When I purchased ours a few years ago Shirley said it was a waste of money. I will admit that the idea of automated time accuracy attracted me. The time display is always correct, plus or minus 1 second. Its accuracy is due to a broadcast signal from our US Naval Observatory Alternate Master Clock, Colorado Springs, CO. At 2:00 a.m. each day our clock activates its receiver to capture the time broadcast signal. Thus, the display never strays from the correct time.
Yet, another feature attracted Shirley's interest quite early on. A remote sensor located on our car port reports the outdoor temperature to the indoor display. In fact we see both indoor and outdoor temperatures simultaneously. Shirley will check the outdoor temperature display to determine whether she will need a jacket before venturing out, for example.
Whenever Shirley decides to check the outdoor temp she does so quite easily. Sometimes I hear about how hot the day is getting in summer or how cold it is becoming in winter. Never again have I heard a complaint about the cost of our device. It has been worth the approximate $40 we gave for it.
One more thing. Because we get automated time accuracy, the time and date for springing forward into Daylight Saving Time is programmed on an internal memory chip. Accordingly, when the time / date arrives to fall back it happens as well. The chip can be switched off for areas that do not observe Daylight Saving Time (e.g. Arizona).
One of these days I shall replace the kitchen clock with an atomic clock. I still must change the time in my car and on the microwave oven. One day that will change I am sure.
I am looking toward retirement. My sense of importance will be severely diminished when I am no longer needed to run around the house twice a year to ensure that all clocks are set properly. Then again, retiring from that might be a good thing.
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