WWV/WWVB/WWVH Usage Survey

[W3RSW]

My primary use for WWV is not for calibration of local time but for calibration of frequency.  Of course the atomic clock on the basement windowsill is fine too.

I've used it numerous times to zero beat a radio on the highest WWV freq. obtainable at a given time of day.  Having the pick of 5, 10, 15, 25mHz, etc. is very nice.  It's really neat to hear the "wah, wah's" of the local osc. or SDR equiv. match WWV's in longer and longer periods as you approach WWV's freq.

Zereo beating to a standard is useful in a variety of ways, from initial calib. of a radio to plotting short and long term drift.  ...you name it.  And don't forget doppler effects for satellite work.
Also nice for your local rubidian standard.  We can't all have a local clock that's as accurate as the one in Ft. Collins.

If there has to be a government sponsored radio service, this is one that is good. You can use the 5 cents/capita arguement here as well.

Radios I've calibrated lately range from the crystal calib. on a 75A2 through a K3 to the SDR styled QS1R. 

[W3NP]

I took the survey. I would hate to see WWV go. I still miss CHU at 7335 on my ham band only receivers. I have about 5 of those "atomic clocks" and one is a big analog wall clock - very cool to see it fast forward when DST time starts or ends. As to frequency calibration, I still use it to set reference oscillators, etc, even though I have a HP Z3801A satellite receiver with an outside antenna and I use it's 10 mhz ref output to feed the external timebase input in my Fluke frequency generator and HP frequency counters. Can't have to much accuracy...can you say "OCD"!

[WBear2GCR]

The ideal thing would be for someone to donate enough $$ to create a trust fund/endowment so that WWV (etc.) could be funded in perpetuity.

Of course Congress would have to pass a law implementing it permanently...

                 _-_-bear

[N0WVA]

Lots of people will be upset if they do drop it, I'm sure...  An awful lot of the 'atomic clocks' and wristwatches have been sold, and I've installed a couple WWV to network time sync servers years ago...  They may or may not still be in service.

If the FCC gets its way, they are about to kill GPS and irradiate the public with EMI many times more powerful than anything from a cell phone held next to your ear.

http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/03/11/fcc-approves-lightsquared-frequencies-gps-now-in-danger/

http://nlpc.org/stories/2011/03/01/will-fccs-political-favor-harbinger-hedge-fund-result-gps-interference

Note: I disagree that it's illegal to own a GPS jammer.  Only to operate it.

To implement " smart dust" you need tight knit infrastructure.

[k4kyv]

The ideal thing would be for someone to donate enough $$ to create a trust fund/endowment so that WWV (etc.) could be funded in perpetuity.

Of course Congress would have to pass a law implementing it permanently...

                 _-_-bear

Maybe they could run commercial ads top of the minute along with the regular voice announcements...

...or like public radio & TV, they could run periodic beg-a-thons. 

[N8LGU]

    Great idea, Bear! Probably won't work because it's too logical.
I've used wwv many times aligning rcvrs with WWV's freq standards. Even setting my HF-380 and IC-751A 's osc to WWV's audio tones. It's just too useful to let it go without a fight.