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Does anyone else see a GNSS +1 sec. Clock Error on their 8600 when GNSS is Locked?

Dick / KC9YRA
Dick / KC9YRA Member ✭✭
in FLEX-8000 Signature Series

I recently received my 8600. No problems during setup.

After a cold startup of the 8600 and then starting SSDR the 8600 Settings, Radio Setup, RX panel shows TXCO Locked and the SSDR clock display matches the computer system time (updated by Dimmension 4) and matches WWV. This seems normal.

When the GNSS locks the SSDR clock displays jumps +1 sec. compared to WWV and computer system time.

SDR 3.8.23
Settings, Radio Setup, GPS Panel shows
GNSS installed
Sat Tracked 15
Sat Visible 30
UTC Time is +1 sec.

Settings, Radio Setup, RX Panel shows GNSS Locked
This happens on Win 11 pro and Win 10 pro computer systems.

Have not seen this posted before

Best Answer

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    edited August 13 Answer ✓

    This is SMART-10814. We have confirmed that this is a cosmetic (display) issue. This means the 8000 NTP server is actually accurate and on time.

Answers

  • Jim KJ3P
    Jim KJ3P Member ✭✭✭

    After a few minutes of warmup and GNSS locked, my 8600 also settles at about +1 second ahead of WWV. 12 tracked/25 visible. I'll check it again in a couple of hours.

  • k3Tim
    k3Tim Member ✭✭✭

    Interesting finding. Observed same behavior on a 8600. Perhaps something to do with leap seconds:

    https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-realization/leap-seconds

    k3Tim / 7

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    Here is your answer. They differ by the number of Leap seconds since Jan 1980.

    https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/how-utcnist-related-coordinated-universal-time-utc-international
  • k3Tim
    k3Tim Member ✭✭✭

    Thanks for the reply Mike.

    With the 8600 setup as an NTP server, the local PC shows exactly the correct time w/o the leap second offset.

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    it was suggested to me that if you are seeing a 1 second difference to please open a support ticket.

  • Bob Cheek
    Bob Cheek Member ✭✭

    It has been said that a man with more than one watch has no idea what time it actually is. I'm there!

    I have two external time sources. A Tracomex WWV time source and a Spectracom Netclock/GPS time source. These two time sources agree perfectly.

    The GNSS time displayed on the Flex 8400 (SmartSDR 3.9.18) is consistently 1 second ahead of the two time sources. I also re-synced the computer system clock and it now agrees with the two time sources.

    The GPS on the Flex shows 14 / 15 satellites tracked but it doesn't tell me which GPS constellation I am synced to. That might be a good piece of information to have.

    Is this a know issue or does it need to be posted on the Alpha Test site?

    Regards,

    Bob - N4RFC

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    Please open a support ticket so that this gets tracked correctly.

  • Les W6JKA
    Les W6JKA Member ✭✭

    Is there a fix for this 1 second leap? I have just received an 8600M and I noticed the one second difference also.

  • Jim KJ3P
    Jim KJ3P Member ✭✭✭

    It seems to be a SmartSDR display issue, not an actual PC clock issue. I have my PC's clock set to look at the 8600's NTP service exclusively, and it's right on the money. Since FT8 software gets its timing from the PC clock (and not SDR's display), FT8 timing is right on.

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    The 1 second error is a cosmetic display issue. the NTP is correct.

  • Jim KJ3P
    Jim KJ3P Member ✭✭✭

    I thought I just said that….. <grin>

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    thanks! I might have missed it. :)

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