GoKawiilHobbyist converts 1995 TrueTime XL-AK GPS unit into Raspberry Pi NTP server
A maker restored a vintage 1995 TrueTime XL-AK GPS time server by gutting it and installing a Raspberry Pi 5 paired with Jimmy Paputto's L1 GNSS HAT, turning the old hardware into a working stratum 1 NTP time server. The project reuses the unit's original LCD screen and bicolor LED for status display, and the builder intends to add it to the public NTP Pool and use it for time services at the VCF Midwest event.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The project comes just weeks after a GPS-based timing failure caused a 12-hour nationwide outage of Telstra's cell network in Australia, highlighting how critical and fragile timing infrastructure can be. It shows how enthusiasts are exploring low-cost, DIY alternatives for reliable time synchronization using modern single-board computers and GNSS modules.
- A 1995 TrueTime XL-AK GPS time server was modernized with a Raspberry Pi 5 and GNSS HAT.
- The rebuild uses Chrony and NTP/Daytime protocols to serve as a stratum 1 time source.
- The project was partly inspired by a GPS timing failure that knocked out Telstra's network for 12 hours.
Raspberry Pi 5 (4GB) — This is the exact brain Jeff dropped into the vintage TrueTime chassis to turn it into a stratum 1 NTP server. With a GNSS HAT stacked on top, the Pi 5 handles chrony, the LCD, and status LED duties in one tidy board — and it's just as happy running your own home lab projects.
See Raspberry Pi 5 (4GB) on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: jeffgeerling.com, 2026-09-05
Published there as: “Rebuilding a 1995 GPS Time Server so I don't get Telstra'd”
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