# Synchronizing timepieces in real life

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synchronizing-timepieces-in-real-life/406888>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 5, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synchronizing-timepieces-in-real-life/406888 "2007-06-05T20:38:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![coffeecat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coffeecat/32/3405_2.png) [@coffeecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecat)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synchronizing-timepieces-in-real-life/406888/21 "2007-06-08T12:08:38Z")

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My computer is a stratum 2 ntp client. I sync my palm pilot to [us.pool.ntp.org](http://us.pool.ntp.org) every day or so. I set my watch to the computer every so often, and if it’s more than 5 seconds off I hang my head in shame. Before the internet, I’d set my watch to a USNO phone number like the ones **Tripler** mentioned. (Then it was 1-900-410-TIME – a friend teased **coffeespouse** when he saw a charge for something called MASTERTIME on our phone bill – he was the same one who said tephillin looked like a bondage toy, but I digress.) I like precision.

I’m never on time for anything.

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**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synchronizing-timepieces-in-real-life/406888/22 "2007-06-08T18:58:45Z")

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For accurate time junkies, the [wall clock](http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=1&p=55160&cat=2,42191,55529) in my computer/hobby room sets itself to the U.S. Atomic Clock radio time signals 6 times a day.

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**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synchronizing-timepieces-in-real-life/406888/23 "2007-06-08T19:02:29Z")

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I’ve got a number of atomic clock self-setting timekeepers.  
Which all got seriously f\*cked up after Congress decided to monkey around with daylight savings time. Grrrrr.

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