WHAT IS ZULU TIME?

UTC/GMT CONVERSION

Since radio signals can cross multiple time zones and the international 
date line, some worldwide standard for time and date is needed. This 
standard is coordinated universal time, abbreviated UTC. This was 
formerly known as Greenwich mean time (GMT). Other terms used to refer 
to it include "Zulu time" (after the "Z" often used after UTC times), 
"universal time," and "world time." 
UTC is used by international shortwave broadcasters in their broadcast 
and program schedules. Ham radio operators, shortwave listeners, the 
military, and utility radio services are also big users of UTC. All of 
the times and dates found here at DXing.com at UTC unless otherwise 
indicated.

Greenwich mean time was based upon the time at the zero degree meridian 
that crossed through Greenwich, England. GMT became a world time and 
date standard because it was used by Britain's Royal Navy and merchant 
fleet during the nineteenth century. Today, UTC uses precise atomic 
clocks, shortwave time signals, and satellites to ensure that UTC 
remains a reliable, accurate standard for scientific and navigational 
purposes. Despite the improvements in accuracy, however, the same 
principles used in GMT have been carried over into UTC.

UTC uses a 24-hour system of time notation. "1:00 a.m." in UTC is 
expressed as 0100, pronounced "zero one hundred." Fifteen minutes after 
0100 is expressed as 0115; thirty-eight minutes after 0100 is 0138 
(usually pronounced "zero one thirty-eight"). The time one minute after 
0159 is 0200. The time one minute after 1259 is 1300 (pronounced 
"thirteen hundred"). This continues until 2359. One minute later is 0000 
("zero hundred"), and the start of a new UTC day.

To convert UTC to local time, you have to add or subtract hours from it. 
For persons west of the zero meridian to the international date line 
(which includes all of North America), hours are subtracted from UTC to 
convert to local time. Below is a table showing the number of hours to 
subtract from local time zones in North America in order to convert UTC 
to local time:

Local Time		Subtract from UTC:
Atlantic Standard		Four hours
Atlantic Daylight		Three hours
Eastern Standard		Five hours
Eastern Daylight		Four hours
Central Standard		Six hours
Central Daylight		Five hours
Mountain Standard	Seven hours
Mountain Daylight	Six hours
Pacific Standard		Eight hours
Pacific Daylight		Seven hours
Alaskan Standard		Nine hours
Alaskan Daylight		Eight hours
Hawaiian Standard	Ten hours

A major source of confusion when using UTC is that the date also follows 
UTC. Suppose your local time zone is Central standard, and you want to 
hear a shortwave program scheduled to be broadcast at 0400 UTC Saturday. 
You do the math, and find that 0400 UTC is equal to 10:00 p.m. Central 
standard time. If you tune in at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, however, you 
won't hear the program. Since the date is also UTC, you need to listen 
at 10:00 p.m. Friday to hear the program.
To hear the latest time in UTC, you can tune to stations WWV, in Fort 
Collins, Colorado, and WWVH, Kauai, Hawaii, on 2500, 5000, 10000, and 
15000 kHz to hear the time announced in UTC each minute. WWV uses a 
man's voice to give the time, while WWVH uses a female voice. If you're 
like many radio hobbyists, you will soon add a second clock set to UTC 
to your collection of radio gear.

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