My clock doesn't work.
NIST provides the signal received by your radio controlled clock, but we cannot provide technical support for the clocks themselves. We didn’t manufacture them, and we are not familiar with all the models or all of their features. We recommend that you save the instruction sheet that came with your clock, so you can refer to in the future if necessary. Having said that, we can offer a few general tips about what to do if your radio controlled clock isn’t displaying the correct time.
My clock doesn’t synchronize at all
Most WWVB radio controlled clocks work great, as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of units that have been sold throughout the United States. However, if your radio clock or receiver isn't working, we suggest:
- If your clock uses batteries, check them and replace if necessary.
- If you have a desk top unit, try rotating it 90 degrees. If you have a wall clock try mounting it on a wall perpendicular to the one it is currently on (e.g. if it is on a north-south wall try an east-west wall). The antennas are directional and you might be able to improve the signal strength by turning the antenna.
- Place the clock along a wall or near a window that faces Fort Collins, Colorado.
- Locate the clock at least 1 or 2 meters away from any computer monitors, which can cause interference (some monitors have a scan frequency at or near the WWVB carrier frequency of 60 kHz).
- If nothing else works, take the clock outdoors at night and power it down (remove the batteries or unplug it), then power it up again to force it to look for the WWVB signal. If it works outdoors but not indoors, you probably have a local interference problem inside your house or building. If it doesn’t work outdoors at night, its probably best to return it and try a different model.
- The shielding provided by a metal building might prevent the clock from working. For example, if you live in a mobile home or a house with steel siding, the clock might not work.
- If you think your clock is defective, ask the manufacturer or dealer about obtaining a replacement.
