ADCP firmware, mounting stabilized, CT cleaning schedule

[The following is an excerpt from an email from Jack Stamates (FACE project) that touches on some topics concerned this station's ADCP, its underwater mounting, and plans for regular cleanings of the CT.]

On May 22nd, 2009, Jack writes:

To fill in some details, RD has offered us a firmware Beta version but I am reluctant to deploy it because, if it hangs the instrument up, I am in deep trouble.  (I would need to recover the instrument and open the case.)  Once the Firmware is declared operational (which should be soon) I will give it a try.  Today, the divers stabilized the mounting which was drifting a bit.  They also cleaned the CT sensor.  This will now be done monthly.  The divers reported that there was a fair amount of fouling.

programming update, station photos

A view of the completed PVGF1 station, showing the meterological sensors (foreground) and the USCG channel marker where the oceanographic sensors are mounted (background).  The station electronics are wholly contained within the box to the left.

The CREWS/FACE station at Port Everglades today had its datalogger programming updated, and at the same time its locally-stored data were collected from memory.  These data downloads will be used to "patch" the archives where any of the hourly satellite transmissions failed to get through, and they also include data from the ADCP which does not report its data to the datalogger for near-real time dissemination.

New programming updates will now make it possible for us to feed this station's data to the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC), whence they will be included in the WMO's Global Telecommunications System (GTS), making them available for use by national weather services all over the world.  Look for the station's NDBC reports at:  http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=PVGF1