NTP Software

Windows built-in timekeeping is just not good enough for modern digital communications. So here are some free software programmes for syncronising your Windows PC with one or several ntp/sntp time server/s.

All are capable of achieving a time accuracy for your PC clock within milliseconds of true time, more than adequate for todays demanding digital communication needs.

This is not a comprehensive list as I only include programmes that are competely free and not advertising supported and only for the Windows OS. If I have missed any let me know, contact details at the bottom of page. Click on any heading below to go to the product website for details and downloads.

1. Dimension 4. I first used this Windows time sync software over a quarter century ago and it is just as good and relevant now as it was then. Currently updated to version 5.31, it is very easy to setup and then forget about, as it just works.

2. NetTime. This replaced Dimension 4 for me as a simple, reliable, easy to install time sync for ham use. It functions similarly to Dimension 4, but will fall back to an alternative server if one fails.
Also, from version 3.20, if you tick the appropriate box in 'settings', it applies time changes gradually, so as to avoid the 'step change' time correction that may corrupt the occasional decode from WSJTX.

3. Time-Sync. With 20 years maturity and still under active development, like the two programmes above this is another simple, reliable, easy to install time sync which also features up to five redundant time servers.

4. Meinberg NTP. The gold standard of NTP. This is the only one on the list using full NTP as opposed to SNTP (the S = Simple) and utilising fully NTP's features and facilities. It is a programme developed by the Network Time Foundation and compiled for Windows by Meinberg and you cannot get better. However it comes with more complexity and if you are not confident with the installation of windows programmes and do not have some understanding of NTP, you are probably better off with any of the previous offerings.

NTP Time Server: ntp.ea7jxh.eu

NTP Time Server information.

Email: [email protected]

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