| How long have you been in business? We were one of the first exclusive online atomic clock businesses. We have been in business since November 1999 and have sold thousands of atomic clocks and watches to customers all over the US. We have earned the heavily sought “Top Service” label in Yahoo Shopping! with over a 97% customer satisfaction. We plan to continue to be a leader in the field in the many years to come. |
| How do atomic clocks/watches work? The government owns and operates an “atomic clock” which is located in Colorado. This atomic clock keeps precise time by dropping atoms. It is the most accurate clock in the world and is considered the official US time. The clock is hooked up to a huge radio antenna which sends out a strong radio signal across the entire contiguous US. Our clocks tune into that radio frequency, decode the signal, and automatically set their time to the US atomic clock. The clocks automatically search for the signal at least once a day in order to keep precise time. For more information and a coverage map please go here:http://www.nist.gov/pml/div688/grp40/wwvb.cfm |
| Will I be able to pick up the time signal where I live? The government recently upgraded the signal strength from 27,000 watts to 50,000 watts, therefore the signal currently covers the entire continental US. The signal is weakest on the east coast (the I-95 Northeast Corridor) so it may take a little longer to pick up the signal there, and in rare cases some people have not been able to pick up the signal (mostly in commercial metal/brick enclosed buildings with few windows). If you plan to set up some clocks in a brick office building or school we recommend trying out one (just to make sure you can pick up the signal) before you outfit the whole building with atomic clocks. Overall, 98% of our customers have been able to pick the signal. |
| How long does it take to pick up the signal? Each case varies depending on the strength of the signal at the time you set up your clock, the clock or watch you have, and your location. In most cases people are able to pick up the signal within a day (usually during the first night when the signal is the strongest). |
| Will I be able to return the clock if I can’t pick up the signal? Yes. If after 7 days you have followed the instructions and still have not been able to pick up the signal you may return your clock for a full refund (less any shipping costs). |
| Do your clocks work in Alaska or Hawaii? Unfortunately not. The signal does not reach outside the contiguous 48 states. |
| Do your clocks work outside of the US, like say in Europe? Unfortunately not. These clocks were designed only to pick up the US time signal therefore they only work in the US. |
| What about Canada and Mexico? The signal does penetrate into areas of southern Canada and Northern Mexico but unfortunately we do not ship outside the US at this time. |
| How do I set my time zone? Each clock is different but in each case you can set each clock & watch to any one of the 4 major US time zones (Eastern, Central, Mountain, Western). When you get your clock, you put in the batteries, set the time zone, and that’s it! The clock will take care of the rest. It is also possible to display different US time zones other then the one you are in (convenient if you want four clocks to display the 4 US times zones all at the same time). |
Do the clocks run on batteries and if so how long do they last? Shipping and Handling Shipping and Handling is free for orders over $100 within the contiguous USA. Shipping costs will be calculated in real-time before you finalize your order. We ship UPS and USPS Priority Mail. A 7.25% sales tax will be added to your order if you are a North Carolina resident. No tax will be added elsewhere. Our Pledge: We will NEVER sell your name or e-mail address to a mailing list. All information you submit to us will remain confidential. We respect the privacy of our customers!!! Every time you send us your credit card number and your billing and shipping information, our site will use industry-standard Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to prevent the information from being intercepted. Please save all original packaging and printed material. You may return your item within 30 days if you are not satisfied with your order. We will refund your money in full (not including shipping charges) with no restocking fee. We cannot refund your order after 30 days, if the product is damaged/changed in anyway due to accidental or abusive use, or if it is missing any of its orignal packaging/instructions. Please e-mail us and we’ll give you the details on returning an item. We are not responsible for any return shipping costs & shipping costs are not refundable. We accept Master Card, Visa American Express and Paypal as a form of online payments. Please do not send cash through the mail. We can not accept it. Also we do not accept money orders or COD’s. Atomic Clocks Online is committed to eliminating fraud on the Internet and by the mail. WE WILL PROSECUTE ANY ATTEMPT AT FRAUD TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW. |
