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NBS Frequency-Time Broadcast Station WWV, Fort Collins, CO

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NBS Frequency-Time Broadcast Station WWV, Fort Collins, CO 1 UNITED STATES 5PARTMENT OF OMMERCE UBLICATION NBS TECHNICAL NOTE 611 Y v \ U.S. NBS Frequency-Time PARTMENT OF FOMMERCE Broadcast Station WWV, National Bureau of Fort Collins, Colorado — NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS 1 The National Bureau of Standards was established by an act of Congress March 3, 1901. The Bureau's overall goal is to strengthen and advance the Nation's science and technology and facilitate their effective application for public benefit. To this end, the Bureau conducts research and provides: (1) a basis for the Nation's physical measure- ment system, (2) scientific and technological services for industry and government, (3) a technical basis for equity in trade, and (4) technical services to promote public safety. The Bureau consists of the Institute for Basic Standards, the Institute for Materials Research, the Institute for Applied Technology, the Center for Computer Sciences and Technology, and the Office for Information Programs. THE INSTITUTE FOR BASIC STANDARDS provides the central basis within the United States of a complete and consistent system of physical measurement; coordinates that system with measurement systems of other nations; and furnishes essential services leading to accurate and uniform physical measurements throughout the Nation's scien- tific community, industry, and commerce. The Institute consists of a Center for Radia- tion Research, an Office of Measurement Services and the following divisions: Applied Mathematics—Electricity—Heat—Mechanics—Optical Physics—Linac 2 2 2 3 Radiation —Nuclear Radiation —Applied Radiation -—Quantum Electronics — Electromagnetics 3—Time and Frequency 3—Laboratory Astrophysics 3—Cryo- 3 genics . THE INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS RESEARCH conducts materials research lead- ing to improved methods of measurement, standards, and data on the properties of well-characterized materials needed by industry, commerce, educational institutions, and Government; provides advisory and research services to other Government agencies; and develops, produces, and distributes standard reference materials. The Institute con- sists of the Office of Standard Reference Materials and the following divisions: Analytical Chemistry—Polymers—Metallurgy—Inorganic Materials—Reactor Radiation—Physical Chemistry. THE INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED TECHNOLOGY provides technical services to pro- mote the use of available technology and to facilitate technological innovation in indus- try and Government; cooperates with public and private organizations leading to the development of technological standards (including mandatory safety standards), codes and methods of test; and provides technical advice and services to Government agencies upon request. The Institute also monitors NBS engineering standards activities and provides liaison between NBS and national and international engineering standards bodies. The Institute consists of the following technical divisions and offices: Engineering Standards Services—Weights and Measures—Flammable Fabrics Invention and Innovation—Vehicle Systems^ Research—Product Evaluation Technology—Building Research—Electronic Technology—Technical Analysis Measurement Engineering. THE CENTER FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY conducts re- search and provides technical services designed to aid Government agencies in improv- ing cost effectiveness in the conduct of their programs through the selection, acquisition, and effective utilization of automatic data processing equipment; and serves as the prin- cipal focus within the executive branch for the development of Federal standards for automatic data processing equipment, techniques, and computer languages. The Center consists of the following offices and divisions: Information Processing Standards—Computer Information—Computer Services —Systems Development—Information Processing Technology. THE OFFICE FOR INFORMATION PROGRAMS promotes optimum dissemination and accessibility of scientific information generated within NBS and other agencies of the Federal Government; promotes the development of the National Standard Reference Data System and a system of information analysis centers dealing with the broader aspects of the National Measurement System; provides appropriate services to ensure that the NBS staff has optimum accessibility to the scientific information of the world, and directs the public information activities of the Bureau. The Office consists of the following organizational units: Office of Standard Reference Data—Office of Technical Information and Publications—Library—Office of Public Information-—Office of International Relations. 1 Headquarters and Laboratories at Gaithersburg, Maryland, unless otherwise noted; mailing address Washing- ton, D.C. 20234. - Part of the Center for Radiation Research. 3 Located at Boulder, Colorado 80302. ional Bureau f Standard! MAY 16 i972 [V^ QCC Git too UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Maurice H. Stans, Secretary NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS • Lewis M. Branscomb, Director Ti NBS TECHNICAL NOTE 611 ISSUED OCTOBER 1971 Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Tech. Note 61 1, 29 pages (Oct. 1971) CODEN: NBTNA NBS Frequency-Time Broadcast Station WWV, Fort Collins, Colorado Peter P. Viezbicke Time and Frequency Division Institute for Basic Standards National Bureau of Standards Boulder, Colorado 80302 »f rf*i c, <">cau ot NBS Technical Notes are designed to supplement the Bureau's regular publications program. They provide a means for making available scientific data that are of transient or limited interest. Technical Notes may be listed or referred to in the open literature. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Order by SD Catalog No. C 13.46:6 11), Price 35 cents CONTENTS Page 1. INTRODUCTION 1 Z. SITE DESCRIPTION AND SURVEY Z 3. BUILDING DESIGN Z 4. SYSTEM DESIGN . 11 4. 1 Antenna Design 11 4. Z Frequency- Time Code and Control Systems 14 4. 3 Transmitters Z3 4. 4 Monitoring System Z4 5. SUMMARY Z4 6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . Z5 7. REFERENCES Z5 LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1. Map showing location of site with respect to Fort Collins, Boulder, and Denver,. „ 3 Figure 2. Contour map of WWV and WWVB/WWVL showing location of transmitter buildings and antennas. 4 Figure 3. Photograph of the NBS Fort Collins field stations 5 Figure 4. Photograph of the WWV transmitter building 7 Figure 5. Floor plan of the WWV transmitter building 8 Figure 6. View of the transmitters along the south corridor of the building . 9 Figure 7. The south corridor of the building behind the transmitters, showing overhead cable trays, power line disconnect switch, and air ducts to the transmitters 10 Figure 8. Graph showing theoretical coverage of WWV for the Western Hemisphere during the summer at high solar activity. 12 Figure 9- Measured radiation pattern of the 15 MHz WWV vertical dipole. Deflection proportional to field strength normalized to a distance of 1 mile (1. 6 km) from the antenna. 13 Figure 10. Vertical radiation pattern of a vertical half-wave dipole located 3/8 ^ above good ground. The frequency is 10 MHz. 15 Figure 11. Design details of the WWV antennas 16 Figure 12. Photograph of the 25 MHz dipole antenna 17 Figure 13. A view of one of the 2.5 - 25 MHz standby antennas. .... 18 Figure 14. Block diagram of control equipment. 19 Figure 15. Photograph of control equipment. 20 Figure 16. Block diagram of the 10 kW transmitter. • ° 21 Figure 17. Block diagram of the 40 kW transmitter. 22 iv NBS FREQUENCY- TIME BROADCAST STATION WWV, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO Peter P. Viezbicke This report describes the design and construction of the National Bureau of Standards frequency-time broadcast station located at Fort Collins, Colorado. The principal function of the station is to broadcast basic. standards of frequency and time signals on frequencies of 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 MHz. These high frequency transmissions, which can be received on the simplest of equipment, pro- vide the necessary accuracy required to fulfill some of the needs of industry, Government, and the public. The tech- nical and administrative supervision of the station is under the Time and Frequency Division, Frequency- Time Broadcast Services Section, National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, Colorado. Key words: High frequency; standard radio frequencies; time-frequency broadcasts; time signals; WWV. 1. INTRODUCTION At 0000 hours GMT December 1, 1966, WWV transmissions were transferred to and placed into operation at Fort Collins, Colorado. The old and obsolescent Greenbelt, Maryland facility was replaced in its entirety at the Fort Collins site. Since its rebuilding in 1943, WWV-Greenbelt had made the basic standard of frequency- time service available continuously to its users through HF broadcast transmissions on frequencies in the 2.5 to 25 MHz range [l, 2]. Throughout the years, however, equipment became old, faulty, and continually in need of repair. In order to continue this most essential and widely-used service, Congress appropriated $970, 000 in 1962 to relocate the station in the west-central part of the continental United States. Funds became available the latter part of fiscal year 1964, the relocation program commenced in 1965, and WWV began initial broadcasts in December 1966. The new facility, located on a site near the present WWVB/WWVL station, not only provides a more reliable service throughout most of the country, but it is also in close proximity to the Boulder Laboratories, which provides its technical and administrative supervision. This report describes the
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