GPS servo clock idea

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Interfacing
1

So I want to make a clock that will automatically set itself and keep accurate time. So my best option would be to spend 60$ on a GPS module ya?

It will use 3 servos to move 1/2 circles with numbers written on them

lower one would be the ideal thing. and it would have 6 LEDs that would light up on 10 seconds.. so simple second display

What GPS module should i buy from sparkfun or adafruit that i could connect like the one here ?

http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Tutorials/GPS

Also with the servo library can i connect more than 2 servos?

2

A disadvantage of a GPS is that it needs the GPS satellites to be visible to the antenna; with most receivers this means locating the antenna outdoors.

Have a look at using a DCF (in europe) or WWV (in North America) radio receiver. This will also keep accurate time and the radio signal is much easier to pick up indoors. There are modules available that pick up the signal but I found it cheaper to by a cheap LCD radio clock and tear it apart to pull out the module.

If you are in north America, google WWV. If in Europe google DCF. I am sure you can probably find Arduino code for these modules.

There is an arduino library that supports more than two servos.

3

any good guides for a WWV receiver? how to wire it, program it? Does anyone sell a unit that can easily be connected to arduino?

4

yea i looked around for it, but there's really no info on what module could be extracted from a specific clock, or if it's possible to find one for arduino.

5

yea i looked around for it, but there's really no info on what module could be extracted from a specific clock, or if it's possible to find one for arduino.

try searching for wwvb

edit: there is page here that gives some background on these signals: Low-frequency radio time signals

6

http://www.amug.org/~jthomas/wwvbmod.html

i'll pick up one of those atomic analog clocks and see exactly how it calibrates, watch it for a while. Then prob just hook the coil output on an analog input...

7

I think you want to connect the one pulse per second (1PPS) output to a digital input. I used a module from a battery operated clock, connected the wires that were going to the battery (two aaa cells) to the arduino 5v supply. Connected the 1PPS output to an arduino digital input, no other components were needed.

this isn't the one I used, but its cheap enough to play with and perhaps will work for you: RadioShack.com Official Site - America's Technology Store