FORMAT CONVERSION TOOL

This powerful tool has the following functionality:

Enter a complete PIL header and get a report of all associated WMO headers and product descriptions
Enter any segment of the PIL header: CCC, NNN, or XXX and get report of all associated WMO headers and product descriptions
Enter a complete WMO header and get report of associated PIL header and product description
Enter any segment of the WMO header and get a report of all associated WMO headers and product descriptions
For an up to date listing of all NNN product categories, simply click on the box next to "To find the NNN or Product Description, Click Box."
To find the description of a particular NNN, type in the NNN and click the Box

NOTE: To access a second record, you must depress the BACK button on the Report page on your browser first, and then return to the conversion tool page.

This powerful conversion tool can be accessed by registering here. Go to Special Features. First, fill out the registration form. The next time, you can bypass the form per instructions. The site will instruct you on how to download a Java tool called Oracle Jinitiator. After downloading, go back to the main page and click on "Enter the WMO Header Database (Field Offices).

When converting from PIL to WMO, the program gives you the first line of the WMO header. The next step is to use the NNNXXX portion of the PIL header for the second line, which is the AWIPS ID line. You now have the complete WMO header and AWIPS ID.

As a further aid, this site provides a list of all System Operations Center Change Notices. After accessing that site, two notices are recommended: Scroll down and select CID XR-04 for an updated cross reference between the NNN product category identifier of the PIL header and the data type T1T2 of the WMO header, along with the product description, sorted by NNN. For the same cross reference, but sorted by T1T2, select the item directly following, i.e., CID XR-05. NOTE: these advisories update automatically and change their URL addresses, so that you must access them from this site, rather than by bookmarking them.