NMEATime2: Professional GPS Time Synchronization Software for SCADA & Industrial Systems

NMEATime2 is a specialized Windows software that synchronizes the computer’s system clock with the highly accurate time from a GPS receiver. Developed by VisualGPS, it operates as a Windows service that continuously disciplines the PC clock using the NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association) data stream received from the GPS

🕒 Primary Users

This professional time synchronization software is designed for:

  • SCADA System Engineers & Operators synchronizing workstations and servers in industrial control systems where accurate time-stamping is critical for event logging and alarm management.

  • Automation & Control Engineers ensuring precise time coordination across distributed control systems (DCS), PLCs, and HMIs.

  • Industrial Network Administrators maintaining synchronized time across multiple workstations in factories, power plants, and water treatment facilities.

  • Field Service Technicians using portable GPS receivers for time synchronization in remote locations without internet access.

  • Amateur Radio Operators & Digital Mode Enthusiasts achieving sub-millisecond accuracy for JT/FT modes using GPS time sync.

🎯 Key Features

GPS Time Synchronization:

  • Uses NMEA sentences (GPGGA, GPRMC, GPZDA) from GPS receivers to update the PC clock

  • Implements advanced control loop techniques to discipline the clock with GPS time 

  • Supports both traditional RS-232 serial and USB GPS receivers

Advanced Clock Disciplining:

  • Uses digital filters to minimize jitter and achieve the best reference for PC clock synchronization

  • Compensates for the inherent lag in NMEA messages (typically 0.4-0.8 seconds)

  • Provides millisecond-level accuracy suitable for most industrial applications

Communication Flexibility:

  • Works with modern USB GPS receivers (which appear as virtual COM ports) and traditional RS-232 serial connections

  • Compatible with popular GPS chipsets including u-blox (VK-172, VK-162) and other standard NMEA-compliant receivers 

Low Resource Usage:

  • Runs as a Windows service in the background

  • Minimal CPU and memory footprint

  • Continuous operation without user intervention