National Weather Service
Fischer-
Porter
Upgrade

Engineering & Acquisition Branch
W/OPS11:DAD/KRH
Installation Note 2.wpd
July 17, 2002

SUBJECT: Fischer - Porter Upgrade Installation at Operational Readiness Evaluation Sites

Purpose. As part of the Cooperative Observer Product (COOP) Improvement Program, the National Weather Service (W/OS7) is replacing the tape punch mechanism in Fischer & Porter/Belfort precipitation gauges with digital data recording and reporting capabilities. The planned replacement, known collectively as the Fischer - Porter Upgrade (FPU), has met contract acceptance test criteria and is certified for operational readiness evaluation (ORE) at selected sites prior to full program implementation.

The FPU is a replacement recording system that senses, converts, and records precipitation data at 15 minute intervals; maintains a non-volatile record of the data sufficient to support monthly data retrieval; allows operator notations to indicate changes due to emptying the gauge or other maintenance; provide a non-volatile removable electronic memory transport module; displays the amount of captured precipitation in inches of water; and, supports shaft encoder and thermistor measurements.

This procedure is authorized by the Chief, Observing Systems Division (W/OS7) for the limited purpose of providing instructions for the installation of the FPU at the ORE sites listed in Attachment A (text document).

A later NWS installation or equipment modification note will incorporate lessons learned during ORE and be issued to support the installation of production FPU equipment.