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TIME SIGNALS
Having the correct time is important
in all navigation, but is paramount for celestial. Determining longitude
has always been the strictest test of timekeeping which is today improved
by quartz clocks and worldwide broadcast time signals. These time signals
are broadcast on shortwave frequencies of 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz in
the USA, and a few others in the rest of the world.
In the past, there have been inexpensive
radios whose crystal settings have been dedicated to receiving just these
frequencies. These radios are no longer available, but digital tuning technology
(like your car radio that can seek and scan) has made ordinary shortwave
radios capable of receiving these signals reliably. The world band radios
in this catalog are all suitable for this purpose.
As an alternative, one may phone
the U.S. Naval Observatory at the following numbers, and hear a transcription
of the time signals.
For the time call:
1-202-762-1401 or 1-900-410-TIME
You can also visit their web site
Time
Service Depart
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