Time Code Formats: FAQ

What is a Time Code?

Time codes are digital representation of time information.  They can be segmented or unsegmented and use the international standard second as the fundamental unit of time.

An unsegmented time code is pure binary count of time units and fractional time units from a starting time called the “epoch”.

A segmented time code is one in which the count of time units and fractional time units is accumulated in two or more cascaded counters which count modulo of various bases and start from the epoch.

Why do we need to use Time Code?

Instrument data acquired from spacecraft have little value unless it is possible to recreate the significant environment of the instrument during the measurement collection phase.  In many cases, the instrument analysis can be based, nearly exlusively, on the sampled sensor time series.  Time provides the most efficient and of the only possible linkage between instrument data and externally generated ancillary parameters.

What are the Standard Time Code Formats?

Standard Time Code Formats used in Time and Frequency products are:

IRIG – The IRIG time codes, originally developed by the Inter-Range Instrumentation Group (IRIG), now used in government, military and commercial fields.

10MHz – A standard Frequency reference used for precise timing

1PPS – 1 Pulse per Second – a standard frequency output for precise time tracking

Have Quick – HAVE QUICK is a frequency-hopping system used to protect military UHF radio traffic.

NTP (Network Time Protocol) – a reliable way of transmitting and receiving time over TCP/IP networks and is useful for synchronizing the internal clock of computers to a common time source to millisecond accuracy.

Brandywine’s uses all of these standard Time Code formats in their large line of products. Please go to our Product page to see what solutions we have to your precise time and frequency needs.