Quote from: EddieA on March 31, 2012, 07:50:07 PM


The bumph says that my timepiece (some 7 years old) has 'an quartz device to keep your clock accurate even when it cannot receive the radio update'. As of today, after a few days of no signal, it is now some 10 seconds out...

Not a problem as I only use it as an alarm clock. Also it only cost around a tenner.

A 'stable quartz crystal' should be accurate to maybe a second a month ......or even better....... but it would 'cost you' so if you only paid a tenner for the clock complete I guess that the crystal isn`t as stable as it was and is now 'aging'.
Even so it might take months/a year or so to age to a point where it become completely unstable and unreliable but I suspect the crystal reliability is going to some extent.
Not bad for a tenners initial  outlay tho 

Quote from: jonclox on March 30, 2012, 08:52:19 PM
When these clock/watch movements started to become available in the UK I was still a working horologist and saw the problems that could spring up with it if the UK handled it wrongly.
The UK transmitter to control them started up it had limited range and no alternative back up transmitter. Its always had maintenance problems and that means its often 'off air'

Now I read that Rugby no longer exists.  
See below for more updated infomation than I knew    ...........................

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_from_NPL

I have a radio controlled clock that I bought about 5 years ago from Argos for £7.50, it's currently showing the correct time and has done so all weekend!

I had heard Rugby was going, but didnt know when, and wasnt aware it had gone already. A little bit of history gone. Has the ring of masts by the M6 been taken down?

Typical that its a brand new one that is down for maintenance with no back up!

Quote from: SymonC on April 01, 2012, 12:09:00 PM
I have a radio controlled clock that I bought about 5 years ago from Argos for £7.50, it's currently showing the correct time and has done so all weekend!

I knew I shouldn't have gone to Lidl's! 

Actually for a tenner I wasn't expecting that much and am chuffed it has lasted this long. Once the signal comes back all should be well again although a few seconds out doesn't worry me.

I realised this yesterday after writing to Acctim and then thinking...I wonder... I did a Google search and found some info. Should have checked here first.

My clock is showing a happy little satellite dish symbol tonight and is on the correct time so it looks like the UK signal is back.

Also, and I told you I was a dinosaur!, I have had a phone call from my clock repairer today to say that he has got my original 1950/60's(?) Teasmade back to working order. His only comment was 'do you have cats?' as evidently the mechanism was clogged up with moggy hair...(Guilty as charged!)

So I can now wake up, on time to the second, to the sounds of gurgling noises, and I don't mean from SWMBO(!), and enjoy a cup of tea without having to pad through to the kitchen.

Perhaps this should be in the Happy Thread