Welcome to
Washington DC Section

John Lowe, who served as Broadcast Manager for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) radio stations WWV, WWVH and WWVB in Colorado and Hawaii, will present a program on the history and operation of these very unusual—and very essential—shortwave and low frequency radio broadcast services.

In his presentation—" “NBS/NIST Radio Station WWV - The Story of an Old Timer””—Lowe will provide a history of the WWV operation, along with other stories and information about this “ground zero” source for ensuring the accuracy of the nation’s clocks and all other devices requiring a stable and highly-accurate reference source.

Lowe recently retired after a 34-year career with the Time and Frequency Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and its precursor organization, the Nation Bureau of Standards (NBS) in Boulder, Colorado. He initially served in the organization’s Atomic Standards Group, where it participated in constructing the National Frequency Reference (NIST-7). Lowe was awarded the Department of Commerce’s Gold Medal for his efforts in connection with this initiative. He was assigned to head up NIST’s Time and Frequency Services in 1995 and served in this position until his retirement in 2019. He served as Broadcast Manager for NIST radio stations, WWV, WWVH and WWVB, overseeing their operation, maintenance and enhancements. Lowe now serves NIST as Scientist Emeritus, representing that organization in several national and international bodies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, and a masters in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado.

DECEMBER 14 6:30-9:30pm - December Holiday Party. The SMPTE Washington DC Section and SBE Chapter 37 invite you to join us for our annual holiday party. We'll have an open bar 6:30-8:00 PM and heavy hors d'oeuvres. All members, colleagues, family and guests are welcome!