How to use the online alarm clock
Waiting for the BBC Radio 4 Shipping Forecast can make 10:17 pm feel oddly easy to miss, especially when you are watching the clock while finishing another small job. An alarm at this exact time gives you a clear cue to stop and listen. With 11:00 pm still 43 minutes away, the reminder also separates the broadcast from the rest of your evening rather than leaving you to keep checking the time.
Your Shipping Forecast cue needs to be audible over the radio and any sounds around you, so check whether your phone or computer is in silent mode before relying on it. Choose a tone you will recognise and set the volume at a level that suits the room. If the browser page is closed or the device falls asleep, the Shipping Forecast reminder cannot sound, which could leave the programme playing while your attention is elsewhere.
While you wait for the late-evening broadcast, a glass of water or a small, simple snack can sit beside the radio without demanding much attention. A full meal at 10:17 pm may turn listening into a rushed extra task, so anything requiring preparation can wait until afterwards. If you fancy tea, having the mug ready beforehand avoids the kettle masking the opening words.
Common questions
Will it still be right when the clocks change?
Yes. It reads your device's local clock, so the move between GMT and BST at the end of March and October is picked up automatically, as long as the computer's date, time and time zone are set correctly.
Can I use this on a phone?
It works in a mobile browser, but phones lock the screen and suspend background tabs far more readily than a laptop does, which can stop the alarm sounding. For anything important, a desktop or a plugged-in laptop is the steadier option.
Does the alarm still work if I close the tab?
No. Everything runs inside this page, so closing the tab — or quitting the browser altogether — ends the countdown there and then. Leaving it open in the background is all it asks, and switching to another tab makes no difference.
What happens if my laptop goes to sleep before 10:17 pm?
The tab sleeps along with it and the alarm will not sound on time, if at all. If you are relying on it, change the power settings so the machine stays awake, or keep a phone alarm running as well.
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