How does Britain know what time it is?

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 เม.ย. 2022
  • Did I need to get a radio controlled clock and travel to Anthorn to film this video? Absolutely not. But for a few minutes, that clock was really, really accurate. • Thanks to the team at NPL! More about NPL Time: www.npl.co.uk/time-frequency/... - their Open Day is on 20th May! www.npl.co.uk/open-day
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ความคิดเห็น • 2.2K

  • @TomScottGo
    @TomScottGo  2 ปีที่แล้ว +11967

    And if you're wondering why "coordinated universal time" abbreviates to "UTC": that's because it officially stands for "temps universel coordonné", and this way neither English or French speakers are happy. Compromise!

    • @330
      @330 2 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      Hi

    • @lazaraleksandrov2808
      @lazaraleksandrov2808 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1517

      hate to break it to you, but:
      *clears throat*
      neither English **nor** French speakers

    • @DawidKov
      @DawidKov 2 ปีที่แล้ว +369

      I'm surprised the British even allowed French near their time.

    • @definitelyarealperson248
      @definitelyarealperson248 2 ปีที่แล้ว +399

      CUT or TUC. No. We go with. UTC. why. Who knows?

    • @watchm4ker
      @watchm4ker 2 ปีที่แล้ว +140

      Politics in a nutshell

  • @ln5321
    @ln5321 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1101

    "How does Britain know what time it is?"
    Not by looking at where the sun is. I can tell you that much.

    • @deelkar
      @deelkar 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      actually they do. Just not by eye ;)

    • @matt_w
      @matt_w 2 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      Funny :) Interesting tidbit: turns out the 13th century Vikings had a system for telling the direction of the sun even through cloud cover by using a polarizing crystal.

    • @arturobrito2795
      @arturobrito2795 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      I like this joke

    • @grantgrove6800
      @grantgrove6800 ปีที่แล้ว

      🤣

  • @EngineeringMindset
    @EngineeringMindset 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1686

    A cargo ship used to sail past my workshop, we knew it had passed because it changed the time on all our clocks and watches with whatever signal it was broadcasting. Had to switch to manual change devices.

    • @leocurious9919
      @leocurious9919 2 ปีที่แล้ว +80

      How and/or why would it do that? I doubt that it would be legal to transmit such a signal at your location.

    • @uberfuzzy
      @uberfuzzy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +194

      @@leocurious9919 likely to keep all the clocks/devices onboard in the timezone of the departure port.

    • @agustinvenegas5238
      @agustinvenegas5238 2 ปีที่แล้ว +121

      @@uberfuzzy time on board ships and the like drifts gradually through the voyage afaik, so when you get to London from shanghai you aren't like 10 hours jetlagged

    • @joetoaster447
      @joetoaster447 2 ปีที่แล้ว +65

      How are you getting jetlagged on a 40 day journey? There's no jet involved to introduce any lag.

    • @WyvernYT
      @WyvernYT 2 ปีที่แล้ว +90

      @@joetoaster447 If everyone aboard kept living by the time of their port of departure they might be many hours out of step with their destination's clocks. As Agustin Venegas pointed out, it's easy to slowly adjust the shipboard clocks during the voyage so that everyone arrives operating on the destination's schedule.

  • @zmanicminer
    @zmanicminer 2 ปีที่แล้ว +425

    For perspective on how little power you need to consume this signal: I once had a digital clock with a capacitor that could keep it running, accurately, for weeks after removing the single AA battery

    • @izzard
      @izzard 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Nice avatar.

    • @ts4gv
      @ts4gv ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Woah.

    • @AnoNymInvestor
      @AnoNymInvestor ปีที่แล้ว +8

      It uses only nanoamperes.

  • @hadinossanosam4459
    @hadinossanosam4459 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2734

    4:45 "Standing by the ocean with a domestic appliance" is just normal Tom Scott behaviour at this point xD

    • @banderi002
      @banderi002 2 ปีที่แล้ว +189

      Honestly that old Teasmade video is one of my favorite.

    • @KHoos
      @KHoos 2 ปีที่แล้ว +100

      Previous time I can recall was also about time synchronization. It's a pattern.

    • @dsutt777
      @dsutt777 2 ปีที่แล้ว +36

      And it's definitely not going to be the last time either 🙃

    • @yuvalne
      @yuvalne 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      I understood that reference

    • @simonnaughton2272
      @simonnaughton2272 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@KHoos I could not find the Easter egg in this episode yet, but I think this is related.

  • @georgeh-w5041
    @georgeh-w5041 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5037

    Tom Scott: consistently answering questions I never thought I had

    • @christhildpaschelke4502
      @christhildpaschelke4502 2 ปีที่แล้ว +46

      He's just that guy

    • @nriab23
      @nriab23 2 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      Best description

    • @lordgarion514
      @lordgarion514 2 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      Just wait till you find out what questions you didn't know about next week.

    • @Spyr0999
      @Spyr0999 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      That is so true

    • @Fizzyguy201Sonicguy6
      @Fizzyguy201Sonicguy6 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@christhildpaschelke4502 that guy who'll make interesting videos.

  • @charliedobbie8916
    @charliedobbie8916 2 ปีที่แล้ว +528

    I bought some radio-controlled clocks at auction. They were quite cheap, which more than made up for the fact they're fixed to the DCF77 signal out of Germany not the MSF signal out of the UK so they're technically an hour out. I took them apart and adjusted the hour hand so when it thinks it's 12 o'clock the hand points at 11 o'clock - and nobody is any the wiser. Apart from daylight savings transitions when the clock adjusts itself an hour before you'd expect.

    • @albertbatfinder5240
      @albertbatfinder5240 2 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      I’m sorry mate but your clocks have one purpose, and that’s to tell you the time!

    • @EcceJack
      @EcceJack 2 ปีที่แล้ว +46

      I brought a couple of digital clocks that can be radio-controlled if desired from Europe to the UK. I was quite happy to discover that, as I've been moving around the country, they still always pick up the German signal - even in Northern Ireland (though sometimes it takes a couple of attempts). Thankfully they also have a "correct by X hours" function, so I can see GMT/BST without opening them up and doing weird things to electronics :D

    • @SteelSkin667
      @SteelSkin667 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I was wondering if there was some way to adjust or switch which signal they were picking up. Although I guess it has to be hardcoded based on the fact that each transmitter sends data in a completely different format.

    • @w75525
      @w75525 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I had to do the same with my German clock.

    • @Berkeloid0
      @Berkeloid0 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      I bought one of these from the UK as well. However Australia is just a bit too far to pick up the signal!

  • @claudiajade624
    @claudiajade624 2 ปีที่แล้ว +130

    This was...bonkers. Had no idea could have clocks that 'set themselves' via radio control.

    • @prayagsuthar9856
      @prayagsuthar9856 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Honestly! It's kinda cool to think about clocks setting themselves, that too by radio; I wish we had these in the U.S. tbh 😞

    • @CatCube2
      @CatCube2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@prayagsuthar9856 We do. The transmitter is in Colorado, with call sign "WWVB", and it's run by the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST). Every Wal-Mart I've ever been in has had clocks that will sync to this signal.

    • @sydhenderson6753
      @sydhenderson6753 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Got a clock at home that did that for many years until the battery stopped recharging.

  • @WhyNotAParadox
    @WhyNotAParadox 2 ปีที่แล้ว +897

    I used to work tech support for a radio controlled clock company. The amount of people that called in worried about the device being labeled with "atomic time" and having concerns about being irradiated was slightly concerning.

    • @gdclemo
      @gdclemo 2 ปีที่แล้ว +170

      Best not to tell them that the clocks are set by electromagnetic radiation...

    • @XiangYann
      @XiangYann 2 ปีที่แล้ว +109

      @@gdclemo AAAHH! Radiation! Think of the children!

    • @sirBrouwer
      @sirBrouwer 2 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      Well with clocks that is not that odd to think. If you think about it. not that long ago watches with uranium was a thing. (glows)

    • @adarshmohapatra5058
      @adarshmohapatra5058 2 ปีที่แล้ว +68

      @@gdclemo no one tell them that we have a run-off fusion reactor 150 million km away showering all of us with electromagnetic radiations for half the day...

    • @Anankin12
      @Anankin12 2 ปีที่แล้ว +39

      @@adarshmohapatra5058 and not just EM radiation, also α and β, too! Not to mention the whole lot of space that's trying to cook us and ruin our radio and analog tv signal with _microwaves_ , just like the ones in the oven!

  • @benz.
    @benz. 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2732

    I always find it amazing when I hear about these lesser known organisations which perform such vital work for the UK and the world. Great video, Tom!

    • @ErikUden
      @ErikUden 2 ปีที่แล้ว +95

      The British parliament could stop existing and nothing bad would happen for months, the NPL stops existing and the concept of time ceases to exist.

    • @FJB2020
      @FJB2020 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      This was invented in the US in 1948 and has been used here for decades...

    • @mojoich2736
      @mojoich2736 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@ErikUden OMG then how would we know the length of a piece of string As NPL was the master reference model.

    • @g76agi
      @g76agi 2 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      @@FJB2020 ok?

    • @Soken50
      @Soken50 2 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      @@mojoich2736 You'd have to
      *Shudders*
      Ask the French.
      *Dramatic brass ensemble*
      They're the keepers of metric units.

  • @ronkemperful
    @ronkemperful 2 ปีที่แล้ว +118

    I live 6 miles from the national atomic clock transmitter in the USA that does the same thing. However, the timezone and daylight savings settings must also be selected on the clock for it to be accurate for the region. The UK has a great advantage with just one time zone. Great video.

    • @TJ-up8vj
      @TJ-up8vj 2 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      The UK has daylight saving time too. There's GMT (Greenwich Mean Time, which is also UTC) and BST (British Summer Time which is UTC+1)

    • @christiankolinski1563
      @christiankolinski1563 2 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      DCF77 (the german time transmitter) has two bits to encode if it is DST or not (so no need to set it) and a third bit that will announce the switchover from DST to normal time or vice versa, so the clock can switch even if it isn't receiving at the second the switch is made. Most consumer clocks don't sync constantly, but use a regular quartz clock for the time in between, which is "good enough" for a normal clock showing only whole seconds. There's even a leap second announcement bit... From what I can see, the MFS format used in Britain has about the same features.

    • @johno4521
      @johno4521 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Trump wanted to get rid of the American transmitter to save money.
      I guess it's safe now....

    • @Jules-wn7hl
      @Jules-wn7hl 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      @@TJ-up8vj America's problem is that different states have different timezones and rules for DST. For example some states have daylight saving time, but some do not. Britain has DST, but it has only one timezone and one rule for DST. Not so for the US, so the equipment must be much more complex.

    • @VTXHobbies
      @VTXHobbies 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      At the tone, 12 hours, one minute, coordinated universal time.

  • @ddturnerphd
    @ddturnerphd 2 ปีที่แล้ว +40

    I've had the privilege of being involved in conducting peer review of Australia's equivalent of NPL and visited the clocks held by the National Measurement Institute of Australia, which maintain that country's connection to UTC. Fascinating stuff!

  • @iissacc
    @iissacc 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1301

    I appreciate that this video was done in "real-time" with the physical clock still ticking during the interview

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 2 ปีที่แล้ว +47

      If you think about it, everything is done in real time.

    • @jsworpin
      @jsworpin 2 ปีที่แล้ว +187

      @@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 they mean that at the begging the clock shows 10:40, by the end of the 5 min video it shows 10:45. Tom has done his segments with specific gaps for the interviews so the clock keeps time with the video

    • @steveywood100
      @steveywood100 2 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      @@jsworpin If you look carefully, its not in synch with the time on the video. It jumps forwards and backwards

    • @jasonrubik
      @jasonrubik 2 ปีที่แล้ว +27

      @@jsworpin It seems to be off by 2 seconds. At the beginning, the clock was behind by 5 seconds ( video timestamp was 0:09 and clock said 10:40:04 ) At the end of the video, the timestamp was 4:49 and the clock said 10:44:46 , approximately.

    • @eekee6034
      @eekee6034 2 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      @@jasonrubik 2 seconds isn't bad at all. :)

  • @dzarko55
    @dzarko55 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1210

    My workplace got one of those! Too bad they forgot the control room is 20 meters from a 20MW induction furnace. It constantly tried setting itself to random times of day.

    • @minigolfkid
      @minigolfkid 2 ปีที่แล้ว +56

      they need a lead shield hehehe

    • @loc4725
      @loc4725 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      It's actually a conspiracy to get you to work for free.

    • @jwider96
      @jwider96 2 ปีที่แล้ว +108

      My school once got one of them for every classroom but somehow they showed the wrong hour, minutes and seconds were always correct but the hours were always wrong like the were in the wrong timezone or something like that. If you tried to change it to the right time the clock changed it self back to whatever wrong hour it used to be. In our complete school were just wrong clocks.

    • @adamsteelproducer
      @adamsteelproducer 2 ปีที่แล้ว +77

      @@jwider96 we’re you on the south coast? Might have been getting French time more clearly than uk signals…

    • @type17
      @type17 2 ปีที่แล้ว +79

      @@jwider96 Most Radio-Controlled clocks have a switch to set for the time-service of the (nearest) country you're in - UK, Germany (Central European Time), USA or Japan - maybe the school's clocks were set for Germany/CET? (You'd probably get the German time signal in most of the UK).

  • @simoneavery4417
    @simoneavery4417 2 ปีที่แล้ว +60

    I remember hearing one of the NTL time group members complain about their shiny new building. It was made of metal and was expanding and contracting by mm with the ambient temperature changes. Antennas on the building associated with time transfer were now seen to be moving in time during the day. Their previous brick building was less prone to this effect.

  • @alancliff9208
    @alancliff9208 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I’ve still got my radio alarm clock that uses this transmitter must be over 20 years old! Always on time 👍🏼

  • @odditoriumleviathan8725
    @odditoriumleviathan8725 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1361

    If I had a nickel for ever time I stood with a domestic appliance by an ocean, I would have two nickels. It’s not a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.

    • @dogwalker666
      @dogwalker666 2 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      I guess you have never been camping that the sea side.

    • @ironicjason257
      @ironicjason257 2 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      can you produce more nickel please? the world is having a shortage of nickel currently

    • @vlycop7404
      @vlycop7404 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      we all have the same reflex, which is amazing

    • @nathanberrigan9839
      @nathanberrigan9839 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@ironicjason257 Unfortunately, melting a coin for its metal carries a 5-year prison sentence. Though you can probably avoid that by melting outside the US.

    • @tamaslapsanszki8744
      @tamaslapsanszki8744 2 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      Is that a Doofenschmirtz reference? If it is, I'm so proud of you

  • @ThePixel1983
    @ThePixel1983 2 ปีที่แล้ว +677

    The German version of this (DCF77) used to have a few bits just for the engineers to receive a few error codes. Today those bits transmit encrypted weather data and there's just one error bit. I built a receiver that shows those 60 bits on LEDs, and you could listen to the bips (100 or 200 ms each second) and decipher them on a piece of paper if you needed to.

    • @640kareenough6
      @640kareenough6 2 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      Why is the weather data encrypted?

    • @moatl6945
      @moatl6945 2 ปีที่แล้ว +110

      @@640kareenough6 Short answer: Because of the money.
      The weather data transmission isn't operated by the PTB but by a private company that sells licences for the decrypting data technology.

    • @RN1441
      @RN1441 2 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      France overlayers their signal on an AM radio broadcast at 162 kHz, the Russians use 66.6 kHz, and the Japanese 40 and 80 kHz. I forget which the Chinese use, but if you have a GPS disciplined oscillator you can coherently integrate their carriers and pull them all out of the noise floor from Europe, though bit decoding can only be done with the local ones.

    • @rayoflight62
      @rayoflight62 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      They use a speed of 1 bit/sec !

    • @nowster
      @nowster 2 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      @@RN1441 The radio station on 162kHz went silent some years ago but the frequency is still active just to carry the phase modulated time/data signal.

  • @BradGryphonn
    @BradGryphonn 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    I've been a mild timezone/time-keeping geek since childhood when I learned about Greenwich Mean Time and Time Zones as a five-year-old. These very British timekeeping quirks bring me much joy.

  • @Backroad_Junkie
    @Backroad_Junkie 2 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    40 years ago when I used to TSD Rally (Time-Speed-Distance, you can calculate any one of them if you know the other two), we used to synchronize all out clocks/watches to WWV.
    WWV (the shortwave station that broadcasts time in the US) has been in operation since 1919, 103 years...

  • @JustWasted3HoursHere
    @JustWasted3HoursHere 2 ปีที่แล้ว +564

    I remember seeing a demonstration of Einstein's Theory of Relativity where they had two synchronized Cesium clocks and they took one of them on an airplane and flew for an hour at about 600mph and, sure enough, when those clocks were re-compared the one that flew in the airplane was a few billions of a second behind the one that stayed on the ground, proving that time actually does slow down as you move faster.

    • @jacksonlarson6099
      @jacksonlarson6099 2 ปีที่แล้ว +95

      The time dilation effects of gravity also have to be taken in to account when designing satellites. The on-board clocks of GPS satellites, for example, are designed to tick at a slightly slower rate than ground-level clocks, because the passage of time for an object appears to speed up as it moves farther away from a massive object.

    • @gegessen159
      @gegessen159 2 ปีที่แล้ว +33

      @@jacksonlarson6099 as far as I know they even coded a switch, so they can take Einstein in account or not. The reason was, that his theory wasn't really proven when GPS was designed

    • @C.I...
      @C.I... 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Does that mean we can find out what speed is absolute 0mph in deep/inter-galactic space by comparing the speed of time at various vectors?

    • @kaitlyn__L
      @kaitlyn__L 2 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      @@C.I... assuming you mean completely flat spacetime with no gravitational time dilation, even intergalactic space has some of it going on due to the gravitationally-bound “local group”. As far as we know, there’s no place in the universe with a total absence of gravitational waves

    • @paulhaynes8045
      @paulhaynes8045 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      I think they did something similar with the Apollo flights - onboard clocks were behind the earthbound ones when they got home.

  • @Sam-pm9vy
    @Sam-pm9vy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +211

    It’s never really occurred to me how radio controlled clocks work beyond “probably some kind of radio signal somehow” but they’re fun to watch when the hour changes

    • @dogwalker666
      @dogwalker666 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      The signal is also encoded into BBC Radio 4 LW Transmission.

    • @emmanotsostrong
      @emmanotsostrong 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      As a dumbass American, could you please elaborate on why it's fun to watch when the hour changes? Is that when it syncs up or something?

    • @Sam-pm9vy
      @Sam-pm9vy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      @@emmanotsostrong At least the ones I’ve seen and from what I remember (it’s been a while) the hands whizz round and round for a bit until they settle on the new time

    • @charliedobbie8916
      @charliedobbie8916 2 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      @@emmanotsostrong They're not usually digital clocks - they're analogue. So they tick away as normal but then daylight savings changes and the hands spring into action and whirl around until they settle on the new correct time. It's something quite unexpected to see from something that's usually just a crystal oscillator and and bunch of plastic cogs.

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      The only good thing about daylight savings is the way the clock goes 'round.

  • @thomasvlaskampiii6850
    @thomasvlaskampiii6850 2 ปีที่แล้ว +34

    The US has a similar system. NIST has the radio station in Colorado, WWV, transmitting at 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz. It's designed to cover most of the US. The site is shared by its longwave cousin, WWVB, transmitting at 60kHz. And in Hawaii, theres WWVH transmitting at 5, 10, and 15 MHz. All 3 stations use UTC for their time codes

    • @greg2092
      @greg2092 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Love that system, I can pick up Hawaii and Colorado on 10mhz on my hf rig

    • @thomasvlaskampiii6850
      @thomasvlaskampiii6850 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@greg2092 I really like that they have a phone number you can call and listen in. Shame it autodisconnects after 5 or 10 minutes

    • @tvdan1043
      @tvdan1043 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      The instructions for my clock have a suggestion for when it has trouble receiving the signal inside a building: "Take the clock outside and point the back of the clock in the general direction of Fort Collins, Colorado."

    • @thomasvlaskampiii6850
      @thomasvlaskampiii6850 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@tvdan1043 Seems reasonable. As long as you know which way Colorado is from you

    • @autarchex
      @autarchex 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@thomasvlaskampiii6850 If you don't, knowing the current time might not be the highest priority.

  • @TastyBusiness
    @TastyBusiness 2 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    I'm betting we're being shown one of the engineering labs in the facility rather than a production time source, because that lack of cable management screams "test bench" and not "permanent infrastructure"

  • @MeFreeBee
    @MeFreeBee 2 ปีที่แล้ว +202

    The best thing about those radio controlled clocks is my 88 year old mum doesn't have to get a neighbour in to reset the one high up on her kitchen wall when the clocks go forward/backward.

    • @MonkeyJedi99
      @MonkeyJedi99 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      That is a GREAT feature! A fall for an older person can be very dangerous.

    • @TheQuark6789
      @TheQuark6789 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Do you still have to change the battery, or is it wired or solar?

    • @MeFreeBee
      @MeFreeBee 2 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      @@TheQuark6789 I have changed it when visiting, just to be on the safe side.

  • @jamesengland7461
    @jamesengland7461 2 ปีที่แล้ว +180

    Ah, yes. My kids' elementary school had these in every classroom. They were usually waaaay off, or exactly right, or forever spinning to recalibrate, or whatever whimsical thing they wished to be doing. Mostly being wrong.

    • @particularry9885
      @particularry9885 2 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      Hehe we have saying in Germany: Only a broken clock is right twice a day.

    • @DoctorWhom
      @DoctorWhom 2 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      Schools full of clocks usually have a controller on location.

    • @AaronOfMpls
      @AaronOfMpls 2 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      @@DoctorWhom Yup, there's a central clock somewhere (usually a panel in the school office), wired to remote clock faces in every room. The remote faces are electric clocks running off synchronous motors, that turn with the power line frequency -- evidenced by the second hand turning constantly rather than ticking along.
      It was kinda cool to see those clock faces re-synchronize, too. They would all stop for about a minute, then suddenly advance one minute and start turning normally again.
      Though my high school temporarily replaced most of the remote faces with regular battery-powered quartz clocks. The central clock had no battery backup for power cuts -- and the power was being shut off multiple times (outside of school hours) while the school was being added onto and remodeled. ...Which led to the system being hours off from the actual time until construction was complete. It was a couple years _after_ construction had finished before they finally got around to putting all the old clocks back, though.

    • @jamesengland7461
      @jamesengland7461 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@AaronOfMpls in our school, they were just like Tom's.

    • @jmckendry84
      @jmckendry84 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      We've got a bunch of these radio synced clocks at work. Shame no-one checked to see if they'd be able to pick up any reception where they were placed...!

  • @Kaiser95Rom
    @Kaiser95Rom 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I met Leon Lobo 4 years ago as my company used to sell UTC synchronisation and traceability to big financial institutions.
    I didn’t manage to get a single contract signed but it was fun going to Teddington and meeting the team there! Leon is a top bloke.

  • @jeg1972
    @jeg1972 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    When this video popped up, I was actually retro-fitting radio controlled clock mechanisms into all of my wall clocks!

  • @kerpinos8341
    @kerpinos8341 2 ปีที่แล้ว +246

    Tom is really good about finding stuff that interests me but that I would otherwise have no clue existed.

  • @tcode3564
    @tcode3564 2 ปีที่แล้ว +238

    Here in Germany we actually have a similar institute in Frankfurt. It is called DCF77 and broadcasts at 77khz. Apparently the signal of DCF77 can still be received in Spain and Britain. I know that because I am currently doing my final exam as an it clerk here in Germany. My topic is actually about NTP, Wich is a protocol used to distribute time across a network. So this is a somewhat scary coincidence.

    • @charliedobbie8916
      @charliedobbie8916 2 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Can confirm. Am near London and have two clocks synced from DCF77 at home.

    • @HuTnikCZ
      @HuTnikCZ 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Yep, in Slovakia with 3 clocks. Altough In some corners or rooms, the clocks gets properly synced only in night. Otherwise they just stay at 00:00. I guess there is less interference at night.

    • @superfluidity
      @superfluidity 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I think I saw clocks that receive DCF77 for sale in one of the German based discount supermarkets here in London last week. But I didn't buy it because I couldn't work out how it dealt with timezones and daylight save time. There didn't seem to be anywhere on it to tell it what timezone you wanted.

    • @davewalker7126
      @davewalker7126 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@charliedobbie8916 When they made the bright idea to move the transmitter from Rugby to Anthorn a lot of the South UK had (still has?) to use DCF as the signal did not reach.

    • @tcode3564
      @tcode3564 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Has the British equivalent a lower range than DCF77? That is quite surprising to me since it is using a somewhat similar frequency.

  • @joeholt9166
    @joeholt9166 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I was at the NPL this week and based on what I was told the clocks are in the main building. The hydrogen mazers are in the same building as well. All very interesting.

  • @am2schmarvelous
    @am2schmarvelous 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I used to run a call center that took financial trades over the phone. Trading in the US stops at 4pm EST. We read the time off our desktop but it turns out that each desktop was running it's own independent time and it became obvious that across the call center there was a variation in time of more than 60 seconds. So depending on who answered the call at near 4pm, a person's trade happened today or tomorrow. That's when I discovered the importance of time.

  • @ghammer9773
    @ghammer9773 2 ปีที่แล้ว +53

    "standing, by the ocean, with a domestic appliance"
    Funny enough, also talking about time and synchronization of devices.

  • @QALibrary
    @QALibrary 2 ปีที่แล้ว +26

    Tom the reason why they did not let you near the clocks in London... they saw your Tower Bridge video and the same day it broke!

  • @TheNextOuting
    @TheNextOuting 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Tom Scott is 100% one of our favourite TH-cam. The quality of his videos with the level of research etc…
    Answering questions no one thought they needed to know!

  • @MrMockingbird1313
    @MrMockingbird1313 2 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    Hey Tom, Years back I had a similar discussion with an USAF expert. The USA national standard is a clock in Denver Colorado. It is critical to know how far the sender radio is to the receiver clock. Then a range adjustment is made, so that satellites line up, bombs hit on target, and official top secret communication is made in real time. BTW, the adjustment from Denver to Scott AFB, just outside St. Louis where I live is a +4000/second.

    • @valkyrie_pilot
      @valkyrie_pilot 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      isn't it in Boulder, at NIST?

    • @MrMockingbird1313
      @MrMockingbird1313 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@valkyrie_pilot Perhaps it is now. I believe I was told it was in Denver, years ago. But what you say makes sense because USAF has a large presence in Boulder. For instance, the Air Force Academy is in Boulder. Anyway your presentation was excellent. And my second point is that the EXACT time adjusted around the globe is critical for TOP SECRET communications. So, today, exact time is more critical than it was 20-30 years back when this plan was hatched.

    • @quillmaurer6563
      @quillmaurer6563 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@MrMockingbird1313 The Air Force Academy is in Colorado Springs, about an hour south of Denver (Boulder is a half hour northwest). The time standard, at least currently, is in Boulder, I had an internship there a few years ago (the time-standard atomic clock itself is sort of anti-climactic, looks like a server farm). That time-standard sends a signal to an antenna array similar to the one in this video located north of Fort Collins.

    • @MrMockingbird1313
      @MrMockingbird1313 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@quillmaurer6563 Your information is more current and accurate. But, my information goes back 20 years. I just remember vividly that secure transfer of information depends on an accurate time standard and the transmitter was 4000/second west of here. Funny stuff? Thanks for your correction.

  • @TofranBohk
    @TofranBohk 2 ปีที่แล้ว +40

    "Standing by the ocean with a domestic appliance..."
    The beginning to a long lost Robert Frost poem.

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I think it's actually the title of the original draft of Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay.

  • @whisk3675
    @whisk3675 2 ปีที่แล้ว +50

    I always love it when you show us the amount of work that goes behind providing us with luxuries we take for granted.

    • @jovetj
      @jovetj 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Not enough work tidying up all those cables, though. Yikes...

  • @JomirBrands
    @JomirBrands 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Tom Scott has all the answers!

  • @IsabelleJRogers
    @IsabelleJRogers 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I’ve asked myself this question many times before, but never thought to seek out the answer. Thanks for giving it to us!

  • @janmelantu7490
    @janmelantu7490 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    “DO NOT TOUCH THE MASER” I wasn’t going to but now I want to

    • @dustinrichardson6533
      @dustinrichardson6533 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      All signs exist for a reason. You just know someone dropped a pen behind there and unplugged the entirety of Britain from time trying to reach back and pick it up

  • @zforczek8653
    @zforczek8653 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Hats off to Mr. Leon Lobo for the very eloquent explanations. Thx.

  • @johnbeauvais3159
    @johnbeauvais3159 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    My favorite wristwatch has this feature, the Citizen Radio Controlled series update every night and have a little dial to show whether or not it got reception last night. It’s really cool during spring forward when it stops, twitches, then the hour hand springs forward on its own.

  • @izirins
    @izirins 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I recall the time signal originally being transmitted from Rugby, Warwickshire, indeed i have a radio time controlled wrist watch i bought after 2007 (when they switched to Anthorn) which still referred to "Rugby Time"

  • @TheMan83554
    @TheMan83554 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    "Do not touch the maser" taped to the box.
    Perfection.

  • @michaelfreeze2949
    @michaelfreeze2949 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    The southern hemisphere manages to tell the time okay with out a radio transmitter transmitting the time

    • @alanalderson1427
      @alanalderson1427 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Time has stood still in Australia.

  • @markfinlay422
    @markfinlay422 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I've seen these radio masts as I live fairly near and had no idea they were for radio clocks. Excellent Tom!

  • @siblacklockhughes612
    @siblacklockhughes612 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thanks Tom, I see these regularly and always wondered what they were!

  • @Teverell
    @Teverell 2 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    ...the last time Tom stood by the ocean with a domestic appliance was with a Teasmade on the Isle of Grain. Also an interesting video!

  • @intruder313
    @intruder313 2 ปีที่แล้ว +174

    I’ve had a small alarm clock linked to this for about 30 years - and people don’t believe me.
    Sadly it had never really kept itself set so whenever there’s a stupid time change like BST I have to manually prod the hour or take the batteries out.
    At least it’s survived 3 decades of me dropping it.

    • @HuatengChen
      @HuatengChen 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Ha! That's funny! Cause my kitchen electronic clock did not survive dropping it. The antenna inside wasn't attached strongly enough and it snapped with a wire. Didn't know that until the clock started drifting by a minute or two. Then I opened it, soldered and secured the antenna back in place. Works like a charm ever since. And it just recently switched itself to summer time too.

    • @lifthras11r
      @lifthras11r 2 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      @@ragnkja The time signal (MSF) itself does have a summer time flag, but I guess the clock didn't honor that.

    • @aukondk
      @aukondk 2 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      My analogue one would adjust itself. Most fun when the clocks went back but it could only go forward so it spun around until it skipped 23 hours.

    • @mrxmry3264
      @mrxmry3264 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@ragnkja it'll stay accurate for as long as the battery can deliver enough power to move the mechanics fast enough.

    • @ximono
      @ximono 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      You’d be lucky if an alarm clock made today lasted 3 years. The times have changed.

  • @timmmychanga
    @timmmychanga 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you very much
    I love the audio quality
    🔥❤️🙏

  • @MaxScheibenpflug
    @MaxScheibenpflug 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    What a well-spoken gentleman. Time seems safe in his hands.

  • @flizzycat
    @flizzycat 2 ปีที่แล้ว +66

    I bought small weather station in Lidl that said it's "radio controlled". I thought that refers to the temperature sensor being radio connected. But then was surprised when clock got set up by itself

    • @DavidPaulMorgan
      @DavidPaulMorgan ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I have a Lidl LCD lounge clock - time, date, moonphase, temp. one slide switch to change from UK to Germany timezone. ~£15 in the bargain bin and I've had it for years.

  • @artheus5069
    @artheus5069 2 ปีที่แล้ว +35

    this is one of those extremely cool things which hide behind very mundane objects or occurrences. Great video as always!

  • @stevenconnor5919
    @stevenconnor5919 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    This was a really cool episode, thanks Tom.

  • @peterh9238
    @peterh9238 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    In a previous job, when the UK signal was moved from Rugby up to Anthorn i was task with moving our receive antenna slightly to compensate for the different location. The antenna was a ferrite rod in a white plastic box so it was directional. Being located on the south coast of the UK, we could pick up the DCF77 signal much stronger than Anthorn.

  • @Gandalf_the_Black_
    @Gandalf_the_Black_ 2 ปีที่แล้ว +36

    I remember these from school. There was always at least one that was stuck ticking away the same second over and over.

    • @mpf1947
      @mpf1947 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Needed a new battery.

    • @mjxw
      @mjxw 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      "and so we beat on, clocks against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past..."

    • @ximono
      @ximono 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      *caesium-137ly

  • @ZeeBri
    @ZeeBri 2 ปีที่แล้ว +120

    The same thing is inside a lot of G Shock watches. One of the things that makes the M5610-1ER the best watch ever made. Keeps perfect time with radio and don't need to change the battery with solar

    • @moosemaimer
      @moosemaimer 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Mine is over 15 years old and is still going strong on its original battery, because it's solar powered.

    • @Jabber-ig3iw
      @Jabber-ig3iw 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Not even close to the best watch ever made, but very accurate.

    • @harrier331
      @harrier331 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Jabber-ig3iw A watches purpose is to tell the time and do so accurately, if it can fulfil those functions reliably for vast periods of time then it works, there is no "best" about anything here if the watch fulfils its main purpose. That is of course unless you are getting into the inane world of watch snobbery that cares more about brands and percieved value than anything tangible.

  • @uncinarynin
    @uncinarynin 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    That reminds me of the DCF77 radio broadcasting station at Mainflingen between Offenbach and Aschaffenburg in Germany. The clocks for the time signal are located in Braunschweig, quite a bit away. Fascinatingly even my little wristwatch can pick up the long wave signal to synchronize itself every night.

  • @Geeksmithing
    @Geeksmithing 2 ปีที่แล้ว +78

    The wire management for that hardware is horrendous. Didn't they even TRY to clean up before the Tom Scott inspection?!? 😆😜

    • @jjosua
      @jjosua 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      I paused 49 seconds into the video due to the, OMG CABLE MANGEMENT IS A THING!, issue. I think anyone who has worked in IT in almost any capacity would have a similar reaction.

    • @44Needles
      @44Needles 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@jjosua probably no one wants to arrange the down time in case it doesn't come back up again

    • @DaedalusYoung
      @DaedalusYoung 2 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      It's meticulously organised that way, because if they move the cables, it might change the official time by half a nanosecond.

    • @44Needles
      @44Needles 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@DaedalusYoung don't want to add extra length to the cables, it could set us back thousands of years

    • @PaulinaStopa
      @PaulinaStopa 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      After the scene with these messy wires I can't focus on the topic anymore. I just keep thinking how is it possible that such a big and important organisation can't make cables right!

  • @jaberwoky_
    @jaberwoky_ 2 ปีที่แล้ว +18

    Sixty years ago (when I was a kid), the local radio station transmitted a beep beep beeeeeep on the hour, every hour so you could adjust your clocks. I remember asking my dad why the clocks didn't adjust themselves automatically.

    • @JxH
      @JxH 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      I listen to BBC World Service via SiriusXM satellite radio. The top of the hour beeps are noticably late, due to network latency. As much as 18s late (!!), the one time that I actually checked it.

  • @JBDazen
    @JBDazen 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    What's so great is that the time change on the clock is just as long as the video itself, so you did that presentation without any (significant) breaks.

  • @affalaffaa
    @affalaffaa 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I've had the same radio controlled alarm clock for around 30 years. It's only ever right. Thanks Grandma.

  • @DracoVictorious
    @DracoVictorious 2 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    I had a radio controlled watch once. That thing was great and was an unfortunate casualty to a car door, saved me from a broken wrist though.

  • @yuvalne
    @yuvalne 2 ปีที่แล้ว +702

    Never heard about radio controlled clocks. Are these even a thing outside the UK?
    Cool nonetheless.
    edit: outside Europe?

    • @RathOX
      @RathOX 2 ปีที่แล้ว +123

      My watch is radio controlled & yes Atomic timing is normal.

    • @ManuelKampmann
      @ManuelKampmann 2 ปีที่แล้ว +91

      Yes they are. Had a watch on my wrist for years that could do it. I've never visited the UK - only been around Europe a bit and it always worked :)

    • @srk5151
      @srk5151 2 ปีที่แล้ว +127

      There are transmitters in Germany, Japan, China and the US (and possibly elsewhere)

    • @seabears_hate_circles
      @seabears_hate_circles 2 ปีที่แล้ว +59

      Yes. In the US there is an atomic clock in Fort Collins, Colorado.

    • @dggxxfhhfxc2244
      @dggxxfhhfxc2244 2 ปีที่แล้ว +28

      We in Germany have that too

  • @elton1981
    @elton1981 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    We have three of these in my church. One in each of the vestries and one in the tower. Yes the one in the tower is used to set the time on the Victorian tower clock. I’m very impressed at the single take and that Tom must have waited for exactly the right amount of time for each segment from NPL to be edited in. The elapsed time in the video and the clock match to the second, very impressed indeed.

  • @MatthewBester
    @MatthewBester 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    We have those radio clocks at work. Always puzzled me how it works. Thanks Tom!

  • @martinsykes5722
    @martinsykes5722 2 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    Nice to hear how much work goes into the network, I work for a school and they swopped the classic clocks for over 100 of these unfortunately they struggled with signal and would randomly set themselves to other times and to get the time back we had to rest them in a window for 20 minutes.. We replaced the clocks again a few years later.

  • @a_rush
    @a_rush 2 ปีที่แล้ว +43

    Then there's my dad trying to get down the clock to the exact time by spending half an hour and still failing.

    • @timberwoof
      @timberwoof 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I feel called out. ;-) :D

  • @Art_Vark_and_Rock
    @Art_Vark_and_Rock 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Fascinating and informative…thanks for another awesome vid Tom…!!!

  • @psprog
    @psprog 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    These transmitters always fascinated me when I was younger (having been born and raised in Carlisle, a few miles away). They only recently became the time signal source after Rugby shut down. Was originally a low frequency transmitter for submarines I believe.

  • @davidbrattain1446
    @davidbrattain1446 2 ปีที่แล้ว +48

    My "Citizen Eco-Drive" bought back in 2010 is set automatically by radio, changes to whatever local time I happen to be in and because of the solar panel in its face, never needs a battery or winding. The best watch I have ever owned (including Rolex).

    • @Motorman2112
      @Motorman2112 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Does it have GPS to get the time zone?

    • @Joetechlincolns
      @Joetechlincolns 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@Motorman2112 Search for Atomic watch. I think watches capable of time syncing use 60KHz from WWV in US. Don't know what the standard is for other countries.

    • @johno4521
      @johno4521 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Even some Casio's have this tech ..

    • @chaos.corner
      @chaos.corner 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Joetechlincolns You still need the time zone. This requires your location to at least a reasonable level (or effectively so).

    • @dcarbs2979
      @dcarbs2979 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      To really put it to the test, cross the border to or from the west of China in a north or south direction.

  • @BarryHWhite
    @BarryHWhite 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    The timing of this vid was great. I'm watching it for the second time

  • @Wayne-mason
    @Wayne-mason 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Always look forward to your next video.

  • @beirtipol
    @beirtipol 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I love that you're holding a clock showing BST that is perfectly aligned to the UTC digital clocks that you briefly cut to at NPL. Nice touch:)

  • @JohnBroedtl
    @JohnBroedtl 2 ปีที่แล้ว +83

    Because of Tom's clock it is again documented that Tom uses only one take for a video and rather tries to do it another time than to blend different takes together in one video ;)

  • @jamesbenz3228
    @jamesbenz3228 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    The video title really did a disservice to how interesting this video turned out to be! I only decided to watch because you can't go wrong with a Tom Scott video!

  • @pinkmandymoo
    @pinkmandymoo 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Only half way through the video and falling asleep cos it’s late. Love this. J remember calling the talking clock back the in the 90s

  • @kunshanand1433
    @kunshanand1433 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Very informative as always

  • @strategicgnomer1
    @strategicgnomer1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I tell you what I can't get over: that dude's cable management.

  • @ke6gwf
    @ke6gwf 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    The US has a similar system in place.
    And I loved your practical demonstration of how to introduce time errors!

  • @rowanahedley9578
    @rowanahedley9578 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Living not far from here, I was always curious whenever I saw them of what they did, but never enough to look it up, so this was cool to watch. And it's always exciting whenever you see a place nearby/that you know being featured in a video.

  • @Alastair_Yates
    @Alastair_Yates 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Thanks Tom. ❤️

  • @Opus313
    @Opus313 2 ปีที่แล้ว +26

    What time is it?
    Time for a new Tom Scott video!

    • @CTahmid
      @CTahmid 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      f

    • @dennis8196
      @dennis8196 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Adventure Time

  • @Perl88
    @Perl88 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I used to have a radio clock on my wall as a kid and used to secretly stay up at night when the clocks changed just to watch it automatically change on it’s own as if by magic.

  • @DelphineDofain
    @DelphineDofain 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    This video is so Timey Wimey, it's Fantastic!

  • @andrewschroeder9502
    @andrewschroeder9502 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Tom: "If you buy a clock that says radio controlled..."
    Europe, US, Japan: "Ah yes, quite normal"
    Rest of the world: "What sorcery is THIS!!!"

    • @lifthras11r
      @lifthras11r 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      A catch is that time signals go beyond the country borders, so there are a lot more countries where radio-controlled clocks are a thing. For example South Korea has its own time signal (HLA) but the Japanese time signal (JJY) is more frequently used because you can receive JJY from SK just fine.

    • @brunosco
      @brunosco 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Also China

  • @wojtekpolska1013
    @wojtekpolska1013 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    4:46 I remember! the last time you were holding an electric kettle, which was also a clock!

  • @schuletrip
    @schuletrip 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Drove by them last year on a day out and wondered what they were!! Mad.

  • @stellehonig1541
    @stellehonig1541 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I go out drinking with my mates every Sunday, and the hungover new Tom Scott video watching experience has become a favorite part of my life

  • @Blizzardmane
    @Blizzardmane 2 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    I was literally looking up how radio clocks work 3 days ago. This is the second time tom has done this. 🤣

  • @CricketEngland
    @CricketEngland 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I have a watch that does this for over 20 years and have never had to set the time on it once, it even updated when the clock change from GMT to BST

  • @davidbarrass
    @davidbarrass 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I've seen that transmitting station from the Galloway coast, I've always wondered what it was. Now I know thank you

  • @Povilaz
    @Povilaz 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Absolutely love this kind of technology. I sometimes can pick up (I think) this time signal on my shortwave radio.

  • @countbenjamin1442
    @countbenjamin1442 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Thanks for the info. I love your videos because they are direct and a little humorous here and there. When you show locations can you show a map for those of us who might not know geology well. I know UK but not all the little areas. Thank you for all your videos do love them

  • @squabbbb
    @squabbbb 2 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    I've never seen a radio controlled clock, I definitely want one now!

    • @alanalderson1427
      @alanalderson1427 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      £7.99 from Lidl.

    • @SanderEvers
      @SanderEvers 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Depends on where you live, it might be hard to get one.

  • @CaramelisedNipples
    @CaramelisedNipples 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Had one of these clocks in the kitchen for years.
    Always kinda knew how or worked but now I know, very interesting video.

  • @jblyon2
    @jblyon2 2 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    We had a bunch of these clocks at my high school in the US. They were a massive improvement to the older hardwired clocks, which drifted by several minutes, and had to go through a reset cycle, every hour.
    The best part was when the receiver failed on this particular model clock the clock just went haywire. It would spin forwards or backwards at a seemingly random speed until the battery was depleted. This was 20 years ago though, so I would hope the reliability has improved since then.

    • @PjotrV1971
      @PjotrV1971 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Ah, so that's what's happening to the clocks at our school!

    • @slome815
      @slome815 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Main voltage clocks are more the accurate enough for a school. The grid frequency (at least in europe and the UK) is adjusted so these clocks keep accurate to within seconds. They need to be set once ofcourse, but after that they will keep their time forever, as long as the grid keeps it 50Hz fairly accurate.
      Now, my school just has quartz battery clocks, and for some reason they seem never to be right, and constantly need battery changes.

    • @igorrinkovec6405
      @igorrinkovec6405 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@slome815 Well, you would still need to account for DST right? And if you imagine a building with 100 clocks, that gets annoying...

    • @slome815
      @slome815 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@igorrinkovec6405 Yes, you still have to account for DST. It's not that much work if everyone just changes the time in their own desk / part of the building. At least you don't have to change batteries. Where I work it seems I'm the only one that changes batteries on dead clocks.

    • @eDoc2020
      @eDoc2020 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@slome815 The traditional system is to have "slave" clocks which accept advance and reset signals from the master clock. You only need to set the time on the master unit and then every other clock in the building will set itself from that.

  • @Mortis-wg5ku
    @Mortis-wg5ku 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Me, a completely uncultured American trying to guess the subject of the video based off the title:
    *"I swear it has something to do with tea time?"*

  • @cukuwaekele
    @cukuwaekele 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    It wasn’t that long ago until I search difference between the Internet time and the atomic clock time differences. I’m so glad this video came up on my feed.