Interesting. Glad that worked for you. But due to changing atmospheric conditions I don't think that trick will work each day.

 

Same area (I'm right on the eastern coast) and syncing is sporadic for me as well. I'll have to give this one a try and see if it works here.

 

If the clock radio has the AM broadcast band, it probably has an internal ferrite bar antenna. The WWVB signal being picked up by the ferrite bar is likely being inductively coupled to the tiny ferrite bar antenna in the watch. A tuned loop antenna that could tune down to 60 kHz would work even better. The AM broadcast band is about 9 to 28 times as high in frequency as WWVB is.

 

Possibly works in the same principle as this device from Citizen.

This is it, it's a passive component, no power required, just an antenna booster:

It is designed for the 77.5 kHz Mainflingen transmitter in Germany but it is likely that it works also for the 60 kHz Fort Collins signal.

During the night you just lay your watch beside this device which is said to greatly improve the reception.

 

Yep. Similar in concept to the Q-Stick antenna, which is a tunable ferrite bar (loop) for both longwave and mediumwave (AM broadcast band), whereas the one you show above is fixed at the frequency of the time signal transmitter.

http://www.dxtools.com/QStick.htm

 

Yes, it has an AM tuner in it, but what I am also noticing is that the watch has to be in the same position every time for it to work, and it may not always work. This morning, for example, it is flipping from L1 to L2 to L3, and the signal is not getting through strong enough to get a sync.

 

I repositioned it and it synced at 6:30.

 

Alden:
Texas is waay closer to Ft Collins than Fla. My 4 Multiband 6's used to sync only between 12 midnite and 5Am.
But sitting in my window sill, N W side of house syncs continuously. Thanks WWBV.
Son's GPS watch syncs no better. Ole Hattori was playin his A Game when his engrs designed Solar/Atomic. And for
cheep too.

X Traindriver Art

 

Oddly enough, this little corner on my wife's dresser is 100% on syncing every night. The weird thing is that they are next to a wall on the west end of the house, with the closest window about 4 ft away.

 

They may be right next to some wiring in the wall there that acts like a signal booster.

Stupid question...Would it help that my clock radio is also atomic?

Well, I'm no nucular fisisisist, but HELL YEAH!

Thanks for the tip. I've found moving the watch to different positions helps.

No problem. Glad I could be of service.

 

Stupid question...Would it help that my clock radio is also atomic?

 

Probably, because an atomic clock likely has a ferrite loop antenna that is tuned to the time signal station frequency (60 kHz for WWVB). If you properly position your watch's antenna so it is inductively coupled to the clock's antenna, this should help your reception. The trick is figuring out the proper position that results in maximum signal transfer.

 

Thanks for the tip. I've found moving the watch to different positions helps.

 

This is a good to know.

 

The Froggie hasn't had a sync since the 13th so I'll give it a shot tonight (though weather may be a factor).

BTW, here is an old pic of the clock I'm using

 

My G's always sync at night, but I can never get a manual sync during the day. The atomic clock on my nightstand, however, will sync instantly, day or night if the power is cut off and back on. I always wondered why. I guess it has a better antennae.

Casio should make antennae's for their watches too.

 

My G's always sync at night, but I can never get a manual sync during the day. The atomic clock on my nightstand, however, will sync instantly, day or night if the power is cut off and back on. I always wondered why. I guess it has a better antennae.

Casio should make antennae's for their watches too.

I just got my 1st atomic G-Shock. And I could not get the manual sync to complete. it always errors out. However, I am surprised that the last 2nights it has sync'd beautifully even while being worn to bed.

 

In Europe it just syncs better when worn in bed...

 

Weather is a factor in that if there is a lot of thunderstorm activity between you and WWVB, the noise on 60 KHz just overwhelms the signal, and the watch / clock can't sync.

Also a watch must, of necessity, have a very small and inefficient antenna.

 

Mine is syncing every morning around 6 now that I set it on manual sync and then put it on the clock radio, no problem.

 

A metal bar or rod through watch works for me...…..I used the curtain rod