Presentation and evolution of the Shipboard automatic weather station BATOS

This presentation consists of a general and technical description of the weather station BATOS. The latest evolution with improved functionalities and easier set up onboard Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) is described. BATOS is a shipboard automatic weather station which allows for the acquisition of basic weather surface parameters (measured by sensors), manual observations, data quality control, data processing and storage, the generation and transmission of encoded messages (via satellite) and the display of parameters in real time. The automatic station consists of the following components : weather sensors (pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, water temperature), compact protective housing for sensors, satellite communication components and a central computer. In the first version of BATOS, analog sensors are used so that it's necessary to put an interface (a sensor collector) between sensors and the data collecting computer. The system has been improved in the second version so that the station has become more compact, easier to be set up and wired on a ship. In addition, the added flexibility of the system configuration enables the use of digital sensors. The initial system is at present set up on 30 French VOS. As of this year, installations of the second version has been completed. Future works will be done to start a connection with oceanographic measurements (thermosalinometer) and to reduce the transmission costs