[ntp:questions] Change poll interval at runtime?

Richard B. Gilbert rgilbert88 at comcast.net
Mon Feb 27 02:48:44 UTC 2012


On 2/26/2012 6:20 PM, unruh wrote:
> On 2012-02-26, Richard B. Gilbert<rgilbert88 at comcast.net>  wrote:
>> On 2/26/2012 12:55 AM, Ron Frazier (NTP) wrote:
>>> On 2/25/2012 5:05 PM, A C wrote:
>>>> On 2/25/2012 13:09, Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
>>>>> On 2/25/2012 1:20 AM, A C wrote:
>>>>>> On 2/24/2012 21:26, A C wrote:
>>>>>>> Is it possible to change the polling interval of one or more
>>>>>>> associated
>>>>>>> servers at runtime? It seems like I should be able to run:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ntpq -c "writevar&associd hpoll=N" or is it ppoll?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Actually, I should have been more specific and say change the minimum
>>>>>> polling interval. In other words, be able to adjust the conf file's
>>>>>> minpoll flag at runtime instead of restarting.
>>>>>
>>>>> What problem are you trying to solve?
>>>>>
>>>>> NTPD does a pretty good job of adjusting itself most of the time.
>>>>>
>>>>> Short poll intervals are useful when correcting large errors.
>>>>> Long poll intervals allow NTPD to make small corrections very
>>>>> accurately.
>>>>
>>>> The idea was to bump up the minimum poll interval after ntpd has been
>>>> running for a day or so to something more kind to the remote servers
>>>> because the refclock is holding the remote servers clamped to 64
>>>> seconds. If I set minpoll in the config file, then ntpd's start up
>>>> takes a long time because of a long poll interval. If I don't set the
>>>> minpoll, then ntpd doesn't do "a pretty good job" because it clamps
>>>> the polling interval.
>>>>
>>>
>>> I've noticed the same thing. You could try what I'm doing, although I'm
>>> still testing for the best configuration.
>>>
>>> # GPS Lines
>>> server 127.127.20.5 prefer minpoll 3 maxpoll 6 mode 72
>>> fudge 127.127.20.5 time2 0.3100 refid GPS1
>>>
>>> # Internet server lines
>>> # NIST New York
>>> server nist1-ny.ustiming.org minpoll 8 maxpoll 13
>>>
>>> # other internet server lines similar
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> Ron
>>>
>>>
>> NTPD adjusts the poll interval dynamically.  Just because MINPOLL=4 does
>> not mean that the poll interval is "stuck" there.  Give NTPD a
>> rock solid 1 second per second source it will ramp up the poll interval
>> to 1024 seconds.  Those "rock solid" ticks can frequently be found
>> 1:00AM to 5:00AM local time.  The net quiets down and NTPD takes
>> shameless advantage.
>>
>> If you really want good time and can afford a GPS *timing* receiver
>> that's the way to do it.  The last I heard, you could get a timing
>> receiver for $100 -- $300.
>
> Try $35. The Sure gps is a "timing receiver" in that it has a PPS pulse
> with a 20ns or so rise time, and probably comparable accuracy.
> If you want a receiver which a) does a location survey and then uses
> that location to derive the time even from a single sattelite, b) tells
> you what the sawtooth correction is
> (which may be what you think of as a timing receiver) then that is in
> the range you mention. Mind you if you are feeding a computer, you
> cannot actually get that ns level time accuracy into your system, since
> interrupts take 1-10us to be processed.
>
>
>>
>> ANY GPS receiver knows what time it is but the navigation receivers
>> give priority to location.  Timing receivers give priority to delivering
>> the correct time.
>>
> Unfortunately most gps may know what the time is but they keep it
> secret. You need to look for a PPS output to get the time out from the
> receiver.
>
>>

There are two types of GPS receiver, timing and navigation.  The 
difference is that the navigation receiver is optimized to calculate and 
report latitude, longitude, and elevation with the time being an
afterthought.

The timing receiver is designed to report the date-time and the location 
is available as an afterthought!  The position of the receiver is 
determined by a "site survey".  Once the location is known with the
desired accuracy, the time at the site can be easily determined.




More information about the questions mailing list