Note that the RFI has an incorrect email address for Jennifer at the
bottom. Use the PDF email address as it is accurate.
On Fri, Oct 9, 2026 at 12:09 PM Jared P Bostic <jpbostic@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Happy Friday Everyone,
>
> I submitted comments regarding the NOAAport/SBN retirement and thought I
> would share an idea with you. However, I'll first mention that Ryan at NWS
> replied with a link to an RFI on the replacement. Perhaps it's been shared
> here but I'd not seen it, so FYI.
>
>
> https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/b2dc823e91cf445db344df6047eeb647/view
>
> My comments sent to the RFC were mainly concerns about what many of us
> already know: reliability, compatibility, migration path, documentation,
> real 24x7 support, etc.
>
> I'll now paste in that idea. Perhaps someone has already considered this
> and there is the possibility that it would not work, but I think it or
> something like it could help bring many of us (including me) down from
> panic mode.
>
> Jared
>
>
> ==
>
> There is an avenue which I would strongly urge my NOAA colleagues to
> explore: years ago some weather community colleagues in Hawaii (I believe
> Hawaii EM or University of Hawaii, if memory serves) tested broadcasting
> weather data much like NOAAport (their tests used EMWIN datasets) but over
> the Internet using IPv6 multicast, rather than IPv4 over satellite. At the
> time many Internet equipment vendors and networks did not support IPv6
> multicast but now many if not most do and NOAA is in fact moving rapidly
> to IPv6 for its own operations, as I've learned from my NOAA colleagues
> here in Norman.
>
> It turns out that NOAAport is, at its core, a set of IPv4 multicast
> streams which merely use satellite as the transmission medium. If that
> IPv4 multicast was turned into IPv6 multicast (there are multiple ways to
> do this including at the server, router, and service levels), that could
> be sent over NWAVE to NOAA entities, over Internet2 to university and
> research partners, as well as easily made available on major cloud
> providers' networks. Both Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform
> support routing of IPv6 multicast on to customer VPC (Virtual Private
> Cloud, i.e. each customer's private network within that cloud provider's
> system). For example, if I had an IPv6 multicast stream of data from NOAA
> on my existing Amazon VPC using the AWS Transit Gateway service, I could
> set up a server VM running Linux, convert the IPv6 back to IPv4 multicast
> with one of several existing, high-performance-but-lightweight Linux
> kernel modules, and then use the existing, legacy Unidata LDM NOAAport
> software *without modifications or code overhauls* to ingest exactly as
> we've been receiving over satellite all these years.
>
> Perhaps multicast over terrestrial networks (which would avoid the
> bandwidth cost and load issues with unicast IP) might be a way to migrate
> users off the satellite feeds without complete re-architecture of their
> setups. This might also serve as a bridge to use of the other data
> transmission technologies such as the widely discussed cloud options while
> they are still being developed and tested.
>
> ==
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, 4 Sep 2026, Mullenax, Robert R. (WFF-820.0)[PERATON INC] wrote:
>
> >
> > I started at Texas A&M in 1982. We had 604 and Difax. At Universal
> Weather in 1987 then CSBF (NSBF back then) in 1991 we had
> > Alden and Kavouras. We had a C-band feed and KU-band feed from Alden at
> NSBF. I don’t remember anymore what was on the KU-band,
> > but even thick clouds (no precip) and we would lose data…which speaks to
> Stonie’s comments on KU-band.
> >
> >
> >
> > Interesting times ahead…
> >
> >
> >
> > Robert Mullenax
> >
> > Meteorologist
> >
> > Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility
> >
> > Peraton
> >
> > 1510 E. FM 3224
> >
> > Palestine, TX 75803
> >
> > 903-723-8037 <(903)%20723-8037>
> >
> > robert.r.mullenax@xxxxxxxx
> >
> >
> >
> > From: ldm-users <ldm-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Dan
> Vietor
> > Sent: Thursday, September 3, 2026 4:13 PM
> > To: Mike Zuranski <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: LDM <ldm-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; NOAAPORT <
> noaaport@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Subject: [EXTERNAL] [BULK] Re: [ldm-users] [noaaport] The end of
> NOAAport/SBN
> >
> >
> >
> > You don't often get email from dan.vietor@xxxxxxxxx. Learn why this is
> important
> >
> >
> >
> > CAUTION: This email originated from outside of NASA. Please take care
> when clicking links or opening attachments. Use the
> > "Report Message" button to report suspicious messages to the NASA SOC.
> >
> >
> >
> > 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
> >
> > [IMAGE]
> >
> >
> >
> >
> _________________________________________________________
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> >
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> >
>
>
> --
> Jared P Bostic
> OCS/Mesonet Operations
> _________________________________________________________
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