Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, at 1200 ZT on 31 July, your position is LAT 24°33'N, LONG 173°05'W. You are preparing WS Form B-80 as seen in illustration D041NG below. How should you encode the first three groups after the call sign if you estimate the wind?

Question

Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, at 1200 ZT on 31 July, your position is LAT 24&deg;33'N, LONG 173&deg;05'W. You are preparing WS Form B-80 as seen in illustration D041NG below. How should you encode the first three groups after the call sign if you estimate the wind?

Accepted Answer

Option D: 01003, 99245, 71731. Voluntary Observing Ship (VOS) weather message formatting requires the date-time-wind indicator group YYGGiw, latitude group 9YYLa, and longitude group QLLLo. Following WMO FM 13 SHIP guidelines, day 31, 1200 UTC with an estimated wind yields groups 01003, 99245, 71731 as detailed in WS Form B-80 instructions.