Logo of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
symbolic picture: "magazines"

Time is still being broadcast via longwave

PTBnews 1.2022
19.01.2022

For PTB, the long-wave transmitter DCF77 is still the most important medium for the dissemination of legal time in Germany. Millions of radio-controlled clocks throughout Europe receive the time signals that are broadcast at 77.5 kHz. PTB’s contract with the company Media Broadcast GmbH for it to operate the transmitter has just been extended to 2031. Due to continuous modernization of the facility as well as its unbeatable simplicity and reliability, it is still the state of the art to disseminate time via longwave – even decades after it was introduced. (Contact: Andreas Bauch, +49 531 592-4420, Opens local program for sending emailandreas.bauch(at)ptb.de)