AVOS Observing Ships System
The Automatic Voluntary Observing Ships System (AVOS) is an automated weather station that transmits VOS program reports.
Real-time data display
Automatic quality control & corrections of elevation & magnetic variations
Transmits in universal FM 13 code
WatchMan micro controller technology
Applications:
- Maritime domain awareness
- Ports & harbours
- Wind speed & direction
- Waves
- Current speed & direction
- Water level
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Voluntary Observing Ships’ (VOS) program is an international initiative by which ocean-going ships are recruited by National Meteorological Services to take and transmit meteorological observations. The VOS meteorological reports provide essential data that are used for numerical weather prediction models, global climate studies, real-time reports for marine safety advisories and ground truth for satellite observations. These observations are collected and transmitted manually using a standard WMO format.
With assistance from Environment Canada, AXYS Technologies Inc. has developed an Automated Voluntary Observing Ships (AVOS) system which transmits fully automated VOS observation reports. These reports may be supplemented with touch screen manual input that is auto-coded, thereby greatly simplifying data entry and minimizing input error. AVOS automatically samples, processes, displays, logs and transmits weather data from VOS ships in the universal FM 13-X1 code to VOSCLIM (VOS Climate Project) standards. Through the use of touch screen technology and an intuitive software interface, manually observed data such as cloud height and type, present and past weather, wave conditions and ice can be added to the FM13-X1 ship report.
Automated quality control MANMAR protocols ensure that manual observations are correctly entered.
Corrections for elevation and magnetic variation are made automatically using region detection algorithms. Region detection also supports automated reporting modes for Synoptic (6 hr.), Intermediate Synoptic (3 hr.), and Data Sparse (1 hr.) reporting regions when required. STORM and SPREP conditions are also automatically detected and transmitted.
Based on AXYS’ proven high-reliability automated buoys, AVOS addresses WMO’s objective to improve the frequency and accuracy of global observations at sea.
Specifications
- GPS position & UTC time
- 3 hourly ship speed made good, course made good & pressure tendency
- True wind speed & direction
- Air temperature & wet bulb temperature
- Barometric pressure
- Sea surface temperature
- Vessel identification
- Power 110V, 220V or 12V
- Operating -40°C to +50°C
- Vibration & shock tested to MIL-STD 167-1
- NEMA 4X waterproof enclosure
- EMC tested to MIL-STD 461D, EV & IEC Standards
- Display for automated AVOS data
- Interface for auto-coded manually entered data
- 4/12 certification
- Relative Humidity: 0% to 100%
Automatically transmits data in FM 13-X1 code
- Real-time data display
- Data quality control as per MANMAR
- MANMAR and IMMT-II format data archive
- Image rich menus
- Voyage setup file
- Full Metadata database to WMO Publication
- 47 and VOS Climate Project Standards
The WatchMan500™ architecture is a key building block of the payload system proven in Environment Canada’s Weather Buoy Network.
The WatchMan500™ controller operates all sensors continuously providing real-time data for display on the bridge. Processing and data correction algorithms are handled by AVOS™ firmware. AVOS™ is capable of stand-alone logging without telemetry and a bridge interface.
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