Daylight Saving Time and Atomic Watches - 2007 US and Canada Schedule Change

Summary: In 2007 the United States will observe Daylight Saving Time on a new calendar schedule compared to recent years.  Owners of Atomic Watches (and clocks) that operate via synchronizing with radio signals will automatically use the new schedule.

Detailed Description: 

Start and end dates for Daylight Saving Time (DST) vary with world geographic location and year. Starting in 2007, most of the United States and Canada will observe DST from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. The 2007 United States change was part of bill passed by Congress in 2005; For the previous 19 years, the US start and end dates were the first Sunday in April and the last Sunday in October.

Atomic watches (and clocks) work by listening for a specific radio signal one or more times a day and then adjust the displayed time according to the information they receive.  The North American signal is broadcast from Fort Collins, Colorado.  And because of the characteristics of the specific radio frequency broadcast, most watches are designed to synchronize with the radio signal during the overnight hours.  This is when the signal is easiest to receive clearly.

One of the things not often mentioned is the data in the radio signal itself.  The time information broadcast is in UTC format, so each receiver needs to make appropriate adjustments for the local time zone.  This means when you purchase an atomic watch and set it up for use the first time you will tell it what time zone you live in.  My customers receive their watches pre-set for the appropriate location.

Another aspect of setting up an atomic watch is configuring it for whether or not you observe Daylight Saving Time in your location.  Since the vast majority of the United States observes DST, this is the default setting for most atomic watches.  But it can be turned off as needed.

Another piece of data in the Atomic Clock radio signal is whether it is currently Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time.  So if your watch is set to automatically adjust for DST, then it will sense and adjust for the change twice a year.  The National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) operate the North American atomic clock and provides the radio broadcast.  NIST has already planned for the year 2007 change of schedule.

The only time your watch might have difficulty with the change is if it does not receive a clear radio signal.  The easiest way to prevent this is to leave your watch near a window overnight when the change is to occur.  This works best if you select a window that points in the general direction of Colorado (where the signal originates).

Brief Commercial plug - I do sell Casio and Timex atomic watches, so please check out my Sun-Bits eBay Store if you are interested.

Yes, I am tickled when I see when someone has given my guide a "Helpful" vote.  But either way, thank you for taking the time to read this Guide.

This guide and photos copyright 2007 Sun-Bits