afi met bulletins exchange (ambex) handbook - ICAO

AMBEX HANDBOOK 7th Ed. 24/58
8. METAR/SPECI EXCHANGE
8.1 General
8.1.1 Hourly METAR reports should be prepared by all international aerodromes listed in
FASID Table MET 1A. METAR should be issued on an hour intervals for those aerodromes, included
in the HF VOLMET broadcasts (cf. FASID Table ATS 2 – HF Radiotelephony VOLMET Broadcasts), or
D-VOLMET.
8.1.2 METAR from all international aerodromes listed in Table AOP 1 of the Basic ANP and ,
in FASID Table MET 1A, should be included in the regular AMBEX exchange. In addition, METAR
from a number of domestic aerodromes, required by the users, should also be included in the regular
AMBEX exchange in accordance with para. 12.1.3, if so agreed by the States concerned.
Note: SADIS User Guide (SUG) Annex 1 presents the requirements for OPMET data (METAR
and TAF) by aviation users. When OPMET data from domestic airports (so called non-
AOP airports) is required by users, the corresponding State is consulted on its agreement
for providing this additional information. If the information is available and the State
agrees to include it in the exchange, the additional airports are included in SUG Annex 1
and the State should provide the additional OPMET information on a continuous basis.
8.1.3 Description of the AFI METAR bulletins included in the regular AMBEX exchange,
containing the responsible compiling AMBEX centre, WMO bulletin identification, and the list of
aerodromes included in the bulletin, is given in Appendix A.
8.1.4 The official hour of observation to be included in the METAR bulletin heading is indicated
in the table in Appendix A.
8.1.5 All METAR bulletins should be sent to both RODBs Dakar and Pretoria. AMBEX centres
should exchange METAR bulletins according to the distribution lists given in Appendix A.
7.1.6 SPECI reports should be disseminated in the same way as the METAR reports originated
by the same aerodrome.
8.1.7 Exchange of METAR/SPECI messages outside AMBEX scheme, if necessary should be
carried out by direct AFTN addressed messages.
8.2 Responsibilities of originating stations and NOCs
8.2.1 The originating stations (aeronautical meteorological stations) and/or NOCs should
prepare METAR messages for the observation times indicated in Appendix A and send them to their
responsible AMBEX center.
8.2.2 SPECI should be prepared between the regular observation times, following the
requirements set in Annex 3 and sent with no delay to the responsible AMBEX centre.
8.2.3 In preparing METAR and SPECI messages the originating stations should follow strictly
the specifications for METAR and SPECI in Annex 3 (Chapter 4 and Appendix 3 including the template
in Table A3-2) and the WMO METAR and SPECI code forms (FM 15-XII METAR and FM 16-XII
SPECI, WMO – No. 306, Manual on Codes, Volume I.1, Part A – Alphanumeric Codes).