§18 timing authority: consume or document as non-gating (sweep)

[mijahauan]

Systemic finding from the requirements baseline. Most RF clients read the hf-timestd §18 timing authority (/run/hf-timestd/authority.json via hamsci_dsp.timing.AuthorityReader) and stamp it into each record for provenance, but do not consume it to gate/correct timing — inventory reports uses_timing_calibration=false, timing_authority_applied=null.

For each client, decide and record one of: (a) wire it (apply the offset/tier to timing — required where sub-second/absolute accuracy is claimed), or (b) document as a deliberate non-gating provenance stamp (legitimate where data is minute/slot-quantized).

• superdarn-sounder — SDS-F-092 (Phase 2 needs absolute code-epoch; → superdarn Phase 2 epic)
• hf-tec — TEC-F-092 (absolute code-epoch PRN alignment; → hf-tec Phase 2 epic)
• codar-sounder — CDR-F-092 (TX-cycle alignment)
• wspr-recorder — WSP-F-090 (likely (b): minute-quantized — document the decision)
• psk-recorder — PSK-Q-009 (likely (b): 15s/7.5s slot-quantized — document)
• mag-recorder — MAG-F-094 (decide if PSWS needs UTC-anchored mag time)
• hfdl-recorder — HFD-F-090 (only if a sub-frame timing product is claimed)

Note: the consumer-side AuthorityReader is also quadruplicated across clients — closing this couples with the hamsci-dsp dedup epic (DSP-F-090).

[mijahauan]

Decision recorded for the slot-quantized clients. Each REQUIREMENTS §12 entry now states the §18 authority is read/stamped for provenance only and intentionally not applied (a deliberate design choice, not a gap), pushed to main:

• wspr-recorder (WSP-F-090) — WSPR/FST4W 2-minute window
• psk-recorder (PSK-Q-009) — FT8 15 s / FT4 7.5 s slots
• meteor-scatter — MSK144 slots
• hfdl-recorder (HFD-F-090) — dumphfdl owns frame timing; no sub-frame product

The 'wire it' half stays Phase-2 and is tracked in the component epics, not here: superdarn-sounder (absolute code-epoch PRN), hf-tec (amplitude/code-epoch), codar-sounder (TX-cycle alignment).

Left open (genuine question): mag-recorder MAG-F-094 — whether PSWS needs UTC-anchored magnetometer time is an owner call; not marked non-gating.

The consumer-side AuthorityReader quadruplication remains the coupled cleanup (→ hamsci-dsp dedup epic, DSP-F-090).