V. Synoptic Encoding

Section 2 Reporting

Section 2 Reporting

In the boxes below, enter your observation values as you would report them on form CNMOC 3141/3. Here are the sea state observations for your synoptic report.

Sea surface temperature: 8.09 °C

Seas: Wind waves, 1 foot, 2 sec, WNW

Predominant swell: 5 feet, 12 sec, SSW (210°)

Secondary swell: 2 feet, 6 sec, S (180°)

Type your answers in the boxes, then click Done.

sea surface temp SsTwTwTw:
 wave period PwPw:
 wave hgt HwHw:
 swell direction dw1dw1dw2dw2:
predom swell period Pw1Pw1:
 predom swell hgt Hw1Hw1:
 sec swell period Pw2Pw2:
 sec swell hgt Hw2Hw2:

The correct encodings are:

sea surf temp SsTwTwTw:
0081		 wave period PwPw:
02		 wave hgt HwHw:
01		 swell dir dw1dw1dw2dw2:
2118
predom swell period Pw1Pw1:
12		 predom swell hgt Hw1Hw1:
03		 secondary swell period Pw2Pw2:
06		 secondary swell hgt Pw2Pw2:
01

Sea Surface Temperature

Table III-4-3 ss—Sign and Type of Sea Surface Temperature
Code Meaning
0 positive or zero intake measurement
1 negative intake measurement
2 positive or zero bucket measurement
3 negative bucket measurement
4 positive or zero hull contact sensor
5 negative hull contact sensor
6 positive or zero neither intake, bucket or hull
7 negative neither intake, bucket or hull

Wave Heights

Table III-4-4 Wave Height in Half Meters for Synoptic Encoding
Code figure Height in feet Code figure Height in feet
00 0 (calm) 16 25 or 26
01 1 or 2 17 27 or 28
02 3 or 4 18 29
03 5 19 30 or 31
04 6 or 7 20 32
05 8 21 33 or 34
06 9 or 10 22 35 or 36
07 11 or 12 23 37
08 13 24 38 or 39
09 14 or 15 25 40
10 16 26 41 or 42
11 17 or 18 27 43 or 44
12 19 or 20 28 45
13 21 29 46 or 47
14 22 or 23 30 48
15 24 31 49 or 50

Remember that for synoptic reports, all wave heights need to be reported in half meters. The reportable values listed in Table III-4-4.

Encoding your observations is something that will become easier with practice. All U.S. Navy vessels and ground stations will have the Observing Manual available. You may find it useful to mark the lookup tables you need to use most often so that they are quickly available for easy reference.

Synoptic encoding weighing you down? Lighten things up by viewing the blooper reel. Kudos to stellar Aerographer's Mate Kelin for his eight hours in front of the camera!

 

Bonus Blooper Reel