Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly do you send the data from my AWOS?
The data goes to the Weather Message Switching Center Replacement, and from there to the National Weather Service Telecommunications Gateway and the NWS Family of Services. That’s the key. Data appearing there is now available to all FAA ATC facilities, Flight Service Stations , and National Weather Service offices. Internet Service Provides such as WSI get it. So do Web sites like Airnav.com. It is now uplinked to the XM data service for broadcast to Garmin and other in-cockpit weather systems. It’s on all the data services from which The Weather Channel, your local cable, radio and TV stations get their weather data.
Will RSINet work with my AWOS?
Yes. RSINet works with ALL currently deployed AWOS systems.
Can I install it myself, or will RSINet install it for me?
Yes, and Yes…but installation takes no technical knowledge and less than 15 minutes. However, installation services are available.
What if it breaks?
We replace the hardware overnight. No cost, no questions.
Can’t you use phone lines or Internet to send my data?
First off, telephone technology is obsolete and prone to many problems, lightning damage being the most frequent. Under certain conditions, the Internet can be used to transmit AWOS data to a separate server that is then connected to the FAA system. However, do you really want your critical AWOS data sharing the same connection as the kid in the pilot’s lounge playing games and downloading virus-laden stuff from the Internet?
Seriously, an internet connection can be slowed or stopped by any number of applications or systems sharing the same connection as the AWOS device. We prefer to keep your AWOS data isolated from all that.
Is your service available everywhere?
We have never encountered a site where the RSINet backbone was not available. We have specially engineered sites to reliably connect to the network far outside the predicted coverage area.