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge those who reviewed this document and

made numerous helpful suggestions including: Michael Chiu and Hans-Joachim

Sailer of C-Max Technology; Etsuro Nakajima and Aihara Fumikazu of the

Casio Corporation; Glenn Burdett of the Spectracom Corporation; Rod Mack

of Ultralink; John Rowland and Gene Fornario, the founder and co-moderator

respectively of the Casio Waveceptor forum on Yahoo.com; Tom O’Brian,

Chief of the NIST Time and Frequency Division; and David Smith, Chairman

of the Editorial Review Board at NIST’s Boulder laboratories. We also thank

all those who have called and e-mailed NIST in recent years and shared

their personal experiences with radio controlled clock (RCC) products.

Their questions and comments inspired us to create this guide.
vi

◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks
vii

Table of Contents ◆

TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Figures ......................................................................................x

List of Tables .......................................................................................xi

1. Introduction ....................................................................................1

2. Technical Description of WWVB ..................................................3

3. Recommended Practices for Clock Accuracy,

Clock Display, and Controls .........................................................5

3.A. Analog Clock Displays .........................................................5

3.B. Digital Clock Displays...........................................................6

3.C. RCC Controls ........................................................................7

3.D. Compatibility with Other Stations.......................................7

3.E. Signal Quality Indicator ........................................................8

3.F. Antenna Orientation .............................................................9

4. Recommended Practices for Clock Synchronization .............. 11

4.A. Initial Synchronization When Clock

Is First Turned On or Feset ................................................ 11

4.A.1. Analog Clocks (Hand Alignment) .......................... 11

4.A.2. Digital Clocks........................................................... 11

4.B. Synchronization by Radio at Assigned Times ................. 11

4.B.1. Amount of Time Allotted to a

Synchronization Attempt........................................13

4.C. Synchronization by Radio at a

Time Selected by the User .................................................14
viii

◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

4.D. Manual Clock Synchronization ..........................................14

4.E. Synchronization Indicator ..................................................14

4.E.1. Digital Clock Synchronization Indicator ...............15

4.E.2. Analog Clock Synchronization Indicator ..............16

5. Recommended Practices for

Time Zone Settings......................................................................17

5.A. Time Zone Selection ...........................................................17

6. Recommended Practices for

Daylight Saving Time (DST)........................................................25

6.A. Handling of Transition Days ..............................................25

6.B. Disabling/Enabling DST Switch ........................................26

6.C. DST Indicator.......................................................................26

7. Recommended Practices for Leap Seconds,

Leap Years, and the Two-Digit Year Code .................................27

7.A. Handling of Leap Seconds .................................................27

7.B. Handling of Leap Years.......................................................27

7.C. Handling of Two-Digit Year Code ......................................28

8. Recommended Practices for

Hardware Specifications .............................................................29

8.A. Receiver Specifications ......................................................29

8.B. Antenna Considerations ....................................................29

8.C. Local Oscillator Specifications ..........................................30

8.D. Battery Powered RCCs ......................................................30
ix

 9. Recommended Practices for

Product Documentation ............................................................31

9.A. Mention of NIST ................................................................31

9.B. Use of “Atomic Clock” Nomenclature ...........................32

10. Compliance Checklist ................................................................33

11. Recommended Practices for

Consumers of WWVB RCCs .....................................................37

11.A. How a WWVB RCC Works .............................................37

11.B. Time Zone Settings .........................................................38

11.C. Coverage Area of the WWVB Signal .............................39

11.D. General Troubleshooting Tips for WWVB RCCs .........40

11.D.1. General Troubleshooting Tips for RCCs

That Won’t Synchronize at All ..........................41

11.D.2. General Troubleshooting Tips for RCCs

Off by One Hour or More ..................................44

11.D.3. General Troubleshooting Tips for RCCs

Off by a Few Minutes or Seconds ...................44

11.D.4. General Troubleshooting Tips Concerning

Daylight Saving Time (DST) .............................45

12. References ..................................................................................47

Table of Contents ◆
x

◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

List of Figures

Figure 1. WWVB time code format......................................................................3

Figure 2. Analog clock display with digital inset for date information .................5

Figure 3. Digital clock display with date information ...........................................6

Figure 4. Digital clock display that includes year information .............................6

Figure 5. A three-segment display indicating four levels of signal quality ............8

Figure 6. Use of a broadcast tower icon as a signal quality meter .......................8

Figure 7. RCC display indicating the date and time of the

last synchronization ............................................................................. 15

Figure 8. World time zone map .......................................................................... 23

Figure 9. United States time zone map ............................................................... 24
xi

List of Tables

Table 1. Radio time signal stations used for RCC synchronization ......................7

Table 2. Dark path hours and duration for WWVB signal at

selected cities (local time) .....................................................................12

Table 3. Necessary time zone options for WWVB RCC products .....................18

Table 4. Recommended time zone options for WWVB RCC

products sold internationally ................................................................. 19

Table 5. Difference between UTC and local time for the four major

time zones in the CONUS .....................................................................39

Table 6. Potential sources of interference for WWVB RCCs ............................. 42

Table of Contents ◆
xii

◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks
1

Introduction ◆

1. INTRODUCTION

Through its Time and Frequency Division located in Boulder, Colorado, the

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) maintains official time

and frequency standards for the United States of America and distributes

these standards to the American public. Radio station WWVB, located near

Fort Collins, Colorado, is one of the most important distribution sources for

these standards. The station continuously broadcasts a 50 kW signal at a

frequency of 60 kHz that covers the Continental United States (CONUS),

and also reaches Alaska and Hawaii during the nighttime hours.

The signals from WWVB can serve as a convenient reference standard

for time interval and frequency, but their primary function is the time-of-day

synchronization of radio controlled clocks (RCCs). These clocks are now

sold through a variety of retail channels to United States consumers, who

install them in their homes and offices and rely on them as reliable and official

sources of time, accurate to within 1 second (s) or less. These clocks are

sold in a variety of forms, as wall clocks, desk clocks, wristwatches, or clocks

embedded into a variety of consumer electronic products, including kitchen

appliances such as coffee makers and microwave ovens, home entertainment

equipment, and computer systems.

As with all consumer electronic products, the quality of WWVB RCCs

produced by different manufacturers varies widely. While many of the existing

products are well designed and extremely reliable, some models cannot always

decode the time signal even under the most favorable signal conditions, and

some lack key features that limit their usefulness from a human engineering

standpoint. NIST has produced this recommended practice guide for the

benefit of manufacturers and consumers of WWVB radio controlled clocks.

It recommends key features to manufacturers that their products should

include, as well as key specifications that their products should meet.

These recommended practices are voluntary. No manufacturer or consumer

is required by law to comply with them. However, it is hoped that voluntary

compliance with these recommended practices will lead to the development

of more reliable and usable clocks, increase consumer confidence in

WWVB RCCs, and, at the same time, increase the size of the commercial

RCC marketplace in the United States. It is also hoped that this guide will be

useful to consumers of WWVB RCCs by providing information that helps

them select RCC products and troubleshoot RCC reception problems.

The following sections contain a brief technical description of WWVB

(Section 2) and product recommendations in seven different categories,

including: clock displays (Section 3), synchronization (Section 4),
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

2

time zone settings (Section 5), handling of daylight saving time (Section 6),

handling of miscellaneous time code issues (Section 7), hardware specifications

(Section 8), and product documentation (Section 9). Based on consumer

feedback received at NIST, the seven categories were identified as being

important to the reliability, usability, and marketability of WWVB RCC

products. Not all categories share equal importance, so a summary checklist

is provided in Section 10 that identifies which categories are recommended

as necessary for all designs and which categories are optional. However,

we recommend that manufacturers comply with as many of these optional

categories as possible in an effort to produce RCC products of the

highest quality.

Many consumers will find the information in Sections 2 to 10 interesting,

but some will probably want to skip directly ahead to Section 11, which is

included for their benefit. It provides general information about WWVB

RCCs, and it provides some troubleshooting tips for consumers whose clocks

are not working properly.

Please note that it was necessary to write this guide in a general fashion.

We identify for manufacturers the desired functions of WWVB RCC products,

but a discussion of the technical implementation of these functions is beyond

the scope of this guide.
3

2. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF WWVB

The WWVB time code includes 60 bits of information, transmitted at 1 bit per

second. A full minute (60 s) is required to send a complete time code frame

(Figure 1). An on-time marker (OTM) is sent every second by reducing the

power of the 60 kHz carrier frequency by 10 dB at a time that coincides with

the arrival of the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) second. Bits are

identified by the length of time that the carrier power is held low. A 0 bit is

sent by holding the power low for 200 ms, a 1 bit is sent by holding the power

low for 500 ms. Frame markers are sent every 10 s by holding the power low

for 800 ms.

Figure 1. WWVB time code format.

The time and frequency reference for the station is the UTC time scale

maintained by NIST in Boulder, Colorado, known as UTC(NIST). Atomic

oscillators at the radio station site in Fort Collins, Colorado are steered to

closely agree with UTC(NIST).

Technical Description of WWVB ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

4

A complete technical description of the WWVB and its broadcast format

is not provided here. A general technical description can be found in NIST

Special Publication 432,

[1] and a more detailed description of the station

operation, format, and broadcast control is available in NIST Special

Publication 250-67.

[2] Both publications are available for download from

the NIST Time and Frequency Division web site at http://tf.nist.gov/general/

publications.htm.
5

3. RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR CLOCK

 ACCURACY, CLOCK DISPLAY, AND CONTROLS

All RCC products should display time accurate to at least within ±0.5 s,

so that when the time is rounded to the nearest second, the seconds’ value

is always correct. Tighter synchronization (to within ±0.2 s) is desirable.

This prevents the human eye from detecting any errors when checking a

RCC display against another independent time reference, whereas a 0.5 s

error could be noticeable.

The chief benefit and a key selling point of a RCC is its time accuracy.

Therefore, we recommend that all clocks display seconds, or have the

option of displaying seconds. With some digital clocks, such as clock radios,

the seconds’ digits can be made smaller than the hour and minute digits, or

the consumer should be given the option to disable the seconds’ display if they

find it distracting. Analog clocks require either a second hand or a separate

digital display that shows seconds. A digital seconds’ display that can be

turned on and off is often a good option because second hands are not always

desirable on analog clocks. For example, a second hand on an analog alarm

clock might be noisy enough to bother consumers who are trying to sleep.

3.A. Analog Clock Displays

Analog clock displays should include an hour, minute, and second hand (or

a digital display of seconds), and some marking or label indicating that the

clock is radio controlled. The date and other information can be displayed

(if desired) in a digital inset, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Analog clock display with digital inset for date information.

Clock Accuracy, Clock Display, and Controls ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

6

3.B. Digital Clock Displays

Digital clock displays should display the hour, minute, second, and some

marking or label indicating that the clock is radio controlled. The digital

display makes it convenient to also display the month, day, year, and

weekday (if desired). It is also recommended that “AM” or “PM” is

displayed if the clock is set to a 12-hour format, instead of a 24-hour

format. Some digital clock displays use an icon of a satellite dish as

a synchronization indicator (Section 4.E), as a signal quality indicator

(Section 3.E), or simply to indicate that the clock is radio controlled.

To avoid confusing consumers, we recommend that a picture of a

satellite dish not be used, since WWVB and the other low-frequency

(LF) time-signal stations (Section 3.D) all broadcast from ground-based

transmitters and not from satellites. Sample digital clock displays are

shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 3. Digital clock display with date information.

Figure 4. Digital clock display that includes year information.
7

3.C. RCC Controls

RCC controls should be clearly labeled and situated in such a way that

they cannot be accidentally activated; for example, everyday handling

of the clock should not result in the change of a time zone setting.

This is particularly important in the case of wristwatches.

3.D. Compatibility with Other Stations

Some WWVB RCC products are capable of receiving time signals

broadcast by other time signal stations located in other countries.

This allows the clocks to be sold and used internationally. The time

signals broadcast by other countries (Table 1) use carrier frequencies

different from that of WWVB in some cases, and different time

code formats in all cases, but the modulation schemes are similar.

We recommend that products capable of receiving more than one

time signal have a way of clearly indicating to the consumer which time

signal is currently being received. We also recommend that if a RCC

automatically selects a station, it allows the consumer to override

the automatic selection if they wish.

Clock Accuracy, Clock Display, and Controls ◆

Table 1: Radio Time Signal Stations Used for RCC Synchronization

Station Carrier

Call Sign Country Controlling Agency Frequency

WWVB United National Institute of Standards 60 kHz

States and Technology (NIST)

BPC China National Time Service Center (NTSC), 68.5 kHz

Chinese Academy of Sciences

DCF77 Germany Physikalisch-Technische 77.5 kHz

 Bundesanstalt (PTB)

HBG Switzerland Swiss Federal Office of Metrology 75 kHz

and Accreditation (METAS)

JJY Japan National Institute of Information and 40 kHz,

Communications Technology (NICT) 60 kHz

MSF United National Physical Laboratory 60 kHz

Kingdom (NPL)
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

8

3.E. Signal Quality Indicator

Inclusion of a real-time signal quality indicator is recommended so that

the consumer can find the best location and antenna orientation for

their RCC product while forcing the product to attempt synchronization

(Section 4.C). Since the actual signal strength is not easy to detect due

to other RF noise at 60 kHz, the signal quality indicator can show the

“bit strength,” or current readability level of the signal; or it can indicate

the progress of the decoding process in the software.

The signal quality indicator can be simple. A three-segment display

indicating a low-, medium-, and high-quality signal is generally adequate

(Figures 5 and 6). When the clock is not attempting to synchronize and

the radio receiver is turned off or disabled, we recommend that the signal

quality indicator also be disabled or removed from the display. Otherwise,

consumers might mistakenly assume that the RCC is displaying the

current signal quality.

Figure 5. A three-segment display indicating four levels of signal quality.

Figure 6. Use of a broadcast tower icon as a signal quality meter.

Strong

Weak

No Reception

Receiving
9

3.F. Antenna Orientation

Most RCC antennas are directional and achieve maximum gain when they

are positioned broadside to the transmit antenna in Fort Collins, Colorado.

We recommend that an arrow or pointer marker is included on the RCC

case to illustrate the antenna orientation. When used in conjunction with

the signal quality indicator (Section 3.E), this type of marking can assist

consumers in orienting the RCC to obtain maximum signal strength.

Clock Accuracy, Clock Display, and Controls ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

10
11

4. RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR CLOCK

 SYNCHRONIZATION

This section recommends practices for clock synchronization. It is divided

into four categories, initial synchronization (when the clock is first turned on),

synchronization by radio at assigned times, synchronization by radio at a time

selected by the consumer, and manual synchronization without radio control.

4.A. Initial Synchronization When Clock Is First Turned On

or Reset

When a RCC is first turned on, it will begin looking for a signal and

attempt to synchronize. We recommend that RCCs be designed to

continuously try to synchronize on this first attempt until either the

synchronization is successful or until the consumer decides to attempt

manual synchronization (Section 4.D). We also recommend that RCCs

that have not yet been able to synchronize should not run or attempt to

display the time since their displays will be incorrect. Suggestions for

what a RCC should display prior to synchronization are listed below.

All RCCs should be designed to synchronize without any interaction

from the user. It should not be necessary for the user to set the display

of the clock (move the hands, etc.) in order for the clock to synchronize.

4.A.1. Analog Clocks (Hand Alignment)

Analog clocks should align themselves with all hands pointed upward

(pointed to the “12”) until synchronization is successful. The hands

should remain motionless during synchronization.

4.A.2. Digital Clocks

Digital clocks should display 12:00:00 as the time prior to synchronization,

or flash the time display on and off, or display dashes instead of the

hours, minutes, and seconds. The display should not increment during

synchronization.

4.B. Synchronization by Radio at Assigned Times

To meet the accuracy requirements listed in Section 3, and to periodically

check the time code for notifications of daylight saving time, leap seconds,

and other time code changes, all WWVB RCCs should attempt to

synchronize at least once every 24 hours, and more frequently if possible.

Clock Synchronization ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

12

If only one synchronization attempt is made, it should be made at night

when the signal is the strongest. The signal is generally easiest to receive

when it is dark at both the transmitter site in Fort Collins, Colorado, and

at the site where the RCC is located, so the highest probability of a

successful synchronization is during these hours. Table 2 shows the dark

path hours (DPH) and dark path duration (DPD) in hours and minutes

for six cities on the approximate longest and shortest days of 2004

(June 21 and December 21), based on when sunrise and sunset occurs in

those cities with respect to when sunrise and sunset occur in Fort Collins.

The DPH are based on the local time in the selected city. The six cities

were chosen to represent the northwest, southwest, northeast, and

southeast corners of the CONUS, as well as Alaska and Hawaii.

The information in Table 2 shows that the “window of opportunity” for

synchronization ranges from about 4 hours (Anchorage summer) to about

14 hours (Seattle winter). Attempting synchronization on the hour at

midnight, 1 a.m., and 2 a.m. guarantees a dark path at all United States

locations. Therefore, if only one synchronization attempt is made, we

recommend that the scheduled synchronization time is set to be midnight,

1 a.m., or 2 a.m. (local receiver time).

Table 2: Dark Path Hours and Duration for WWVB Signal at Selected Cities

(Local Time)

June 21, 2004 December 21, 2004

City DPH DPD DPH DPD

Seattle, Washington 9:11 p.m. to 7:19 4:20 p.m. to 14:01

4:30 a.m. 6:21 a.m.

San Diego, California 8:00 p.m. to 8:30 4:46 p.m. to 13:35

4:30 a.m. 6:21 a.m.

Caribou, Maine 10:34 p.m. to 6:04 6:36 p.m. to 12:38

4:38 a.m. 7:14 a.m.

Miami, Florida 10:34 p.m. to 7:56 6:36 p.m. to 12:27

6:30 a.m. 7:03 a.m.

Anchorage, Alaska 11:42 p.m. to 3:48 3:41 p.m. to 13:40

3:30 a.m. 5:21 a.m.

Honolulu, Hawaii 7:16 p.m. to 7:14 5:55 p.m. to 10:26

2:30 a.m. 4:21 a.m.
13

Manufacturers are cautioned to carefully choose a radio synchronization

time and method that does not cause the RCC to display the wrong time

(even briefly) on transition days to and from daylight saving time, when

the time display should be adjusted forwards or backwards by one hour

at exactly 2 a.m. local time (Section 6.A).

If the receiver and signal processing firmware (Section 8.A) inside

the RCC are of sufficient quality, it should be possible for successful

synchronizations to be routinely made throughout the CONUS during

both the daytime and nighttime hours. Therefore, we recommend that

manufacturers design products that attempt synchronization more than

once per day. This has the disadvantage of perhaps reducing the battery

life on battery-powered devices, but it has the advantage of relaxing

the quartz oscillator accuracy requirements (Section 8.C) by shortening

the interval between synchronizations. For example, if the RCC is

programmed to synchronize at both midnight and 4 a.m., it reduces

the amount of time that the clock free runs on its local oscillator from

24 to 20 hours, relaxing the oscillator specification by roughly 16%.

Since the small antennas used by WWVB RCCs tend to be very

directional, it is difficult for a RCC to synchronize while it is moving.

Therefore, it probably won’t be advantageous for wristwatches to

attempt to synchronize during the daytime hours when the watch is

being worn and is probably in motion. As a result, we recommend that

wristwatches attempt their multiple synchronizations at times when

the consumer is most likely to be asleep, and the watch is motionless.

Several synchronization attempts during the night are recommended to

allow for the varying “bed times” of consumers.

Manufacturers should be aware of potential problems introduced

by consumers who work nights or who never remove their watches.

To meet the needs of these consumers, manufacturers can elect to

allow an additional synchronization time (in addition to those built-in

to the product) to be manually selected. If this is done, the product

documentation (Section 9) should adequately explain to the consumer

when the product is most likely to successfully synchronize.

4.B.1. Amount of Time Allotted to a Synchronization Attempt

We recommend that WWVB RCCs attempt to decode time codes

for at least five consecutive minutes before determining that a

synchronization attempt has failed.

Clock Synchronization ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

14

4.C. Synchronization by Radio at a Time Selected by the User

All WWVB RCCs should include a button or control that allows the

user to attempt immediate synchronization, without waiting for the next

scheduled synchronization. The RCC will attempt to decode the incoming

signal whenever this control is activated. The RCC display should

indicate whether the synchronization attempt succeeded or failed.

This button or control should be designed so that it cannot be activated by

accident if the RCC is bumped or jostled. To avoid accidental activation,

it might be desirable to use a button that needs to be held in place for

several seconds before the clock attempts synchronization.

4.D. Manual Clock Synchronization

All WWVB RCCs should allow the user to disable radio controlled

timekeeping functions, so they can be operated as conventional

clocks if necessary. This means that the consumer should be allowed

to manually synchronize the time and date settings if the signal is

unreceivable. This protects the RCC from becoming obsolete if it is

moved to an area outside of the signal range. The display should indicate

if the RCC is being operated without radio control.

4.E. Synchronization Indicator

All WWVB RCCs should indicate whether they have recently

synchronized. Since the clocks are radio controlled and advertised as

accurate, they are trusted by consumers, who typically assume that the

displayed time is exactly right. However, this will not be true if the clock

has not received the signal for a long period. All manufacturers should

realize that it is extremely important to communicate to the person viewing

the clock that the time can be trusted. This requires indicating whether or

not the RCC has been recently synchronized.

Ideally, the RCC should be able to display the date and time of the

last synchronization. If this is not possible, the RCC should indicate in

some fashion whether it has been more than 24 hours since the last

synchronization or, preferably, the total length of time (probably expressed

in days) since the last synchronization. Since manufacturers should

expect their products to work when used within the coverage area, it is

more appropriate for RCCs to indicate when synchronization has failed

in the last 24 hours (an abnormal condition), than it is to indicate when

synchronization has succeeded (a normal condition). Examples of

appropriate synchronization indicators for digital and analog clocks are

provided in Sections 4.E.1. and 4.E.2.
15

Some manufacturers may elect to only alert the consumer if

synchronization has not occurred in a period longer than 24 hours;

for example, 48 hours or 72 hours could be used. However, all

manufacturers should attempt to meet the Section 3 requirement of

keeping time between synchronizations to within ±0.5 s of UTC(NIST).

A longer interval should be used only if the local oscillator (Section 8.C)

is capable of keeping time to within ±0.5 s of UTC(NIST) throughout

the entire interval. For this reason, synchronization intervals longer

than 24 hours might not be acceptable for many RCC products.

4.E.1. Digital Clock Synchronization Indicator

There are numerous ways that a RCC with the ability to display

alphanumeric characters or symbols can provide a synchronization

indicator. All are acceptable if they are clearly explained and

understandable to the consumer. Figure 7 shows a watch displaying the

date and time of the last synchronization. This is the preferred method

since it passes the most information along to the consumer.

Figure 7. RCC display indicating the date and time of the last

 synchronization.

Clock Synchronization ◆

Receive Time

Receive Date
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

16

4.E.2. Analog Clock Synchronization Indicator

If an analog clock does not have a digital inset, a synchronization

indicator should still be provided. For example, the indicator can be a

light that is illuminated when synchronization has not occurred within

the last 24 hours. Or advancing the second hand every two seconds

instead of every second could be used to indicate that the clock has not

synchronized in the last 24 hours. Other methods can be used, including

the use of audio beeps or tones.
17

5. RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR TIME ZONE

 SETTINGS

WWVB broadcasts UTC as opposed to local time. Therefore, each RCC

must have a time zone switch or control that allows the local time zone to be

selected in order for the clock to display local time.

5.A. Time Zone Selection

As a minimum requirement, all WWVB products should be capable

of setting to the seven time zones listed in Table 3, so they can

adequately service all potential consumers in the United States.

However, since some WWVB products will be used through manual

synchronization outside the coverage area (Section 4.D) or are capable

of receiving other time signal stations (Section 3.D), we recommend that

the time zone settings include each of the 38 time zones listed in Table 4.

Both tables include the name, letter designation, and abbreviation for

each time zone (when information is available), as well as the offset in

hours from UTC.

Please note that if a RCC has the ability to select time zones offset by

±12 hours from UTC in half-hour increments, then nearly all of the time

zones in the world will be represented. Figure 8 provides a world time

zone map; Figure 9 provides time zone information for the United States.

Manufacturers should consider including similar maps in their product

documentation (Section 9).

Time Zone Settings ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

18

Table 3: Necessary Time Zone Options for WWVB RCC Products

UTC

Offset Non-United States

(hours) Letter Abbreviation Name Areas Include

–10:00 W HST or Hawaii–Aleutian Central French

HAST Standard Time Polynesia, Tokelau,

Cook Islands, Tahiti,

Johnston Atoll

–9:00 V AKST Alaska Gambier Islands

Standard Time (French Polynesia)

–8:00 U PST Pacific Western Canada,

Standard Time North Baja Peninsula

–7:00 T MST Mountain West Central Canada,

 Standard Time South Baja Peninsula,

Central and

Western Mexico

–6:00 S CST Central Mexico, Easter Island,

Standard Time Galapagos Islands,

Central Canada,

Central America

–5:00 R EST Eastern Western South America,

Standard Time Cuba, Bahamas, Haiti,

Jamaica, East Central

Canada, Panama

–4:00 Q AST Atlantic Central South America,

Standard Time Dominican Republic,

Eastern Canada,

West Greenland,

Bermuda
19

Table 4: Recommended Time Zone Options for WWVB RCC Products Sold

Internationally

UTC

Offset United States

(hours) Letter Abbreviation Name Other Areas

–12:00 Y International

Date Line West

–11:00 X SST Samoa Midway Islands

Standard Time

–10:00 W HST or Hawaii-Aleutian Central French

HAST Standard Time Polynesia, Tokelau,

Cook Islands,

Tahiti, Johnston Atoll

–9:30 — Marquesas Islands

(French Polynesia)

–9:00 V AKST Alaska Gambier Islands

Standard Time (French Polynesia)

–8:00 U PST Pacific Western Canada,

Standard Time North Baja Peninsula

–7:00 T MST Mountain West Central Canada,

Standard Time South Baja Peninsula,

Central and

Western Mexico

–6:00 S CST Central Mexico, Easter Island,

Standard Time Galapagos Islands,

Central Canada,

Central America

–5:00 R EST Eastern Western South America,

Standard Time Cuba, Bahamas, Haiti,

Jamaica, East Central

Canada, Panama

–4:00 Q AST Atlantic Central South America,

Standard Time Dominican Republic,

Eastern Canada, West

Greenland, Bermuda

Time Zone Settings ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

20

Table 4: Recommended Time Zone Options for WWVB RCC Products Sold

Internationally (continued)

UTC

Offset United States

(hours) Letter Abbreviation Name Other Areas

–3:30 — Newfoundland Canada

–3:00 P Eastern South America,

Central Greenland

–2:00 O Pernambuco (Brazil)

–1:00 N Azores, East Greenland

(Svalbard and Jan

Mayen), Cape Verde

0 Z Western Europe, Iceland,

West Africa, Canary

Islands, Coordinated

Universal Time,

Greenwich Mean Time

+1:00 A Central Europe

(including France and

Spain), West Central

Africa, Norway,

Sweden, Denmark

+2:00 B Eastern Europe, Russia

Zone 1, East Central

Africa, Turkey, Syria,

Jordan, Greece, Cyprus,

Israel, Lebanon, Finland

+3:00 C Russia Zone 2, East

Africa, Georgia,

Iraq, Saudi Arabia,

Madagascar, Somalia,

Sudan, Kuwait,

Uganda, Yemen

+3:30 — Iran
21

Table 4: Recommended Time Zone Options for WWVB RCC Products Sold

Internationally (continued)

UTC

Offset United States

(hours) Letter Abbreviation Name Other Areas

+4:00 D Russia Zone 3,

Oman, Reunion,

Mauritius, Seychelles,

Azerbaijan, Armenia,

West Kazakhstan,

United Arab Emirates

+4:30 — Afghanistan

+5:00 E Russia Zone 4, British

Indian Ocean Territory

(Chagos), Kerguelen

Island, Maldives Islands,

Central Kazakhstan,

Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan,

Tajikistan, Pakistan,

Uzbekistan

+5:30 — India

+5:45 — Nepal

+6:00 F Russia Zone 5, Eastern

Kazakhstan, Bangladesh,

Bhutan, Sri Lanka

+6:30 — Cocos Islands, Burma

+7:00 G Russia Zone 6, Western

Indonesia, Southeast Asia

+8:00 H Russia Zone 7, Western

Australia, China,

Hong Kong, Malaysia,

Philippines, Central

Indonesia, Singapore,

Mongolia, Taiwan

Time Zone Settings ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

22

Table 4: Recommended Time Zone Options for WWVB RCC Products Sold

Internationally (continued)

UTC

Offset United States

(hours) Letter Abbreviation Name Other Areas

+9:00 I Russia Zone 8, Japan,

Korea, Palau,

Eastern Indonesia

+9:30 — Central Australia

+10:00 K ChST Chamorro Russia Zone 9, Eastern

Standard Time Australia, Chamorro

(Guam and N. Mariana

Islands), Micronesia,

Papua New Guinea

+10:30 — Lord Howe Island

+11:00 L Russia Zone 10, Vanuatu,

Solomon Islands,

New Caledonia,

East Micronesia Islands

+11:30 — Norfolk Island

+12:00 M Russia Zone 11,

New Zealand, Fiji,

Tuvalu, Marshall Islands,

Nauru, Gilbert Islands

(Kiribati), Wake Island,

Wallis and Futuna, Kiribati

Islands, International

Date Line East

+12:45 — Chatham Islands

+13:00 — Tonga, Phoenix

Islands (Kiribati)

+14:00 — Line Islands (Kiribati)
23

Time Zone Settings ◆ Figure 8. World time zone map.
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

24

Figure 9. United States time zone map.
25

6. RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR

 DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME (DST)

The WWVB time code (Figure 1) includes information that tells the RCC

whether standard time (ST) or daylight saving time (DST) is currently in

effect, and also whether the current day is a transition day from ST to DST,

or from DST to ST. All RCC products should decode this information so

that consumers do not have to reset their clocks on the day of a time change.

Figure 9 shows the areas within the United States that currently observe DST.

6.A. Handling of Transition Days

RCCs in areas that observe DST should advance one hour at 2 a.m.

local time on the first Sunday of April each year, and move back one

hour at 2 a.m. local time on the last Sunday of October of each year.[3]

RCCs must properly interpret the information in the time code (Figure 1)

and apply the time zone settings (Section 5), so the transition takes place

at exactly 2 a.m. local time. Special attention to the DST code is

required when implementing this feature as some manufacturers have

misinterpreted the code. It might be necessary for analog clocks to

move forward 11 hours (rather than back one hour) on the transition

from DST to ST, if their clock mechanisms do not allow the hands to

be moved backwards.

Manufacturers might elect to design products that implement the DST

rule[3] at the assigned time, even if the RCC has been unable to recently

read the DST information in the WWVB time code. This will allow the

RCC to handle the DST transition even if the signal has not been recently

received. However, if the DST rules change (they were last changed in

1986 and could conceivably change again), clocks programmed to follow

them will fail, whereas the WWVB time code will always comply with the

current rules. Therefore, we recommend that the DST information in the

time code be used whenever possible and that the programmed rule only

be used for backup or verification.

Another less important issue is that WWVB might be received under

optimal conditions in areas (including South American countries such

as Chile) that do not follow the same DST rules as the United States.

This means RCCs located in these regions would be wrong at certain

times of the year, regardless of whether the WWVB time code or the

programmed DST rule for the United States was used to select the DST

transition days. If a manufacturer sells products to consumers in these

areas, we recommend that they allow the transition days and times to

Daylight Saving Time (DST) ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

26

and from DST to be selected by the consumer through some type of

user interface. Inclusion of this feature also guards against product

obsolescence if the DST rules in the United States are changed again.

6.B. Disabling/Enabling DST Switch

Certain regions of the United States do not observe DST (Figure 9).

Therefore, all RCC products must provide the consumer with the option

to disable DST so that clocks located in those regions remain on ST

throughout the year. Care should be taken to inform the consumer that

this is normally a one-time setting; DST should be disabled only if their

area does not observe DST, and not simply if ST is currently in effect.

6.C. DST Indicator

We recommend that the RCC has a display or switch setting that informs

the consumer whether DST or ST is currently in effect.
27

7. RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR LEAP SECONDS,

 LEAP YEARS, AND THE TWO-DIGIT YEAR CODE

This section discusses the handling of miscellaneous time code settings, in

particular the handling of leap seconds, leap years, and the two-digit year code.

7.A. Handling of Leap Seconds

When necessary (typically less than once per year), leap seconds are

inserted into the UTC time scale on June 30th and/or December 31st.

This keeps UTC within ±0.9 s of an astronomical time scale called UT1.

The WWVB time code (Figure 1) includes a leap second bit (transmitted

at second 56) that indicates whether a leap second will occur at the end

of the current month. This allows the RCC to automatically insert the

leap second. When a leap second does occur, the final minute of the day

has 61 seconds. The UTC sequence looks like this:

23 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds

23 hours, 59 minutes, 60 seconds

0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds

In order to properly display the occurrence of a leap second, digital RCCs

must be capable of displaying a value of 60 in the seconds’ field so that

leap seconds can be indicated, for example 11:59:60 p.m. Analog RCCs

cannot display a minute containing 60 seconds; therefore the second hand

must remain in the same position (pointed straight up) for two consecutive

seconds to indicate that a leap second has elapsed.

7.B. Handling of Leap Years

The WWVB time code (Figure 1) contains a leap year indicator

(transmitted at second 55) that indicates whether the current year is a

leap year. All RCCs that display date information must decode the leap

year indicator so that dates after February 28th are correctly displayed.

For example, if the RCC assumes that a leap year is a non-leap year,

it will display a date of March 1st on February 29th.

The leap year rule is simple, and manufacturers can elect to design

products that automatically know whether a year is a leap year by looking

at the year code. However, since the WWVB time code uses two-digit

year codes (Section 7.C), these must first be converted to four digits

before testing to see whether the year is a leap year, due to the problem

Leap Seconds, Leap Years, and the Two-Digit Code ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

28

with centurial years (years that end with 00). Year numbers that are

evenly divisible by 4 are leap years, with the exception of centurial years,

which must be evenly divisible by 400.[4] Thus, 2000 was a leap year,

whereas 2100, 2200, and 2300 will not be leap years. It is highly unlikely

that the leap year rule will change, but in the event that it did, we

recommend that the leap year information in the time code be used

when possible. If the leap year rule is programmed into the product,

we recommend that it be used only to backup or verify the time

code information.

7.C. Handling of Two-Digit Year Code

The WWVB time code (Figure 1) includes only two digits of year

information, so year information is ambiguous to the century. For

example, the year 2004 is represented by “04.” This is generally not a

problem for most RCCs since a twenty-first century consumer viewing

the clock will intuitively know that “04” means 2004. However, if the

RCC is designed to interface with other devices, such as computer

systems, the manufacturer should convert the year information to four

digits. Simply adding 2000 to the two-digit year code will keep the

four-digit year correct until the year 2100. While this seems like a

good solution in the early part of the 21st century, other solutions

should be sought if the RCC is expected to output the correct year

information indefinitely.
29

8. RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR HARDWARE

 SPECIFICATIONS

This section discusses hardware specifications for the receiver, antenna, and

local oscillator.

8.A. Receiver Specifications

Complete receiver specifications are beyond the scope of this document,

but the minimum goal of the manufacturer should be to include a receiver

and antenna sufficiently sensitive to work anywhere within the CONUS

during the nighttime hours. We recommend that RCC products should

be sensitive enough to successfully synchronize to signals from WWVB

with a field strength of 50 μV/m, if the signal to noise ratio exceeds 20 dB.

The RF bandwidth of the receiver should be narrow, typically ±10 Hz

or less.

We recommend that digital signal processing (DSP) firmware be included

in the receiver design to improve the RCC’s ability to read the time code.

The redundancy of the time code information (Figure 1) can be used to

considerably improve reception. During a given hour, only the minute

information in the time code changes from frame-to-frame (except during

the rare hours when leap second, DST, or UT1 information happens to

be inserted or deleted). Therefore, the time code normally changes from

frame-to-frame in an entirely predictable fashion, which makes bit and

frame averaging possible and desirable. When properly implemented,

the use of bit and frame averaging can be more effective than increasing

the sensitivity of the receiver, or increasing the field strength presented

to the RCC by many decibels.

8.B. Antenna Considerations

Although external antennas obviously can provide better reception,

we recommend that antennas be embedded inside the casing of the

RCC to make the form factor more attractive and to prevent the antenna

and/or its connecting wires from being damaged when the device is

moved. Wristwatch antennas should not be contained in the band,

so that RCC watch bands can be replaced in the same manner as

the bands of ordinary watches when they are damaged or worn out.

While external antennas are not recommended for stand-alone clocks

and watches, they might be desirable for RCCs embedded in other

devices, such as appliances.

Hardware Specifications ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

30

8.C. Local Oscillator Specifications

As recommended in Section 4.B, all RCCs will attempt to synchronize at

least once per day. Therefore, in order to meet the Section 3 requirement

of keeping time between synchronizations to within ±0.5 s of UTC(NIST),

the local quartz crystal oscillator must keep time to within about 0.48 s

(we allow an 0.02 s error for signal propagation and internal clock

synchronization delays) during a typical synchronization interval of

24 hours (86400 s). Therefore, the maximum allowable frequency

offset of the quartz crystal oscillator, given a time change ∆t in a

period T, can be calculated as:

If the RCC uses a crystal oscillator with a nominal frequency of

32768 Hz, the maximum allowable frequency offset from nominal is

about 0.18 Hz. If the synchronization period is shortened, for example

if the RCC is able to synchronize every 12 h instead of every 24 h, these

requirements are relaxed. For example, reducing the synchronization

interval by a factor of 2 (from 24 h to 12 h) would double the maximum

allowable frequency offset to 0.36 Hz. Care should be taken by the

manufacturer to choose a quartz crystal oscillator that is accurate and

stable enough to stay within its allowable tolerance over its normal

operating temperature range, without requiring adjustment during the

expected lifetime of the RCC.

Manufacturers may also choose to employ schemes that digitally

compensate for the frequency offset of the quartz crystal, allowing

the ±0.5 s/day specification to be met with a less stable oscillator.

8.D. Battery Powered RCCs

If a RCC product is battery powered, we recommend that a “low

battery” indicator be included on the display, so the consumers are

aware that the battery or batteries need to be changed. When the

voltage of a battery-powered device drops below a certain threshold

determined by the manufacturer, the clock should stop completely

rather than attempt to keep time with an insufficient power supply.

6 5.55 10

86400

0.48 − = = ×

∆

T

t
31

9. RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR PRODUCT

 DOCUMENTATION

Although WWVB RCCs are not technically complex when compared to

other consumer electronic products, they do require more documentation than

conventional clocks. An instruction sheet or manual that describes how to

use all of the product’s features should be included with every product sold.

We also recommend that all buttons and controls on RCC products be clearly

labeled; for example, identify the button(s) or control(s) used to change time

zones. The documentation (preferably on the packaging itself) should indicate

which time zones are supported by the product, and the approximate coverage

area, so that consumers do not mistakenly buy products that won’t work in

their area. When space allows, such as on the back of a wall clock, it is

helpful to engrave or stamp a condensed instruction sheet on the product itself.

Manufacturers are also encouraged to include text in their product

documentation that describes how to troubleshoot RCC reception problems.

Some examples are provided in Section 11 of this guide.

In numerous cases, consumers have complained that the loss of an

instruction manual has made their product unusable. Therefore, we

recommend that all instruction manuals for current and past models be

made available to consumers on-line, where they can be downloaded free

of charge if necessary.

9.A. Mention of NIST

We recommend that instruction manuals for WWVB RCC products

mention that National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

radio station WWVB, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, is the source of

the time signal received by the clock. It also should be noted that NIST

is an agency of the United States government that provides official time

to the United States. If manufacturers wish to provide a point of contact

for obtaining more information about WWVB, they should reference

the NIST Time and Frequency Division web site at http://tf.nist.gov.

However, manufacturers should not direct consumers to NIST for

technical support since NIST is unable to provide it.

Product Documentation ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

32

9.B. Use of “Atomic Clock” Nomenclature

Many WWVB RCC products are labeled (on the product itself or

in the documentation) as “atomic clocks.” This is probably seen by

manufacturers as a useful marketing tool intended to capture the

imagination of potential customers, and some might argue that it is

appropriate since atomic clocks are located at the WWVB radio

transmitter site. However, we contend that use of the term “atomic

clock” is technically incorrect and misleading to consumers, and its usage

should be avoided. Unless there is actually an atomic oscillator inside the

RCC (such as a cesium or rubidium oscillator), we recommend that the

term “radio controlled clock” be used to correctly describe the product.

Labeling products or documentation with the term “atomic timekeeping”

is also considered acceptable.
33

10. COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST

The checklist below is included to assist both manufacturers and consumers

of RCC products. By answering the questions in the table, it can quickly

be determined whether or not a given product complies with the

recommendations provided in this handbook.

Product Complies

with Recommendation

(Preferred Answer

Is Always Yes)

Section Question Yes No

3 Is time always displayed to within

±0.5 s during the entire interval

between clock synchronizations? N

3 Is time always displayed to within

±0.2 s during the entire interval

between clock synchronizations? O

3 Does the clock display seconds? N

3.A/3.B Does the clock have a label or icon

indicating that it is radio controlled? N

3.A/3.B Does the clock display the date? O

3.B If the clock is digital, does it

include a.m. and p.m. indicators? O

3.B Was the clock designed without

an icon or picture of a satellite

dish on its display? O

3.C Are the clock controls clearly

labeled and situated? N

3.D If the clock is capable of receiving

more than one time signal station,

does it indicate which station it

is receiving? O

3.E Does the clock have a way to

indicate signal quality? O

Compliance Checklist ◆

N = Necessary

O = Optional
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

34

Product Complies

with Recommendation

(Preferred Answer

Is Always Yes)

Section Question Yes No

3.E Is the signal quality meter not

visible or disabled when the clock

is not attempting to synchronize? O

3.F Does the case have a marker

indicating the orientation of

the antenna? O

4.A Does the clock continuously try

to synchronize when it is first

turned on? N

4.A Does the clock refrain from

displaying the time prior to its

first synchronization? N

4.A Can the clock synchronize

without having the display or

hands preset by the consumer? N

4.B Does the clock attempt to

synchronize by radio at least

once every 24 hours? N

4.B Does the clock attempt to

synchronize during the nighttime

hours when the signal from

WWVB is the strongest? N

4.B Does the clock attempt more

than one synchronization every

24 hours? O

4.B Does the clock allow at least

five minutes for a synchronization

attempt? N

4.C Does the clock include a

button or control that allows

the consumer to attempt to

synchronize at any time? N

N = Necessary

O = Optional
35

Product Complies

with Recommendation

(Preferred Answer

Is Always Yes)

Section Question Yes No

4.D Can the clock be set manually,

without radio synchronization? N

4.E Does the clock include a

synchronization indicator? N

5.A Does the clock allow each of

the time zones listed in Table 3

to be selected? N

5.A Does the clock allow each of

the time zones listed in Table 4

to be selected? O

6 Does the clock automatically

adjust on the transition days from

ST to DST, and from DST to ST? N

6.A Does the clock change from

standard time to DST at 2 a.m.

local time and vice versa? N

6.B Does the clock have a way to

disable DST for areas that do not

observe it? N

6.C Does the clock include a DST

indicator? O

7.A Does the clock properly handle

leap seconds? O

7.B If the clock displays date

information, does it properly

handle leap years? N

7.C If the clock displays four-digit

year information, does it properly

handle the two-digit year code? O

Compliance Checklist ◆

N = Necessary

O = Optional
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

36

Product Complies

with Recommendation

(Preferred Answer

Is Always Yes)

Section Question Yes No

8.A Does the clock’s receiver meet

specifications? N

8.B Is the antenna concealed inside

the clock unit? O

8.C Does the local oscillator meet

specifications? N

8.D If the clock is powered by

batteries, is a “low battery”

indicator included? O

9 In the case of wall clocks, are

condensed instructions included

on the product itself? O

9 Does the manufacturer make

instructions manuals for the clock

available on-line? O

9.A Does the product documentation

mention NIST and WWVB? O

9.B Does the product documentation

and/or labeling use the term “radio

controlled clock” or “atomic

timekeeping,” instead of the

incorrect “atomic clock?” O

N = Necessary

O = Optional
37

11. RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR CONSUMERS

 OF WWVB RCCS

The first and foremost reason that consumers purchase RCCs is accuracy.

A RCC has a tremendous advantage over a conventional clock: when working

properly, it is always right! Consumers never need to adjust a RCC, not

even during the transition between daylight saving time and standard time.

However, this section covers a few items that consumers need to know about

to ensure that their RCC is working properly and providing the correct time.

11.A. How a WWVB RCC Works

WWVB RCCs are conventional quartz clocks with a miniature radio

receiver inside that is permanently tuned to receive the 60 kHz signal

from NIST radio station WWVB (Section 2). This station is located

near Fort Collins, Colorado, about 100 km north of Denver. It broadcasts

a time signal continuously, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, with

a complete time message (called a time code) sent every minute.

However, RCC products only attempt to read this time code periodically,

often only once every 24 hours, typically during the night when the

signal is strongest (Section 4.B).

The 60 kHz signal is located in a part of the radio spectrum called LF,

which stands for low frequency. This is an appropriate name, because

the FM radio and TV broadcasts that we are accustomed to listening

to use frequencies thousands of times higher. The lowest frequency

received by any other consumer radio is probably 530 kHz, the bottom

of the AM broadcast band, and even that frequency is nearly nine times

higher than the WWVB frequency.

The 60 kHz signal does not provide enough bandwidth to carry audio

information. Instead, all that is sent is a time code. The time code

is simply a message containing time and date information. This

information is sent in the form of binary digits, or bits, which have two

possible values (0 or 1). Frame markers are also sent as part of the

message, so the RCC can align the time code and read the bits in their

proper order. The time code bits are generated by raising and lowering

the power of the WWVB signals. They are sent at a very slow rate of

1 bit per second, and it takes a full minute to send a complete time code

or a message that tells the clock the current date and time. When a

RCC is first turned on, it will probably miss the first time code, so it

usually takes at least two minutes to synchronize, depending upon the

signal quality and the receiver design.

Consumer Information ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

38

11.B. Time Zone Settings

Since the WWVB signal originates from a single location in Colorado,

it does not contain any time zone information. Therefore, WWVB

RCCs can not determine which time zone they are in unless this

information is supplied by the consumer. Well-designed products

(Section 5) allow the selection of all time zones where the clock

could possibly be used.

The time broadcast by WWVB is Coordinated Universal Time (UTC),

or the time kept at the Prime Meridian that passes through Greenwich,

England. Clocks all over the world are synchronized to the same

second as UTC in all cases and the same minute as UTC in nearly

all cases.* However, the local hour is different than the UTC hour,

based on the number of time zones between the local time zone and the

Prime Meridian. While a few consumers want their clocks to display

UTC (ham radio operators, for example), most prefer to display local

time. WWVB RCCs apply a time zone correction of the UTC hour to

convert UTC to local time. The size of this correction is shown in

Table 5 for the four major time zones in CONUS.

When consumers move a WWVB RCC to another time zone, they

need to change the time zone setting accordingly. Consumers that

travel with RCCs should familiarize themselves with the procedure

for changing time zones, so they can adjust their clocks whenever

necessary.

* A few time zones (Table 4) differ from UTC by a non-integer number of hours

(3.5 hours, for example). Clocks synchronized to local time in these regions

will display a different minute than a clock synchronized to UTC, but the

second will be the same.
39

11.C. Coverage Area of the WWVB Signal

During the nighttime hours, the WWVB signal is strong enough to

synchronize clocks in the 48 states of the CONUS, in parts of Alaska

and Hawaii, in all of Mexico, in most of the populated areas of Canada,

and in some regions of Central and South America. (For coverage

maps and signal strength information recorded at various sites, see

http://tf.nist.gov/stations/wwvb.htm.)

The size of the coverage area is estimated using a field strength

figure of 100 μV/m, which in theory is more than enough signal for a

well-designed RCC to synchronize (Section 8.A). However, in practice,

simply having a large signal doesn’t mean that a RCC will be able to

work. What really matters is the signal-to-noise ratio, or the size of

the signal compared to the size of the electrical noise near the same

frequency. Raising the noise level is just as harmful as reducing the

signal level. For example, if the RCC clock is near a source of

interference, the noise level increases, and the clock might not be able

to synchronize even if the local field strength of the time signal is high.

Potential sources of interference are discussed in Section 11.D.1.

Consumer Information ◆

Table 5: Difference between UTC and Local Time for the Four Major Time Zones

in the CONUS

Difference from UTC Difference from UTC

Time Zone During Standard Time During Daylight Time

Pacific –8 hours –7 hours

Mountain –7 hours –6 hours

Central –6 hours –5 hours

Eastern –5 hours –4 hours
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

40

11.D. General Troubleshooting Tips for WWVB RCCs

WWVB RCC products have different specifications, and use different

controls and user interfaces, so technical support must be provided by

the manufacturer and not by NIST. We recommend that consumers

save the instruction sheets that come with their clocks, so they can

refer to them in the future if necessary. Having said that, this section

offers a few general tips for consumers whose RCCs aren’t displaying

the correct time.

Nearly all problems reported by consumers with WWVB RCCs are

related to the clock itself and not to the WWVB broadcast. Consumers

should be aware that RCC problems caused by the WWVB broadcast

are extremely rare. WWVB has a number of safeguards in place

to help ensure that the correct time is always being broadcast,

and time is kept at the station to within 100 nanoseconds of UTC.[2]

The station does occasionally have signal outages, and all outages

over five minutes in length are reported on the WWVB web site

(http://tf.nist.gov/stations/wwvb.htm). However, most outages

are maintenance related and occur in the daytime hours when RCCs

are not attempting to synchronize, so they have no effect on consumer

products. Unplanned outages during the nighttime hours are responded

to as quickly as possible and rarely last for more than 1 or 2 hours.

While it is possible that one of these outages can cause a RCC to miss

one daily synchronization period, it is highly unlikely that this will happen

two days in a row. Field strength varies due to the time of year and the

current weather conditions, but it should be sufficient for RCCs in the

CONUS to synchronize during each night of the year.

Consumers who suspect that their WWVB RCC is not displaying the

correct time can check it by comparing it to other NIST time services,

including the NIST web clock (http://nist.time.gov) or the audio time

signals from NIST radio stations WWV and WWVH.[1] The audio

time signals can be heard using a shortwave radio or by telephone

(dial 303– 499– 7111). WWVB RCCs should be within ±0.5 s of either

source. Please note that the NIST web clock allows time zone

selection and displays local time, but consumers must convert from

UTC to get local time from WWV or WWVH (Table 5).
41

11.D.1. General Troubleshooting Tips for RCCs That Won’t

Synchronize at All

If their RCC won’t synchronize, we recommend that consumers try

the following:

• If the RCC uses batteries, check them and replace if necessary.

Low batteries can cause a variety of RCC problems. If the RCC

used to work, but doesn’t work now, try changing the batteries

before deciding it has failed.

• If you have a desktop RCC, try rotating it 90°. If you have a

wall clock, try mounting it on a wall perpendicular to the one it is

currently on (e.g., if it is on a north–south wall try an east–west

wall). The antennas are directional, and reception can be improved

by turning the antenna. If your RCC has a signal quality indicator

and antenna orientation markers (Sections 3.E and 3.F), use them

to help determine the proper antenna orientation.

• Place the RCC along a wall or near a window that faces

Fort Collins, Colorado.

• If you are staying in a hotel and traveling with a WWVB alarm

clock or wristwatch, it will probably work best if you leave it near

the window overnight.

• If you have a WWVB wristwatch, remove it from your wrist

at night so that it is motionless during the synchronization period

(Section 4.B).

• Locate the clock away from the potential sources of interference

listed in Table 6.

Consumer Information ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

42

Table 6: Potential Sources of Interference for WWVB RCCs

Source of

interference Reason for interference

Computer monitors Some monitors have a scan frequency at or

and televisions near the WWVB carrier frequency of 60 kHz.

Place RCCs at least 1 to 2 meters away from

computer monitors or televisions for best results.

Metal or Buildings made out of metal (such as mobile

ferroconcrete homes) or buildings with metal roofs or steel siding

buildings might prevent the clock from working by blocking

or weakening the incoming signal. Ferroconcrete

buildings (where the concrete has metal added to

provide extra support), can also interfere with the

signals. Place the clock near a window to give it

the best chance of synchronizing.

Refrigerators, Electric motors can generate radio frequency

air conditioners, interference (RFI) at the AC line frequency of

household appliances, 60 Hz, which is a subharmonic of the 60 kHz

or other devices with WWVB carrier. Place the RCC at least 1 or

electric motors 2 meters away from these devices for best results.

Basements or WWVB signals can reach underground locations

underground locations better than higher frequency signals, but the signal

quality will be lessened if the RCC is placed in a

basement. Also, basement walls are often made

of ferroconcrete material (see above). Try placing

the clock above the ground if it doesn’t work in a

basement location.

Neon or Neon or fluorescent lights can sometimes emit RFI

fluorescent lights that interferes with RCCs. If consumers suspect

that lights are producing RFI, they can perform a

simple test with a battery-powered AM radio.

The radio should be tuned to a dial location

between stations so that only noise is heard.
43

Table 6: Potential Sources of Interference for WWVB RCCs (continued)

Source of

interference Reason for interference

Neon or If possible, turn off the lights to see if this noise

fluorescent lights level goes down. If it is not possible to turn off

(continued) the light, walk towards the light with the radio to

see if the noise increases. Try placing the RCC

where the noise level is lowest to see if that helps. 

Electrical storms Electrical storms can generate RFI in the part of

the spectrum used by WWVB. Lightning along

the path between the consumer’s receiver and

Fort Collins, Colorado, can potentially cause an

RCC to miss a scheduled synchronization, but

the problem should cease when the storm is over.

Overhead electrical The 60 Hz RFI emitted by electrical wires or

wires or other power generating equipment can be a problem

equipment related since it is a subharmonic of the 60 kHz WWVB

to electrical carrier. Try moving the RCC as far from the

power generation RFI source as possible.

Broadcasting stations RCCs located near a radio or television station

can be overloaded by the local signal. This can

be a particular problem if 60 kHz is a subharmonic

of the local carrier. 

Consumer Information ◆

If nothing else works, we recommend that consumers take the clock

outdoors after dark and power it down (remove the batteries or

unplug it), then power it up again to force it to look for the WWVB

signal. If it works outdoors but not indoors, there is probably a local

interference problem inside the building where the clock is located.

If it doesn’t work outdoors at night, it’s probably best to return it and

try a different model.

Keep in mind that not all WWVB RCCs are created equal. Consumers

who think their clock is defective or that it is simply unable to work at

their location should ask the manufacturer or dealer for a replacement.
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

44

11.D.2. General Troubleshooting Tips for RCCs Off by

One Hour or More

Remember, minutes and seconds are the same in nearly all time

zones, only hours are different. Therefore, if a clock is off by exactly

one hour or by a multiple of exactly one hour, it probably has to do

with a time zone setting. Consumers should make sure that they

have properly selected their local time zone using the instructions

that came with the RCC. If the clock does not have a setting for the

consumer’s local time zone (Section 5.A), we recommend that they

return it to the dealer. Consumers outside the CONUS should make

sure that a RCC product handles their time zone prior to purchasing it.

Consumers who live in areas that do not observe Daylight Saving

Time (Figure 9) must make sure that DST is disabled on their RCC

(Section 6.B). If the RCC lacks this feature, consumers might still be

able to select another time zone to make the RCC display the correct

time when DST is in effect.

11.D.3. General Troubleshooting Tips for RCCs Off by a

Few Minutes or Seconds

Properly working and designed RCCs should display time accurate

to within ±0.5 s or better (Section 3). However, a malfunctioning

RCC can be off by a few seconds or even minutes, for the reasons

listed below:

• Reception Problem — If a RCC isn’t receiving the signals from

WWVB at least once per day, the time will “drift” and gradually

get further and further from the correct time. Remember, if

WWVB isn’t being received, the clock is no longer radio controlled,

it’s just a conventional quartz clock. Its accuracy will then depend

on the quality of the quartz crystal (Section 8.C). Most quartz

clocks can keep time to 1 s per day or better, but some could

be off by several seconds per day and a time error always

accumulates between synchronizations. Consumers are

advised to purchase only RCCs with synchronization indicators

(Section 4.E), so they will know whether or not the clock

has recently synchronized. If the product does not have a

synchronization indicator and the consumer cannot tell if the

signal is being received, we recommend powering down the

clock (by unplugging it or removing the batteries), then powering

it up again to see if it can synchronize. If it doesn’t, see

Section 11.D.1 for tips on improving reception.
45

• Alignment Problem — Some consumers might obtain analog

RCCs whose hands aren’t properly aligned. This could cause

the clock to be off by 1 s or more even if it is receiving the signal

properly. The clock might not have been properly aligned at the

factory, or it might have been jostled during shipment, causing

the hands to move. Some manufacturers explain how to align the

hands on their instruction sheet. If the consumer is unable to do

this, and if the small error bothers them, we recommend that they

return the clock to the dealer for replacement.

• Parallax Problem — The parallax problem refers to the apparent

shifting of an object when viewed at different angles and can

prevent problems when viewing analog RCCs. When consumers

check the accuracy of an analog RCC, they need to be sure they

are looking straight at the clock face and not viewing it from an

angle. Consumers who view the clock from an angle might think

it is off by a few seconds even if it is not. This is similar to trying

to read the speedometer from the passenger seat of a car and

thinking the speed is faster or slower than it actually is.

11.D.4. General Troubleshooting Tips Concerning Daylight

Saving Time (DST)

Problems related to DST are among the most common problems

experienced by RCC consumers. If a RCC doesn’t change during

the transition from DST to standard time, or vice versa, it probably

means that it has not received the signal recently, so it didn’t know

about the time change. See Sections 11.D.1 and 11.D.3 for tips on

improving reception.

If reception appears to be fine and the RCC didn’t change,

consumers should make sure that DST is not disabled on their

RCC (Section 6.B), if their area observes DST. Conversely, if the

area does not observe DST and the RCC did change, consumers

need to disable the DST setting.

Consumer Information ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

46
47

12. REFERENCES

[1] Lombardi, M.A. “NIST Time and Frequency Services.” Natl. Inst.

Stand. Technol. Spec. Publ. 432, 71 p., January 2002. Available at:

http://tf.nist.gov/general/publications.htm.

[2] Nelson, G.K., M.A. Lombardi, and D.T. Okayama. “NIST Time and

Frequency Radio Stations: WWV, WWVH, and WWVB.” Natl. Inst.

Stand. Technol. Spec. Publ. 250–67, 156 p., January 2005. Available at:

http://tf.nist.gov/general/publications.htm.

[3] 15 United States Code 6(IX)(260a).

[4] Seidelmann, P. Kenneth, ed. “Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical

Almanac.” University Science Books, pp. 580–581, 1992.

References ◆
◆ WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks

48

960-14

and Consumers

Special

Publication

960-14

Michael A. Lombardi, Andrew N. Novick,John P. Lowe, Matthew J. Deutch,Glenn K. Nelson, Douglas S. Sutton,William C. Yates, and D. Wayne Hanson