NOUS41 KWBC 111400
PNSWSH

TECHNICAL INFORMATION NOTICE 08-73
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
1000 AM EDT THU SEP 11 2008

TO:      NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ OFFICES
         FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION /FAA/ USERS
         FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS
         OTHER USERS OF NWS AVIATION FORECASTS

FROM:    KEVIN L. JOHNSTON
         CHIEF...AVIATION SERVICES BRANCH 
     
SUBJECT: WEEKLY TEST TAFS TO ENSURE PROPER DECODING OF 30-HOUR
         TAF FORMAT TEST: ADDITIONAL TESTS AVAILABLE TUESDAYS
         THRU THURSDAYS 

REFER TO SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE /SCN/ 08-15 AND TECHNICAL 
IMPLEMENTATION NOTICE /TIN/ 08-37.

NWS WILL BE CONDUCTING TESTING TO ENSURE THAT TAFS ISSUED BY THE 
NWS WILL BE RECEIVED AND READABLE BY ALL USERS. THE FREQUENCY OF 
THESE TESTS WILL INCREASE. USUALLY THE TESTS WILL OCCUR EACH 
TUESDAY... WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE NEXT SCHEDULED TEST DATE 
WILL BE SEPTEMBER 16 2008.  

IN ADDITION TO THE ROUTINE TESTING...SOME TESTS MAY BE 
TRANSMITTED AT OTHER TIMES AS CHALLENGES ARE DETECTED AND 
OVERCOME. ALL TESTING WILL USE THE SPECIAL WMO HEADER FTXX90 
KWBC TO DISTINGUISH THE TEST TAFS FROM OPERATIONAL ONES. IN 
ADDITION SOME OTHER NATIONS ARE ALSO USING THE FTXX90 CCCC 
/WHERE CCCC IDENTIFIES THE NATION/. FOR EXAMPLE THE UNITED 
KINGDOM IS SENDING 30-HOUR TAF FORMAT TESTS UNDER FTXX90 EGGR. 

THE NWS TEST TAFS TRANSMITTED INSIDE THE FTXX90 KWBC BULLETIN 
WILL USE THE FOLLOWING FICTIONAL LOCATIONS:

FOR CONUS  
KABC  
KBCD  
KEFG  
KHIJ  
KIJK  
KKLM  
 
FOR ALASKA  
PAAB  
PAEF  
 
FOR PACIFIC  
PHBC  
PGAB  
PKAB  
PTAB  
 
FOR CARIBBEAN  
TJAA  
TIAE  
TNAB  
TKAB

A LINK TO THE TAF TESTBED AND TAF FORMAT EXAMPLES IS AVAILABLE 
AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/AVIATION/TAF_TESTBED.SHTML

USERS WILL NEED TO CODE THEIR SYSTEMS FOR FTXX90 KWBC TO RECEIVE 
AVAILABLE TEST TAFS.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS TECHNICAL INFORMATION 
NOTICE PLEASE REFER TO SCN 08-15 OR CONTACT:

    MICHAEL GRAF
    NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
    SSMC-2 STATION 13314
    1325 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY
    SILVER SPRING MD 20910 
    301-713-1726 X 117 
    MICHAEL.GRAF@NOAA.GOV
OR
    BETH MCNULTY
    NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
    SSMC-2 STATION 13322
    1325 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY
    SILVER SPRING MD 20910 
    301-713-1726 X 116 
    BETH.MCNULTY@NOAA.GOV

NWS SERVICE CHANGE NOTICES ARE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE/:

    HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM

$$
NNNN