The purpose of the GTSMOD facility is changing calibration coefficients and other platform status information automatically by submitting an Email to the Argos Users' Guidance Office. This Email includes simple pseudo-language instructions and may include comments. The Argos Users' Guidance Office will submit the Email to the system for direct implementation of the data into the system (i.e. the GTS Description Data Base).

The Email (also called source file below) contains description information of GTS platforms already existing in the GTS Sub-System and already properly defined (sensors, etc..). The basic advantages are:

(i) to implement calibration coefficients automatically in the system with no risk of typographical error, and,

(ii) to modify very quickly the values of fields which can change after the platform started reporting on GTS: change the WMO number, remove the platform or one of its sensor from GTS, change the limits or the coefficient values, etc...

Certain fields or operations (e.g. remove or add a sensor, change calibration type, ...) cannot be handled by this program and must therefore be done manually by the Argos Users' Guidance Office.

Syntax and other types of errors can happen. It that case the Argos Users' Guidance Office will let you know so that you can modify your source file accordingly:

• Non existing keyword or Syntax error,
• Inconsistent sequence of keywords,
• Reference to a non existing platform,
• Reference to a non existing sensor for the platform,
• Wrong calibration type,
• Inconsistent calibration coefficients,
• Wrong values for the fields,
• Etc...

The source file is supposed to include blocks of PTT description information (one block per PTT). A block is comprised of two or more instructions , the first instruction of a block must always be the keyword "PTT,Argos_Id" to indicate the platform number. Hence the first keyword of a file must be PTT to indicate the platform number of the first platform of the source file.

When compiling the file, the compiler will save the previous block and create a new one automatically each time a new keyword PTT is found. When all the blocks are processed, and if no error occurred, the blocks saved are automatically transferred to the GTS sub-system description data base. In case an error occurred all information processed are disregarded and the compiler stops immediately processing the source file. The Argos Users' Guidance Office will inform you in case such errors occur.

• The compiler reads instructions from the input file sequentially.
• Many instructions per line are possible. In that case instructions on a single line but must be separated using the character ';' (e.g. "PTT=05566; WMO=64643")
• Empty lines or instructions are ignored.
• Comments can be included using the character '!'. All the characters following the '!' character will be ignored by the compiler. (ex "WMO=64514 ! WMO Number").
• Instructions can begin or end with an unlimited number of Space or Tab characters which will be ignored by the compiler.
• All instructions are automatically converted into Uppercases before being interpreted.

The general format of an instruction is :

KEYWORD[,ARGUMENT1[,ARGUMENT2]]

(',' is the separator, and [] are used to indicate optional arguments).

All arguments in excess of required ones will be ignored

(e.g "PTT 05566 (Argos ID Number)")

Arguments are separated by a separator which can be one of the following characters: ,:=()[]{} Spaces or Tabs (e.g."PTT:05566" or "PTT=05566" or "PTT 05566" are valid instructions)

Arguments can be included in quotes "" or '' in order for the compiler to ignore possible separators or spaces

(e.g. ARGUMENT1 = "TEMP:AIR"). Quotes are not necessary when no ambiguity is possible (e.g. ARGUMENT1 = SST).

Important:

In the Argos GTS sub-system, sensors are referenced by names. Normally these names are defined by the program manager at the time he fills out his GTS Technical File. It is however possible (e.g. the program manager did not fill out a GTS Technical File and submitted the information in a free format) that the program manager is not aware of the sensor names used for these of his platforms which are reporting on GTS. In that case he can request the Argos Users' Guidance Office to provide him with the list of sensor names used for every kind of GTS platform he is using. Also for consistency purposes, it is recommended that the following names be used in the GTS Technical File:

Keywords are indicated in Uppercases, Arguments in lowercases, optional elements are inside brackets []:

PTT,argos_id

To indicate (select) the Argos Number

WMO,wmo_id

To change the WMO Number

GTS,yes_no

GTS,Y : GTS Distribution of the platform is authorized

GTS,N : The Platform is removed from GTS distribution

DEPLOYMENT,latitude,longitude

To indicate the platform deployment position in degrees. The deployment date is then forced to the current date.

ALTITUDE, altitude

To indicate the platform altitude in meters.

DROGUE,yes_no

DROGUE,Y : The Drogue is attached

DROGUE,N : The Drogue is detached

SENSOR,[ALL] Sensor_Name[*]

- Beginning of a sensor(s) block for the current PTT. Sensor_Name is the name (or beginning of name) of one or more geo-physical sensor(s) as defined in the GTS sub-system description data base.

- If the wild card asterisk "*" option is used, then all the geo-physical sensor(s) of the platform with names beginning with Sensor_Name will be modified (the first for each different name if option ALL is not used, and in case many sensors have the same name).

- If the asterisk "*" option is not used, then only the geo-physical sensor(s) of the platform with the name matching exactly Sensor_Name will be modified.

- If keyword "ALL" is specified then all the sensors with the name Sensor_Name will be modified

- If keyword "ALL is omitted then only the first sensor with the name Sensor_Name of will be modified.

e.g. - SENSOR ATMPRES .. First ATMPRES sensor found

- SENSOR ALL ATMPRES .. All ATMPRES sensors found

- SENSOR AIR* .. For every possible sensor name beginning with AIR, only the first of each is used (e.g. first AIRPRES, and first AIRTEMP)

- SENSOR ALL AIR* .. All sensors with names beginning with AIR

- SENSOR * .. First sensor for each possible name

- SENSOR ALL * .. All the sensors

DISSEM,yes_no

DISSEM,Y : The current sensor is authorized for GTS distribution

DISSEM,N : The current sensor is removed from GTS distribution

LEVEL,probe_level

To define the elevation or depth (i.e. level) of the probe compared to the station level (<0 if below station level, >0 if above station level, e.g. depths are negative numbers).

TIME_OFFSET,offset_value

To indicate the time offset for the sensor in minutes.

MAGVAR,yes_no

MAGVAR,Y : To ask for automatic Geo-Magnetic Variation.

MAGVAR,N : To ask for no automatic Geo-Magnetic Variation.

RECALIBRATE,RESET

The coefficients for the linear correction are initialized to a=1 and b=0

RECALIBRATE,a,b

Sensor is recalibrated : PHYS = a*PHYS + b

Previous values of a and b are therefore corrected accordingly.

LIMITS,low,high

Change the limits

CALIBRATION_FROM_SENSOR,Sensor_Name

Coefficients of the sensor which name is Sensor_Name are copied to the current sensor. Sensor_Name must exist in a preceding sensor block for the current PTT.

CALIBRATION_TYPE,process_type

In order to change calibration curve coefficients as indicated below, processing type used must be defined here (cannot be changed, must match with what is already declared in the GTS sub-system description data base).

Processing_type can be only 'B1', 'B4' or 'SM'.

Once defined, you can change calibration coefficients as show below depending upon calibration type.

[VALUES,]binary,physical

Keyword "VALUES" is optional. To define coefficient values of a B1 calibration curve. This instruction must follow a "CALIBRATION_TYPE,B1" instruction or another "VALUES" instruction. Many instructions can be used to define as many tabulations as needed (up to a maximum of 20).

A0,value

To define the value of coefficient A0 of a B4 calibration curve. this instruction must be preceded by a "CALIBRATION_TYPE,B4" instruction.

A1,value

To define the value of coefficient A1 of a B4 calibration curve. this instruction must be preceded by a "CALIBRATION_TYPE,B4" instruction or a A0,value instruction.

A2 A5, B1.. B5

Same as for the other B4 coefficients. Coefficients not listed are forced to zero.

C01,value

To define the value of coefficient C1 of a SM calibration curve. this instruction must be preceded by a "CALIBRATION_TYPE,B4" instruction.

C02,value

To define the value of coefficient C2 of a SM calibration curve. this instruction must be preceded by a "CALIBRATION_TYPE,B4" instruction or a C1,value instruction.

C03 .. C20

Same as for the other SM coefficients. Coefficients not listed are forced to zero.