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Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

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AlmightyTallest

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Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post08 Nov 2012, 17:16

Hey guys,

After going into my collection and finding my old workhorse Casio atomic waveceptor from 10 years ago, and looking at some of my brother's atomic Casio's it struck me....

They are of course mostly plastic bodies, presumably because it's easier for the recieving antenna to get the calibration signal without interference.

But my question is this: Currently there's quite a few all metal watches out there that allow atomic radio calibration. So what exactly changed? Was there a change in the antenna design that allowed it to work in a watch with a metal case? And is there a difference in how reliable a metal watch is in recieving the signal if side by side with a plastic cased version?

Is there a difference in a screw down caseback design vs. a snap on caseback in interfering with the radio signal??

Just curious really, as when you think about it, atomic time calibration is a relatively new feature in watches, and even more recent is atomic calibration with all metal watches it seems.
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Cesar

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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post08 Nov 2012, 21:30

I suppose they found a way to make the antenna smaller and just as reliable as the one in this one.

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which is a pretty big antenna. 8-)
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post08 Nov 2012, 21:48

this is metal :-D

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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post08 Nov 2012, 22:12

Nice watch there Cesar, had to look that one up, and found it's a Citizen from circa 2003, really neat!!

Nice one there too Kasper, I like the readability of the display.

But even my new Seiko EPD is stainless with radio reception ability. I guess I'm looking for photos or info that talks more about the engineering involved that allows a wristwatch to work with the atomic clocks signal and the progress made over the last 10 years or so. It seems we went from plastic cases to allow the signal to be recieved, or in Cesar's case, you had to mount that honking huge antenna on the outside of the watch apparently if you made the case out of metal lol. And then some unspoken breakthrough came about where the watches could be made all metal and look no more conspicuous than a nice slim dress watch.

Edit:
So far, I did find this site, which shows Cesar's Citizen too, but goes to 2005 developments and stops there.

http://www.uniquewatchguide.com/atomic-watch.html
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Cesar

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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post09 Nov 2012, 00:11

Actually my Citizen is from 1993 not 2003 the text is somewhat confusing since the picture is in the wrong place.
"1993. Citizen followed in introducing the first analog watch capable of receiving signals from multiple atomic clocks, in Germany, Britain and Japan."
:-D
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The reason i collect watches is because it feels like i'm buying time.
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post09 Nov 2012, 01:29

Dang, I did mess that up, thanks for the correction Cesar. It is impressive for a watch from 1993 to have atomic calibration, I would have loved to have had one for my graduation from high school. :D
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charger105

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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post09 Nov 2012, 12:08

The Junghans Mega1 from the 1990s had the antenna integrated into the leather strap. Worked very well by all accounts.
The Mega1000 went away from this and put the antenna in the metal case. I've heard they initially had reception problems with this design, but ironed them out later in production.

I've got one of each, but we don't have an RC signal in Australia, so can't ofer any first hand comparison.
Rgds.
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post12 Nov 2012, 15:33

Thanks for that info Charger,

Since your in Australia, I had heard that sometimes if atmospheric conditions were right that you might actually recieve the time calibration from Japan.

I'm wondering if you used a booster antenna, something like the Citizen Wave antenna here:

http://www.relojesmania.com/en/home/citizen-watches/antenna-citizen-rcwsu-3.html

If it would be possible to more frequently recieve the time calibration signal?
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post13 Nov 2012, 08:07

Yeah, it might be worth a try. I've read online somehwere that some people in Australia will very ocassionally get a synch to occur, but it's never happened for me :-(
I have toyed with the idea of making my own personal GPS or NTP driven DCF77 transmitter. See here, about 3/4 of the way down if you're interested:

http://novatech-instr.com/grandadselectronics.html

Rgds,
Andrew.
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post13 Nov 2012, 15:26

That is interesting reading, thanks for that charger. :)

I was looking at the watchuseek forums and found some guys that were using an apple app that broadcasts the Japanese time sync tone over speakers and headphones. They put their watch between the headphones and set the watch to recieve the time broadcast from Japan, and from the reports it actually worked for a few guys. Sounds like a fun project if you just want to see your watch sync. :D
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post25 Jan 2013, 00:26

AlmightyTallest wrote:That is interesting reading, thanks for that charger. :)

I was looking at the watchuseek forums and found some guys that were using an apple app that broadcasts the Japanese time sync tone over speakers and headphones. They put their watch between the headphones and set the watch to recieve the time broadcast from Japan, and from the reports it actually worked for a few guys. Sounds like a fun project if you just want to see your watch sync. :D


Do you have the name of the app?

back to topic:

I think the same antenna will work with both plastic and metal case.

e.g. Casio G-Shock GW5610 (plastic case) and GW5000 (with full metal case and screw down caseback) has the same module.

I don't notice any difference in the ability to receive signal between plastic and metal case.

But when I wear the watch on my wrist to sleep, I found that it greatly increase the success rate of sync-ing ... LOL
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post25 Jan 2013, 19:52

Hi Cesar,

That sure is an interesting looking watch you got there, can you please tell me what brand it is, also approximately when you reckon it was made, never seen one like this before. What sort of cost are we looking at that is if they even make them anymore.

Anywhere one can purchase one like this.

Thank you,
KARNAK.
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post28 Jan 2013, 18:49

Hi stockae92, yes, the app is at the following link:

http://siio.jp/jjy/autostart.html

You go there and do the following:

Leave the web page open in the link above
Connect earphones to your PC or laptop
Put your watch on the earphone
Make the volume loud on the earphones
Wait for the audio signal to start
Set time-adjust mode on and wait for a few minutes.

It explains how the system works on the site, pretty neat actually.
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post28 Jan 2013, 20:10

That is AWESOME! haha~

Not that its useful for me here in the US :P

This is great for the people that's out of range for tower signal (maybe HK, Malaysia, sg, Australia, etc)

But I am try it at home tonight :)
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post29 Jan 2013, 19:55

lol, I'm in the US too so I don't have a problem with radio reception, but theres a few guys from Australia that claimed that site helped them achieve a calibration. Let us know if it worked for you though, I never tried it, but it's an interesting way to get your watches synched if it does work.
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post20 Feb 2013, 21:27

AlmightyTallest wrote:http://siio.jp/jjy/autostart.html



still couldn't get that to work after a few times at the office.

may be the office environment has too much noise? how would the signal *sounds* like?
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post20 Feb 2013, 22:03

To be honest, I'm not sure as I never tried it myself. I wonder if anyone else might have better luck with it, It could depend on the quality of the headphones or speakers used, or maybe the watch needs to be set for recieving the signal from Japan instead of the U.S.
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post20 Feb 2013, 23:14

I am going to try it again at home where there is less noise, but I might have to use iPhone /iPad for that. I don't know if the site would work for Safari browser.

I set my watch to TYO city / timezone and tried it with my Sony headphones, no luck with that.

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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post22 Feb 2013, 01:10

We have to be missing something somewhere... The site is all in Japanese so it's hard to navigate, I wish we had some guys from the other watch forum that tried this to help walk us through how it's done exactly. It sounds plausible and simple enough though.
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post22 Feb 2013, 05:05

I got it working :Prost:
I haven't been reading this thread, but I've got today off work so have been catching up a bit.

I used a PC running Windows7, but was unsuccessful with IntenetExplorer. However I tried Chrome and it worked immediately (it does ask if you want the Java script to run, but you just click OK).
I suspect that IE and Firefox and Safari could be configured to allow Java scripts to run, but you'd have to figure out where to make this setting.
You should be able to hear it easily............it's a 13kHz square-wave signal, which is made up of 13kHz and it's odd harmonics. This is well and truly in the human audible hearing range. You should hear beeps and clicks as it runs.
From what I can gather it's the 40kHz harmonic which actually syncs the watch..........this is pretty much inaudible.

Finally I've managed to Synch my Junghans Mega1000 :amen:
Thanks gentlemen.
Rgds.
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post22 Feb 2013, 17:36

Thank you charger for helping to clear up how to use this!!

So it's browser dependent, and needs the Java plugin. But it works!! So I'm glad to help those who wanted to sync their Atomics and aren't able to normally. :-D
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Re: Question about Atomic radio controlled watches

Post23 Feb 2013, 05:02

I eventually got it to run using IE and Firefox too.
I think it was because I updated Java. So, if you don't hear beeping and clicking when you open the web page, try a different browser and/or update Java.

Forgot to mention I just used earbud style headphones, tucked under the watch head on a watch pillow. It worked first time.

I've got a colleague who's Japanese. I might get him to decipher the JJY Simulator page and download the simulator application. Then I'll be able to just run the application on my PC, without the dependancy on the web page.
Rgds.
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