NOUS41 KWBC 022140
Technical Implementation Notice 12-07
National Weather Service Headquarters Washington DC
415 PM EDT Thu Feb 2 2012
-Family of Services
-NOAA Weather Wire Service
-Emergency Managers Weather Information Network
Other NWS Partners and Employees
FROM: Joseph Facundo
Chief, Observing Systems Branch
Field Systems Operation Center
SUBJECT: 2012 Dates for Transition from the Lockheed Martin Sippican 1680 MHz(B2) Radiosonde to the Vaisala Model RS92-D Radiosonde
From April 1 through June 30, 2012, Eight Cooperative Hurricane Upper Air Station (CHUAS) sites are scheduled to Transition to the Vaisala RS92-D Radiosonde. The specific sites are as follows:
STATION NAME WMO # STN ID
BARBADOS 78954 TBPB
BELIZE 78583 MZBZ
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 78486 MDSD
GRAND CAYMAN 78384 MWCR
JAMAICA 78397 MKJP
SAN ANDRES 80001 SKSP
ST. MAARTEN 78866 TNCM
TRINIDAD 78970 TTPP
These Upper Air sites are not expected to be out of service during this transition.
NWS is transitioning from the Lockheed Martin Sippican 1680 MHz B2 Radiosonde to a Vaisala Model RS92-D Radiosonde. The major changes are a change from 6 second data to 1 second data. The RS92-D also has a faster responding temperature and relative humidity sensor and is equipped with a digital 1680 MHz transmitter. The Temperature sensor is a capacitive wire. The Humidity sensor is a thin-film capacitor, heated twin sensor and the RS92-D has a silicon based pressure sensor.
The format of the messages will be the same WMO format for coded
UA messages used with the IMS-1500 system. The coded message 31313 group from these Vaisala RS92-D radiosondes will indicate that the temperature data is not corrected for radiation.
The vendor has provided the Solar Correction for the Vaisala RS92-D radiosonde. The Table is the RSN2005 Radiation correction. The corrections in the table are a function of pressure and sun elevation angle. The corrections are subtracted from the measured Temperature.
For additional information on the coded message requirements, see WMO 306 Manual on Codes (International Codes): Volume I.1 Part A - Alphanumeric Codes and Volume II Regional Codes and National Coding Practices(WMO Region IV).
If you have questions or feedback, please contact:
Maintenance Branch (OPS12)
National Weather Service
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
301-713-0259 Ext. 133
National Technical Implementation notices are online: