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WH1080 radio controlled clock not working

Discussion specific to Fine Offset and similar rebadged weather stations
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weather2009
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri 26 Jun 2009 6:34 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH1080

WH1080 radio controlled clock not working

Post by weather2009 »

My radio controlled clock does not seem to be working. The DST function is turned to the "ON" position. Per a previous posting I have repositioned my transmitter a number of times as well. Any advice would be appreciated? TIA
6719jason
Posts: 519
Joined: Wed 08 Apr 2009 12:38 pm
Weather Station: La-Crosse WS3502
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: Holland On Sea, Essex UK

Re: WH1080 radio controlled clock not working

Post by 6719jason »

Ello,

The DST will be displayed, when a signal from the DST is recieved for a long enough period to register and stabilise.
The positioning of the Transmitter is critical, it may take upto 24hrs for it to pickup the signal again, once lost.

Hope this helps.

Jason
weather2009
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri 26 Jun 2009 6:34 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH1080

Re: WH1080 radio controlled clock not working

Post by weather2009 »

Jason,

Thanks for the quick reply. Can you kindly be more specific regarding the transmitter positioning? I'm assuming the transmitter you are talking about is the one on the thermo hygro sensor?

Thanks,
Brian
6719jason
Posts: 519
Joined: Wed 08 Apr 2009 12:38 pm
Weather Station: La-Crosse WS3502
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: Holland On Sea, Essex UK

Re: WH1080 radio controlled clock not working

Post by 6719jason »

weather2009 wrote:Jason,

Thanks for the quick reply. Can you kindly be more specific regarding the transmitter positioning? I'm assuming the transmitter you are talking about is the one on the thermo hygro sensor?

Thanks,
Brian
No problem. Sure, the position of the thermo-hygro Sensor (Transmitter unit attached to the Instruments) is critcal to recieving the DCF Time Signal, It can be down to something as simple as Transmitter Height and Rotation.

You may find that, turning the transmitter round ever so slightly, may help recieve the time signal.

Wind and Rain, commonly affect the signal until after it has calmed.

Jason
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Super-T
Posts: 906
Joined: Tue 09 Sep 2008 3:37 am
Weather Station: wh-1081
Operating System: Weather Laptop - Windows 10 Pro
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Re: WH1080 radio controlled clock not working

Post by Super-T »

As a matter of interest, what is the frequency of the time signal in Eu?
I have found that quite often, manufacturers will coil the aerial around about to get it all in the casing when it can improve things dramatically to allow the full 1/4 wavelength aerial to work better.

836 MHz. = 36Cm full wavelength
433 MHz. = 69Cm full wavelength

Divide by 4 for a 1/4 wavelength aerial

I think but Repairman can confirm?
6719jason
Posts: 519
Joined: Wed 08 Apr 2009 12:38 pm
Weather Station: La-Crosse WS3502
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: Holland On Sea, Essex UK

Re: WH1080 radio controlled clock not working

Post by 6719jason »

Ello,

868mhz in the UK :D
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Super-T
Posts: 906
Joined: Tue 09 Sep 2008 3:37 am
Weather Station: wh-1081
Operating System: Weather Laptop - Windows 10 Pro
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Re: WH1080 radio controlled clock not working

Post by Super-T »

868 MHz. = 35Cm full wavelength

Wouldn't make much difference
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beteljuice
Posts: 3292
Joined: Tue 09 Dec 2008 1:37 pm
Weather Station: None !
Operating System: W10 - Threadripper 16core, etc
Location: Dudley, West Midlands, UK

Re: WH1080 radio controlled clock not working

Post by beteljuice »

Guys ......

UK is 433 MHz for the wx communications (as is the wire aerial in the base unit).

The aerial for the Time sig is in the thermohygro unit, and is a coil around a ferite rod - which in some cases has been rattling around loose - so maybe a wire has come adrift.

https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=807
Image
......................Imagine, what you will KNOW tomorrow !
apenwith
Posts: 418
Joined: Sun 26 Apr 2009 7:30 pm
Weather Station: w8681 BlakeLarsen Sun Recorder
Operating System: Windows 7 SP1
Location: West Cornwall UK
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Re: WH1080 radio controlled clock not working

Post by apenwith »

Hi
There are earlier posts about the position of the ferrite rod but briefly it is often badly positioned in the sensor unit often stuck in at an angle - should be horizontal and at right angles to the dcf transmitter (probably Frankfurt). Split the case apart carefully with a sharp knife and have a look.
Regards
Alan
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Repairman77
Posts: 361
Joined: Sat 17 Oct 2009 3:47 pm
Weather Station: WH1080
Operating System: XP pro SP3
Location: Cambridgeshire UK

Re: WH1080 radio controlled clock not working

Post by Repairman77 »

A couple of links to explain the radio controlled clocks.

The UK transmitter...
http://www.npl.co.uk/science-technology ... ime-signal

The German transmitter...
http://www.meinberg.de/english/info/atomic_clock.htm

As far as I can determine in the spec the WH1080 uses the DCF German Transmitter.
Ideally the internal ferrite rod should be directed along it's length to Germany from your location. If it's end on to Germany that will cancel out or extremely attenuate the signal. The signal should be readily available for the whole of the UK, as long as it's not being shielded by metal buildings, etc. as it has a working range of 1500Km.

The UK WH1080's are on 868MHz (transmitter to console), although many remote thermometers are still sold that work on 433MHz.
The frequencies of the WH10 range do vary with different countries around the world to conform with their regulations; Australasia uses 433MHz and North America uses 915MHz.
Although one list of spec from a seller I saw says that the transmitter uses more than one frequency in the 433-868MHz range I do not believe this to be correct. I assume the UK model just uses 868MHz for it's data transmission.

Hope that helps a little.

Mike.
Retired Radio and Electronics Engineer residing in Cambridgeshire, UK.
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