All
I wasn't involved in the early CRAFT work but when we took CRAFT
"operational" I started playing a somewhat bigger role, with a data cache
to allow NCEI to retrieve missed data easily (and others). I'm willing to
help with some of the planning, if we're going to do this on our own, but
my resources are slim now that I've retired. And I've a selfish interest.
I've a couple of projects that depend on LDM data feeds. If we can get the
data free/cheap from the cloud, we might be able to make this work.
I appreciate Alan's note, as well. I know the primary purpose of NOAAPort
really was internal feed to offices, and that there was consideration of
the rest of us, but it was secondary. Still, I remember too many Partners
meetings at AMS where the private sector folks pushed really hard to get
concessions from NOAA, and were frankly dismissive of the Unidata efforts
as well as stating in those meetings that the universities should be paying
commercial rates for the data even if they were getting it best-effort
across the 'Net (or downlinking with a dish) and not having to pay NOAA's
telecom section for the T1 connections.
But: Regardless of the intent (internal only vs internal with support for
partners) the system took on a life of its own, and like it or not, cutting
off the partners who depend on it is not in NOAA's best interests. I'm not
sure what we have to do to make them understand this; most of the folks I
worked with in my Texas A&M days are retired and gone. But we do have
people who will know who to talk to, and what buttons to push.
I do have some ideas that could allow us to maintain the current LDM
infrastructure but they may not be completely practical. As I said, I'd
love to participate in the brainstorming for a system remake.
Take care
Gerry
Maj Gerry Creager, CAPWeather and Environmental Support Officer -- virtual
Incident Management Team
Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary
(M) 979.229.5301
GoCivilAirPatrol.com <https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/>
<https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/>
Volunteers serving America's communities, saving lives, and shaping futures .
On Thu, Sep 3, 2026 at 6:45 PM Raymond Weber <admin@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I agree maybe time to move on. I remember an ants invasion into a feed
> horn knocking out signal! took a bit to figure that one out. Hopefully
> something can be worked up thats low latency.
>
> Ray Weber
> MA Skywarn
>
> Get Outlook for Android <https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* ldm-users <ldm-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of
> Sebenste, Gilbert <sebensteg@xxxxxxx>
> *Sent:* Thursday, 03 September 2026 19:21:59
> *To:* 'Dan Vietor' <dan.vietor@xxxxxxxxx>; Mike Zuranski <
> mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> *Cc:* LDM <ldm-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; NOAAPORT <
> noaaport@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> *Subject:* Re: [ldm-users] [External] Re: [noaaport] The end of
> NOAAport/SBN
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *CAUTION:* This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not
> click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know
> the content is safe.
>
> Good discussion! I was a part of that era, as well. Mike made some great
> points that we were allowed to listen in, but to be fair, putting up a dish
> and getting the data yourself became a lot easier and cheaper with
> NOAAport. If you could save up 10 grand, you too could have NOAAport! At
> Northern Illinois University, I’ll never forget seeing the first level3
> images come across unencrypted!
>
>
> Much more importantly, NOAAport with UNIDATA opened up the door to rapid
> science advancement in the United States. With UNIDATA leading the way with
> Universities, research became viable to both the small and large
> meteorological programs and institutions…and even to the public. It greatly
> accelerated classroom learning that was changing so fast in the 1990s and
> 2000’s, it was difficult to stay current…a trend that generally continues
> today. All of that was and is being made possible to a large extent by
> NOAAport, and UNIDATA.
>
> I won’t miss sweeping snow and ice off the dish, repointing/repeaking it
> after a high wind event, 5G interference, inspection for wasp nests,
> checking the air conditioner and heater in the “doghouse” where the server
> there relays the data to our main servers, and replacing the receiver
> multiple times as speed upgrades occurred. But despite it’s shortcomings,
> it cannot be understated that it helped revolutionize research and academic
> meteorology in our country. If another way to get the same (and much more!)
> data isn’t found, that great benefit and legacy will go away, immediately.
> The complete lack of direction of a viable NOAAport-like replacement for
> the private and public sector should greatly concern everyone. You can have
> the best data in the world, but if you can’t see it and use it, what good
> is it outside of the National Weather Service? The already disgruntled
> public will NOT be happy, and it would make our current situation
> considerably worse.
>
> This needs to be THE #1 priority for the NWS, as in drop everything, the
> building is on fire, and this needs to be solved RIGHT NOW. The maintenance
> and the advancement of meteorological sciences, personal weather safety,
> and much more in the United States is literally at stake here.
>
> Gilbert Sebenste
>
> Meteorology Support Analyst
>
>
>
> *From:* noaaport <noaaport-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> *On Behalf Of *Dan
> Vietor
> *Sent:* Thursday, September 3, 2026 5:13 PM
> *To:* Mike Zuranski <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> *Cc:* LDM <ldm-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; NOAAPORT <
> noaaport@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> *Subject:* [External] Re: [noaaport] [ldm-users] The end of NOAAport/SBN
>
>
>
> CAUTION: This email originated from outside of COD’s system. Do not click
> links, open attachments, or respond with sensitive information unless you
> recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
>
>
>
> For those of us who remember back to the early 80s and the end of easy
> data, this sounds very similar. When I started in college we had the FAA
> 604 feed and Difax. That was it. But all you had to do to get it was get
> your local telephone company to run you a line to the nearest WSFO and you
> could tap into their feeds... for the cost of the landline.
>
> But in the 82/83 timeframe that went away. This sent universities
> scrambling for data. Enter Unidata and Alden Electronics. I remember
> installing the dish in the back 40 at Purdue and getting the land line to
> the Geoscience building working to transmit the data. Alden's satellite
> feed came with something new... the Family of Services, which gave us a ton
> more data than what was on the FAA circuit (DDS, PPS, and IDS) along with
> something new HDS, for model data. Boy we struggled getting a cheap
> solution to handle that synchronous feed.
>
> So this sounds all too familiar. Back then, we tapped into a WSFO to get
> data until they said no. Today, we listen into NOAAPort and now that's
> going away. We found a solution back in 1984. I remember working with Glenn
> Daivs and the first versions of LDM to make Alden to the computer a
> reality. I suspect we'll find one today. But it has me worried that the
> days of the convenient one stop shop in NOAAPort are gone and we'll have to
> work with a new paradigm.
>
>
>
> Dan.
>
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 3, 2026 at 4:11 PM Mike Zuranski <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
> Hi Ryan,
>
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 3, 2026 at 3:33 PM Ryan May <rmay@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> ...it is very unsettling due to the lack of clarity about how the NWS
> intends to replace the open, realtime data distribution afforded by
> NOAAPORT.
>
>
>
> Bare with me as there is a modest amount of hand-waving coming up...
>
>
>
> I see this sentiment come up here and there, and say what you want about
> lack of clarity with actionable statements, you'll get no argument from me
> that those could improve. But what I think people are missing is NOAAPort
> was never truly designed to serve anyone outside of NOAA. It is a service
> by NOAA, for NOAA, that we were lucky enough to be able to tap into because
> it was clear-air transmission. But "luck" is the wrong word... The work
> Unidata and other parties laid out decades ago and have maintained since
> was to bridge that service for Academia and others so not everyone had to
> get a giant dish in their yards... but technically that's all anyone would
> need for NOAAPort is the right kind of ear; that is the key element that is
> changing. NOAAPort was always a private network, one technically available
> to all others but barred for most.
>
>
>
> AWIPS is moving to the cloud, the data is already there and with far
> superior internet now compared to the '90s NOAA no longer needs that data
> feed to be in the clear-air for themselves. Cutting partner access to data
> feeds was never intended nor desired, just a result of no longer being
> transmitted in the clear. Now while NOAA has maintained/improved the SBN
> tech for their own offices & needs over the years, there was never any
> obligation for NOAA to make its replacement clear-air and available to
> anyone with only the right hardware. So now we can't simply listen in like
> we could before, but it's still a private network just with hard access
> restrictions due to being on a public internet.
>
>
>
> The way I personally read the big picture here is Unidata had a seat at
> the head of the table when the SBN/NOAAPort paradigm was established; it
> took a lot of effort, conversations, collaborations but the result was a
> widely available robust network of data coming from a NOAA feed, through
> the bridges that Unidata has made and maintains, out to academia and
> beyond. Now that NOAA will fully replace their previous network with one
> of a different design those bridges will need to be rebuilt. But it was
> never an obligation for NOAA to maintain those bridges to our communities,
> that is traditionally where Unidata came in.
>
>
>
>
>
> All of that is to say the following: I don't believe the NWS intends to
> replace this real-time push network that we have gotten used to beyond
> their own needs. It was never really open in the first place, and it is
> Unidata's bridges and on-ramps that made it available to us at all. It
> will be up to us to build and design new bridges, new on-ramps and new
> workflows for ourselves... with NWS/NOAA's help of course. But waiting
> will be a death sentence.
>
>
>
>
>
> This will certainly be discussed during Unidata's Community Advisory
> Committee (CAC) meeting next week. We're also happy to partner with others
> as we all try to smoothly migrate to a post-NOAAPORT world.
>
>
>
> I would like to request if you could get a representative from NODD to
> join the CAC meetings moving forward. I know it's likely too short notice
> for that this fall, but between more and more data sets moving to under
> their control, and other opportunities that could come from their inclusion
> here, I think it would be very helpful if that's possible.
>
>
>
> Best,
>
> -Mike
>
>
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Ryan
>
>
>
> -------
>
> Dr. Ryan May
>
> Deputy Director
>
> NSF Unidata
>
> Boulder, CO
>
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 1, 2026 at 3:20 PM Sebenste, Gilbert <sebensteg@xxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
> If you haven’t heard, now you know. It says we are to wait for how the
> information will be disseminated in the future. But what will that look
> like? How will that impact me and our weather.cod.edu website? How will
> it affect all of you?
> How long will we have a parallel test to make sure that we can get the
> data we need and process it locally? How can I plan when I literally do not
> know what to plan for?
>
> I have so many questions….
>
> NOUS41 KWBC 011655 PNSWSH
>
> Public Information Statement 26-63
> National Weather Service Headquarters Silver Spring MD
> 1255 PM EDT Tue Sep 1 2026
> To:
>
> From:
>
> Subscribers: -NOAA Weather Wire Service -Emergency Managers Weather
> Information Network -NOAAPort Other NWS Partners and Employees
>
> George Jungbluth, Director Mission, Systems and Technology
>
> Subject: Soliciting initial comments, through September 21, 2026, on
> planned retirement of the Satellite Broadcast Network (SBN)/NOAAPort and
> NOAA Weather Wire Service (NWWS) Satellite as early as August 31, 2027.
>
> The NWS is modernizing its infrastructure and dissemination services by
> transitioning to cloud-based services. This initiative will enhance
> operational efficiency, increase reliability, and provide scalability for
> future growth. As part of this modernization, the NWS will retire the
> Satellite Broadcast Network (SBN), commonly referred to as NOAAPort.
> Retirement of the SBN will also terminate the satellite-based NOAA Weather
> Wire Service (NWWS), which uses SBN channel 201 to deliver data. The
> internet-based NWWS Open Interface (NWWS-OI) will continue to operate. We
> are assembling information about alternative data sources and will provide
> it as soon as possible.
>
> NOAAPORT users are encouraged to provide feedback via this feedback form
> https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NOAAPortSBN2026 by September 21, 2026.
> While the feedback form is preferred, users can also send comments and
> questions to: nws.webfeedback@xxxxxxxx
>
> Stakeholder feedback will be used to help NWS plan the follow-on
> dissemination systems to NOAAPort to ensure continuity of data and services
> to users. The NWS will send an updated statement once the feedback is
> processed and we have additional information to share. National Public
> Information Statements are online at:
>
> https://www.weather.gov/notification/
>
> NNNN
>
>
>
> Gilbert Sebenste
>
> Meteorology Support Analyst
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________
> NOTE: All exchanges posted to NSF Unidata maintained email lists are
> made publicly available through the web. Users who post to any of the
> lists we maintain are reminded to remove any personal information that
> they do not want to be made public.
>
> NSF Unidata ldm-users Mailing List
> (ldm-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
> For list information, to unsubscribe, or change your membership options,
> visit: https://mailinglists.unidata.ucar.edu/listinfo/ldm-users/
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________
> NOTE: All exchanges posted to NSF Unidata maintained email lists are
> made publicly available through the web. Users who post to any of the
> lists we maintain are reminded to remove any personal information that
> they do not want to be made public.
>
> NSF Unidata ldm-users Mailing List
> (ldm-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
> For list information, to unsubscribe, or change your membership options,
> visit: https://mailinglists.unidata.ucar.edu/listinfo/ldm-users/
>
> _________________________________________________________
> NOTE: All exchanges posted to NSF Unidata maintained email lists are
> made publicly available through the web. Users who post to any of the
> lists we maintain are reminded to remove any personal information that
> they do not want to be made public.
>
> NSF Unidata noaaport Mailing List
> (noaaport@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
> For list information, to unsubscribe, or change your membership options,
> visit: https://mailinglists.unidata.ucar.edu/listinfo/noaaport/
>
> _________________________________________________________
> NOTE: All exchanges posted to NSF Unidata maintained email lists are
> made publicly available through the web. Users who post to any of the
> lists we maintain are reminded to remove any personal information that
> they do not want to be made public.
>
> NSF Unidata ldm-users Mailing List
> (ldm-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
> For list information, to unsubscribe, or change your membership options,
> visit: https://mailinglists.unidata.ucar.edu/listinfo/ldm-users/
>
