CHU to QSY its 7335 kHz to 7850 kHz

[Frank Gentges]

Tacoistas,

The Canadian time and frequency station, CHU, now broadcasts standard 
time and frequency signals on 3330, 7335 and 14670 kHz.  Canada did not 
get the prime allocations on even frequencies that WWV got.  I guess WWV 
got there first.  The WWV frequencies are used other places in the world 
and can be seen and heard from time to time.  WWVH broadcasts also on 
the same frequencies from Hawaii.

Some years ago I had a precise seconds tick pulse generated from a 
quartz standard that a scope could be synced with and the audio would 
show the WWV tick followed by other signals from around the world.  It 
was nifty to watch.

As of 1 January 2009 the 7335 signal will QSY to 7850 kHz to line them 
up with the international frequency allocation plan.

See

http://inms-ienm.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/common_files/stories/chu/communique_e.pdf

for more details.

I am not sure how much longer the HF broadcasts of time and frequency by 
WWV and CHU will continue given the wide availability and accuracy of 
GPS.  Right now there does seem to be enough use to justify the HF 
broadcasts.

Frank K0BRA