**Site Survey Report**

**Dar es Salaam, Tanzania**

**December 2003**

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height="4.495833333333334in"}

Richard K. Thigpen

Introduction

A site survey of the proposed location for the new GCOS Upper Air
Network (GUAN) station at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania was conducted during
the period of 9 - 16 December 2003. The location is at the Dar es Salaam
International Airport.

There are two existing buildings probably built in the mid-70\'s
approximately 300 meters from the current forecast office which is
across the runway from the airport terminal. It is a secure area of
course and prior approval and an escort are always required. One of the
buildings housed the GIP hydrogen generator (electrolyser) and served as
the balloon inflation area while other housed a Mensural wind finding
radar itself.

Hydrogen Generator/Inflation Building

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height="2.923611111111111in"}

Figure 1. Hydrogen Generator/Inflation Building

The building shown in Figure 1 is in very good condition and is
presently being painted. It is approximately 300 meters from the
Forecast office and less than 100 meters from the operations building.
The building is approximately 15.5 meters long by 5 meters wide. The
balloon shed door on the right end of the building in the photo above is
3.2 meters wide. Adequate electrical power is available and there is an
existing water supply.

The old inoperative GIP hydrogen generator shown in Figure 2 is still
inside the building and must be removed. TMA says this will be done
right away and then the floor under the unit can be cleaned and painted.

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height="3.6798611111111112in"}

Figure 2 Old GIP Electrolyser

The new generator will be located in this area and the TMA staff will
insure the installation of an electrical service breaker box sufficient
to accommodate the 10.7 KVA required by the generator. Further they will
insure that the incoming water is equipped with a convenient connection
and shut off valve. Power is 220 volt 50 HZ.

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Figure 3 Balloon inflation area/Storage tank location

The balloon inflation area is shown in figure 3 and this appears to be
the logical location for the storage tanks. It is separated by this wall
from the hydrogen generator room. It is clean, painted and ready to use.

Operations Area

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height="4.495833333333334in"}

Figure 4 Operations building

The operations building is a two story building and the lower level is
currently used by an observer. The second floor will be used as the
upper air operations area. The antenna will be mounted on the roof. The
building needs more renovation and repair than the hydrogen generator
building. It is a sound building in a good location.

It is not yet clear how this facility will be connected to the
communications center in the forecast office. There are telephones in
the lower floor and it is likely that additional pairs of wire will be
found in the cable connecting the building to the forecast office. If
useable pairs cannot be found then TMA will arrange to have additional
cables installed. The distance is perhaps 300 meters. In the forecast
office there is a good telecommunications center so the problem is only
between the buildings.

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height="4.495833333333334in"}

Figure 5 Operations room

Figure 5 shows the area that will become the operations area. These old
Mensural wind finding radar equipment racks will be removed and the area
refurbished and equipped with tables and chairs as needed to install the
new InterMet/Modem upper air equipment. TMA will also investigate the
feasibility of connecting the building to the airport\'s emergency power
grid. Power is 220 volts 50 Hz. There are two room mounted air
conditioner units that are inoperative and should be replaced. The
general area should be refurbished and there are some areas where the
safety railing is dangerous.

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height="4.495833333333334in"}

Figure 6 Antenna Location

The radiotheodolite antenna will be mounted on this roof top concrete
pad after this unit is removed. The concrete pad is 2.6 meters square
and about 10 centimeters thick. The equipment specification indicates a
2 meter diameter pad is needed so this pad should suffice.

Contact information

The primary contact in the TMA for this project is:

Mohamed Matitu

Manager, International Relations

Tanzania Meteorological Agency

P.O. Box 3056

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

E-mail: mrmatitu@meteo.go.tz

Tel: Tel: +255 22 2111645/2126537

Fax: +255 22 2110231/2112471

Mobile: +255 748 400375

The primary contact in the GCOS Secretariat/WMO for this project is:

Richard K. Thigpen

GCOS Secretariat

7 bis, Avenue de la Paix

P.O. Box 2300, CH-1211

Geneva, Switzerland

E-mail: <Rthigpen@wmo.int> or

<Thigpenr@erols.com>

Tel: (+41 22) 730-8012 or

\(1\) 301-598-5683

Mobile: (1) 301-452-7669