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Canadian plans for precise time and time interval services are examined in the light of GPS capabilities developed for geodesy. We present our experience in establishing and operating a geodetic type GPS station in a time laboratory setting, and show sub-nanosecond residuals for time transfer between geodetic sites. We present our approach to establishing realistic standard uncertainties for short-term frequency calibration services over time intervals of hours, and for longer-term frequency dissemination at better than the 10(exp -15) level of accuracy.

A pilot project to establish an operational phase stable very long baseline interferometer (VLBI) for geophysical studies is described. Methods for implementation as well as practical applications are presented.

Very long baseline interferometry using natural radio sources was investigated as a possible time transfer method. Antennas were linked using a synchronous communications satellite instead of the customary independent frequency standards and tape recorders. A successful preliminary time transfer was performed using a wideband data link that was accurate at the 100 nanosecond level, and frequency standards were compared to a part in 10 to the minus thirteenth power over a 24 hour period using a phase coherent satellite link. The narrow band phase coherent link method is potentially capable of timing accuracy of 10 picoseconds, and frequency comparison accuracy of 10 to the minus sixteenth power, and is in addition economical of spectrum usage.