name2004-iss4: IMPORTANT IMPORTANT Messages: 11 Entries..

THE LMM SITE WAS POWERED DOWN SHORTLY AFTER THE 18Z SOUNDING ON 15 AUG 04.
ALL SUFRACE AND UPPER AIR DATA CEASE AFTER THAT TIME.  THIS MARKS THE END
OF THE NAME DATA COLLECTION AT THIS SITE.

The notes to the tear down crew have been posted on the bulletin board
of the trailer.  The security was informed that NCAR will vacate the 
premises on or about 8-20.

The motosat went down around the 16Z sounding on 8-13.  We have a roving crew
in LMM that will hopefully get us back on line by this evening.  In any case,
soundings are being taken and the data are being stored.  We have instructed
roving crew/night shift to send data to GTS as soon as motosat is restored.

The satellite phone at LMM does not seem to be working properly.  Over the past couple of days, in looking at the log, calls were limited to less than a 
minute.  In using it myself, I was cut-off after about 30 seconds.  Whether the other calls were cut-off as well, I do not know.  The only other documentation 
of this possible problem was in the Morning Crew's August 8th Daily Log.  As
the satellite phone is one of our primary modes of communication, especially 
since cell-phone coverage can be weak at times, it is important that this issue be resolved.  We will attempt to use the satellite phone again, as this issue 
may just be fluke, but any insight or troubleshooting would be appreciated.  
You can email or call us on our cell at 668-102-1974 with any suggestions. 

Thanks!      

If sonde transport to Loreto is needed, we may send them via Aeropacifico 
from Los Mochis.  The cost would be $12.00 MP per kilo.  The flight schedule
is as follows:

Mon, Wed., Fri.

LMM Depart 8:30
LTO Arrive 14:30


The contact information for the Aeropacifico agent at the airport is (a 
hardcopy of the info is in the trailer but I include it here in case it
is misplaced):

Miguel Romero

7:00am-9am  Aeropacifico Counter
Tel. 8-27-27-21

2:00pm-10pm Aerocalifornia Counter
Tel. 8-12-25-43

The package may be dropped off any day of the week, even if there is not a 
flight that day.

Since I will be in Mazatlan Tuesday-Thursday of this week, it would be MOST
helpful if we could have a final decision by Monday afternoon (8-9) because
I am the only person in the LMM groupo that can speak Spanish and Sr. Romero
does not speak English.


Thanks.  

--Chris

While the roving crew was here earlier this week, Lou mentioned the possibility
that sondes may need to be transported via air cargo to Loreto.  To the
roving crew or Mike, please provide the number of sondes you need to transport
and when they need to be sent by next Monday morning (8-9) if you need to do 
this.  See 8-6 morning shift log for more details.

Thanks.  

--Chris

Mike requested that we provide the information on the remaining sondes at LMM. 
Here are all our sonde ID nos. as of this evening, not including the 4Z and 8Z
launches for 8-1.  Hopefully this information will be of benefit to ATD and
the roving crew in helping us solve the problem with the 408 sondes.

Sondes with 2 coefs:  these don't seem to have any apparent problems.  We
have been entering in coefs manually and will try the file Mike sent us that
has the coef info. Thanks, Mike for the file

213404605
213403601
213403709
213403602
213403606
213403701
213403714
213309409
213308702
213403710
213308700
213403713
213308810
213403915
213309405
213308808
213309408
213309407
213309412
213308809
213309411
213309404
213309402


Sondes with 4 coef: These have been problematic.  Three good launches, two bad 
ones, and a few bad sondes that weren't launched because the surface data
was grossly inaccurate

The 4 sondes that HAVE NOT had an attempted launch are:

408413812
408413806
408414005
408414006
408414014
408414015
408414008
408414102
408414011
408414101
408413803
408414811
408413500
408414113
408414109
408413808
408414001
408413815
408413503
408414000
408400710
408400708
408400702
408400805
408400814
408400801
408400700
408400910
408400809
408400914
408400802
408400810
408400701
408400912
408400800
408400804
408400808
408400806
408400704
408400913
408400815
408400811
408400703
408400707
408400909
408400711
408400812

The following 408 sondes had bad surface data and were not launched:

408414114
408414110
408414112
408414105

For the lauched "4" sonde information, please refer to the sounding logs.

These sondes remain on site and have been placed in a "problem sonde" box
so that the roving crew may inspect them.

The big question here is: how many of these unopened 408 sondes are good or
bad?  As I see it, the only way to be absolutely sure of how many good sondes 
we have left here would be to test the remaining unopened ones one by one.
I will leave it to ATD and the roving crew to instruct us on how to proceed.
A member of the roving crew should arrive here this week and hopefully
they will be able to investigate this problem and provide a possible solution.
We are OKAY with our sondes until then.

The problems that occurred on the two previous shifts with sonde coeffiecients
do not seem to be an issue anymore. The sondes beginning with "408" (2 boxes) 
are working without problems, and the sondes beginning with "2" work with the 
manual entry of the sonde coeffiecients. Problems must have just been a streak 
of bad sondes. No more sonde shortage problems are expected for the time being.


Sondes Left: 87
	Coeff. 3: 4
	Coeff. 4: 54
	Coeff. 2: 29 (The coefficients for these still need to be entered 
			manually because there is not a file for them.)

As per Steve and Roving crew request, Brad and I attempted to manually enter 
coefficient valuesfor a "4" sounde in GLASS system for 20Z sounding.  
To no avail, identical results were produced by GLASS where Temp, Pressure, and Moisture measurements were completely inaccurate by same factor as yesterday 
(e.g. Pres 1044.7 mb).  

We speculate that these coefficient values ARE correct for the "4" soundes, 
either by manual entry or from floppy file upload. Given the fact that 
coefficient entry always passes GLASS "synchronization" and "initialization"
phases, we believe that the problem remains exclusive to the sounde itself, 
in that its just simply faulty and malfunctional.

Since we tested this method only once on our last shift launch, Brad and I will 
attempt to manually enter coefficients again tomorrow on a different "4" sounde and "2" sounde. 

We also ask that the same manual entry be done for the "2" soundes first 
upon night shifts arrival. 

IF neither of these group of soundes work...ISS 4 is up shit's creek. 

PLEASE READ E-MAIL SENT TO MIKE SUSEDIK AND DAILY LOG REGARDING THE SITUATION 
WITH SONDE COEFFICIENTS.  THIS PROBLEM MUST BE RESOLVED WITHIN THE NEXT 24h or 
LMM IS OUT OF SONDES AS OF THE CURRENT IOP.

One of the UPSs appears to be malfunctioning as a result of a power down
exercise this morning.  We pulled out the power strips from this UPS and
set those in the remaining 2 functioning UPSs.  This will act as a temporary 
replacement until the malfunctioning UPS can be replaced by crew members, 
as we are unsure of the exact power sources that were connected to this one
and the electrical load on the system.

The power down was executed because there were three missed launches for the
8Z sounding due to computer malfunctions.