Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt

Compared with time transmission using satellites, long-wave signals have a decisive advantage: They penetrate buildings and their detection is not significantly affected by obstacles such as trees or high-rise buildings. They can be received without an exterior antenna using small ferrite antennas incorporated in radio-controlled clocks. The high broadcasted long-wave power makes possible compact battery- or solar cell-operated radio-controlled clocks without any cable connections. So the long-wave dissemination of time will remain attractive also in the future and continue to be a useful supplement to time transmission via satellite.