SYNOPSIS

       pcfdate [-qsuv] [device ...]

DESCRIPTION

       Get and display the date and time from a pcfclock(4) device and option-
       ally set the system time.

       If no device is specified on the command line pcfdate tries to read the
       time from /dev/pcfclocks/[0-2] and /dev/pcfclock[0-2].

       pcfdate is usually executed at boot time to set the system time.

       Never run pcfdate via cron(8) to set the system time.  pcfdate causes a
       sudden jump forwards or backwards, which can cause a variety  of  prob-
       lems in a system.  Always use the Network Time Protocol (NTP) to gradu-
       ally adjust the time.  A minimal  /etc/ntp.conf  that  uses  the  radio
       clock  as  its  reference  time source typically contains the following
       configuration commands:

              driftfile /etc/ntp.drift
              server 127.127.35.0
              fudge 127.127.35.0 flag2 1

OPTIONS

       -q     Do not output the time.

       -s     Set the system time.

       -u     Output Coordinated Universal Time instead of local time.

       -v     Output status information.

FILES

       /dev/pcfclocks/*
       /dev/pcfclock*

DIAGNOSTICS

       Operation not permitted
              Only a privileged user may set the system time.

       Resource temporarily unavailable
              Another process is accessing the radio clock.

AUTHOR

       Andreas Voegele

SEE ALSO

       pcfclock(4), settimeofday(2).



                                March 31, 2004                      PCFDATE(8)