Terminology ?

[BOBRR]

Hello,

Some freq's I saw had the following acronyms:
Tried Google, but no help.

What does RDO mean in Bridgeport RDO ?

And, RCO in a Logan listing ?

And ASOS ?

Thanks,
B.

 

[Finto]

ASOS is Automated Surface Observing System. For weather at a field by a computerized weather station.

www.nws.noaa.gov/asos/pdfs/aum-toc.pdf

RCO's are kinda like repeaters.... for a way to check weather and open and close flight plans with Bridgeport CT when you are far away from the actual Flight Service Station so you cn still talk to them.

 

[nd5y]

RDO = radio. "Bridgeport Radio" is probably the callsign of the FAA Flight Serivce Station there.
RCO = Remote Communications Outlet. Each FSS covers a large area and has several RCOs so they can talk to aircraft on the ground at airports or at low altitudes.

You can find more abbreviations in the Aeronautical Information Manual and Pilot/Controller Glossary
at http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air_traffic/publications/

 

[immelmen]

99.9% of communications with any ARTC center are done through RCO's...that is there main function. FSS use them too, but they are there primarily to serve the centers. RCO's are generally co located with VOR's.

ASOS is a poor mans AWOS. It often lacks some of the nicer "options" of AWOS like precip discriminators and is often, but not always, associated with a telephone number rather than a frequency.

 

[DaveNF2G]

99.9% of communications with any ARTC center are done through RCO's...that is there main function. FSS use them too, but they are there primarily to serve the centers. RCO's are generally co located with VOR's.

ARTCC remotes are RCAG, and they are generally not colocated with VORs.

 

[daedalus]

99.9% of communications with any ARTC center are done through RCO's...that is there main function. FSS use them too, but they are there primarily to serve the centers. RCO's are generally co located with VOR's.

ASOS is a poor mans AWOS. It often lacks some of the nicer "options" of AWOS like precip discriminators and is often, but not always, associated with a telephone number rather than a frequency.

All true but ASOS actually gives more recent data. The ASOS is automated and broadcasts what it's monitor senses in real time. AWOS is recorded, updated as often as needed.

 

[ClemeRo1]

What does ''Squat Ided'' mean?

 

[daedalus]

What does ''Squat Ided'' mean?

That is probably "Squawk Ident". It means to push the INDENT button on the transponder which 'flares' the return on the ATC scope, making the target easy to identify.

 

[BOBRR]

From OP: Re Terminology Post

Hi all,

Much thanks for the help.

Sure is great having all you experts out there.

Bob

 

[immelmen]

All true but ASOS actually gives more recent data. The ASOS is automated and broadcasts what it's monitor senses in real time. AWOS is recorded, updated as often as needed.

I think you are confusing AWOS with ATIS. ATIS is updated as needed or at least hourly and is a human observation, not automated(thats why the first thing spoken on an ATIS after the airport ID is "0545 Zulu OBSERVATION"

AWOS is an automated observation and is updated every time the information repeats its self. Thats why when flying an IFR approach into an uncontrolled airport in "hard" IMC conditions, you must report to the controller that you have "one-minute weather" to satisfy FAR 91.103(since there is no ATIS code).

ASOS is just the basics. AWOS is similar to ASOS but can include advanced things like the time precipitation began or ended, wind shifts, amount of precip, ext... If the station is an AO2 AWOS then it includes a discriminator that gives precipitation type. But both are "one minute weather" and both SUCK BIG TIME if you have to depend on them to be able shoot an approach in the commercial aviation world....if the weather is close to mins then you probably wont get in. An open tower with ATIS is your only savior when the wx is low and the fuel gauge is making you sweat.

 

[immelmen]

ARTCC remotes are RCAG, and they are generally not colocated with VORs.

Your right! Sorry, that was lazy of me. Some are at outlying airports, some at VORs some stand-alone. (the last part about VOR's is just what a Chicago center controller told me when I asked him one boring night)


here is a good link that may be of interest to anyone wanting to look up Center RCAG locations and frequencies. It lists the freqs at each site, what area they cover, there sector, and even a link to google maps for the site location and google earth pictures. http://freqofnature.net:8080/faa/index.php

 

[iMONITOR]

Here is a good source for aircraft related acronyms:
http://www.gps.tc.faa.gov/glossary.html

 

[daedalus]

I think you are confusing AWOS with ATIS. ATIS is updated as needed or at least hourly and is a human observation, not automated(thats why the first thing spoken on an ATIS after the airport ID is "0545 Zulu OBSERVATION"

You are 100+% correct. Clearly a case of engaging my keyboard before my brain was in gear!

Sorry to have added to the confusion factor.