MoD spent £40,000 on calling speaking clock
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MoD spent £40,000 on calling speaking clock
BBC News - MoD spent £40,000 on calling speaking clock
Genuine question - why were people in the RAF calling the Speaking Clock?
What was the need?
Sun.
Genuine question - why were people in the RAF calling the Speaking Clock?
What was the need?
Sun.
Sun Who,
As I read it, it's not people "serving" in the RAF. It's people at MOD, probably CS types, and pollies. Someone has to ensure that the talking clock continues to be a profitable enterprise.
Smudge
As I read it, it's not people "serving" in the RAF. It's people at MOD, probably CS types, and pollies. Someone has to ensure that the talking clock continues to be a profitable enterprise.
Smudge
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
To check the time for time synch perhaps?
With accurate digital watches your ability to tell the time accurately for civilian work is good enough.
If you take a 4-ship, with 8 accurate digitals between them, you can expect to have at least 8 different times.
While a TOT may be specified as +/- 3 minutes it is necessary that all elements of a formation are on the same time. At 480 kts you are talking of 300 yards per second. If your watch differs from another in the formation by only 7 seconds you are talking a one mile difference in position error.
Then every ATC will be checking its chronometers daily. Flight planning in wing ops and squadrons will also be checking daily. Some chronometers may need checking more than once per day.
That is a lot of checking.
With accurate digital watches your ability to tell the time accurately for civilian work is good enough.
If you take a 4-ship, with 8 accurate digitals between them, you can expect to have at least 8 different times.
While a TOT may be specified as +/- 3 minutes it is necessary that all elements of a formation are on the same time. At 480 kts you are talking of 300 yards per second. If your watch differs from another in the formation by only 7 seconds you are talking a one mile difference in position error.
Then every ATC will be checking its chronometers daily. Flight planning in wing ops and squadrons will also be checking daily. Some chronometers may need checking more than once per day.
That is a lot of checking.
I understand the need for time checks. Call 01352 838081 to hear it free (assuming MoD is savvy enough to have 01 calling plan(!)). The point here is that MoD personnel must know that it costs money to call "Tim" but can't be bothered to find an alternative. "It's not my money". That attitude must pervade the entire department and will be costing the taxpayer a fortune.
so when my smartphone clicks to the next minute it is/ may be wrong? Never known it disagree with Rugby signal clock in my breakfast room.
Puzzled by this one.
Puzzled by this one.
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These days what is the reference for time? If you have an FM Radio, a DAB Radio, a computer, a Freeview TV tuned to the radio, a Freesat TV tuned to the radio, and I am sure other devices tuned say to Radio 4 there are a number of seconds between the start of the pips, so checking your watch by the radio is no use.
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My wristwatch is kept accurate by signals from Rugby. My IPad, phone and laptop are updated via Internet to the atomic clock. Even my blinking TV can update itself through the Internet for time. Why would anyone need to pay a penny for a time check. Of course, once you get into the subject of "it's only taxpayers money" you're in to a whole different ball game. This story mystifies me, I can't believe that MOD has so many stupid people working for it in this "enlightened" technical age.
Smudge
TBT, nice link there thanks.
Smudge
TBT, nice link there thanks.
Last edited by smujsmith; 23rd Aug 2013 at 17:21.
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They were probably calling the Speaking clock in the USA 
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Two things spring to mind. I have recently finished flying at RAFC Cranwell. I tried for 2 years to get ATC to LPO a clock that synched to the radio time signal. I got tired of the Local Assistant setting something within 2-3 minutes of the correct time. The last Sqn that operated jet ac at Cranwell had 5 such clocks.
Since just about every ac in the RAF now has GPS and other GPS time synched system, why not all use GPS time.
The reason that people use BT is because it is easy and the RAF fails to provide even the simplest thing, an accurate clock!!
Since just about every ac in the RAF now has GPS and other GPS time synched system, why not all use GPS time.
The reason that people use BT is because it is easy and the RAF fails to provide even the simplest thing, an accurate clock!!
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The phone that time forgot.
I can nether confirm nor deny a legend that on one UK unit I was posted to... there was a random unassuming store room tucked in a corner of nowhere. Where for some reason I would see the same small group of guys walk into, use the phone and then walkout.
Turns out it was an outside line tucked under a table that maybe someone forgot to disconnect after it was used as someones office several sqns and maybe many a/c types ago. And since then gathered dust as a store room.
Apparently one guy phoned a bar in South Africa to find out what entertainment they had on and what the beer prices were?
Turns out it was an outside line tucked under a table that maybe someone forgot to disconnect after it was used as someones office several sqns and maybe many a/c types ago. And since then gathered dust as a store room.
Apparently one guy phoned a bar in South Africa to find out what entertainment they had on and what the beer prices were?
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This type of negligence deserves to get exposed nothing short of criminal. I think your right barnstormer
I bet a fair chunk of this is deliberately malicious. Get the number blocked MoD and get it done now.
Originally Posted by barnstormer
Two reasons spring to mind:
To find out the correct time
And
To waste government money by ringing and then leaving the phone off the hook.
To find out the correct time
And
To waste government money by ringing and then leaving the phone off the hook.
I looked at this story and my heart sank as I knew it would be another case of 'the military are wonderful and nothing to do with the civvy scum who make up the CS, and who are to blame for all our woes'. Nice to see some posts confirmed this. More seriously, I read this not as a bunch of random staff ringing the speaking clock, but actually a technical fault -
" "A ban was introduced to our newest telephone network, but due to a technical error with some IT servers there has been some inadvertent spending on the speaking clock which has now been stopped."
Now, to my simple brain that implies a problem with something to do with DII or some other element which made the phones dial it - the phrase about IT servers and spending seems a typically clunky way of saying 'technical problem not human fault'.
" "A ban was introduced to our newest telephone network, but due to a technical error with some IT servers there has been some inadvertent spending on the speaking clock which has now been stopped."
Now, to my simple brain that implies a problem with something to do with DII or some other element which made the phones dial it - the phrase about IT servers and spending seems a typically clunky way of saying 'technical problem not human fault'.
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Clocks and Watches and DII
Have you stood in a room full of aircrew/ops/eng various when one of them insists on calling a hack and then spend the morning not only getting the clock put right but deciding whose time is accurate? If DII could do it let alone via the internet with inherent delay then it would work but don't rely on watches of about 30 people of various makes/types/expense who is right or not.
Doesn't account for £40K in one go though!
Doesn't account for £40K in one go though!
Last edited by tailchase; 23rd Aug 2013 at 17:58.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Try a time check on analogue and digital.
Try listening to the same programme on Freeview and Sky - they are out of synch.
GPS time may be a 'universal' time but the wrist watch is what you have in the briefing room unless someone drives an aircraft in to it.
Try listening to the same programme on Freeview and Sky - they are out of synch.
GPS time may be a 'universal' time but the wrist watch is what you have in the briefing room unless someone drives an aircraft in to it.