Note: When the battery is installed the second hand will advance eight seconds (two
seconds per step x four steps). The clock is now searching for a signal. For the initial
setting it is recommended to stand the clock in an upright position near a window. Within
five minutes the clock will either receive the WWVB signal and set itself to the exact
time, or it will determine that the signal is not receivable at its current location and time
of day. If a signal is not receivable it will fast-forward the hands to the 4, 8, or 12 o'clock
position and search for WWVB until a signal is received. If the time is manually set, the
clock will continue to periodically search for a signal and automatically reset the hands
when the signal is received.
NOTHING IS MORE PRECISELY MEASURED THAN TIME!
Since the beginning of time, man has been fascinated with the measurement of time and
has devised more accurate machines to trap and measure time. Today, time is precisely
measured in the United States by the most accurate clock in North America, the Atomic
Clock of the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, Time and Frequency
Division in Boulder, Colorado. A team of atomic physicists continually measures every
second of every day to an accuracy of ten billionths of a second per day. These physicists
have created an international standard, measuring a second as 9,192,631,770 vibrations of
a Cesium 133 atom in a vacuum. This atomic clock regulates the WWVB radio
transmitter located in Fort Collins, Colorado, where the exact time signal is continuously
broadcast throughout the United States at 60 kHz to take advantage of stable longwave
radio paths found in that frequency range. Radio waves at these low frequencies use the
earth and the ionosphere as a wave-guide and follow the curvature of the earth for long
distances.
The built in antenna system will receive the WWVB signal anywhere in North America
within 2000 miles of Fort Collins where long-wave radio reception is undisturbed. A
microprocessor activates the receiver and processes the time signal from Fort Collins
overnight.
Through the radio signals, Skyscan radio controlled clocks always keep precise time. The
changeover from standard time to daylight savings time, and vice versa, takes place
automatically with the same precision.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
To set up your clock simply install one fresh AA, LR6 ALKALINE battery. Due to the
nature of long wave radio signals it is normally not possible to receive a signal during the
day so it is best to install the battery late in the evening. Select your time zone by
pressing one of the four time zone buttons PT-Pacific Time, MT-Mountain Time, CT-
Central Time, ET-Eastern Time. The time zone buttons may be pressed any time after
installing the batteries. If multiple buttons are pressed the clock will set to the time zone
selected last. If no time zone is selected the clock will default to Pacific Time. Another
time zone can be selected during or after the clock has set itself. Your clock can only set