DEC.10, 2006

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CURRENT EMWIN OVERVIEW
DEC.10, 2006 Santos Rodriguez, NWS EMWIN
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What is EMWIN?

• The Emergency Managers Weather Information
  Network is a wireless, priority-driven computer
  weather data broadcast system that takes
  advantage of minimal wireless bandwidth.
• EMWIN provides rapid Satellite, VHF Radio, and
  Internet dissemination of
• Alerts / Warnings lt 1 minutes
• Forecasts 2- 5 minutes
• Graphics 10 15 minutes
• Imagery 10 15 minutes
• Other (as time permits)
• In severe weather non-warning products may take
  longer

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How it works

• Data are collected from a variety of sources
• 1. Gateway
• 2. Weather Wire
• 3. FTP
• 4. Internet
• They are assembled at the EMWIN servers and
• 1. Prioritized into high , mid , and low
  priority products
• 2. Split into 1k packets
• 3. Assembled into a 9.6kbs serial data
  stream

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How it works cont.

• The data stream is then sent to Wallops Command
  and Data Acquisition Station (WCDAS), NESDIS
  where it is Up linked to satellite (GOES 12 and
  GOES 11)
• At Pacific Region HQ, it is received from GOES-11
  and up linked to PSAT which relays the signal
  father west
• EMWIN products can be retransmitted by other
  methods
• Transmitted via radio frequency (local
  re-broadcast)
• Sent on the Internet (Byte Blaster)

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NWS EMWIN Architecture
GOES SPACE CRAFT

NWS GATEWAY SYSTEM
A C
DEDICATED ANALOG LINE
DEDICATED ANALOG LINE/T1 backup
WALLOPS CDAS
WEATHERWIRE SYSTEM
BYTE BLASTER NETWORK
B D
Tertiary System
EMWIN PC NETWORK
INTERNET CLOUD
EMWIN INTERNET PUSH BITSTREAM
EMWIN FEED SOURCES
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EMWIN Users

• National Weather Service Forecast Offices and
  Warning Coordination
  Meteorologists (WCMs)
• WCMs use EMWIN as a tool to promote the NWS to
  the public and for training Skywarn members,
  storm spotters and Local and National Emergency
  managers
• Canadian Met Service, South and Central
  American countries, Caribbean nations, Pacific
  Island nations, the NWS Pacific region
• Schools , amateur meteorologists, EMTs,
  hobbyists of all ages, storm spotters, storm
  chasers, Skywarn Network

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EMWIN Users cont.

• Many TV Stations in the mid-west, especially
  tornado alley
• Police Stations, Fire Stations, Emergency
  Centers, Emergency response personnel
• Re-broadcasters, paging networks
• Worldwide Internet Users via Byte Blaster network
• Weather Channel is known to use EMWIN
• U.S. Air force uses in remote areas

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EMWIN in the Pacific

• Currently PSAT (175w) rebroadcasts an EMWIN data
  stream
• Provides advance warning of tsunami and typhoons
• Weve received testimonials noting that after a
  severe event the only weather system still
  functioning is EMWIN
• Many island nations already use EMWIN to save
  lives and property
• Asiastar L band satellite (103 E) began
  transmitting EMWIN products in summer of 2006

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EMWIN VHF Re-transmission

• The EMWIN signal is re-transmitted locally using
  NWS or National Guard VHF frequencies to local
  communities
• Re-broadcasters can filter the national data
  stream and re-insert local emergency data or
  relay it in its entirety
• Texas counties use EMWIN in Police cars
• Floridas network (FWIN) uses heavy filtering and
  employs 1200 baud as its retran data rate, it is
  a very effective network used statewide by
  Emergency Managers.

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Typical VHF Re-transmission System
1690.725MHz
1690.725MHz
GOES EAST dish
GOES WEST dish
Internet or Intranet cloud
Custom local EMWIN Data stream
Receiver
153.950KHz
To Paging Network
VHF Transmitter
EMWIN SERVER
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Typical Radio Re-broadcast User
153.950KHz VHF EMWIN
0-100 mi from transmitter line of sight
Internet cloud
EMWIN VHF Radio Receiver
Optional Alarm Controller
Internet access to Byte blaster network
To Alarm Units
Standard Pentium PC
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Typical Satellite User

EMWIN SATELLITE Dish
Internet cloud
Optional Alarm Controller
Receiver
Internet access to Byte blaster network
To Alarm Units
Standard Pentium PC
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Byte Blaster Server

EMWIN SATELLITE Dish
Internet cloud
Optional Alarm Controller
Receiver
Internet access to Byte blaster network
To Alarm Units
Standard Pentium PC
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Why EMWIN works so well

• The equipment is inexpensive.
• An EMWIN system without the PC costs as little
  as 1,400 .
• The System needs little to no infrastructure.
• EMWIN runs on a laptop.
• A Solar powered version exists.
• Signal is Weather Proof due to L-Band
  transmission.
• USER 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).

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EMWIN Satellite Constellation
ASIASTAR L BAND
PSAT LBAND
103 deg. East
175 deg. West
GOES-11(West)
GOES-12 (East)
GOES-10 (Caribbean/S.A.)
GOES-13 (N)
104.5 deg. West
135 deg. West
75 deg. West
60 deg. West
TELSTAR5 KU BAND
97 deg. West