RBU, Radio communication station in Taldom, Russia.
RBU is a time signal radio station in Taldom, a town north of Moscow in Russia, that continuously transmits coded time data. It operates on a frequency of 66.666 kHz and sends information about the year, month, day, hour, and minute, updated every 100 milliseconds.
The station originally operated near Kupavna, a small town east of Moscow. In 2008, transmissions moved to Taldom, where the station has been active ever since.
RBU is one of the few stations in the world that broadcasts a coded time signal on a frequency of 66.666 kHz. This signal is used by measurement devices, laboratories, and scientific institutions that need a precise time reference.
The transmitter sits in an industrial area and can be seen from outside. Since this is an active facility with restricted access, visitors should arrange the necessary permissions before arriving.
RBU marks the start of each minute in its time signal by sending a pattern of five consecutive bits, which receiving devices can detect automatically. This allows the devices to identify the exact moment a new minute begins without needing any external reference.
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