The EMWIN Transition Plan – A Status Report

IMPLEMENTATION - COORDINATION MEETING ON THE GTS AND ISS IN RA V WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND 8 - 12 DECEMBER 2003 Fred Branski U.S. National Weather Service Team Leader for Data Management RTH Washington Focal Point

What is EMWIN?

• • The Emergency Managers Information Network is a wireless, priority-driven computer weather data broadcast system.

EMWIN provides rapid dissemination of: – Warnings < 2 minutes – Forecasts ~ 5 minutes – Graphics ~ 10 – 15 minutes – Imagery ~ 10 – 15 minutes – Other (as time permits) – In severe weather non-warning products may take longer December 8, 2003 2

Sample Forecast

• • • • • FPHW60 PHFO 201348 SFPHI STATE FORECAST FOR HAWAII NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 4 AM HST FRI JUN 20 2003 • • • • HIZ001>003-005-006-210200 STATE FORECAST FOR THE ISLANDS OF KAUAI-OAHU-MAUI-MOLOKAI-LANAI 4 AM HST FRI JUN 20 2003 ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY CANCELLED AT 4 AM...

• • .TODAY AND SATURDAY...MOSTLY CLEAR BUT FOR ISOLATED SHOWERS.

HIGHS MID 80S. LOWS 70 TO 75. TRADE WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH.

• • • • • .EXTENDED FORECAST...

.SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED WINDWARD SHOWERS MONDAY AND TUESDAY. HIGHS 80 TO 85.

LOWS 70 TO 75. TRADE WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH WEAKENING TO 10 TO 20 MPH MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

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Sample Image

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Sample Graphic

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EMWIN – How it works

• • • • Data are collected from a variety of sources – Gateway – Weather Wire – FTP – Internet They are assembled at the EMWIN servers and: – Prioritized – Split into packets – Assembled into a data stream The data stream is then sent to Wallops CDA (NESDIS) where it is: – Up-linked to satellite (GOES 10 & 12) The data stream is then available to be received by user stations – From here EMWIN products can be retransmitted by other methods • Up-linked to another satellite (ex. PSAT) • • Transmitted via radio frequency Sent on the Internet (BYTE Blaster) December 8, 2003 6

EMWIN Architecture

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Methods of Dissemination

• • • Primary Wireless Methods – GOES East and West – PeaceSAT Secondary Wireless Methods – Commercial Satellites – TV SAP channel – TV Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) – Radio – Pagers Internet December 8, 2003 8

Why it works so well

• • • • • • • • • The equipment is inexpensive – An entire turnkey system costs as little as $1k System needs little to no infrastructure – Easy to run on a laptop – Ex. Solar powered version exists Signal is “Weather Proof” due to L-Band transmission Equipment is relatively compact and is very rugged The Data-stream is free, repeatable and can be customized for local retransmission EMWIN is non-proprietary Multiple inexpensive software display packages are available A large and knowledgeable user community to help monitor performance and answer user questions (EMWIN user list) Transmission covers 3/4 of world surface December 8, 2003 9

GOES East and West footprint

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EMWIN in the Pacific

• • • • • GOES West broadcast PeaceSAT broadcast – Currently PeaceSAT rebroadcasts the entire EMWIN data-stream – Could be customized for the Pacific Provides advance warning of Tsunami and Typhoons Testimonials received have reported that after a severe event the only weather system still functioning is EMWIN Many island nations already use EMWIN to save lives and property December 8, 2003 11

EMWIN current specs

• • • •

Frequency on GOES - 1690.725 MHz Modulation – Dual Frequency Shift Keying (DFSK) Speed - 9.6 kbps Power – EIRP = 51 dBmi

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Why is change necessary?

• • • • EMWIN shares spare bandwidth in the existing WEFAX channel The EMWIN/WEFAX broadcast was allowed to exceed UN ITU authorized power level by special exception NESDIS GOES N/Q series will use all of former WEFAX channel bandwidth for new Low Rate Information Transfer (LRIT) broadcast Must move EMWIN to its own channel, at reduced power December 8, 2003 13

What changes will be made?

• • • • Power level will be reduced to 44.5 dBmi New L band carrier frequency will be 1692.7 MHz Forward error correction will be added Modulation scheme will be changed from DFSK to binary phase shift keying (BPSK) December 8, 2003 14

What the NWS has done so far

• • • • Upgrade of all EMWIN servers – All programs now 32 bit – Network has been upgraded – All servers now fully redundant EMWIN GOES-N Transmission server created – Transmission now 19.2 kbps (downlink 9.6) – It’s been under test since May 1, 2003 – No problems have been encountered Communication lines to NESDIS installed – Lines have been tested operationally using the current system – Installed new modems and they are in use operationally Installed a downlink system to monitor EMWIN GOES-N broadcast when available December 8, 2003 15

Space segment restrictions

• • • Original plan to use GOES-8 GOES-8 now diverted to back up GOES-9 Present view: – GOES-8 & 9 available for manufacturer testing – Use GOES-11 during its annual test cycle For west coast of US and Pacific area December 8, 2003 16

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EMWIN transition planning

NWS/NESDIS joint effort Revised transition plan in preparation, to include – Technical specifications – Schedules – Transition steps Prototype software demodulator and receiver is being developed by NESDIS – Will be capable of operating in both present and future EMWIN operational modes with keystroke switching – Development contract awarded on June 23, 2003 with delivery expected in November, 2003 • System currently under test December 8, 2003 17

Prospective timetable

• • 2003 – Sept – Prototype user workstation available, – Dec – Complete user workstation testing & documentation 2004 – Jan - Issue final technical specifications to manufacturers and users – Mar – Integrate & test EMWIN-N uplink equipment • • 2004 cont’d – Apr to July – Manufacturers & users test new workstation using GOES-8 or GOES-9 – June – GOES N available for public testing – Sep to Jan 2005 – Deployment of new workstations 2005 – Transition GOES-West to the EMWIN-N – Transition GOES-East to the EMWIN-N 18 December 8, 2003