General Information

Serial #

BA-EN-082

Part Number

1

Total Parts

7

AKA

Data Collection Platform

Patents

N/A

General Description

metal casings, wiring, parts/ synthetic connectors, circuit boards, wire covering, parts/ rubber? hose

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

71.5 cm

Width

35.3 cm

Height

26.7 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Meteorology

Category

Long range forecasting equipment

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Bristol

Country

Canada

State/Province

Manitoba

City

Winnipeg

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

mid 1980s +

Canada

An example of a Canadian automated weather station used in Burlington, Ontario. It was comprised of a number of components from Canadian manufacturers and foreign OEMs as well as the Meteorological Service of Canada. Canadian made components among the items received include a Data Collection Platform made by Bristol Aerospace of Winnipeg, and a Model 77C MSC anemometer, as well as an American made temperature sensor in an MSC radiation shield and mount. This is an item from a large collection of meteorological instruments used by the Meteorological Service of Canada (previously Atmospheric Environment Service) and acquired by the CSTM since 1967. MSC is the government agency responsible for collecting and disseminating meteorological data and forecasts in Canada. It was founded in 1871 in Toronto where it is still headquartered. The MSC was originally on the University of Toronto downtown campus but moved to Downsview in 1971 on land owned by UofT. The headquarters houses laboratories, research facilities and calibration and instrument maintenance facilities (now largely contracted out).

Function

An automated [unmanned] surface weather observation system consisting of atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction sensors and a data processing/transmission system. The system would also include a visibility sensor and precipitation gauges [not received]. This unit is the data collection module and barometric pressure sensor.

Technical

An example of an automated weather observation system of the1980s. Environment Canada has used automated surface weather observation systems since 1969, beginning with the MARS I (Meteorological Automatic Reporting System) generation of autostations. MARS II followed in 1975, MAPS I (Modular Acquisition Processing System) in 1979 and MAPS II in 1983. In general, these autostations observed and transmitted only the basic weather parameters of pressure, temperature, humidity and wind speed and direction, although a few had the capability of to report cloud, visibility and precipitation amounts. They were mainly used in remote areas to supplement the existing network. In 1988 the first of a new generation of autostation was installed, the first test version of READAC [Remote Environmental Atmospheric Data Acquisition Concept]. READAC was a collection of independently operating sensors, the information from which was integrated by a processor into a weather observation every minute . This system was further developed and in the mid 1990s renamed AWOS (Automated Weather Observation System) [Ref. 3]. The documentation accompanying this artifact identifies two version of the Maps II lighthouse Data Collection Platform: the Maps II GOES DCP and the Maps II Landline DCP (Ref 1). The manufacturer's plate of 2009.0135.1 identifies it as a Maps II Landline DCP.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

White label on casing top with black lettering reading 'bristol aerospace limited/ WINNIPEG CANADA'/ Silver lettering on black label on casing side reads 'MAPS/ MODULE/ Part No. 607-21705-3/ Serial No. BA-EN-082/ Desc. DCP ASSY LANDLINE/ (R) REG. T.M./ bristol aerospace limited/ WINNIPEG CANADA'/ Label on casing of attached EMI assembly box reads 'MFG. BY/ BRISTOL AEROSPACE LTD./ WINNIPEG MANITOBA CANADA/ EMI ASSEMBLY/ PT. No. 607-21715-1/ SER. No. 83-10-003'/ Label on interior pressure gauge reads 'Setra/ Systems/ Inc./ ACTON, MASS. MADE IN U.S.A./ Model: 270 S/N: 50990/ Range: 800-1100 mbar/ Power: 24vdc excit.', 'STANDARD CALIBRATION STEEL' and 'CAL. BY Valcom Ltd./ DATE JAN. 16/89/ REMARKS/ #50990/ VALCOM LTD. GUELPH ONT'/ Label on casing side reads 'REPAIRED/OVERHAULED BY/ Valcom LTD./ GUELPH ONT./ AES-3751B/ DATE 27-08-96 INSP/ D.C.P./ NSN 7201'

Missing

Videograph visibility sensor, tipping bucket rain gauge, Fischer and Porter total precipitation gauge [see 2004.0311], internal temperature monitor, anemometer u-arm, anemometer tower, GOES uplink antenna.

Finish

Glossy white painted DCP module and EMI assembly casing exteriorss/ glossy white painted DCP module interior floor/ multicoloured synthetic parts/ plated, metallic and grey metal parts/ green circuit boards in metallic housing inside casing/ glossy white painted pressure gauge with metallic mount and black hose inside casing/ grey synthetic covered cable for connection to battery charger (.2)/ green connector for attachment of breakout box (.3)

Decoration

N/A