GVAR Test Broadcast
June 08, 2004

A planned upgrade of the GOES Sensor Processing System (SPS) computers that process Imager and Sounder instrument data and generate a GVAR stream has been completed. The upgrade will make this system compatible withthe next series of GOES satellites (GOES-N/O/P). NOAA has scheduled a test broadcast of the GVAR through GOES-11 (stationed approx. 95 degrees west longitude) to allow select users to receive the output from these systems in advance of them going operational. The current schedule has these broadcasts beginning Monday, June 21st, 2004 and continuing through Friday, June 25th. It is NOAA’s intention to run GOES-12 Imager and Sounder instrument schedules on these dates.

Users should be aware that a GOES-11 maneuver is scheduled for Tuesday, June 22nd, and there will be a coverage outage from approx. 2 - 5 AM EDT This may cause navigation on GOES-11 to be diminished in quality from that seen on either GOES-10 or GOES-12, but users should not expect to see any differences in the GVAR being broadcast during this time. While new GVAR parameter are being added to support GOES-13 and beyond, these parameters are being placed in spare fields, and should not affect systems designed for earlier versions of GVAR.

It is NOAA’s plan to make the “Modernized SPS” operational for GOES-10 and GOES-12 starting sometime in July. The transition to the Modernized SPS for GOES-9 will follow shortly thereafter.