NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.

Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

PUBLICATIONS

A simple method for calibrating GPS disciplined clocks via direct comparison to a UTC(k) time scale

Published

Author(s)

Michael A. Lombardi, Bijunath Patla, Andrew Novick, Demetrios Matsakis, Stephen Mitchell

Abstract

Global Positioning System (GPS) disciplined clocks are referenced to the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) scale at the United States Naval Observatory (USNO), known as UTC(USNO). The UTC(USNO) time scale is a very close approximation of UTC, the official world time scale. Therefore, GPS disciplined clocks provide a very close approximation of UTC when they are properly calibrated to compensate for equipment and cable delays. This paper provides a simple method for calibrating GPS disciplined clocks with respect to UTC so they can replicate UTC as closely as possible. The method involves directly comparing the device under test to any UTC(k) time scale listed on the weekly Rapid UTC (UTCr) reports published by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM).
Citation
URSI Radio Science Bulletin
Pub Type
Others

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

calibration, GPS, time, UTC
Physics

Citation

Lombardi, M. , Patla, B. , Novick, A. , Matsakis, D. and Mitchell, S. (2021), A simple method for calibrating GPS disciplined clocks via direct comparison to a UTC(k) time scale, URSI Radio Science Bulletin, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=934906 (Accessed October 10, 2025)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact [email protected].

Created September 1, 2021, Updated June 6, 2024
Was this page helpful?