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Time problem since the start of BST Uk

g0wda
g0wda Member ✭
in SmartSDR for Mac
I have had me Flex 8600M for a few months, but did nothing with it, until I brought S/H iMac 2020, running Tahoe 3, Setup the FT8 (Built in) and logbook connected to QRZ, wonderful works perfect no problems no grief.

Then came BST, Now no one talks to me, Time on mac is different to time on the SDRMAC Software.

Any help would be gratefully received please

All the best from Alan

Comments

  • K3CDY
    K3CDY Member ✭✭✭

    Hello Alan -

    This sounds like a time setting issue on your Mac. I’d recommend you visit: https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-date-time-settings-mchlp1124/mac and check that everything is set up correctly.

    If the problem persists and your settings appear correct, you might try a simple uninstall/re-install of Mac SSDR.

    Good luck!

  • Erik Carling EI4KF
    Erik Carling EI4KF Member ✭✭✭✭

    I do not think a reinstall will help. The MAC has changed to BST as you say Alan but as with ham radio software in general, the expected value is UTC. Merely turn off BST auto-adjustment so that it is aligned with SDRMAC.

  • g0wda
    g0wda Member ✭
    Good Afternoon Bill and Erik,

    Thank you for coming back to me, I have read so much on time its doing my head in, what i read is it does not matter about BST/UTC because the FT8 only looks at the position of 0-59 seconds, how does that go along with your thinking.

    All the best from Alan & Thank you
  • g0wda
    g0wda Member ✭
    Good Afternoon Bill and Erik,

    I set the IMAC 2020 Time zone to UTC +00:00 London, the IMAC did not complain about my input, but it fell in line with hours sometimes Min's but the difference between IMAC and SMARTSDR was 20seconds
    Totally useless no contacts.

    All the best from Alan
  • g4ivv
    g4ivv Member ✭✭

    Hello Alan,

    Do you have your Mac configured to automatically set its time from the internet?

    In Settings, General→Date & Time, here's how I have mine and as you can see the time is the same as that indicated in SmartSDR for Mac (allowing for summer time):

    Screenshot 2026-04-04 at 16.59.50.png

    As long as the Mac is getting its time from an internet NTP server (make sure the automatic setting is on) I can't really see how it could be 20 seconds out?

    Hope that helps,
    73 Jonathan G4IVV

  • g0wda
    g0wda Member ✭
    Good Afternoon Jonathan, as you have it displayed in your picture, is how i had it set, but there was 1 hour difference between IMAC and ft8 software which is built in smartsdr for the mac

    If i change time zone to UTC+ 00:00 London, then there is 20seconds difference

    All the best from Alan
  • g4ivv
    g4ivv Member ✭✭

    Yes, you must be disabling the NTP time correction when you manually set the timezone. For FT8 you really have to have the NTP switched on so that your Mac clock is within a second (the 1 hour summer time offset doesn't matter, SmartSDR is just displaying UTC).

    If you turn on the automatic time setting (NTP) then you should be able to make QSOs again.

  • g0wda
    g0wda Member ✭
    I have set it back to the way you have in Jonathan, as per your picture, still cant contact anyone.

    All the best from Alan
  • g0wda
    g0wda Member ✭
    Good Morning Everyone, I came across this website a greate help, and it does not matter what OS you have

    https://time.is/

    Tells you everything about your time on your OS, now i am moving forward
    Good luck to all
  • Gord-VA7GP
    Gord-VA7GP Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 7

    I love time.is! Whenever I set watches or (non-automatic) clocks, I browse to time.is on my phone.

    For everything computer-related, I always use NTP and ensure my computers all have the same idea of what the time is. I run 8 servers, and apparently have 43 clients on my home-network (!), and it's imperative that they all share a common understanding of what time it is. NTP does that, and no device is left un-sync'd.

    I'm happy to read that you're moving forward.

    NTP and synchronization of time is important.

  • g0wda
    g0wda Member ✭
    Well moving forward yes, now I hit a big wall, If I put out a CQ, people come back and answer me, but my system FT8 goes not carry on the conversation

    All the best from Alan
  • g0wda
    g0wda Member ✭
    After deleting Mac Smartsdr and its libraries, and then re install Smartsdr,
    Then everything on FT8 worked perfect.
  • John KB4DU
    John KB4DU Member ✭✭✭✭

    Well, for FT8 on SmartSDR, I use Meinberg NTP server. Always accurate.

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