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Are the so called 'atomic clocks' sold at the big box stores...

albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.

19 years ago

Anyone care to speculate? Will the so called "atomic clocks" which are really a clock with a radio to pick up time from Colorado be programmed to change?

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Comments (12)

jane__ny
19 years ago
I'm curious also as I have a few. Our radio-alarm clock always resets itself during DST and power failures. I also have a wall 'atomic clock.' Guess we'll find out.
kudzu9
19 years ago
They're not programmed because they don't have to be. They're receivers of the correct time signal. If it's a real "atomic clock" it will display the correct time, DST or not.
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mikie_gw
19 years ago
I have two AA battery powered wall clocks from walmart... they reset to correct time about two weeks after the time change. I manually adjust them and two weeks later set them again.
But that might just be their locations in my house. IF they had some kind of better reception or dangling or remote antenna, I'm quite shure they would reset within a few hours.

I do have two ac_powered desk clocks that must check time every hour because they're good to go with no fiddling ever. One amazed me .. when I first bought it, the instant I plugged it in it had the correct time. $20 drugstore clock.
jane__ny
19 years ago
Mikie, I have the same clock as you. It's great, it even has the correct date. We get power failures and when the electric is back on, it sets itself. So I'm hoping all will be well with DST as it is our alarm clock.
mimi_38
19 years ago
I've had one for 4-5 years. It's fun to catch it changing for DST, though, sometimes it does it early, like 10:30 in the evening. Never understand that, but it does change on its own. When it is falling back in October, it advances numerically 11 hours, so it really moves!
Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
19 years ago
Love my atomic clock! It's big enough to see the time from across the room. It has the date (being retired that is a good thing), the day of the week (also very good to know/verify since I'm retired and everyday is a vacation day), and the temperature (so I can know why I'm chilled or flashing). Everyone should treat themselves to at least one atomic clock, IMHO.

Sue
grady
19 years ago
Related Subject: www.time.gov will get you to a display of time. Note that when it changes to the next minute so does your computer clock. This is WWV in Colorado which is where your atomic clock gets it's signal from. Grady
iowagirl2006
19 years ago
I have the clock radio alarm that sets itself, but it is not "atomic clock" - I have to go in and do a few adjustments today so it will adjust itself to the "new" daylight savings time. After this initial adjustment - I won't have to do it again.

It is an Emerson clock radio.
jane__ny
19 years ago
Well, it's 12:18 AM on the East Coast, and my two computers still read 12:18.

So I guess I have to manually change them?
mikie_gw
19 years ago
Isn't the official moment of time change at 2am
albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
Original Author
19 years ago
My cheap, so called "atomic clock" from Wal*Mart finally reset about 9am local (Pacific) time but it lost the time zone so I had to reset manually anyway.
jane__ny
19 years ago
You were right Mikie. They were set correctly this morning. My alarm clocks were not though. Had to change them manually.

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