Are the sensors used at NDBC sites periodically calibrated?

NDBC uses a variety of manufacturers for each type of sensor. The following is a list of the most recent manufacturers of instruments which NDBC uses:

• Anemometers -- RM Young, Vaisala
• Compasses -- Ritchie, KVH
• Air Temp. -- Airflo Instruments, Artais, Magnavox
• Water Temp. -- PSI, Baytech, Magnavox
• Barometers -- Rosemont, Setra
• Humidity -- Rotronics
• Precip. -- Friez (heating tipping bucket), RM Young
• Pyranometer -- Licor
• Visibility -- Belfort
• Inclinometers -- Schaevitz, Columbia Research
• Angular Rate Sensor -- BEI, Systron Donner Inertial Div
• Wave Height Sensor -- Schwartz EO
• Magnetometer -- General Oceanics, Watson Industries
• Heave-Pitch-Roll Sensor -- Datawell Hippy
• Positioning --Telonics, SITEX, Trimble, Synergetics
• Tides -- Aquatrak, Bartex
• Salinity -- Sea-Bird Electronics
• ADCP -- RD Instruments

Calibration

NDBC strives to provide its customers with the highest quality data possible. NDBC calibrates each sensor prior to deployment. After two years of service, sensors still in operation at an NDBC station are replaced with recently calibrated instruments so that those on station can be returned to NDBC for post-deployment calibration analysis as well as refurbishment and recalibration.