VOS Quick Reference Guide - National VOS Programme Managers

The purpose of this "Quick Reference Guide" is to:

1. Help newly appointed personnel become familiar with their JCOMM responsibilities;
2. Reacquaint experienced personnel with their JCOMM responsibilities; and
3. Promote the resources available to fulfil these responsibilities.

Note: This guide is presented in point form and should be used in conjunction with the Quick Reference Guide for Port Meteorological Officers, as the separation of responsibilities and tasks expressed here might not be representative of all countries. This guide is not intended to be the definitive list of VOS Programme Manager functions, however when combined with the Quick Reference Guide for Port Meteorological Officers they should cover the basic requirements, including the international responsibilities, of operating a national VOS Programme.

• On receipt of a recruitment or de-recruitment advice from a PMO, add, terminate or update the ship's record in the national VOS database as appropriate. The database as a minimum should store the required metadata for WMO No. 47 (PDF, 305 kb).
• On receipt of an inspection advice from a PMO, update the ship's record in the database as appropriate, including:
  • Dates and details of equipment changes; and
  • Dates of instrument calibration.

• In collaboration with national PMOs, investigate ships in the national VOF that are suspected of producing erroneous data or whose data are not being received within prescribed model cut off times. In addition to the global VOS monitoring tools listed in the Quick Reference Guide for Port Meteorological Officers, other useful tools include:
  • Monthly VOSClim Suspect List, emailed directly to the VOSClim Focal Points (PDF, 60 kb); and
  • JCOMMOPS QCRelay email messages.
• Use the Météo France search tool for multiple ship recruitment to enquire if any ship in the national VOF has subsequently been recruited as a member of another national VOF. In the event that a ship has been multi-recruited, contact the other recruiting country and reach a bilateral agreement about the ships(s) in question.

• Email WMO with the national VOF list in WMO No. 47 Metadata Format Version 03 (PDF, 305 kb).
  • 15 January: for the national VOF as at 31 December;
  • 15 April: for the national VOF as at March 31;
  • 15 July: for the national VOF as at 30 June; and
  • 15 October: for the national VOF as at 30 September.
• At the end of each month, and to assist the UK Met Office to prepare personalised national VOS monthly monitoring statistics, email the RSMC with the current national VOF list. The VOF list shall be in TXT format and conform to the following format:
  • Beginning in column 1: callsign;
  • Beginning in column 13: ship name; and
  • Beginning in column 57: ISO code of the recruiting country.
• Respond to email messages from the RSMC delivered through the JCOMMOPS QCRelay about any ship in the national VOF suspected of providing erroneous data, to:
  • Report on the investigation of the suspected problem; and
  • Advise of any corrective action(s) taken.
• Complete and email to WMO by 15 March each year as national input to the SOT Annual Report, the following template documents distributed by WMO on behalf of the SOT:
  • Country-SOT-NR-YYYY.doc; and
  • Country-VOS-YYYY.doc.
• If the country also operates a SOOP and or an ASAP, it is recommended that a single national SOT Focal Point is appointed with responsibility to:
  • Collect the following electronic documents from the respective national Focal Points as appropriate:
    • Country-VOS-YYYY.doc;
    • Country-SOOP-YYYY.doc; and
    • Country-ASAP-YYYY.doc
  • Complete the Country-SOT-NR-YYYY.doc document on behalf of all programs;
  • Submit the SOT National Report to WMO; and
  • Be the primary national contact for the SOT.

• In conjunction with the appropriate personnel in the NMS, ensure that all BBXX received through the national LES, (or by other means e.g. radio, facsimile, phone) are collated into Ship Bulletins and distributed on the GTS.
• In conjunction with the appropriate personnel in the NMS, ensure that SHIP data collected from the GTS or in paper or electronic logbooks from the national VOF, are electronically archived.
• In conjunction with the appropriate personnel in the NMS, provide SHIP data for the WMO Marine Climatological Summaries Scheme (MCSS). The data shall be:
  • Quality controlled using Minimum Quality Control Standards (MQCS):
    • The current version is MQCS-V (PDF, 110 kb); and
    • MQCS-V compliant validation software is available on request from either GCC/UK or GCC/Germany.
  • Submitted regularly, e.g. quarterly, in International Maritime Meteorological Tape (IMMT) format to both the GCC/UK and GCC/Germany:
    • The current version is IMMT-III (PDF, 60 kb); and
    • Advise the GCC/UK and GCC/Germany when the data are available and request their preferred method of electronic delivery, e.g. email or FTP.

• Arrange for regular national training workshops for PMOs.

• Notify the VOSClim Data Assembly Centre (DAC) and RSMC (UKMO) when changes occur in the national VOSClim fleet. Minimum details shall include:
  • Ship name;
  • Callsign;
  • IMO Number;
  • Date of recruitment or de-recruitment; and
  • Date of changes to ship name and or callsign.
• Advise the VOSClim DAC of potential VOSClim recruitments.
• Provide the VOSClim DAC with a copy of the digital photographs, including captions, taken at VOSClim Certificate of Participation presentations.
• Email the RSMC about any ship listed on the 'VOSClim Suspect list', to:
  • Report on the investigation of the suspected problem; and
  • Advise of any corrective action(s) taken.

• Circulate the 4 yearly Marine Meteorological Services Monitoring Questionnaire for completion by ships in the national VOF.