afi met bulletins exchange (ambex) handbook - ICAO

AMBEX HANDBOOK 7th Ed. 26/58
8.4 Format and content of METAR Bulletins
8.4.1 Each METAR message in a METAR bulletin should start with the code word METAR
followed by the ICAO location indicator (CCCC) of the aerodrome and the date/time group (YYGGggZ),
indicating the official time of observation. Corrected METAR messages, should start with METAR COR.
8.4.2 The following is an example of the format to be applied in preparing a METAR bulletin by
the AMBEX centre:
AFTN header
Parts of Message AMBEX SA Bulletin
Priority Indicator and Address
Date and Time of filing and Originator
GG VTBBYPYX
271304 ZBBBYPYX
WMO Abbreviated Heading SACI31 ZBBB 271300
METAR messages
AFTN Normal Ending NNNN
METAR ZBAA 271300Z ..……. =
METAR ZBTJ 271300Z ……….=
Note: The inclusion of the code name METAR in front of each message in the METAR bulletin is
compulsory.
8.4.3 The rules related to the use of the BBB group in the WMO abbreviated heading, in regard
to delayed or corrected bulletins, are given in Appendix C.
8.4.4 For METARs, which are not available at the time of compilation of the bulletin, the code
word NIL should be inserted following the date/time group indicating the time of the observation.
Example: METAR ZBTJ 271200Z NIL=
8.5 Format and content of SPECI Bulletins
8.5.1 A SPECI message included in a SPECI bulletin should start with the code word SPECI
followed by the ICAO location indicator (CCCC) of the aerodrome and a date/time group (YYGGggZ)
indicating the time of the observation of the meteorological conditions for which the SPECI is issued.
Corrected SPECI messages, should start with SPECI COR. The following is an example of the format to
be applied in preparing a SPECI bulletin by the AMBEX centre:
AFTN header
Parts of Message AMBEX SP Bulletin
Priority Indicator and Address
Date and Time of filing and Originator
GG VTBBYPYX
081647 ZBBBYPYX
WMO Abbreviated Heading SPCI31 ZBBB 081645
SPECI message SPECI ZBAA 081645Z ..……. =
AFTN Normal Ending NNNN