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WT-3143H 

 

Radio Controlled Analog Clock 

 

Quick Setup Instructions 

 

 Welcome to the world of atomic timekeeping technology. We hope you 
will enjoy the convenience of never having to set your clock again and 
the confidence of knowing exactly what time it is.

 

 
 
 

 

A locking pin may be placed into the movement at the factory to 
prevent shifting of the hands during shipment.  Remove the locking 
pin directly below the Reset button.  This will unlock the hands and 
enable the clock to set itself after receiving the signal. 

 

Set the clock to your 

time zone

 by moving the indicator arrow to 

appropriate zone:  P (UTC-8 Pacific Time), M (UTC-7 Mountain 
Time), C (UTC-6 Central Time), E (UTC-5 Eastern Time) 

 

 

Enable the Daylight Savings Time Auto Adjust feature by moving 
the DST switch to “ON”.  If you are in a time zone that does not 
follow DST, make sure you set the DST mode to “OFF”.  The 
Daylight Savings Time feature is disabled when the switch is set to 
“OFF”. 

 

 

Insert 1 new AA, LR6 1.5 volt ALKALINE battery in the analog 
clock battery compartment according to the polarity marked on the 
case. 

 

 

Once the battery is installed, the radio reception mode is activated 
and the second, minute and hour hands will automatically reset to 
the 12:00 position.  Once the hands are in the 12:00 position, the 
movement will start searching for the radio signal.  The search 
procedures takes approximately 3 to 10 minutes after all hands 
have set to the 12:00 position.  If a signal is found within the first 3 
to 10 minutes, the clock will set to the correct time.  If the clock 
does not receive a radio signal soon after activated, the clock will 
start running from the 12:00 position and will continue to run.  In 
this case, do not attempt to reset the hands manually even though 
the time displayed on the clock is incorrect.  The clock is 
synchronizing to the WWVB signal and once the radio signal is 
decoded, the hands will automatically adjust to the correct time. 

 

 The 

WAVE

 button can be used to attempt an enforced signal 

receipt.  To activate, hold the WAVE button down for 3+ seconds.  
Once the WAVE feature is activated, the hands will automatically 
reset to the 12:00 position, and the movement will attempt to 
enforce a signal receipt from Fort Collins, CO.  If the movement 
successfully receives the signal, the clock will reset automatically to 
the correct time.  Generally, the signal enforced receipt takes 
approximately 3-8 minutes.  If the clock still fails to receive the 
signal while in the WAVE mode, the clock will automatically leave 
the WAVE mode.  In this case, set the clock manually according to 
instructions below and the time keeping function will be controlled 
by the movement’s micro-CPU. 

 

 

 

Manual Set: 

On rare occasions in certain areas, the clock may not 

be able to utilize the radio-controlled function because of either the 
strength of the signal or the geographic location.  In this case, the 
clock can be set manually and used as a regular quartz wall clock.  

If it is necessary to set the clock manually, press and hold the SET 
button for 3+ seconds to activate the manual mode.  Once the 
clock is in manual mode, there are two ways to move the minute 
hand forward. Hold the SET button down to move the minute hand 
forward consistently.  Or, press the SET button rapidly (more than 
once per second) to move the minute hand forward step by step (in 
minute increments). Use these features to move the minute hand 
forward until the correct time is set.  The clock will automatically 
leave manual mode after the SET button is not pressed for 6+ 
seconds. 

 

 

Reset:

  If the clock does not respond to the various function 

modes, you can reset the clock by pressing the RESET button on 
the movement case.

 

 

 

Internal Synchronization:

  Once the clock has been set correctly 

by the radio signal, the clock’s CPU operates continuously.  To 
ensure accuracy, the clock synchronizes the position of the second 
and minute hands to the time calculated by the CPU every day.  
Second hand synchronization occurs at 1:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. 
and minute hand synchronization occurs between 1:50 and 2:01 
am every day.   

 

 

Signal Interference:

 In some cases, the signal can be affected by 

weather conditions and electrical interferences, or the location of 
the clock itself may result in poor reception.  If the clock has not 
synchronized to the correct time within a few days of activation, you 
may wish to move the clock to a different location.  Try to place it 
near an outside wall closest to the direction of Colorado.  Avoid 
placing the clock near electrical items such as TVs, microwave 
ovens and computers.   

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTHING IS MORE PRECISELY MEASURED THAN TIME! 

Since the beginning of time, man has been fascinated with the 
measurement of time and has devised more accurate machines to trap 
and measure time. Today, time is precisely measured in the United 
States by the most accurate clock in North America, the Atomic Clock of 
the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, Time and 
Frequency Division in Boulder, Colorado. A team of atomic physicists 
continually measures every second of every day to an accuracy of ten 
billionths of a second per day.  These physicists have created an 
international standard, measuring a second as 9,192,631,770 vibrations 
of a Cesium 133 atom in a vacuum.  This atomic clock regulates the 
WWVB radio transmitter located in Fort Collins, Colorado, where the 
exact time signal is continuously broadcast throughout the United States 
at 60 kHz to take advantage of stable long wave radio paths found in that 
frequency range.  Radio waves at these low frequencies use the earth 
and the ionosphere as a wave-guide and follow the curvature of the earth 
for long distances. 

 

The built in antenna system will receive the WWVB signal anywhere in 
North America within 2000 miles of Fort Collins where long-wave radio 

reception is undisturbed.  A microprocessor activates the receiver and 
processes the time signal from Fort Collins overnight. 

 

 

Through the radio signals, La Crosse Technology atomic clocks always 
keep precise time.  The changeover from standard time to daylight 
saving time, and vice versa, takes place automatically with the same 
precision. 

 

The La Crosse Technology atomic clock is designed for indoor use.  For 
indoor locations, select a location to place your radio controlled clock 
where it will be at least six feet away from a TV, computer, air conditioner 
or other household electrical appliances.  The optimal location is near a 
window. Windows facing Colorado provide the best signal.     

 

 

Notes: 

 

Do not submerge clock in water.  

 

Extreme temperatures, vibration, and shock should be avoided to 
prevent damage to the clock.

 

 

 

The WWVB time signal will easily penetrate masonry and wood framed 
buildings.  The WWVB signal will penetrate almost every residential 
building and most steel buildings if they have adequate windows.  It is 
not possible, however, for the WWVB signal to penetrate most indoor 
shopping malls and rooms in the center of large office buildings that do 
not have windows.  In buildings that WWVB cannot penetrate you may 
set the time using the manual time set button.  When the clock receives 
the WWVB signal it will automatically set the hands to the exact time. 

 

La Crosse Technology atomic clocks do not receive or process 
radio controlled time signals from Germany’s DCF 77, Japan’s J Ga 
AS, or England’s MSFs atomically regulated transmitters.  La 
Crosse Technology atomic clocks can be manually set and used 
anywhere. Please Note

: WWVB time will over ride a manual setting. 

 

For more information on the NIST and radio controlled time, see 

www.boulder.nist.gov/timefreq/

  

 

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME 

The National Institute of Standards and Technology and WWVB encode 
a special DST “bit” in the WWVB transmission for DST.  Your La Crosse 
Technology clock will read this information and automatically advance 
the hands one hour in the spring and eleven hours in the fall. 
 

WARRANTY 

La Crosse Technology, Ltd provides a 1-year limited warranty on this 
product against manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship. 

 

This limited warranty begins on the original date of purchase, is valid only 
on products purchased and used in North America and only to the 
original purchaser of this product.  To receive warranty service, the 
purchaser must contact La Crosse Technology, Ltd for problem 
determination and service procedures.  Warranty service can only be 
performed by a La Crosse Technology, Ltd authorized service center.  
The original dated bill of sale must be presented upon request as proof 
of purchase to La Crosse Technology, Ltd or La Crosse Technology, 
Ltd’s authorized service center. 

 

La Crosse Technology, Ltd will repair or replace this product, at our 
option and at no charge as stipulated herein, with new or reconditioned 
parts or products if found to be defective during the limited warranty 
period specified above.  All replaced parts and products become the 
property of La Crosse Technology, Ltd and must be returned to La 
Crosse Technology, Ltd.  Replacement parts and products assume the 
remaining original warranty, or ninety (90) days, whichever is longer.  La 
Crosse Technology, Ltd will pay all expenses for labor and materials for 
all repairs covered by this warranty.  If necessary repairs are not covered 
by this warranty, or if a product is examined which is not in need or 
repair, you will be charged for the repairs or examination.  The owner 
must pay any shipping charges incurred in getting your La Crosse 
Technology, Ltd product to a La Crosse Technology, Ltd authorized 

BATTERY 
COMPARTMENT 

DST ON/OFF BUTTON 

SET BUTTON 

RESET BUTTON 

WAVE BUTTON 

TIME ZONE SWITCH 

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