Latest Industry News3 July 2008
MSF Outage NotificationMaintenance has been scheduled from
08:00 BST on Tuesday 22 July 2008 to 08:00 BST on Thursday 24 July 2008.
This means that the MSF-60 time signal will not be available during these times. This outage is in addition to the published schedule (see link below)
The MSF-60 signal is transmitted from Anthorn, Cumbria by VT Communications on behalf of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and has a regular maintenance schedule throughout the year when the signal is unavailable.
MSF outages schedule up to end 200814 January 2008
MSF Outage NotificationMaintenance has been scheduled from
0800 to 11:00 hrs then intermittently until 20:00 hrs on Tuesday 22nd January 2008. This means that the MSF-60 time signal will not be available during these times. This outage is in addition to the published schedule (see link below)
The MSF-60 signal is transmitted from Anthorn, Cumbria by VT Communications on behalf of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and has a regular maintenance schedule throughout the year when the signal is unavailable.
MSF outages schedule up to end 200813 December 2007
MSF Outage NotificationMaintenance has been scheduled today from 10am until 2pm. This means that the MSF-60 time signal will not be available during these times.
The MSF-60 signal is transmitted from Anthorn, Cumbria by VT Communications on behalf of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and has a regular maintenance schedule throughout the year when the signal is unavailable.
CLICK HERE for current MSF outages schedule up to end 20083 Sept 2007
MSF Outage NotificationMaintenance has been scheduled from 10:00 to 14:00 hrs on Thursday
20th September 2007 BST. This means that the MSF-60 time signal will not be available during these times. Please note this is in lieu to the previously scheduled maintenance on 13 Sept 2007, which will now no longer take place.
The MSF-60 signal is transmitted from Anthorn, Cumbria by VT Communications on behalf of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and has a regular maintenance schedule throughout the year when the signal is unavailable.
CLICK HERE for current MSF outages schedule up to end 200825 June 2007
MSF Outage NotificationMaintenance has been scheduled from 9am on Tuesday 26th June 2007 until 6pm on Wednesday 27th June. This means that the MSF-60 time signal will not be available during these times.
The MSF-60 signal is transmitted from Anthorn, Cumbria by VT Communications on behalf of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and has a regular maintenance schedule throughout the year when the signal is unavailable.
1 June 2007
Time & Frequency Solutions At TimeNav ‘07
We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be involved with such a prestigious event as the TimeNav’07 exhibition and conference in Geneva, which took place May 28th to June 1st this year.
We took advantage of our booth to demonstrate the latest addition to the Time & Frerquency Solutions range of precision instrumentation - the TimeAcc Time Measurement Instrument.
TimeAcc precisely measures the time accuracy of a wide range of inputs against an internal precision GPS-controlled oscillator and displays the difference on a windows-based touch screen.
Nigel Helsby, our Technical Director, also presented a paper based on the technology behind the TimeAcc, which he co-wrote with product designer Will Dean. The paper, entitled Portable Instrumentation for Time Source Verification, is available to read in the Articles section of this website.
Also showcased was our Common View Measurement System, Timetrace. We developed Timetrace in conjunction with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) to provide exceptionally accurate time and frequency standard to calibrate clocks and frequency sources in real time.
6 Dec 2006
New Product Launch:
TimeAcc - Precision Time Measurement Instrument
Time & Frequency Solutions are pround to present the latest addition to their range of precision timing instruments. The TimeAcc accurately measures the time accuracy of a wide range of inputs against an internal precision GPS-controlled oscillator. Any difference is then displayed on the large, full colour touch-screen.
As the instrument is about the same size a small suitcase and weighs in at just 9kg, it is portable yet more than sufficiently sturdy for any industrial application. The portability of the unit is a fantastic advantage as it can be used as and when required - perfect for applications where a permanent timing system is unecessary.
It is simple to synchronise the unit to GPS outside as it features an integral GPS antenna and its own power supply. The unit can can also be synchronised inside if connected to an external GPS antenna, and even can be connected to AC mains power.
Signal inputs to be measured are user-selectable from the front panel touch-screen. Acceptable signal inputs for measurement are 1pps, 1ppm, 1pph, IRIG-B, RS232, RS422, RS485, NTP and DCF-77. And at a timing resolution accuracy of better than 1 nanosecond and an absolute accuracy of up to 50 nanoseconds to UTC, this simple yet sophisticated unit is set to give a new meaning to high technology.
Click here to see full product features and specification
1 Dec 2006
MSF Time Signal to Move from Rugby to Anthorn
The UK's time signal 'MSF 60kHz' is on the move from Rugby, where it has been transmitted since 1927, to a new home in Anthorn in Cumbria. The signal, often referred to as 'The time from Rugby', will be known as 'The Time from NPL' from April next year. The move is the result of the award of a new contract by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) to VT Communications.
The switch will follow a three-month test period between January and April 2007. During these periods the signal at Anthorn will be switched on for short periods of time. These are opportunities for users to ensure their equipment can receive the new signal before the old one at Rugby is switched off. Anyone wishing to test their equipment against the new signal should sign up for signal testing schedules at http://www.npl.co.uk/time/msf.
The time signal is accurate to within one thousandth of a second and supports a range of professional services. These include 999 communications, rail networks, cash machines and mobile phone networks. The signal is also used in homes and offices around the country. It helps synchronise servers for businesses and enables Packet-Switching, the protocol used to send and receive information across the internet.
The National Physical Laboratory is home to the nation's atomic time and one of only five laboratories worldwide using the latest caesium fountain to contribute to the world time standard Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).The signal’s transmission is tied to NPL's atomic clocks at Teddington in South West London.
NPL managing director, Steve McQuillan, says "While most users check their time against the signal periodically, a small number of people and organisations use the signal constantly in their work. We regularly notify those we know who may be affected by our testing and we'll be happy to add any other users to our email list if they get in touch. However, the vast majority of time signal users will not experience any disruption during the testing and switchover."
20 Nov 2006
Search for New Voice Raises £20k for Children In Need
Sara Mendes da Costa, 40, from Brighton, will be the new voice behind the Speaking Clock and will replace the current incumbent, Brian Cobby, sometime in the New Year.
Ms Mendes da Costa won the recent nationwide competition launched by BT in conjunction with BBC Children In Need to raise funds for the charity. 18,405 people called the competition hotline, raising a total in excess of £20,000.
Time & Frequency Solutions have supplied the technology behind the Speaking Clock since 2001. Teligent, the telecoms specialist, supplies the vital switching gear enabling multiple users to access the system at the same time. The time source used is a Time & Frequency Solutions M211 Master Clock Timing System with a redundancy element to ensure continued working even if a fault developed.
After recording the key phrases, the audio 'wav' files are then cut up into sections to fit a specified time frame. All these sections are kept in an audio library along with audio files of all the other parts of the message. The complete message is made up of three parts: the preamble ("At the third stroke..." etc), the actual time packet in hours, minutes and seconds, and the word "precisely".
The resulting message that you hear when you dial 123 is an audio file compiled by selecting the relevant components to each message for transmission every ten seconds. The clock is highly accurate - to within five thousandths of a second - and many important clocks are set from it, including Big Ben and many broadcast media stations.