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Local Solar Time Clock?

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Deal Addict
Dec 7, 2011
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Whitehorse

Local Solar Time Clock?

Where can I buy a clock that shows the local solar time, correct for the location and time of day? Ideally with an alarm built in.

I want to give it as a Xmas present. If it also shows the official local time (according to the time zone), that is fine, but not required.

I can find software implementations online, but no hardware. All I find are solar-powered clocks, which is not what I need.
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Deal Expert
Feb 7, 2017
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Eastern Ontario
sokolov wrote: Where can I buy a clock that shows the local solar time, correct for the location and time of day? Ideally with an alarm built in.

I want to give it as a Xmas present. If it also shows the official local time (according to the time zone), that is fine, but not required.

I can find software implementations online, but no hardware. All I find are solar-powered clocks, which is not what I need.
Unlike local time … which is based on time zones
Local Solar Time is based on a particular locations position calculated in relation to the sun

So it’s far more of a mathematical equation / computation … than something that is far more generalized and can be mass marketed

For local time … you just buy a clock … and move the hands / digits to reflect the time zone you are in
The clock works easily enough in ANY TIME ZONE

Not so for a clock per se … that would need to be continually set for wherever the user is

However … there are certainly Apps that do it

And in this modern age … where most folks have given up watches for smart phones or smart watches … I think that’s prob all you are gonna find that meets your need

At least that seems to be all I found when I too did a GOOGLE

Even if there was “a clock” … it’s gonna end up being more of a computer program than anything else anyhow

An aside …
Solar time is like sundials
Interesting to talk about
But quite impractical to use
Deal Addict
Dec 7, 2011
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Whitehorse
Once you know your location (GPS or manual entry), the date, and the local time zone time, you can easily calculate the real solar time. It just takes a little bit of software.

I'd like to have a clock to put on a night stand or hang on a wall that shows the actual solar time. As a gadget, not to operate a public transit system. :-)
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Jun 12, 2007
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sokolov wrote: Once you know your location (GPS or manual entry), the date, and the local time zone time, you can easily calculate the real solar time. It just takes a little bit of software.

I'd like to have a clock to put on a night stand or hang on a wall that shows the actual solar time. As a gadget, not to operate a public transit system. :-)
You are looking for an “atomic clock”. It’s not really atomic itself. it’s radio synchronized to a time service / government time standard. There’s lots of them out there, here’s one

https://www.amazon.ca/Sharp-Atomic-Desk ... 2832&psc=1

I believe the latest trend is to use something like a google nest hub as an alarm clock. It’s time sync to google and you can display the weather forecast as well as access nest home cameras etc. I think Amazon echo displays can do the same ?
Deal Addict
Dec 7, 2011
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Whitehorse
l69norm wrote: You are looking for an “atomic clock”. It’s not really atomic itself. it’s radio synchronized to a time service / government time standard.
No. Not at all. I have one of those.

I want a clock that shows the REAL SOLAR time. Not the government time zone. When the Sun is at the zenith, I want the clock to show 12:00 (could be analog, but you get the drift), not whatever the radio synchronized government time standard is.

Akin to a sun dial that works 24/7.
Deal Fanatic
Dec 19, 2009
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sokolov wrote: No. Not at all. I have one of those.

I want a clock that shows the REAL SOLAR time. Not the government time zone. When the Sun is at the zenith, I want the clock to show 12:00 (could be analog, but you get the drift), not whatever the radio synchronized government time standard is.

Akin to a sun dial that works 24/7.
I don't think a sun dial works at night.
Deal Addict
Nov 12, 2006
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London
sokolov wrote: Once you know your location (GPS or manual entry), the date, and the local time zone time, you can easily calculate the real solar time. It just takes a little bit of software.
That's kind of easy to say, but harder to implement.
A mechanical clock is going to be quite difficult, and although I'm sure it can be done there is no economic motivation to do so for such a niche item.
A digital display would be easier, but again the niche economics come into play.

Like said below, it requires computing capability, and therefore easier via apps.
I appreciate the novelty of it, and it's even something I could be interested in just for that.
I think more of a DIY solution may be the way to go.
Get an old tablet or phone, and the app.
Put it in a nice frame.

Out of curiosity, I also did a search and I can't find anything either (except apps)
PointsHubby wrote: So it’s far more of a mathematical equation / computation … than something that is far more generalized and can be mass marketed
Yes, a couple of the key issues.
Deal Addict
Nov 12, 2006
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l69norm wrote: You are looking for an “atomic clock”.
No, they aren't.
pootza wrote: I don't think a sun dial works at night.
That would be the "akin" part
sokolov wrote: Akin to a sun dial that works 24/7.
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Jun 12, 2007
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sokolov wrote: No. Not at all. I have one of those.

I want a clock that shows the REAL SOLAR time. Not the government time zone. When the Sun is at the zenith, I want the clock to show 12:00 (could be analog, but you get the drift), not whatever the radio synchronized government time standard is.

Akin to a sun dial that works 24/7.

Maybe unlock a Lenovo smart display and run an astronomical clock app ?

https://www.xda-developers.com/lenovo-s ... roid-apps/
Deal Fanatic
Dec 19, 2009
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arisk wrote: That would be the "akin" part
Yes, it's all how you interpret the sentence.
sokolov wrote: Akin to a sun dial that works 24/7.
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Sep 16, 2015
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Calgary, AB
The magic phrase the OP is looking for is Local Mean Time (LMT).
Deal Addict
Dec 7, 2011
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Whitehorse
jaybeeg wrote: The magic phrase the OP is looking for is Local Mean Time (LMT).
No, LMT would be uniform throughout the year. That's not how the Sun rolls around the heavens on (most of) Earth.

I want true solar time. :-)
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
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SW corner of the cou…
Nee to go back a few hundred years and hire a junior British naval office, preferably a midshipman, at the nominal wages of the day to call out the solar non every (clear) day.
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China
Deal Addict
Dec 7, 2011
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Whitehorse
thriftshopper wrote: Nee to go back a few hundred years and hire a junior British naval office, preferably a midshipman, at the nominal wages of the day to call out the solar non every (clear) day.
That's one option, but I want it to work 24/7.
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
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sokolov wrote: That's one option, but I want it to work 24/7.
At nominal wages of the day, you could afford 3 of them on 4 on, 8 off shifts. Feeding them in current money might be a different thing.
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China
Deal Addict
Dec 7, 2011
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Whitehorse
thriftshopper wrote: At nominal wages of the day, you could afford 3 of them on 4 on, 8 off shifts. Feeding them in current money might be a different thing.
I probably could. However, I value my privacy. If rather have a machine than humans for this function.
:-)
Deal Expert
May 30, 2005
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The difficulty in finding one probably suggests the low practical use of one ;)

Like someone mentioned, get a tablet or smart display and install an app.
Tons of things for sale!
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Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
10217 posts
5530 upvotes
SW corner of the cou…
sokolov wrote: I probably could. However, I value my privacy. If rather have a machine than humans for this function.
:-)
Just had a thought. Fancy watchmakers come up with this challenge all the time so there's this watch that does the same.

https://swisswatches-magazine.com/blog/ ... ante-5887/

I wager 3 midshipmen a 1750ish wages will be much cheaper.

Maybe someone has a clock version.
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China

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