This is NOT about how to build your own clock from $8 of parts and a coffee tin.

While such an $8 coffee tin clock would be lovely and a fine project to hang on the wall, it's just not what I'm looking for (today!) in a station clock.

Here's what I've decided is the goal for a reasonable station clock:

• Keeps reasonably accurate time. It's truly amazing how many clocks gain a second or two every day. While 1 second a day is acceptable (for me, anyway - that should mean that I can be reasonably accurate just resetting the clock every other week), 2 seconds per minute is not. Yes, I did encounter this problem in a clock I tried. (it was an undervoltage from the power supply that caused the oscillator to run fast, as near as I can tell - changing from a 12 volt supply that put out 11.76v to a 13.8 volt supply that put out 13.8v fixed the time problem (now within 1-2 seconds per day), but also shot the display drivers. Well, either that, or enough RF fell out of the dummy load to scare the clock. Now the clock's display is dark (not there!), so I unplugged it and started looking for a new clock.)
• Displays that reasonably accurate time digitally, in 24 hour UTC format. This unfortuneately rules out several cheap atomic clocks, as they do keep nice accurate time, but can only display it in 12 hour for Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones. It is possible to set these clocks to other times, but then they lose their WWVB features, and I haven't tested if they still keep time accurately. But, they DON'T switch to a 24 hour display.

  • Attention Atomic Clock Manufacturers:

    Put a 12/24 hour switch on your clocks, and when it's in 24 hour mode, allow UTC as a time zone. Hams and SWL'ers do use UTC, and do care what time it is.
• Light Emitting Display. I like to run my station in the mostly dark (I find that dim lighting makes me more aware of what I'm listening to, which makes it easier to hear the weak ones), which means that for ME, most LCD displays are OUT. The exception to this is if there's a backlight (or a sidelight, I suppose, but a blue backlight that's on all the time would look really cool) on the clock. If I have to hit a button to wake up the backlight, that's going to frustrate me.

With those 3 criteria in mind, here are links to various clock manufacturers which may work.

I haven't picked a clock yet, and I'm not endorsing anybody at this time.

• Electronics USA These folks sell lots of neat little clocks, tiny little keys and paddles (I will endorse their paddles - nice and tiny, only problem is I flap paddles with a big slapping motion (non-iambic) and so I have to hold them down), on the air lights. Their CK-1 and CK-2 clocks look like they'd suit very nicely.
• BRG Precision In case you didn't know, these folks make really nice clocks. Take time, enjoy looking around their website. The clocks that jump out at me as Ideal Station Clocks are: Styles 664, 822, 823, 418, 425, and possibly one of the GeoChron clocks. The problem with the GeoChrons is that it can be hard to read the time quickly on them, because they've got so much information. On the other hand, if you can afford to hang a GeoChron in the shack, you can add a 425 series clock (ultra bright blue, of course) right below it.

And now, the almost right second runner-up clocks.

• MFJ Enterprises The MFJ-123 has some promise. For UTC use, it does require a reset twice a year (auto DST, atomic clock), and it doesn't light up. So while it doesn't work for me, it might work for you.

Attention Manufacturers, Distributors, Retailers: If you believe that I have unfairly left your clock off of this list, please send me an email, ideally with a link to a page on your site describing your clock.

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