[time-nuts] Looking for info about first true radio controlled clock

jimlux jimlux at earthlink.net
Wed Feb 23 04:35:00 UTC 2011


On 2/22/11 9:47 AM, michaelalombardi at comcast.net wrote:
> Thanks very much for the replies so far.  I should have been more clear.  I am looking for the first radio controlled clock
> that received a digital time code from a radio transmitter.  Not a telegraphic time code (those date back to around
> 1920), not a IRIG system, not a slave/master clock system (those date back to the beginning of electric clocks), but
> a digital time code broadcast by radio.
>
> As far as I know, the first digital time code broadcast by radio was the 36-bit NASA code on WWV which began in 1960.
>
> By the definition above, the first true radio controlled clock I know of was the Develco 3391 (around 1968 or 69). It
> received the time code from WWVB on 60 kHz.

I'm pretty sure I saw some surplus WWV time code receivers with a 
holdover capability in 1970,71 time frame as a kid.  Is it a "clock"... 
well, it counted in binary with neon bulbs.  It was probably at least a 
few years old when I saw it.





   BTW - WWVB certainly wasn't ideal, but it was widely used by the power
> industry in the pre-GPS days.  It was also widely used to time seismic events.
>
> Would be interested to know of anything earlier that meets the criteria of the above definition.  Would also be
> interested in hearing from anyone who has seen or owns a Develco, and could send a picture.
>



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