Radio controlled

dxhound2005

I had no watch for about the last five years. Neither had I a mobile phone, but I got my first one just before Christmas 2017. I always know the time at home and and at work and in the car, and there were very few occasions when I was out and about that I really need to know the time otherwise.

Anyway I decided to get a watch and spend a bit of money. I particularly wanted one which is radio controlled so I got the Citizen CB0020-50E for just under €270 from the Watch Shop. It is one of the older models, but it's looks appealed to me. It is also solar (or other light source) powered, so it will never need batteries or to be reset.

http://www.watchshop.com/mens-citizen-world-perpetual-a-t-radio-controlled-eco-drive-watch-cb0020-50e-p99934799.html?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=shoppingfeeds&source=froogle&nst=0&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkZHTBRCBARIsAMbXLhFvFN8eqpy4wtlbKyOf-Zzre4JiGBuXa29klguD2EN27juZNXZQZ3EaAnw8EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I have an interest in the radio listening hobby for a long number of years. I know radio controlled watches have been mentioned in the forum, but I wonder do many people think about how the signal is sent. The watch picks up the signal from this transmitter in Germany, which operated on 77.5 kHz.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCF77

That is below the Long Wave broadcast band which starts at 153 kHz. With a suitable radio, which I have, the signal can be heard as a continuous series of beeps. There are videos on YouTube showing this. There is another one in England on 60 kHz which is a really strong signal in this country, and there are others in the USA and Japan etc. I read elsewhere that in weak reception areas new watches sometimes need to get some light before they will receive the radio signal. This was the case with mine which showed no signal for the first day or so, but now it is perfect. There are lots of different signals in the Low Frequency range, such as submarine communications, and signals to regulate night rate electricity meters, which can be heard as various types of tones on the radio.

In my research I found out that there are also watches which are regulated by satellite signals, and they have been mentioned on the forum as well. So I will probably have to get one of them now.

NIMAN

dxhound2005 wrote: »

I had no watch for about the last five years. Neither had I a mobile phone, but I got my first one just before Christmas 2017. I always know the time at home and and at work and in the car, and there were very few occasions when I was out and about that I really need to know the time otherwise.

Anyway I decided to get a watch and spend a bit of money. I particularly wanted one which is radio controlled so I got the Citizen CB0020-50E for just under €270 from the Watch Shop. It is one of the older models, but it's looks appealed to me. It is also solar (or other light source) powered, so it will never need batteries or to be reset.

http://www.watchshop.com/mens-citizen-world-perpetual-a-t-radio-controlled-eco-drive-watch-cb0020-50e-p99934799.html?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=shoppingfeeds&source=froogle&nst=0&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkZHTBRCBARIsAMbXLhFvFN8eqpy4wtlbKyOf-Zzre4JiGBuXa29klguD2EN27juZNXZQZ3EaAnw8EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I have an interest in the radio listening hobby for a long number of years. I know radio controlled watches have been mentioned in the forum, but I wonder do many people think about how the signal is sent. The watch picks up the signal from this transmitter in Germany, which operated on 77.5 kHz.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCF77

That is below the Long Wave broadcast band which starts at 153 kHz. With a suitable radio, which I have, the signal can be heard as a continuous series of beeps. There are videos on YouTube showing this. There is another one in England on 60 kHz which is a really strong signal in this country, and there are others in the USA and Japan etc. I read elsewhere that in weak reception areas new watches sometimes need to get some light before they will receive the radio signal. This was the case with mine which showed no signal for the first day or so, but now it is perfect. There are lots of different signals in the Low Frequency range, such as submarine communications, and signals to regulate night rate electricity meters, which can be heard as various types of tones on the radio.

In my research I found out that there are also watches which are regulated by satellite signals, and they have been mentioned on the forum as well. So I will probably have to get one of them now.

Very interesting read, thanks.

I have to admit, for some reason, I always assumed the signal we'd receive would be from Greenwich?

I don't have a radio controlled watch, but a little alarm clock I bought from Lidl a few years ago, would that be receiving the German signal?

Can watch manufacturers set which signal they want the watch to receive, or does it just take the strongest?

NIMAN

NIMAN wrote: »

I have to admit, for some reason, I always assumed the signal we'd receive would be from Greenwich?

Different watches receive different signals.

For example the Casio multi-band 6 can receive signals from 6 stations worldwide (UK, German, NA, China, Japan x 2). Typically they try them in order and then subsequently remember which were successful so next night they try the successful one first.

In years gone by Casio had models which might only receive UK, Europe and NA. Or Japan domestic models which only received the Japanese signals. So you do have to be a little careful, especially if you're a frequent traveller or if you are buying from abroad.

I believe some Citizen watches don't support the UK signal. Reason being the German signal generally reaches most of UK/Ireland. Albeit it's quite weak here.

NIMAN

amazing none the less.

carrick76

dxhound2005 wrote: »

I had no watch for about the last five years. Neither had I a mobile phone, but I got my first one just before Christmas 2017. I always know the time at home and and at work and in the car, and there were very few occasions when I was out and about that I really need to know the time otherwise.

Anyway I decided to get a watch and spend a bit of money. I particularly wanted one which is radio controlled so I got the Citizen CB0020-50E for just under €270 from the Watch Shop. It is one of the older models, but it's looks appealed to me. It is also solar (or other light source) powered, so it will never need batteries or to be reset.

http://www.watchshop.com/mens-citizen-world-perpetual-a-t-radio-controlled-eco-drive-watch-cb0020-50e-p99934799.html?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=shoppingfeeds&source=froogle&nst=0&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkZHTBRCBARIsAMbXLhFvFN8eqpy4wtlbKyOf-Zzre4JiGBuXa29klguD2EN27juZNXZQZ3EaAnw8EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I have an interest in the radio listening hobby for a long number of years. I know radio controlled watches have been mentioned in the forum, but I wonder do many people think about how the signal is sent. The watch picks up the signal from this transmitter in Germany, which operated on 77.5 kHz.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCF77

That is below the Long Wave broadcast band which starts at 153 kHz. With a suitable radio, which I have, the signal can be heard as a continuous series of beeps. There are videos on YouTube showing this. There is another one in England on 60 kHz which is a really strong signal in this country, and there are others in the USA and Japan etc. I read elsewhere that in weak reception areas new watches sometimes need to get some light before they will receive the radio signal. This was the case with mine which showed no signal for the first day or so, but now it is perfect. There are lots of different signals in the Low Frequency range, such as submarine communications, and signals to regulate night rate electricity meters, which can be heard as various types of tones on the radio.

In my research I found out that there are also watches which are regulated by satellite signals, and they have been mentioned on the forum as well. So I will probably have to get one of them now.

Sorry might be a stupid question but does the German signal recognise time zones? I.e is the watch controlled to German time?

art

carrick76 wrote: »

Sorry might be a stupid question but does the German signal recognise time zones? I.e is the watch controlled to German time?

I’ve a Junghans that reads time from Germany. As part of the set up I indicate I’m in CET -1 and from then time is correct for here.

dxhound2005

You press a button and move the second hand to London in this part of the world. Press the button again, and that sets the time zone. As far as I know it will change automatically for Summer Time, but I haven't studied all the information yet.

http://www.citizenwatch-global.com/support/pdf/h144/e.pdf

On the subject of reception, Citizen watches in Ireland will only look to Germany for a signal. If none is received at 2 am, it will try again at 3 am and 4 am. There is a gadget to boost the signal, just a ferrite rod antenna which is found in transistor radios. I don't know why they don't use the UK signal, because it is on 60 kHz which the watch will use in the USA.

https://www.relojesmania.com/en/citizen-promaster-watches/antena-citizen-rcwsu-3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_from_NPL_(MSF)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWVB

hi OP,

I have that exact citizen watch you linked.

the signal comes from Germany. I have to say that I get a signal all the time. I am in Dublin btw.

when I first got the watch it needed a good charge, I know this because when I hit the button to see if I received a radio signal the previous night the second hand would go 15 seconds counter clockwise before indicating if the signal came through or not.

pepe the prawn

I’ve quite a few Casio G-shocks and those that are radio controlled sync to the atomic clock every night around 1am.. however, I’ve a citizen Skyhawks which hasn’t once synced since I bought it a few years ago, which is quite frustrating....

Anjobe

pepe the prawn wrote: »

I’ve quite a few Casio G-shocks and those that are radio controlled sync to the atomic clock every night around 1am.. however, I’ve a citizen Skyhawks which hasn’t once synced since I bought it a few years ago, which is quite frustrating....

Casio wavecepter multi-band 6 watches can sync from the UK MSF signal which is broadcast from Anthorn in Cumbria, and this signal is strong all over Ireland.

From the previous posts in this thread Citizen watches don't sync from the UK signal, they can only sync from the German signal which does reach Ireland but is quite weak. It may be that the signal strength in your area is too weak - try leaving the watch on an east facing upstairs window sill overnight, well away from any sources of interference.

DavyD_83

Thanks OP, that's another watch added to my list to buy.
I've been considering a radio controlled watch, and already have black eco-drive.
Quite like the look of your one

dxhound2005

I'm very happy with it. I had to get a couple of links removed from the strap, which cost €10. There are plenty of videos around showing how to do this, but I would not try it myself. With a metal strap, and the solar charging, it will never need any more money spent on it.

It is a big watch and fairly heavy, which is what I wanted as well. Unless I get the bug from round here, it will probably be the only watch I ever buy. But like I said earlier, I might get a satellite controlled one as well.

I can't believe the number of different watches being produced. I assume there must be a market for them all, even the really expensive ones. One interesting fact I saw on the WWVB site is that there are approximately 50 million radio controlled timepieces in the USA.

Ionised

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Unless I get the bug from round here, it will probably be the only watch I ever buy.

You had best stay well away from these forums unless you like being bankrupt

Lorddrakul

Have a Casio Wave Ceptor, diver style, and it works very well.

Even from a box under the bed, it seems to be able to reliably receive the signal each morning around 02:00. I use it to set all my other watches.

saccades

Interesting, used to go past Rugby radio masts (all 6 of them) as a kid, didn't realise the low frequency stuff had moved to Cumbria.

Seiko's Astron is a GPS watch which uses the atomic clocks in GPS satellites to automatically set the perfectly correct time as soon as it's used outdoors. So step out of a plane from London in Abu Dhabi and get to watch it spin around to the correct local time 60 seconds later. Pretty cool if you are a frequent flyer.

Shame the ring required to get a GPS lock is so big as it makes a really big case/bezel, even by today's standards.

dxhound2005

50 mm wide for that Seiko? The Citizen satellite ones seem to be around 45 which is the same as my radio one. It is the right size for me. Lots of different satellite ones out there, from what I read.

beauf

Is a mobile phone accurate from network or do you need to check with an app? I like idea of a watch that does it. Do all g shocks do it...

Anjobe

beauf wrote: »

Is a mobile phone accurate from network or do you need to check with an app? I like idea of a watch that does it. Do all g shocks do it...

Some G-Shocks sync time from GPS, some from the atomic clock radio signals (look for Waveceptor or multi-band 6) and some from a mobile phone by Bluetooth. The phone clock is accurate if it syncs from the mobile network.

beauf

beauf wrote: »

Is a mobile phone accurate from network or do you need to check with an app? I like idea of a watch that does it. Do all g shocks do it...

Check time.is on a browser to see how accurate your phone currently is. Most phones set time via the network provider...it should be pretty good but can be out a bit depending on how often the sync is done.

Smartphones have GPS and wifi so in theory could be exceptionally accurate if they wanted but I don't think it's a high priority.

Compare to the Apple watch where they bragged about being within 50ms of UTC, compensating for signal latency etc. So in that case they did make it a priority.

Only certain G-Shocks can do it. Look for terms like multiband, waveceptor etc. They often have the GW prefix (eg GWM5610). Casio have a bunch of non-G-Shocks that do it also.

beauf

Thanks that's great all.

I wish you could change the date format on the Casio. I didn't know that about the iPhone's.