Filipino time gets precise

THE PHILIPPINE Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has engaged a California-based semiconductor firm to supply an atomic clock technology meant to cement its capability as the official keeper of the Philippine Standard Time.

Macrosemi Corp. touts its Precise Time Scale System (PTSS) as the industry’s most precise and stable timekeeping device that will help Pagasa’s Astronomical Observation and Time Service Unit (AOTSU) provide time service, flood and typhoon warnings, meteorological and other critical information.

The company claims PTSS can tell time down to its nanosecond and is ideal in establishing real-time synchronization sources for communication networks and navigation systems, establish a metrology and calibration laboratory, or to serve as an authoritative time server.

“The Philippines is now able to advance its role within the scientific community and better serve the specific needs of our country’s population and satisfy the requirements of the government by using the (PTSS) from Microsemi,” said Mario Raymundo, chief of Pagasa’s AOTSU.

Microsemi said the device is comprised of multiple 5071A atomic clocks, “which are aggregated to determine and deliver an optimal estimate” of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the basis for time synchronization throughout the world.

The company said the PTSS is ideal for national laboratories that need the most accurate timing as well as applications where nanosecond precision timing is critical.