For quick collection of data from network of surface and upper
air observing stations, ships on high seas, aircraft reports,
radar observations, forecasts and warnings and their dissemination
the department maintains an extensive telecommunication network
connecting all the meteorological offices and data collection centres.
(i) Collection and distribution of National
Data
Basic data from the observatories are collected at 19 Meteorological
Centres or Regional Meteorological centres in the country, by means
of departmental telecom. facilities and land-line telegrammes.
The stations whose data are exchanged on Global Telecommunication
System have radio-telephone links. Important observatories have been
provided with back-up telecommunication facility.
(ii) Collection of Ships Observations
Observations from ships on high seas are collected at the Regional
Collecting Centres at Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai through coastal
radio Stations of the Department of Telecommunications.
(iii) Exchange of Aeronautical Meteorological
Messages
Although aeronautical meteorological messages are handled primarily
by the AFTN network of the Airports Authority of India, a limited
teleprinter network has been set up in this important section in order
to supplement the AFTN. A teleprinter loop connects the international
airports at Mumbai, Chennai, Calcutta and Delhi. Aeronautical
messages and data needed for aircraft operations flow on this closed
loop to make them available to all mateorological offices. T/P
Circuits and telex connections are used for exchange of aeronautical
meteorological data with other meteorological offices.
(iv) Facsimile Broadcast
For the benefit of meteorological offices, meteorological
charts containing analysis and prognosis prpared by the Northern Hemisphere
Analysis Centre, New Delhi (NHAC) are broadcast by means of radio
facsimile equipment. At present, 27 meteorological offices of
the Department are equipped with facsimile reception facilities.
The facsimile broadcast covers a radial area of about 5000 kms. around
Delhi and is received by many countries in Europe, Africa , Asia and
Australia. Regional Area Forecast charts for the benefit of international
aviation are also broadcast from new Delhi.
(v) Current weather display system
Computer based display system have been provided at Calcutta,
Delhi and Mumbai international airports for transmission of current
weather information to various Air Traffic Control points.
(vi) Other Telecommunication Facilites
The Department also avails of the micro-wave links of Railways,
Wireless links of the Police and Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication
Network (AFTN) of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to communicate
warnings to the user bodies on disastrous event of Cyclones, Floods,
etc.
(vii) Dissemination of Warnings
Apart from being the means for exchange of meteorological
data, the telecommunication links also serve for dissemination of
warnings. Coastal Radio Stations maintained by DoT (Department
of Telecommunication) disseminate warnings to ships on high seas while
AIR (All India Radio) disseminate warnings for general public,
fishermen and other users.
(viii) Telefax facilities
Telefax facilities have been provided at important meteorological
offices for transmission/reception of Weather information. This
facility has been extended to Cyclone Detection Radar stations, Cyclone
Warning Centres and Meteorological Centres.
(ix) VHF/Walkie - Talkie facilities
Walkie-Talkie sets have been provided at 27 National/International
Airports and other stations for real time exchange of Runway Visual
Range (RVR) and meteorological information for safe aircraft flights.
VHF facilities have been provided to 20 additional stations for exchange
of meteorological information.
(x) VSAT facilities
VSAT network facilities are available at 26 stations. These are
some of the Seismological Observatories, Cyclone Detection Radar Stations,
Cyclone Warning Centres, Meteorological Centres and at some other
important observatories where no reliable communications system exist.
This network operates utilizing communication transponders of INSAT.