How to make Voluntary Observing Ship (VOS) data available to the WMO ?
Data should be distributed onto the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) using the so called FM-13 SHIP format. Format is described in the WMO Manual on Codes, WMO No. 306, Volume I.1 “Alphanumeric codes”, see at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WMOCodes/VolumeI1.html#VolumeI1 In the framework of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), meteorological observations from ship – regarded as Maritime Safety Information – can be sent free of charge onto the GTS from the ships if sent via the Inmarsat satellite data telecommunication system using transmission code 41. The cost of transmission is paid by the meteorological service of the receiving country. The list of Inmarsat Land Earth Stations accepting Code 41 is available here. One easy solution is to get a free copy of an Electronic Logbook (e-logbook) software. E-logbook software permits to enter the observations manually into the system and to do the encoding in FM-13 SHIP format automatically. Encoded data can then
Data should be distributed onto the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) using the so called FM-13 SHIP format. As of 2012, the Binary Universal Form for the Representation of Meteorological Data (BUFR FM-94) should be used instead. These formats are described in the WMO Manual on Codes, WMO No. 306, Volume I, see at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WMOCodes.html In the framework of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), meteorological observations from ship can be sent free of charge onto the GTS from the ships if sent via the Inmarsat satellite data telecommunication system using transmission code 41. The cost of transmission is paid by the meteorological service of the receiving country. The list of Inmarsat Land Earth Stations accepting Code 41 is available here. However, in recent years, concerns have been expressed by some Meteorological Services supporting most of the related transmission costs because of the increasing concentration of Inmarsat services. One
