RADIO TIME SIGNALS

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 25, 6 January 1928, Page 14

RADIO TIME SIGNALS

ROM VLW AND 2¥A, Radio time signals have bee. sent out from the Dominion Observatory, VLW, Wellington, for over seven years. The service was started in a smali way first by sending time signals at 9 hours G.M.', (~8.30 p.m. N.Z’L.) on ‘Tnesday and Friday evenings. This service began on October 1, 1920, and is still continued, _A considerable addition to the radio tine siguals was started on May 1, 1922, when a daylight signal was sent at 23 hours G.M.T. (--10.80 a.m. N.Z.T.). The daylight signal is now sent every day of the year, including Sundays and holidays. All these signals are sent automatically from the standard clock at t™ Dominion Observatory througl: the Wellington radio station "VLAV," and are sent on a wave-length of 600 metres. Some of these signals have been heard at considerable distances from Wellington-as far away as 4520 miles. The automatic time signal consists of a dash beginning exactly at the hour aud coutinuing for about three seconds. The signal is repeated at the first, second, fourth and fifth minutes., In addi-. tion to the automatic signals, a mumber of signals are sent by hand; these enable the listener to tune-in and identify the particular minute observed. It is now proposed to broadcast the Observatory time signals by the Wellingion broadcasting station 2YA on a wave-length of 420 metres. The signal to be sent will be a 1000 cycle note, and it will be superimposed on any programme at the time. Kach signal will last for about three seconds; the beginning of the signal will indicate the beginning of the minute. ; It is proposed to broadcast these signals at 3.30 p.m., 4.80 p.m., 7.80 p.m., and 8.30 p.m., and they should be of very considerable use to listeners-in generally, particularly all those who haye to deal with accurate time, such as astronomers, all trausport services, watchniakers, engineers, surveyors, ete.