Misunderstandings about radio clocks
Misunderstandings about radio-controlled clocks:
Myth 1 Radio-controlled timepieces cannot be used without a signal
The misunderstanding of this product by people who do not understand radio-controlled clocks often lies in the word "radio wave". Either they literally understand that radio-controlled clocks rely on receiving external radio waves to achieve timekeeping, or they deduce the use of radio-controlled clocks from the use of mobile phones. When a signal is not received, the radio-controlled timepiece cannot be used. In fact, it is not. The radio-controlled clock is a product developed on the basis of ordinary quartz clocks. It mainly adds signal reception, decoding, processing functions and pointer positioning functions (for analog clocks), which can realize automatic time correction. Therefore, the radio-controlled clock itself has a Set almost as complete a timekeeping system as a quartz clock. When the radio wave signal is not received, or when the signal is not received, the radio wave clock still travels according to its own timekeeping system. The new radio-controlled clock is also equipped with a radio-controlled clock mode and a quartz clock mode conversion function. In places where there is no signal, you can switch to the quartz clock mode as an ordinary clock.
Quartz clock use.
The use of radio-controlled clocks is not the same as the use of cell phones, although both receive external signals. Mobile phones really rely on signal transmission to achieve their main functions. Without a signal, the mobile phone becomes the ear of the deaf - a decoration. Radio clocks are different. If the signal is strong, it is good to be able to receive the signal every day; if the signal is relatively weak, there is no problem if the signal cannot be received for a few days or ten days, at least it will keep running like a quartz clock. As long as a signal is occasionally received on a certain day, all the travel time errors generated by the clock during the period when the signal is not received will be eliminated, and the radio-controlled clock will return to the travel time state synchronized with the standard time.
Myth 2 The signal should be received anywhere within the coverage area
Compared with traditional timepieces, radio-controlled timepieces have changed in product attributes. Traditional clocks and watches are isolated or isolated timing systems within a certain range (such as the mother-child clock system), and there is no time signal transmission with the outside world, so the operation of traditional clocks is almost unaffected by the outside world; while radio clocks have independent timing. Some of them have wireless transmission processing parts with external time signals. In terms of principle and function, this product already belongs to the category of wireless communication products. Since radio timepieces are wireless communication products, they must have the main characteristics of wireless communication products, and consumers should recognize and use radio timepieces as wireless communication products. Since wireless communication products rely on radio wave signal transmission to achieve their functions, almost all such products have the following three congenital deficiencies (accurately speaking, this is an inevitable feature of communication products under modern technology):
1. Easily affected by the external environment. For example, all kinds of electrical signal clutter existing in space, weather changes, etc.
2. There will be dead spots in signal transmission. Like mobile phones, there are often dead spots in the signal.
3. The signal is shielded. Cell phone signals are easily blocked, even when high-tech spaceships pass through the "black barrier" on their way back, and all unlimited communications are blocked.
As a product that relies on long-wave signal transmission, radio clocks are naturally no exception in:
First, external signal interference will affect the reception of radio clock signals, and even receive wrong signals (if the product's anti-interference ability is weak), resulting in confusion when traveling. signal jammer
Second, the transmission of long-wave time signals in our country adopts two methods: sky wave and ground wave. Signal transmission is bound to be affected by weather changes. In the same place, due to the different weather conditions every day, the signal strength of this place is possible every day. Are not the same. Therefore, when using radio-controlled clocks, there may be a phenomenon that the signal cannot be received on some days in the same place, and the signal can be received on some days. These are normal situations.
Third, in a steel frame building or a reinforced concrete building with better compactness, due to the shielding effect of the building, the radio clocks deep in the building will not receive signals. Therefore, even in the signal coverage area, there is no 100% guarantee that the signal can be received at any location. The above three phenomena of radio-controlled timepieces exist not only in China, but also in Germany, the United States, and Japan. Of course, with the advancement of science and technology, the level of signal transmission will become better and better, and the receiving sensitivity of radio-controlled clocks will also become higher and higher, so the phenomenon that radio-controlled clocks cannot receive signals will become less and less. But there is still a long way to go to completely eliminate the phenomenon of no signal reception.
The radio signal is greatly affected by the weather. Generally speaking, it is difficult to receive the signal during the day when there is a lot of radio interference, and it is easier to receive the signal at night with less interference. In densely built areas, radio waves may not be received due to serious obstacles.
