RAWS/AWS* Tech Note

Fire and Aviation Management Staff       	 	   RAWS/AWS* TechNote-2000- 02
Watershed and Air Management Staff

Date: 	25 September 2000

System: 	RAWS/AWS

Subject: 	Steps Necessary when Converting Telephone Telemetered Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) to GOES Telemetered Weather Stations (RAWS)

Purpose: 	Describe step-by-step process necessary to ensure that data continues to be delivered to WIMS when converting a non-satellite station to satellite telemetry.

Contact: 	Fire and Aviation Management Application Helpdesk
	Internet: fire_help@dms.nwcg.gov
	Phone: 800-253-5559
 
Background: There are specific steps the station owner must take when converting a non-satellite telemetered automatic weather station to satellite telemetry in order to ensure a continued flow of data to WIMS, with minimal data loss at the time of conversion.
Preinstallation: Work with your agency RAWS/AWS program administrator to obtain transmit time, NESDIS ID, and channel assignments on GOES satellite.
Day of Installation:

IMPORTANT NOTE:  This process should happen ONLY after the 1300 observation has been recorded and transmitted to WIMS.

The station owner should follow these steps:
•	Verify that 13:00 hour data has been delivered to WIMS.
•	Call National Systems Support Desk 1-800-253-5559 and ask them to discontinue HUB calls to your station (if HUB was in use) because you are converting to GOES.  If you have been sending data to WIMS via other software methods, make sure that this is discontinued or it will cause significant data flow problems in WIMS.

•	Edit station catalog in WIMS to include:
o	Enter 8 digit Nesdis ID in catalog (right below Station ID number)
o	Change station type to
•	3 = RAWS (satellite, non-NFDRS) to type 5 or
•	4 = RAWS (satellite, NFDRS) – to type 6
•	Warning: if you convert an NFDRS station (type 4) to non-NFDRS (type 5), the NFDRS data is deleted.
•	Install equipment as per manufacturer’s recommendation.
•	Call the BLM’s Remote Sensing Support Unit (RSSU) (1-208-387-5475) immediately after first transmission to assure that data has been correctly transmitted via GOES satellite.
•	Modify station information in ASCADS to show GOES telemetry, data logger type (if it has changed), etc.  Ask for assistance from the BLM’s RSSU (contact information above) or your agency RAWS/AWS program manager.