Electronic clocks control critical functions in many applications. However, clocks are often designed for low cost rather than for keeping accurate time. Even fairly accurate computer clocks will vary due to manufacturing defects, changes in temperature, electric and magnetic interference, the age of the quartz crystal, or even system load. Even th...

HIL testing is an essential step in the verification process of the Model-Based Design (MBD) approach. HIL testing is usually the last step before testing in the field and after Model-In-the-Loop (MIL), Software-In-the-Loop (SIL) or Chipset-In-the-Loop (CIL). This step is critical because it involves all the hardware and software that will be used ...

By David Sohn, Solution Architect A leap second is a discontinuity in the world's official timescale and is a risk for those developing and maintaining GPS/GNSS systems and/or managing a time synchronization deployment. The last leap second occurred on December 31, 2016. This blog is to help you understand the leap second vulnerability and plan ahe...

Description GNSS signal spoofing consists of broadcasting fake signals –over the real GNSS signals– in order to take control of a GNSS receiver that will continue to track those signals in error. GNSS is very sensitive to this type of attack due to the weakness of satellite signals at the earth's surface and the fact that these signals are public a...

Problems it Solves When testing self-driving and driving assistance systems, GNSS simulators can generate a signal to represent the vehicle. But how those vehicles interact with other vehicles with different trajectories and speeds, handle scenarios like crash avoidance, and perform in GPS and GNSS-denied environments can make all the difference in...

In 2013, the Federal Communications Commission fined a person almost $32k for using a device intended to evade the fleet management tracking system on his company vehicle. The device in question: a GPS jammer. The incident occurred at the Newark Airport after FAA and NJ Port Authority officials struggled for over two years to determine why the new ...

Adjusting Clocks for Daylight Saving Time: Daylight saving time comes twice a year, once in March and again in November. This can be a big hassle for maintenance teams, facility managers, IT staff, and anyone else in charge of keeping a building running smoothly. Adjusting for daylight saving time is easier if you have a synchronized clock system t...

GNSS is well-known for its ability to provide a position with sub-meter accuracy. However, it is less well-known that GNSS provides a very convenient way of obtaining nanosecond (or even sub-nanosecond) timing accuracy via a GNSS receiver. Indeed, in addition to the three spatial dimensions, GNSS enables the user to compute the clock bias and the d...

What do want from time Synchronization?

We often respond to questions about whether a customer needs an accurate and reliable time source for their network, and if so, which time source do I need. The answer to this depends primarily on the size of your network, and the how accurate a time source you need for your business.

If you have a smaller network, timing is probably not that critical, but as you add more servers, workstations, and devices such as IP phones, accurate time becomes more important. A typical first step is to point a server or a router to an internet time source and everything on the network gets its time from that server or router.

As your network continues to grow, that same internet time source may not be reliable, secure or accurate enough to keep your network in sync. At that point installing an NTP or PTP GPS time source becomes much more critical

Why does the Time not stay the same on all devices?

Every element in the network has an internal clock but due to things like the quality and age of the oscillator and the working temperature these internal clocks will drift. A server working under load generating more heat will drift a different rate than a server under normal load.

This means that each element in the network is drifting at a different rate and the end result is no two elements have the same exact time.

Pending Changes in the WWVB Radio Signal Affects Precision Frequency and Timing Reference

A change in the WWVB signal is being considered to reduce the impact of electro-magnetic interference for improved reception for consumer-grade clocks and watches.  Why does this matter? This change also affects the operation of precise time and frequency standards whose receivers are based on phase-locked loops, such as Spectracom WWVB receivers (all long discontinued), so these products will not operate as intended.

WWVB is a radio station operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Ft. Collins, Colorado to transmit a time and frequency standard over a low frequency signal. Spectracom manufactured WWVB receivers as a traceable source for frequency standards and/or a time references (master clocks) for automatic synchronization of electronic equipment and computers; virtually any time-sensitive or frequency-stable device. The signal is also used to synchronize clocks and watches.

Despite increases in signal strength over the years, electro-magnetic interference affects the reliability of WWVB reception. A new protocol based on phase-modulation can improve signal reception and is backwards compatible with consumer-grade clocks and watches. However, Spectracom receivers will not function once the WWVB signal has changed.

Since GPS has long been the current standard for traceability in precision timing applications, there are no current, or recently discontinued Spectracom products this will affect. However, there are much older generation time & frequency references and master clocks that will no longer receive the WWVB signal when the change is permanently implemented (expected around mid summer 2012).

If you are currently operating one of these models listed below, it will no longer operate as intended as a result of the WWVB signal change: 

Customers frequently seek information and recommendations from Orolia about hardening security, including general guidelines about available network security features, jamming and spoofing deterrence, bug fixes, and networking-related issues. Sometimes they're in search of specific practices for time servers and clients. Sometimes, because SecureSy...

Which clock is used as the reference for all other clocks How to transfer the time from the reference clock to all other clocks The solution is to use a master clock as your reference. Master clock systems are used in a wide variety of applications and industries including aerospace and defence, broadcast, radio and telecom, network systems, financ...

Every day, all of us use this little technological miracle called GPS to take advantage of precise and trustable position, navigation and timing (PNT), all over the world. More than 2,000 billion Euros of critical infrastructures around the world are directly dependent upon GPS every day – including public and private, aerospace and defense, smart ...

By Robyn Federman, Head of Global Commercial Marketing for Orolia Most think of GPS as simply a way to get directions from their smartphone, or to tell a friend where they're hanging out. Those of us who develop resilient positioning, navigation and timing solutions (PNT) for a living know that there's a lot more to it. GPS generates about $1.4 tri...

By David Sohn, Solution Architect (And Which One Do You Really Need?) NTP (Network Time Protocol) and SNTP (Simple Network Time Protocol) are similar TCP/IP protocols in that they use the same time packet from a Time Server message to compute accurate time. The procedure used by the Time Server to assemble and send out a time stamp is exactly the s...

By Tyler Hohman, Director of Products, Orolia Defense & Security Most in our industry are aware of the threat that GPS interference poses, both in the US and overseas. GPS jamming is commonplace. Spoofing, however, is different than jamming in that it can be utilized in a far more devious manner. Both jamming and spoofing have a common goal – t...

By Ron Dries, Applications Engineer Monitoring and managing PNT devices that can be spread across the globe can be challenging. It is also necessary to ensure the devices are configured and running properly. In certain applications, there could also be the need to schedule a task or automate some functionality of a PNT device. The built-in web GUI ...

Supervising and managing a large facility is no walk in the park, especially when you begin to list the countless efforts that must all come together unceremoniously to make sure operations of the facility run efficiently. Large facilities, like hospitals, schools and universities, or businesses, need numerous amounts of these tasks to all come together. Many little things that people take for granted, such as waste management and maintenance work are vital to daily operations.

Perhaps one of the most important jobs of a facility manager, however, is the maintenance of a building’s security system. The safety of a building, and more importantly the people within the buildings, is a task that is always on top of the to-do list. A lack of preparation or awareness could cause catastrophes for not only the business but harming of the safety of the people that live in the facility. In addition to security systems, another great product installation that aides in safety is the introduction of synchronized clock displays and GPS NTP Time Servers.  Not only will the building operate more efficiently through synchronized time, the building’s security system will become considerably simpler to manage.

A Sapling wireless clock system attains its accurate time from a master clock, which transmits the signal to each individual clock within the system. Furthermore, the master clock is able to automate security systems throughout the building. A master clock is able to automate security systems throughout your building with its scheduling capabilities which allow a facility manager to keep the building’s security system in sync with display clocks and other automated systems. This alleviates the duties of setting alarms or locking doors from humans, which can be subject to error.

Adding synchronized time into your operations will greatly increase your facility’s and employee’s safety. No short cuts can be taken when people’s safety is the subject matter; there is no value that can be placed on human safety. A Synchronized time system not only improves operational efficiency, but can help increase the high valued and much needed safety and peace of mind for all involved.

Recent webinars have focused on a variety of proven, resilient technologies to combat GNSS and PNT vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. In this webinar, we will focus on how PNT monitoring can further protect critical systems from these vulnerabilities through continuous monitoring and improvement. Similar to cybersecurity for network system...