In the world of amateur radio, few tools have become as iconic as the original HamClock, created by Elwood Downey (WB0OEW). However, with the recent passing of its creator and the news that the original servers may cease to function by June 2026, the community has rallied to ensure this vital shack accessory lives on.
Enter OpenHamClock.com: a modern, open-source spiritual successor designed to pick up where the original left off while adding 21st-century flexibility.
What is OpenHamClock?
OpenHamClock is a community-driven initiative to recreate and modernize the classic "kiosk-style" radio dashboard. It acts as a command center for your ham shack, providing a real-time visual display of everything a radio operator needs to know about the ionosphere, the sun, and the radio spectrum.
While the original HamClock was often tied to specific hardware or fixed resolutions, OpenHamClock is built on a modern web stack, making it accessible via any browser or devices like the Raspberry Pi.
Key Features & Improvements
The "Open" in OpenHamClock doesn't just refer to the license; it refers to the architecture. Here is what makes the new version stand out:
* Responsive Web Design: Unlike the original, which could be finicky with monitor resolutions, OpenHamClock uses modern CSS and JavaScript to scale perfectly from a 7-inch touchscreen to a 50-inch 4K TV.
* Hybrid Propagation Modeling: It integrates the ITU-R P.533 engine, offering high-fidelity HF propagation predictions directly on your map.
* Live Data Integration: * DX Cluster Spots: Real-time visualization of who is talking to whom.
* Space Weather: Live solar flux, sunspot numbers, and geomagnetic (K-index) data.
* Satellite Tracking: Real-time orbits and pass predictions.
* Modern Map Tiles: It utilizes Leaflet.js and OpenStreetMap, allowing for much smoother zooming and higher-detail satellite views than the legacy version.
* Easy Deployment: It can be run as a Docker container, deployed to the cloud (via Railway), or installed directly on a Raspberry Pi using provided scripts.
Why the Transition Matters
The original HamClock relied on a central server for much of its data. With that infrastructure scheduled to sunset in 2026, many "headless" Pi units and shack monitors would have gone dark.
The OpenHamClock project (found on GitHub) ensures that the backend is just as open as the frontend. By decentralizing the data sources, the project ensures that as long as there is an internet connection and a community of hams, the clock will keep ticking.
How to Get Started
If you’re ready to upgrade your shack’s "brain," you have a few options:
* Browser Mode: Visit OpenHamClock.com to see a live production version you can use immediately.
* Raspberry Pi: The project provides a setup-pi.sh script to turn a spare Pi into a dedicated kiosk.
* Docker: For the tech-savvy, a simple docker compose up will have you running a local instance in seconds.
A Legacy Continued
OpenHamClock is a touching tribute to Elwood Downey’s vision. It preserves the "glanceability" of the original while removing the technical bottlenecks of the past. For the modern operator, it’s not just a clock—it’s the pulse of the hobby.
