We recently upgraded Boat Weather Forecast Software to new Oceans Control KTA-223 hardware. The KTA-223 is a USB or RS-485 controlled IO module for interfacing PCs to real world applications, such as controlling lights and sprinkler systems, reading sensors and monitoring switches and other digital signals.
Since 2012, this Boat Weather Software has been used by Tas Maritime Radio with an older Oceans Control device, to play the South-East Coast Forecast and Derwent Estuary, Storm Bay and Channel forecast every half hour from their transmitter at Snug. Now the same software will be used by Marine Rescue Burdekin to play the Townsville coastal waters (Cardwell to Bowen) forecast.
The software checks a Bureau of Meteorology ftp site for updated forecasts, where the relevant forecasts have been produced by the BOM as simulated voice audio. Following the electronics design by Barry McCann, the forecasts are played to the computer’s audio line, which is connected to a transmitter, but not before the Oceans Control KTA-232 closes a relay to set the line. The relay is opened again at the end of the transmission.
Similar software is used by Marine and Safety Tasmania on their automated phone system [(03) 6233 9955], to play any chosen Tasmania marine forecast – You simply press the telephone keypad to select the forecast of interest.
In all cases, the software does various sound file format conversions in order to obtain the correct format for purpose.