My computer(s) time/clock drifts too much. How can I make my computer keep accurate time?

A: There are several ways to keep a computer clock accurate.   Accurate is a relative term of course, and as my grand dad said your lawn is only as green as the money you throw on it.

Here are your options for keeping accurate time on your computer in cost order from cheapest to most expensive:

1) Internet Software programs
If your computer is connected to the Interent there are several time sync programs (ATOM time for example) that can sync the computer clock as often as you want - even once every few minutes.   Most programs are free to try, and only $30 or so to own outright. Care should be taken to program them with the right few "time servers" on the Internet (there are thousands to choose from) because if they can't be reached, you lose your sync feature. The better programs will retry more than one time server. If your Internet goes down of course, you can't time sync either.

2) Set Clock Playlist
If the station is taking one or more satellite networks and at least one break per hour (or legal ID) is a fixed time break, an
automation deck can be setup with what we call a "SET CLOCK" playlist that syncs the clock as often as the break or ID fires. The more satellite triggers you can identify that occur per hour - the more times per hour you sync the better.

If you find that you are syncing once per hour and your computer clock is inaccurate such that you are fast or slow by 20 to 30
seconds per hour - you need something more than a periodic trigger sync from your satellite networks.

3) GPS master clock systems
Many radio and TV stations invest in master clock systems that stay within a second of GPS time which is considered broadcast accurate. These devices can be programmed to provide a contact closure similar to a satellite network as often as you want. For example, every 6 minutes or even sooner. They start as low as $400 and can go up to thousands. Broadcast Tools makes an inexpensive model (Time Sync Plus) for under 4500. One of it's many functions is to close a relay 4 times an hour and you can program the times it does so - so if you have a time accurate event coming up at a particular time of the hour you can be sure to time sync a minute or two prior to those events.

The GPS system with most manufacturers and models is coupled with a very accurate internal clock - so that even if GPS signal is lost - the clock is generally accurate to a few seconds per month. As long as GPS signal remains acquired and locked, you can't get much better. To use GPS requires that you are able to have the antenna that comes with the unit capable of being put near a window at minimum with a view of the sky where one or more GPS satellites may be located. If you've ever used a handheld GPS unit - similar signal issues in terms of placement can be considered.

4) Computer Clock Cards
  www.beaglesoft.com
Clock Watch Pro is around $250 for the card and software bundled together. If you have multiple computers that you'd like to keep the same time - Beagle offers some server client software (a few hundred dollars based on the size of your LAN) that can use software to keep ALL your computers showing the same time 24/7 based on the one card in the one computer.

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