Time in TWL 2000

[Cdnwolf]

With Daylight Savings Time starting today it got me thinking about what happened to the concept of time after the world went to hell.

Who would be responsible for the setting clocks or would we revert back to the days of everything happening around the rising and the falling of the sun? Would we even need clocks anymore?

Just wondering?

[pmulcahy11b]

I would think that at least for a while, the local time would still be followed, and to an extent, global time. The military would especially still try to keep with Zulu Time for as long as possible. Eventually, everything would probably fall back to a series of local times; however, what local clocks still functioned would still be used. Humans seem to have a species-wide need to keep track of time.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

I would think that at least for a while, the local time would still be followed, and to an extent, global time. The military would especially still try to keep with Zulu Time for as long as possible.

Agreed. The official orders for Operation Omega printed in the Going Home module list all times in Zulu Time so we know MilGov forces at least were still using Zulu Time in late 2000.

[Legbreaker]

Anywhere there is military involvement, time will be very important.
Correct time is vital to almost every military operation - why else are watches synchronised during orders groups?
If the fire support element happens to cease firing a minute late, there is a very strong risk they'll be shooting up their own people. If they cease early, they allow the enemy the chance to catch their breath and prepare for the comming assault - possibly with equally devastating results.

The exact time might not be as important in small scale engagements as everyone simply being on the same page, but larger operations will require a common time over a wide area. This is why Zulu (aka Grenwich mean time) is used as the western standard, no matter where in the world you are.

[Cdnwolf]

I guess my real question is who is going to be the keeper of the official time? The worlds atomic clock was probably destroyed in one of the nuclear attacks and after batteries die in watches who is going to be the one to say what Zulu time really is?

Just curious.

http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java

[StainlessSteelCynic]

I tend to think that keeping the world's official time will be incredibly low on anyone's list of priorities. People will revert to local time and sometime in the future when a stable social climate actually exists, then perhaps someone will propose keeping an official 'world clock' for everyone's benefit.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Cdnwolf

I guess my real question is who is going to be the keeper of the official time? The worlds atomic clock was probably destroyed in one of the nuclear attacks and after batteries die in watches who is going to be the one to say what Zulu time really is?

Just curious.

At Greenwich you'd be able to use charts and tables and the time of sunrise and sunset to get a reasonably accurate fix on the time. I guess anyone within radio range of Greenwich would be able to syncronise their time over the radio?

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Cdnwolf

I guess my real question is who is going to be the keeper of the official time? The worlds atomic clock was probably destroyed in one of the nuclear attacks and after batteries die in watches who is going to be the one to say what Zulu time really is?

Just curious.

http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java

It will be approximated locally, and will probably vary from place to place depending upon timepieces and communications.

[Nowhere Man 1966]

Originally Posted by Cdnwolf

I guess my real question is who is going to be the keeper of the official time? The worlds atomic clock was probably destroyed in one of the nuclear attacks and after batteries die in watches who is going to be the one to say what Zulu time really is?

Just curious.

http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java

Well, you have various atomic clocks and other time system countries use. WWV is in Ft. Collins, Colorado and they broadcast their atomic clock signals on shortwave. You have WWVH in Hawaii doing the same thing. In Canada, you have their atomic clock on CHU in Ottawa. I know most European countries have time clocks as Russia and Red China. Australia has one and there are a couple in South America too, Columbia and Venezuela I think. Maybe South Africa too, I'm not sure. I guess the three candidates would be the South American and Australian ones although MilGov might get WWV going again. IIRC, WWVH is on the big island in Hawaii so that could escape damage too. Another problem is maintenance issues too, how easy is it to maintain atomic clocks. I know before atomic clocks were used, they used electronic quartz systems from the 1920's to now. Also you would need the astronomers to check accuracy too.

Chuck