(meteorobs) Talking clocks

[meteoreye at comcast.net]

Under the right conditions, I suppose it's possible you could receive these signals. For WWV info:

http://tf.nist.gov/stations/wwv.html

One source in Europe is:

DCF77, Mainflingen, Germany
Frequencies: 77.5 kHz
Call sign: DCF77
Location: Mainflingen, near Frankfurt, Germany, 50° 01' N, 9° 00' E
Operating hours: Continuous
Power: 50 kW. Estimated radiated power 30 kW
Modulation: Amplitude keying.
Identification Signal: The call sign is transmitted twice in Morse code in minutes 19, 39
and 59. Also in seconds 20 to 32 in AM, the amplitude is
switched between 85% and 100% with a 250 Hz rectangular
waveform. The signal may be omitted in the future.
Further information: Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, http://www.ptb.de
Good Luck!
-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: meteoreye at comcast.net 

> Hmmm, I see. Here in the US we have WWV and CHU available on shortwave 
> frequencies which give out the time continuously that you could record when a 
> fireball is spotted. I don't know if any such time signals are available in 
> europe though. 
> Wayne 
> 
> -------------- Original message -------------- 
> From: Francisco Ocaña 
> 
> > Well, I want it for fireballs. I usually do double observation and 30-60 
> > seconds (camera exposure time) mean around 10 arcmins in astrometry 
> > accuraccy, a bit high value. 
> > 
> > I will try the stopwatch method, but in the last geminids it would have 
> > been stressing, hehe. After that I realized that I need a talking clock :-) 
> > 
> > Thank you! 
> > 
> > Paco 
> > 
> > meteoreye at comcast.net escribió: 
> > > That is true for all talking devices I've seen (or rather heard) It's really 
> > no big deal, as measurements to the nearest minute are more than adequate for 
> > 99.9999% of all meteor observations. 
> > > 
> > > I do keep a stopwatch around my neck as well to time fireballs (the only 
> time 
> > where accuracy to the second is usually necessary) which allows me to then 
> take 
> > a break and determine the fireball time, and also wait for sounds several 
> > minutes later. But in most cases, it's not worth the extra time to take my 
> eyes 
> > off the sky. 
> > > 
> > > When I see a meteor bright enough to be recorded by the NJAA all sky camera 
> > (+2 or brighter) I will hit the time talk a few times to determine whether 
> it's 
> > in the first half of the minute or last, but it rarely makes a difference. In 
> > most cases, recording to the second is superfluous information...besides you 
> > then need to estimate how long it took you to hit the talker anyway, since it 
> is 
> > not instantaneous. 
> > > 
> > > Wayne 
> > > 
> > > -------------- Original message -------------- 
> > > From: Francisco Ocaña 
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
> > 
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