How a GPS Time Server Works
A GPS time server is really a communication device. Its purpose is to receive a timing signal and then distribute it amongst all devices on a network. Time server s are often called different things from network time server, GPS time server, radio time server and NTP server.
Most time servers use the protocol NTP (Network Time Protocol). NTP is one of the Internet’s oldest protocols and is used by the majority of machines that use a time server. NTP is often installed, in a basic form, in most operating systems.
A GPS time server, as the names suggests, receives a timing signal from the GPS network. GPS satellites are really nothing more than orbiting clocks. Onboard each GPS satellite is an atomic clock. The ultra-precise time from this clock is what is transmitted from the satellite (along with the satellite’s position).
A satellite navigation system works by receiving the time signal from three or more satellites and by working out the position of the satellites and how long the signals took to arrive, it can triangulate a position.
A GPS time server needs even less information and only one satellite is required in order to receive a timing reference. A GPS time server’s antenna will receive a timing signal from one of the 33 orbiting satellites via line of sight, so the best place to fix the antenna is the roof.
Most dedicated GPS NTP time servers require a good 48 hours to locate and get a steady fix on a satellite but once they have it is rare for communication to be lost.
The time relayed by GPS satellites is known as GPS time and although it differs to the official global timescale UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) as they are both based on atomic time (TAI) GPS time is easily converted by NTP.
A GPS time server is often referred to as a stratum 1 NTP device, a stratum 2 device is a machine that receives the time from the GPS time server. Stratum 2 and stratum 3 devices can also be used as a time servers and in this way a single GPS time server can operate as a timing source for an unlimited amount of computers and devices as long as the hierarchy of NTP is followed.
