[TriLUG] Best NTP Client for Linux

Wed Apr 30 15:36:44 EDT 2003

Hey Al,

Thanks for the information.  On the IRC channel we had indeed been
talking about synching the TriLUG servers to one of the NIST clocks in
Colorado.  There appear to be two -- WWV and WWVB, which require
different types of receivers.  I'm not sure if either would be received
well inside of Inflow, however.  Maybe we could borrow someone's
WWV/WWVB clock and try it inside of Inflow?

This way we could be a stratum 1 NTP server if we had a direct radio
clock connection.

You say, that radio clocks "are more accurate than any time standard you
can find from some site online."  While this could be true, you'd be
amazed at the power of a well-configured NTP setup.  NTP has been around
for years and has many many ways of keeping itself extremely accurate. 
There is an extensive amount of information at
http://www.ntp.org/documentation.html if you're interseted in learning
more about the architecture of this software and protocol.

Regards,
Jeremy

On Wed, 2003-04-30 at 00:01, al johson wrote:
> What do you know about WWV in Fort Collins, Colorado?? This is the "official
> timekeeper" for the entire country. It broadcasts the correct time on the
> following frequencies 5, 10, 15 and 20 MHZ, and you can purchase some very
> inexpensive receivers from your local Radio Shack. You can also purchase
> so-called "Atomic Clocks" which will automatically keep themselves
> synchronized with WWV in Colorado. The "Atomic" term refers to the fact that
> WWV uses radioactivity to keep time. Incidentally, from time to time, even
> WWV has to "adjust" the time to compensate for the spinning of the earth a
> few seconds or so. If you use a short-wave receiver to obtain this time
> standard, be aware that radio signals are virtually as fast as the speed of
> light, and thus they are more accurate than any time standard you can find
> from some site online. The time is not only given as voice but also in CW
> code and other codes to allow scientists around the country to keep their
> time measurements extremely precise. With a little knowhow it is indeed
> possible to receive these signals directly and feed them into a computer,
> using the right software and electronic circuits. You can actually purchase
> small "atomic clocks" that are battery powered which display WWV time on a
> digital readout for less than $20.
> I have one on the mantel in my den which I use to set all the clocks in my
> house. Get one of these little clocks and it is almost child's play to
> interface to any computer. Search Google for these subjects for more
> information: WWV, Fort Collins, Colorado, America's most accurate clock,
> etc., etc. Incidentally, Canada also has its own time standard which is
> sometimes easier to hear than WWV from Colorado.
> Bon Appetit. Incidentally, I've noticed that the time standard at Chapel
> Hill Ch. 4 WUNC in Chapel Hill is sometimes very different from listening to
> the time directly from Fort Collins, Colorado!! (I have a VCR which sets its
> clock using the closest PBS station). So you can also pick up a time
> standard from WUNC TV!! (I'm puzzled why it is sometimes wrong, however??).
> P.S. There are also entire books which you can read telling you "everything
> you need to know" about WWV.----Al Johnson.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Alan Dorman" <mdorman at debian.org>
> To: <trilug at trilug.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2003 9:05 AM
> Subject: Re: [TriLUG] Best NTP Client for Linux
> 
> 
> > bp <bpevans at bellsouth.net> writes:
> > > My Linux box is never on the right time.  It either does wierd stuff
> > > interpreting the timezone or I don't bother to update it from the
> > > daylight savings time change.  Is there a simple NTP client I can
> > > setup to keep my box on EDT/EST time?  I don't so much care for how
> > > accurate it may or may not be, just want some thing to keep it on the
> > > right time.
> >
> > You don't need NTP for that.
> >
> > What is your timezone set to?
> >
> > Mike
> > --
> > I was a superman, but looks are deceiving -- Stone Temple Pilots
> > _______________________________________________
> > TriLUG mailing list
> >     http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
> > TriLUG Organizational FAQ:
> >     http://www.trilug.org/faq/TriLUG-faq.html
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TriLUG mailing list
>     http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
> TriLUG Organizational FAQ:
>     http://www.trilug.org/faq/TriLUG-faq.html
> 
-- 
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| Jeremy Portzer       jeremyp at pobox.com       trilug.org/~jeremy     |
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