Operation Guide 3311/3356

How a Radio-controlled Watch Works

Reception Range

This watch is designed to receive the standard time calibration signal of Japan (JJY) or of the United States (WWVB). The signal that is received depends on the current Home City setting.

What is a radio-controlled watch?

Your radio-controlled watch is designed to receive a time calibration signal that contains standard time data, and adjust its current time setting accordingly.

 

 

Signal is received

Transmitter

Long-wave time

using built-in antenna.

 

calibration signal

 

 

 

Watch decodes

 

 

received data and

Calibration Signal

• The Japanese calibration signal (Call Sign: JJY) is maintained by

the National Institute of Information and Communications

Technology (NICT). It is a long wave signal transmitted 24 hours a

day from the Mt. Otakadoya transmitter (40kHz) located in

Tamura-gun, Fukushima Prefecture, and from the Mt. Hagane

transmitter (60kHz) located on the border between Saga

Prefecture and Fukuoka Prefecture.

• The U.S. calibration signal (Call Sign: WWVB) is transmitted by

the National Institute of Standards and technology from Fort

Collins, Colorado.

•For information about selecting a Home City, see “Selecting Your Home City”. For information about city codes, see the “World Time City Code List”.

Home City

Transmitter

 

 

TYO

Either the Mt. Otakadoya signal (40kHz) or the Mt. Hagane signal (60kHz)

 

 

LAX, DEN, CHI, NYC

Fort Collins, Colorado signal

 

 

 

Signal data

converts it to time

 

data.

 

 

 

Decode

 

Cesium

Time data

Time is adjusted

 

atomic clock Watch

Internally

according to time

 

 

data.

After the watch receives the Standard Time signal, it performs internal calculations to determine the current time. Because of this, there may be an error of up to one second in the displayed time.

Note that transmission of the standard wave may be interrupted occasionally due to maintenance, lightening, etc.

Japan Transmitter

1000km

Locations

 

 

Mt. Otakadoya

500km

(40kHz)

500km

Mt. Hagane

(60kHz)

1000km

•Under optimum conditions, the calibration signal should be receivable up to 1,000 kilometers from the transmitter. Note that the wave is relatively weak at distances greater than 500km, so reception may be poor at long distances.

U.S. Transmitter
Location

3000km

1000km

Fort Collins

•Under optimum conditions, the calibration signal should be receivable up to 3,000 kilometers from the transmitter. Note that the wave is relatively weak at distances greater than 1,000km, so reception may be poor at long distances.

•Geographic contours, nearby buildings, seasonal conditions, the time of day, can even make reception impossible even when you are within range of the transmitter.

•Best reception is possible late at night.

Location

Reception is difficult and may even be impossible in the locations described below. Avoid such locations when performing signal reception.

•You should think of your watch operating like a radio or TV when it is receiving the calibration signal.

Receiving the Calibration Signal

There are two methods you can use to receive the time calibration signal.

• Auto receive (Reception is performed automatically at

midnight, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 each morning.)

• Manual receive (You initiate reception using a button operation.)

• If reception is not successful for any of the normal auto receive

operations shown above, auto receive is performed one more

time at 5:00 a.m.

• The watch is set up for auto receive at the factory, so all you need to

❚Time Required for Reception

A calibration signal receive operation takes anywhere from about two to six minutes.

•Note that when “AT” (Auto Select) is specified as the transmitter selection mode, signal reception can take up to 12 minutes.

•See “Configuring Transmitter Selection Mode Settings” for more information.

❚To perform manual receive
❚ Receive Icon

Receive Icon

The receive icon cycles from “Unstable” through “Stable” as shown below while reception is in progress. How far it cycles depends on the signal strength. Keep the watch in a location where reception is stable while reception is in progress.

Among or near buildings

Inside a vehicle

(automobile, train, plane, etc.)

In a location where there is radio interference (construction site, airport, etc.)

Near high-voltage lines

Next to a household appliance or office equipment (TV, speaker, fax, computer, cell phone, etc.)

Near mountains

do is to place it in a location that allows good reception each night.

❚To position the watch for optimum reception

Remove the watch from your wrist and place it somewhere so its top (12 o’clock side, where the antenna is located) is facing approximately in the direction of the signal transmitter. Keep the watch away from metal objects.

Resin band

Metal band

In the Timekeeping Mode, hold down the D button for about two seconds.

• The watch will beep and reception will start. An indicator flashes on the display and the receive icon changes to while signal reception is in progress.

❚To interrupt reception

Press the Dbutton.

•All other buttons besides D are disabled during signal reception.

When reception is successful

The watch terminates reception and adjusts the current time. Next it beeps and then displays the date and time that the adjustment was performed.

•At this time, the second hand will adjust automatically to the digital time.

•After the date and time of the adjustment appear on the display, press the D button to return to the Timekeeping Mode. The watch will also return to the Timekeeping Mode automatically if you do not perform any operation for about one or two minutes.

Reception Error (ERR Indicator)

Unstable

Stable

•Even under optimum reception conditions, it can take about 10 seconds for reception to stabilize.

•Use the receive icon to check reception status and to determine the best location for signal reception.

•Note that weather, the time of day, surroundings, and other factors can all affect reception.

❚Analog Hands and Signal Reception

Second Hand

The second hand moves to the 12 o’clock position when signal reception starts.

•It resumes normal movement after reception is complete.

•Pressing a button to stop reception causes the second hand to move to the seconds count as kept by digital timekeeping, and resume normal operation.

Hour and Minute Hands

These hands continue to operate normally.

If you are experiencing problems with reception, move away from the types of locations described above to a location with better reception, and try again.

•Orienting the watch so it is sideways to the transmitter makes it more difficult to receive the signal.

•Do not move the watch while it is receiving the calibration signal.

The watch does not adjust its current time setting, and displays “ERR” when signal reception is unsuccessful for some reason.

•The watch will return to the Timekeeping Mode automatically if you do not perform any operation for about one or two minutes.

Note that the second hand does not move while signal reception is in progress.

3