1. International Satellite Communications System (ISCS)
April 2, 2011
Robert Gillespie
Program Manager for the ISCS
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
U.S. National Weather Service

2. WMO Region Association IV (RA-IV) Meteorological Telecommunication
ISCS-G2e SERVICES
WMO Region Association IV (RA-IV) Meteorological Telecommunication
Network (RMTN)
Extends the distribution of required Global Telecommunication System (GTS) products into RA-IV
Facilitates the exchange of hyrdo-meteorological products within RA-IV
Point-to-multi-point transmission service is used to disseminate product from the Regional Telecommunication Hub (RTH) to RA-IV member States
Point-to-point circuits are used for RA-IV member State to send products to the RTH
World Area Forecast System (WAFS) , International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Provides World Area Forecast System (WAFS) data products to user States in conformance with ICAO Annex 3 requirements, and per the 1982 COM/MET Divisional meeting report:
‘The provider State be responsible for the generation of area forecast products,
and making them available in a uniform manner to user States”

3. ISCS Broadcast Coverage Map
Next 3 slides on broadcast tells how the data flows &/or disseminates correct? 3 3

4. ISCS RMTN & WAFS STATIONS
Atlantic Ocean Region (AOR)
Pacific Ocean Region (POR)
**RMTN** INTELSAT **WAFS**
INTELSAT 701 **WAFS**
INTELSAT 906 **WAFS**
Caribbean:
Antigua
Aruba
Bahamas
Barbados (Met Service)
Cayman Islands
Cuba (Met Service)
Curacao
Dominican Republic
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Haiti
Jamaica
Martinique
Saint Lucia
Sint Maarten
Trinidad & Tobago
Central America:
Belize
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Mexico (Met Service)
Nicaragua
Panama
South America:
Colombia
Ecuador
French Guiana
Guyana
Caribbean
Anguilla
Azores
Barbados (CMI)
Bermuda
Cuba (Aeroport)
Dominica
Montserrat
St. Kitts
St. Vincent
Tortola
Central America
Mexico (Aeroport)
South America
Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil (Aeroport)
Chile
Paraguay
Peru (Met Service)
Peru (CORPAC)
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela (2)
North America
Canada (3)
United States (4)
Europe
Exeter, England
Saint Pierre, France
Zurich, Switzerland
American Samoa
Australia
Brunei
Caroline Island
China (4)
Cook Island
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
East Timor
Easter Island
Fiji
French Polynesia
Indonesia (5)
Japan
Johnston Island
Kiribati
Mariana Islands
Marshall Islands
Nauru
New Zealand (2)
New Caledonia
Niue Island of Korea
Papua New Guinea
Peoples Republic of China
Philippines (2)
Republic of Korea
USA - Honolulu, Hawaii
Vanuatu
Wallis Island
Malaysia
Thailand
Viet Nam

5. Regional Telecommunications Network

6. Network Characteristics
ISCS-G2e Characteristics
Media C-band Satellite Transponder
User Interface: Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) Satellite Ground Station (SGS)
Channel Capacity: kbps ISCS Broadcast
Metrics: % Operational Availability
Protocol: Broadcast – Internet Protocol (IP) Broadcast
Compression: Broadcast – PDSend / PDReceive Software
IT Security Posture: US Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)
compliant
OPSnet Characteristics
Media Terrestrial telecommunication circuits
User Interface Juniper Edge Router / Firewall
Channel Capacity: kbps dedicated channel per site
Metrics: 99.9% Operational Availability
Protocol: FTP over Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) circuits
IT Security Posture: US FISMA Compliant

7. Data Broadcast Management
Both WAFS and RMTN Data transmitted to all stations simultaneously
Data is in TAR files managed by the PDSend /PDReceive software
Stations filter products for their particular need/application
WAFS Workatations1 employ software to ingest, manipulate, and transmit WAFS data products; effectively used in a similar manner for the RMTN GTS data products in RA-IV
Other computer configurations (with PD Receive software) can/are being used
ISCS Broadcast Product Baseline is managed by NWS and is available for review:
1 – See < > for further information.

8. Broadcast Prioritization
Priority 1: Tsunami Text
Priority 2: Alphanumeric Text
Priority 3: RMTN-AOR RADAR
Priority 4: GRIB I
Priority 5: BUFR/T4 FAX
Priority 6: GRIB 2

9. ISCS Daily Network Traffic Totals9

10. ISCS Daily Network Traffic Profile (GRIB 2 is not shown)10

11. ISCS Broadcast Performance Monitoring11

12. ISCS Data Collection & Performance Monitoring12

13. The Future of ISCS…
The current Verizon ISCS broadcast service terminates 30 June 2012.
NOAA’s NWS is identifying future ISCS alternatives, to be made available for use by WMO RA-IV users within the next 12 months.
NWS File Service:
The primary method for product availability will be through an Internet based, NWS File Service
Registered WMO RA-IV users will download [pull] products from the server
Service is similar to the existing US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) World Area Forecast Service (WAFS) Internet File Service (WIFS)
The NWS RA-IV GTS Internet File Service (GIFS) will make available to users the suite of products broadcast by the ISCS.
Backup for the NWS File Service :
NOAA’s NWS is considering a satellite based broadcast service
GEONETCast-Americas (GNC-A) is under consideration.
The NWS is working with NESDIS to fully understand and investigate the GNC-A’s ability to adequately address an ISCS broadcast role in the future. 13

14. ISCS References ISCS Web Page: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/iscs/
ISCS Points of Contact:
Program Leader Patrick Gillis NWS/ISCS x Satellite Systems Program Manager Robert Gillespie NWS/ISCS x 140

15. ISCS
Questions?