🕰️ Public NTP/NTS Time Server

This clock displays Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), derived directly from the server's authoritative system clock. To ensure accuracy, the display utilizes Network Latency Compensation and re-synchronizes with the server every minute.

✨ About This Server

Operating as a high-precision Stratum 1 time server since 2024, this system delivers time via Network Time Protocol (NTP) v4 and Network Time Security (NTS). The system is actively monitored and maintained on a permanent basis, with the goal of over 99% uptime for optimal performance and availability. We strongly recommend using NTS, which leverages cryptographic authentication to prevent packet manipulation and Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks, ensuring the verifiable integrity of your time source.

This server also participates in the NTP Pool Project.

• Stratum: 1
• Reference clock: Galileo satellite navigation system
• PPS: Yes, aligned to UTC
• Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
• Service area: North America
• Internet protocol: IPv4
• Access policy: Open to public (rate limits apply)

Contact Email: Loading...

⚙️ Hardware & Technical Details

The server operates on a Raspberry Pi 5 with 8GB RAM. A Waveshare timing HAT (Hardware Attached on Top) is attached to the 40-pin GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output) header of the Raspberry Pi. The HAT features a u-blox NEO-M8T timing module, which produces a 1 Pulse Per Second (PPS) signal with a timing accuracy of ≤ 20 ns.

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver is mounted in a fixed location with a near-unobstructed view of the sky, housed beneath a thin non-metallic roof for weather protection. The exact location of the GNSS receiver has been "surveyed-in", and the module operates in a "timing" mode, resulting in maximum timing accuracy.

The server also uses the National Research Council Canada (NRC) authenticated NTP pool of servers as backup time sources. In the rare event that the GNSS signals become unhealthy or unavailable, the server will switch to the backup NTP sources and will continue to serve time as a Stratum 3 server until the GNSS signals become healthy and available again.

For the benefit of anyone wishing to setup a public (or private) NTP/NTS server, we prepared detailed configuration instructions here.

💻 Usage Instructions

To use the server, add the following line in your configuration file for either NTPsec or chrony (or may be adapted to your environment):

• The iburst option accelerates the initial clock synchronization by sending a burst of 4–8 requests upon startup.
• The nts option enables the Network Time Security (NTS) mechanism for authenticated, secure time synchronization.