Rehabilitating "Radio Controlled Clock"

Thanks for all the suggestions. Meanwhile, the plot thickens! It turns out that we probably bought it 45 years ago (God, I'm old). It has a C battery to prove it, and it was made in Germany (Junghans). I'm even beginning to doubt that it was bought in the UK, but I do seem to remember that most of these early radio controlled mechanisms came from Germany, way before the Lidl/Aldi invasion, so it is quite possible. There are no buttons, switches, or nobs to change anything but lots of tiny screws, holding everything together, so I'll explore further when or if there is more light tomorrow.

Why the hell did they move the transmitter from Rugby?? For those highland sheep again, like daylight saving time?

Thanks for all the suggestions. Meanwhile, the plot thickens. On reflection, it's probably more than 45 years since we bought it, "C" battery and my age to prove it. Furthermore, it was made by Junghans, Germany, although I seem to remember that most of those early radio controlled mechanisms available in the UK were German, well before the Lidl/Aldi invasion. But I now have some doubts that I bought it in the UK. There are absolutely no buttons, knobs or switches, but lots of screws (those were the days), so when/if there is more light tomorrow, I'll explore further.

And why the hell did they move the transmitter from Rugby? For those pesky highland sheep again, like the daylight saving nonsense??

If it's analogue, one way is to take the hour hand off and attach it an hour "slow"

Can you remember how you configured it for European time? There are two usual ways of doing this:

a) change the transmitter the clock is looking for (assuming it was made with both MSF for UK and DCF for continent), usually via a switch or button pressing

b) add/subtract a whole-hour offset to the displayed time, again usually via a switch or button pressing.

A more adventurous way that's sometimes possible is to go inside and find configuration links on the PCB.

Are there buttons and/or switches on the clock and what do they ostensibly do? Sometimes there are additional functions available via long presses or simultaneous presses that you can only find via the manual or lots of experimenting!

(On some of mine I have scratched a memo of the functions onto the plastic with a diamond scriber!)

nib

Sending an MSF clock to Germany is rather like sending coals to Newcastle. I suppose it might be switchable DCF77/MSF, but I've not yet seen one that is.

Thirty years ago MSF was still located in Rugby which is generally regarded as a better site than its current one in Anthorn so maybe MSF worked fine in Cologne.

After all most radio controlled clocks here listen to DCF77 from Frankfurt due to Lidl and Aldi flooding the market, and they seem to work well in the UK.

Putting the service out to tender. Anthorn was cheaper ;-(

You could do as Trigger's favourite broom that had 4 new brush heads and

Is there any identification on it that would allow an Internet search?

If not, “Google lens” on a smart phone can be a great way of identifying mystery objects.

Tim

I had a nice Junhans radio clock 30+ years ago, bought in the UK although I don't remember where from. It did synchronise with Rugby, though. There must have been something about the two transmitters and how to connect with the right one in the instructions. It lasted until it was accidentally knocked off the mantlepiece and fell onto the 'marble' hearth.

You could try asking Junhans. (Mine was the white RC2 on p5 of this 1990 catalogue:

I have a couple of older Junghans radio clocks. A digital one from 1991 which is MSF only and an analogue one from 1996 which is DCF77 only, both bought in the UK.

On the analogue one, to set to UK (offset -1 hours) you have to hold down the + button while putting in the battery, which sets English. Then after it has picked up the German time, press SET, then hold down

I have that scratched on the back as only needed once every few years!

I also have an Oregon one that has plug-in modules for MSF, DCF and some USA and Japanese stations. My only auto-switching dual-transmitter one is a Casio Waveceptor watch.

nib

I've got one. Behind the battery is a small switch that can be set to UK, D, US and Japan.

Some of us in Scotland may disagree.

Le 06/10/2024 à 17:27, Graham. a écrit :

This is not the Brexit I voted for!