GOES DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM (DCS)

1. GOES DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM(DCS) KAY METCALF NOAA GOES DCS PROGRAM MANAGER

2. What is DCS? • Data Relay System • From Surface Based Systems • Through Satellite Transponder • To Ground Receiving System

3. Who? • Government Users • Federal • State • Local • International • Canada • Mexico • Central and South America • Island nations in the Pacific, Atlantic, Carribean • Western Hemisphere in GOES footprint

4. What? • Meteorological Observations • Land Based Platforms • Ocean (fixed) buoys • Oceanographic Observations • Ship Observations • Tide Monitoring • Hydrologic Observations • River and Dam Monitoring • Reservoir Levels • Water Quality

5. MAJOR U.S. USERS • United States Geological Survey and Army Corps of Engineers • Flood Monitoring • Dam Management • U.S. Forest Service and other Land Management Agencies • Fire Monitoring • National Weather Service • Weather, Flood Monitoring, Ocean Buoys • State and Local Agencies • Reservoir Levels, Fire Monitoring, Flood Monitoring

6. Major International Users • Canadian Environment Service • Weather, Ocean Buoys • Mexico National Weather Service • Weather, Fire Monitoring • Central and South American Hydromet • Chile, Colombia, Peru, Guatamala, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Ecuador, etc…

7. Usage Regulations • Regulated by Federal Law • Government Users, or Data of Government Interest • Environmental Applications • Limited National Security • Non Competition with Private Sector

8. Statistics • Approximately • 16,000 Active Platforms • 400 User Agencies • 100,00 messages per day

9. Transmitter Characteristics • Transmission Rates of 100, 300 or 1200 BPS • Most Have Multiple Sensors • Battery or Solar Powered, Some Electric • Remote Locations • Infrequent Maintenance Required • Most Newer Platforms have GPS for Timing Accuracy

10. Assignment Characteristics • 200 Channels Available for Domestic Use • Most New Assignments Hourly • Most at 300 baud • No New 100 Baud Assignments Allowed • 1200 Baud Requires 2 Channels • Stringent Requirements for Message Length • Most Use Primary Self-Timed and Secondary Random Assignments

11. Random Messages • Event Triggered • May Occur as Often as Every 2 Seconds • No Time Allocation Required • Specific Channels Set Aside for Random • Messages Transmitted Multiple Times to Avoid Collisions • Useful for Emergency Conditions When More Frequent Observations Required

12. User Responsibilities • Keep Platforms Operating Properly • Regular Maintenance • Immediately Repair Improperly Operating Platforms • Keep Database Records Up to Date • User Contact Information • Platform Location • Parameters Reported

13. Data Reception Options • DCS Automated Processing System (DAPS) • Direct Readout Ground System (DRGS) • Directly from GOES satellite • Commercial Satellite Broadcast • Continental U.S. • Limited Canada, Limited Central and South America • Not Dictated by Contract, so may change • Global Telecommunication System (GTS)

14. Benefits • Low Cost • Ideal for Remote Locations • Real Time Data Reception • Easily Shared Among Users

15. Other DCS Systems • Eumetsat Meteosat (MSG) • Japanese GMS • Russian GOMS • China FY-2 • India INSAT • Argos DCS • French Instrument on NOAA Satellite

16. How to Access International Satellite Systems • Most have web sites • Most are Members of the WMO Committee on Geostationary Meteorological Satellites (CGMS) • Contact your WMO Representative • NOAA HAS NO INFORMATION ON INTERNATIONAL ACCESS POLICIES

17. HOW TO CONTACT US • On the Internet: • http://noaasis.noaa.gov/DCS • Through Email: • Goes.dcs@noaa.gov • By Phone: • 301-457-5681 • By Fax: • 301-457-5620