Every digital device requires a timing clock inside it. Usually in the form of a crystal. Even old school computer communications wouldn’t work without it, ie RS232, RS485. That’s just for simple things. Hell, a processor chip like a PIC needs accurate timing or it can’t even do its job.
Digital radios with real-time encryption decryption need to make sure their bits are in the right place at the right time.
GPS guidance is even more dependent on deterministic timing to be accurate. Without it a lot of our fancy bombs and drones would have shit for accuracy.
Every digital device requires a timing clock inside it. Usually in the form of a crystal. Even old school computer communications wouldn’t work without it, ie RS232, RS485. That’s just for simple things. Hell, a processor chip like a PIC needs accurate timing or it can’t even do its job.
Digital radios with real-time encryption decryption need to make sure their bits are in the right place at the right time.
GPS guidance is even more dependent on deterministic timing to be accurate. Without it a lot of our fancy bombs and drones would have shit for accuracy.
And now I'm immediately distracted:
This is a dumb question, but...why does a radio need a clock? (edit: and why does timing rely on sattelites?)