Customer Reviews

La Crosse Technology WT-3102S 10-Inch Atomic Analog Wall Clock, Silver

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

This is an attractive 10" clock, white face, silver bezel (also available with black). The unique feature is the ability to synchronize with the atomic clock (WWWVB) in Ft. Collins, CO. Watching the hands speed around the dial as it initially sets itself is worth the price of the clock in itself. We bought one for a play room and liked it so much we bought two more.

After placing the battery, the clock begins searching for the signal. Generally it only takes a couple of minutes to sync, but it came take up to 24 hours. You need to set the time zone in which you live (Pacific, Eastern, etc). The clock automatically adjusts for DST (part of the WWWVB signal, apparently). If you live in areas of the country that don't recognize DST, there is a button on the clock to disable the DST offset.

Note that for the clock to receive the WWWVB signal, it cannot be in a shielded environment. We've had no problems in our home placing the unit in various rooms with an outside window, but I suspect it might not work in a windowless basement (in which case it functions as a regular clock). My company bought a ton of similar clocks, only to find that they cannot receive the signal in a windowless, steel building. Your mileage may vary.

After receiving my La Crosse atomic clock, I followed the 4 simple steps on the back of the box and left it hanging on my wall overnight near a window on the west side of my house. Basically, to set it up all you do is install a AA battery and press a button on the back of the clock to set your time zone (ET, CT, MT, or PT), the clock will do the rest overnight. The reception of the signal appearently clearest during the night, according to the instruction manual.

Anyway, the next morning after hanging it on my wall the clock was in perfect synchronization with the time shown on my DirecTV satellite TV. I live in the greater Seattle area and had no trouble receiving the atomic timekeeping radio signal from Ft. Collins, CO. I'd rate this clock a 5 star buy. The only slight downside is that the construction is inexpensive plastic (not metal), but then the clock would probably cost a lot more if it were metal.

Note: The manual warns that this may not work in the interior of a building. Also, the clock probably won't receive a signal if you're inside a metal-framed building (such as an office tower). Wooden buildings with lots of windows will work best, especially if you're far from Colorado.

With the DST issues this year, this clock was annoying... I have two of them, and one worked (updated) and the other didn't. Now it's fine, but I think the automatic setting thing may be overrated.

The product is terrible. Takes forever to set time, when it does work it picks the wrong time. I have two. One sets the wrong time (even changes it when you manually set it), the other just keeps spinning around and around for hours. VERY poor reception. We have three or four other atomic clocks that have no trouble getting reception but these two are LOUSY LOUSY LOUSY - DO NOT BUY THIS CLOCK!!!!

Not the manufacturer's fault, I blame U.S. Congress for this....

The clock has an internal chip which did not recognize the earlier DST change this year. There was going to be such a long delay before being able to get a replacement chip and/or clock that we just returned the clocks. Disappointed.

Keep time very very accurately (as it should since it's atomic clock) but "Second" hand keep getting stuck and freezes from the first day i opened the box. battery life is excellent but material is not so top quality (but what should i expect from $15 or $20 clock?) I purchase this clock in july 2008.
But i have to admit, this clock still working so i guess it is a plus.

We have four of these clocks. First we bought one, thought it was really neat, and then bought three more.

Every clock has quirks. One refused to set the right time zone--and we live in Fort Collins, CO, home of the atomic clock. Telling the clock to set the time for another zone and then changing back to Mountain Time solved that one. That clock worked fine for two and one-half years. Now it's four hours slow. The same trick didn't work a second time. Removing the battery and reinserting it made the clock set the right time--for a few hours. Then it was back to four hours slow.

Two clocks spun their hands through twelve hours. One did this regularly at 4:00 for weeks but has stopped. After that escapade, the second hand is stuck. The other clock completely died.

The fourth clock's second hand never worked but the clock does keep time.

The clocks are great for amusement value but that isn't why you usually buy a clock.

Bought 3 of them. 2 are accurate to the minute. 1 is 1 min slower. Not bad at all. I'm in Rockville, MD 20850. The silver bezel looks rather cheap. (LOL, it is cheap plastic after all.) May not appear as silver to some ppl.

I really like this clock. I have it mounted in my garage and it seemed to do well for about 3 months. Then the paper clock face started to separate from the plastic back. I used some Gorilla glue to get it to stay attached to the clock back. However, this caused the paper to become "wavy" and uneven when it dried. Now I have a "wavy" clock face that keeps excellent time. I bought this clock on sale at amazon for $12 about a year ago so I can't really complain. I think that if this clock had been used indoors instead of my garage the face probably would not have separted. In any event, it has kept Excellent time from the minute I installed the battery. Worth the money.

I purchased 4 of these clocks in February 2008. 2 of those work as advertised, and 2 of them stopped working after 12 days. The minute hand just keeps winding rapidly, about twice a minute, instead of showing time. I called La Crosse support, and the lady who answered had me press the manual setting button 20 times and asked me to remove the battery, wait for 20 minutes, put the battery back on and leave the clock near a window. She said they will not replace the clocks under warranty, and that I had to ship the clocks back to them for testing and confirmation that it was not user error! The clock set itself to the right time overnight after that, and the second hand stopped moving later that day. I called customer service again, and they are yet to return my call 4 days after I left them a voice mail. Do not buy this POS product until you call LaCrosse first to see if you can get through to their product support.