Company Profile       Radiosonde Sounding System       Technical Specification       Technical Proposal

Company Profile

Our company is a high-tech enterprise under the 23rd Research Institute of the Second Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). We primarily engage in the research, development, and production of meteorological sensors, automatic weather stations, weather radars, radiosondes, and other monitoring equipment for meteorology, oceanography, hydrology, and the ecological environment. We also provide industry-specific meteorological services and comprehensive solutions. We are a leading enterprise in the industry with the most complete product chain and the largest single-unit scale in comprehensive meteorological detection instrumentation.

Our company has its headquarters in Wuxi and a branch in Beijing. The headquarters is located in Shanshui City, Binhu District, Wuxi, covering an area of ??over 70 acres with a building area of over 70,000 square meters. We have established multiple innovation platforms, including a national-level postdoctoral research station, a provincial-level engineering center, an academician workstation, and a graduate student workstation. We have also established multiple industry-university-research platforms with the Institute of Atmospheric Physics and the Institute of Electronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as Nanjing University and Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology. Our company has over 500 employees and two R&D centers in Wuxi and Beijing, boasting a research team of over 200 people, including over 100 with master's or doctoral degrees. Currently, we are undertaking more than 10 national key R&D projects, as well as provincial and ministerial-level research projects funded by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Science and Technology. We have also undertaken or participated in the formulation and revision of over 50 ISO international standards, national standards, and industry standards, and hold over 100 patents. Our core technologies cover the development of meteorological chips and intelligent sensors, automatic weather station integration and networking, the development of a full range of radiosonde systems, meteorological radar integration and data inversion, and industry-leading meteorological observation and service solutions, possessing leading R&D and innovation capabilities in the domestic industry.

Our company closely follows major national development strategies, national defense construction, and the national economy and people's livelihood, continuously deepening our presence in core markets such as meteorology, military, civil aviation, international, industry observation, and meteorological services. We are committed to becoming a world-class provider of comprehensive meteorological detection instruments, equipment, and services covering air, space, and sea, making greater contributions to building a strong military through science and technology and serving the nation through aerospace!

Our products cover: meteorological sensors, full-element automatic weather stations and networks; a full range of ballistic, airborne, rocket-borne, navigation, and sounding systems; wind profilers, cloud, fog, and weather radars; airport AWOS and wind shear and turbulence detection systems; marine hydrology and air-sea interface observation equipment; lightning monitoring and early warning systems; near-space observation equipment, etc. We primarily serve industries such as meteorology, military, airports, environmental protection, marine, emergency response and disaster reduction, ecology, transportation, power, agriculture, forestry, hydrology, and smart cities. We are the largest and most widely marketed comprehensive meteorological detection equipment leader in China, with some products exported to Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Our company seizes the opportunities presented by national key development strategies such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Internet+, the Internet of Things, smart cities, and ecological construction. Leveraging the policy dividends of mixed ownership, we continue to deepen our presence in our three traditional markets—meteorology, military, and airports—and optimize our services. We are also accelerating our expansion into emergency response, environmental protection, marine, and international markets, making greater contributions to building a technologically advanced military and serving the nation through aerospace!

Company Mission: Guardians of the environment and climate change!

Company Vision: To become a world-class provider of meteorological instruments, equipment, and services!

Company Values: Honesty in character, diligence in work.

Radiosonde Sounding System

1. Overview

The radio sounding system mainly uses meteorological balloons to carry radiosonde for launch, receiving real-time high-altitude temperature, humidity, and pressure profile data. The radiosonde is mainly responsible for collecting real-time sounding data such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and positioning information from the ground to the upper atmosphere within a height of 35km and a slant distance of 250km, and sending it back to the ground in real time. Ground equipment receives radio signals emitted by radiosonde, calculates and demodulates meteorological elements such as humidity, temperature, pressure, wind direction, and wind speed in the atmosphere. The system utilizes the high-precision positioning function of navigation satellites to automatically track radiosonde, with accurate detection data and high degree of automation.

2. Composition

The radio sounding system consists of radiosonde and ground receiving equipment. Ground receiving equipment is divided into indoor and outdoor. The indoor part mainly consists of receiver, check box, terminals, and data processing software, while the outdoor part mainly consists of receiving antenna. Ground equipment is mainly responsible for frequency setting and specification check before radiosonde is launched, real-time and reliable reception of sounding signals during the radiosonde launch process, real-time processing and display of sounding data and curves, and output of meteorological products in specified formats.

2.1. Radiosonde

The radiosonde is carried aloft by meteorological balloon. During the ascent access, meteorological elements such as temperature, humidity, and position information are detected in real time. The collected data is converted and encoded, and then sent back to the receiver by the radiosonde transmission module.

Picture 1 CF-06-AH Radiosonde

2.2. Ground Check Box

The Ground check box is equipped with standard temperature and humidity sensors, which are mainly used to detect the single point temperature and humidity of the radiosonde before release, in order to determine whether the radiosonde to be released is qualified. In addition, under the control of the terminal computer, the frequency of the sounding instrument can be set within the range of 400.15 to 406MHz.

Picture 2 Ground Check Box

2.3. Sounding Signal Receiving Antenna

Under the control of the terminal computer, the reception, filtering, and amplification of the radiosonde transmission signal are completed through the switching of electronic switches, and then the processed RF signal is transmitted to the receiver.

Picture 3 Radiosonde Receiving Antenna

2.4. Receiver

Complete the reception of ground positioning information, track, receive, and demodulate the signals emitted by the radiosonde under the control of the terminal computer, and then send the ground positioning information and meteorological and positioning information transmitted back by the radiosonde to the terminal computer for data processing.

Picture 4 Radiosonde Receiver

The composition of a single set of equipment is shown in Table 1.

Table 1 Composition of a single set of equipment

3. Main Technical Specification

3.1. Main technical specification of radiosonde

1)Working frequency: 400.15MHz～406MHz
2)Temperature
       Measuring range: -90℃～+50℃,
       Accuracy(static): ±0.2℃
3)Humidity
       Measuring range: 0%RH～100%RH,
       Accuracy(static): ±3% RH;
4)Pressure
       Measurement range: 1060hPa～3hPa（Derived from height）;
       Accuracy: ±1.3hPa（1060hPa～500hPa）;±0.7hPa（500hPa～100hPa）.
5)Wind speed
       Measurement range: 0～150m/s,
       Accuracy: ±0.3m/s.
6)Wind direction
        Measurement range: 0～360°,
       Accuracy: ±3°（wind speed > 3m/s）.
7)Emission spectrum width: ≤50kHz（-50dBc）;
8)Carrier frequency temperature stability: f0±0.02MHz;
9)Modulation method: GFSK;
10)Data transmission rate: ≥2400bps;
11)Sampling period: 1s;
12)Working time of radiosonde battery: ≥180min;
13)Positioning error:
       Horizontal positioning error ≤ 8m, vertical positioning error ≤16m.
14) Detecting distance
       Detecting height: ≥35km;
       Detecting distance: ≥250km (Unobstructed and Co-Channel Interference).

3.2. Main speciation of ground receiving system

3.2.1. Receiver

1)Working frequency: 400.15MHz～406MHz;
2)Receiver sensitivity: ≤-115dBm (@BER 0.1%);
3)Data interface: network/serial port;
4)Working voltage: 220VAC, 50Hz;
5)Working temperature: -30～60℃.
6)No of channel: ≥7

3.2.2. Check box

1)Measuring range of temperature: 0～50℃;
2)Measuring accuracy of temperature: ≤0.15℃;
3)Measuring range of humidity: 0～100%RH;
4)Measuring accuracy of humidity: ≤2%RH;
5)Working voltage: 220VAC, 50Hz;
6)Data interface: USB/RS232;

3.2.3. Receiving antenna

1)Working frequency: 400.15MHz～406MHz;
2)Antena maximum gain: ≥2dBi;
3)Standing wave: ≤1.5;
4)Working temperature: -30～60℃.

3.2.4. Output product

1)Text files of temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind speed, and wind direction detection data in the detection area
2)Temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind speed, and wind direction profile map of the detection area.

3.2.5. Reliability and maintainability

1)MTBF≥800h.
2)MTTR≤0.5h.

3.3. Environment adaptability

1)Storage temperature:
       -40～+70℃。
2)Adapt to humidity:
       Outdoor: ≤95%RH;
       Indoor: 20%RH～80%RH。
3)Wind resistance capability of antenna:
       Capable of working at wind speeds ≤ 35m/s, undamaged at wind speeds ≤ 60m/s.
4)Adapt to natural environmental factors such as mold and salt spray.

4. Sounding software

The software of GNSS sounding system is responsible for controlling and testing ground receiving equipment. It results in data products by calculating, displaying and processing data received from radiosonde.

4.1. System control, monitoring and data collecting

a) Antenna tracking & control mode: manual/auto;
b) Frequency tracking & control mode: manual/auto;
c) Failure locating, displaying and warning;
d) Real time displaying the GNSS working state;
e) Real time record, restore initial information of GNSS and air sounding;
f) Real time measures the power voltage and inbox temperature of radiosonde;
g) Detect the launching and the termination of sounding automatically.

4.2. Data processing

a) Real-time displays wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, pressure in graph and data form;
b) Real-time show the location of flying radiosonde;
c) Convenient to browse any test result of temperature, pressure, humidity or wind in database;
d) Data processing and saving automatically.

4.3. Meteorological product

Produce standard and significant level points. Significant level (maximum/minimum temperature, humidity, freezing level, tropopause, last level reached and balloon burst) data is stored for generation of reports& messages for transmission to network.
Generates BUFR, TEMP, PILOT messages for transmission in WMO format.

4.4. Network

Ability to convey data through LAN or Internet

4.5. Printing

Print all necessary Meteorological data products

Picture 5 Sonde Data in Graph

Picture 6 Sonde Data

Picture 7 Coordinate Data

Technical Specification

GNSS radio sounding system is used to complete the measurement of meteorological elements such as wind velocity, direction, humidity, temperature and pressure of the atmosphere. It's highly automatic because it applies high-accuracy positioning of the GNSS to track automatically the flying radiosonde, without radar tracking on the ground.
The GNSS Radio Sounding System, consists of two parts (Picture 1): Receiving System and CF-06-A GNSS Radiosonde.

B1 GNSS Sounding System

1. Ground Receiving System

Ground Receiving System consists of omni-direction antenna (CF-TX19-AP1, picture 2), ground receiver(CF-JS19-A3C ,picture 3), local GNSS, ground check box (CF-GPS-JC ,picture 4), sounding software and terminal computer. The antenna automatically traces radiosonde under the control of the computer. The receiver transfers signals received from the radiosonde into digital information and sends it to the terminal computer. Local GNSS and the radiosonde GNSS altogether realize differential positioning, whose data are directly transmitted to the terminal computer to process. The terminal computer realizes the collection and processing of sounding data, data checking and error correcting, system fault monitoring and alarming.

B2 Omni Directional Antenna CF-TX19-AP1

B3 Radiosonde Ground Receiver CF-JS19-A3C

B4 Radiosonde Ground Check Box CF-GPS-JC

1.1. Omni-direction antenna

The antenna is an Omni-direction UHF antenna to receive radiosonde signals in the 400MHz meteorological band. The antenna consists of one antenna (The dipole antenna) segments for horizontal reception and one (The directional Antenna) segment for upwards direction. The antennas contains no moving parts, and is automatic and fully electronic. Its switch is controlled to make the selection between two directions by the position from the flying radiosonde GNSS. The output signal of antenna is sent for further processing to receiver after being prefiltered and amplified by LNA.
The antennas is capable of reliably receiving radiosonde signals at elevation of 5 degree and also when the radiosonde is directly overhead.

1.1.1. Specification

1.2. Receiver

The radio signal is converted to IF by down converter, and then sent to sounding software for further processing after being demodulated, decoded to digital data.

1.2.1. Specification

1.3. Local GNSS receiver

It is used for receiving satellite orbital data, synchronizing with GNSS time, extracting local receiver position and velocity for receiving local GNSS signals to be used in the differential wind calculation.

1.3.1. Specification

1.4. Ground check box

The Ground check box is used to check the radiosonde sensor accuracy and to set the frequency of the radiosonde. The ground check box includes high precision humidity sensor and temperature sensor as humidity and temperature reference, when in checking, the radiosonde sensors are compared with references. If the difference between radiosonde sensors and references is out of the acceptance, the Radiosonde is regarded to be defective.

1.4.1. Specifications

1.5. Sounding software

The software of GNSS sounding system is responsible for controlling and testing ground receiving equipment. It results in data products by calculating, displaying and processing data received from radiosonde.

1.5.1. System control, monitoring and data collecting

a) Antenna tracking & control mode: manual/auto;
b) Frequency tracking & control mode: manual/auto;
c) Failure locating, displaying and warning;
d) Real time displaying the GNSS working state;
e) Real time record, restore initial information of GNSS and air sounding;
f) Real time measures the power voltage and inbox temperature of radiosonde;
g) Detect the launching and the termination of sounding automatically.

1.5.2. Data processing

a) Displays wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, pressure in graph and data form;
b) Convenient to browse any test result of temperature, pressure, humidity or wind in database.

1.5.3. Meteorological product

Produce standard and significant level points. Significant level (maximum/minimum temperature, humidity, freezing level, tropopause, last level reached and balloon burst) data is stored for generation of reports& messages for transmission to network.
Generates BUFR, TEMP, PILOT messages for transmission in WMO format.

1.5.4. Network

Ability to convey data through LAN or Internet

1.5.5. Printing

Print all necessary Meteorological data products

B5 User Interface of Data Receiving

B6 Sonde Data in Graph

B7 Sonde Raw Data

B8 Coordinate Data

2. CF-06-A GNSS Radiosonde

The digital Radiosonde CF-06-A（picture 5）offers high level of PTU and wind measurement performance, excellent Data availability and quality with error detection and correction. The digital transmitter consumes low power and occupy narrow frequency band. The frequency of radiosonde can be tuned continuously among the meteorological frequency band to avoid being interfered by another same frequency signal. Frequency range is limited so that inadvertent tuning to unauthorized frequency is prevented, the radiosonde uses GFSK digital modulation with RS error detection and correction method for reliable data transfer.

B9 Radiosonde CF-06-A

2.1 Technical Data

Technical Proposal

1. Technical specification

GNSS radio sounding system is used to complete the measurement of meteorological elements such as wind velocity, direction, humidity, temperature and pressure of the atmosphere. It's highly automatic because it applies high-accuracy positioning of the GNSS to track automatically the flying radiosonde, without radar tracking on the ground. Operator action is not needed after a sounding is initiated. Initiating a sounding includes balloon filling, radiosonde preparation, system startup, surface observation entry and balloon launch.
The system contain no moving parts in the indoor equipment to improve reliability and to minimize the need for maintenance. The design and construction of the GNSS radio sounding system do not present any physical, electrical or chemical hazard that could cause harm the operator of the equipment.
The GNSS Radio Sounding System, consists of two parts (Picture 1): Receiving System and CF-06-AH GNSS Radiosonde.

C1 GNSS Sounding System

1.1. Ground Receiving System

Ground Receiving System consists of omni-direction antenna (picture 2), ground receiver(picture 3), local GNSS, ground check box (picture 4) , sounding software and terminal computer. The antenna automatically traces radiosonde under the control of the computer. The receiver transfers signals received from the radiosonde into digital information and sends it to the terminal computer. Local GNSS and the radiosonde GNSS altogether realize differential positioning, whose data are directly transmitted to the terminal computer to process. The terminal computer realizes the collection and processing of sounding data, data checking and error correcting, system fault monitoring and alarming.

C2 Omni Directional Antenna

C3 Ground Receiver Radiosonde Ground Equipment CFGRS-19P

C3 Ground Receiver Radiosonde Ground Equipment CFGRS-19P

C4 Ground Check Box for Radiosonde

C4 Ground Check Box for Radiosonde

1.1.1. Omni-direction antenna

The antenna is an Omni-direction UHF antenna to receive radiosonde signals in the 400MHz meteorological band. The antenna consists of one antenna (The dipole antenna) segments for horizontal reception and one (The directional Antenna) segment for upwards direction. The antenna contains no moving parts, and is automatic and fully electronic. Its switch is controlled to make the selection between two directions by the position from the flying radiosonde GNSS. The output signal of antenna is sent for further processing to receiver after being prefiltered and amplified by LNA.
The antenna is capable of reliably receiving radiosonde signals at elevation of 5 degree and also when the radiosonde is directly overhead.

Specification

1.1.2. Receiver

The radio signal is converted to IF by down converter, and then sent to sounding software for further processing after being demodulated, decoded to digital data.
The receiver has the following features:
a. The receiver is capable of processing radiosonde signals in the meteorological band of 400 to 406 MHz and GNSS signals.
b. The receiver has a display of the real time spectrum for frequency being used.
c. The receiver has the capability to receive and correctly process sounding transmissions even when other communication equipment are in operation within a 10km radius of the receiving sites.

Specification

1.1.3. Local GNSS receiver

It is used for receiving satellite orbital data, synchronizing with GNSS time, extracting local receiver position and velocity for receiving local GNSS signals to be used in the differential wind calculation.

Specification

1.1.4. Ground check box

The Ground check box is used to check the radiosonde sensor accuracy and to set the frequency of the radiosonde. The ground check box includes high precision humidity sensor and temperature sensor as humidity and temperature reference, when in checking, the radiosonde sensors are compared with references. If the difference between radiosonde sensors and references is out of the acceptance, the Radiosonde is regarded to be defective.
The ground check has the following features:
       a. The radiosonde transmitter frequency is adjustable via a pre-flight check with the ground check box to prevent spurious transmissions.
       b. The Ground check box have the capability of performing pre-flight checks on radiosondes that are to be released to prevent the launch of faulty radiosondes.

Specifications

1.2. Sounding software

The software of GNSS sounding system is responsible for controlling and testing ground receiving equipment. It results in data products by calculating, displaying and processing data received from radiosonde.

1.2.1. System control, monitoring and data collecting

a) Antenna tracking & control mode: manual/auto;
b) Frequency tracking & control mode: manual/auto;
c) Failure locating, displaying and warning;
d) Real time displaying the GNSS working state;
e) Real time record, restore initial information of GNSS and air sounding;
f) Real time measures the power voltage and inbox temperature of radiosonde;
g) Detect the launching and the termination of sounding automatically.

1.2.2. Data processing

a) Real-time displays wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, pressure in graph and data form;
b) Real-time show the location of flying radiosonde;
c) Convenient to browse any test result of temperature, pressure, humidity or wind in database;
d) Data processing and saving automatically.

1.2.3. Meteorological product

Produce standard and significant level points. Significant level (maximum/minimum temperature, humidity, freezing level, tropopause, last level reached and balloon burst) data is stored for generation of reports& messages for transmission to network.
Generates BUFR, TEMP, PILOT messages for transmission in WMO format.

1.2.4. Network

Ability to convey data through LAN or Internet

1.2.5. Printing

Print all necessary Meteorological data products

C5 Sonde Data in Graph

C6 Sonde Data

C7 Coordinate Data

1.3. CF-06-AH GNSS Radiosonde

The digital Radiosonde CF-06-AH, offers high level of PTU and wind measurement performance, excellent Data availability and quality with error detection and correction. The digital transmitter consumes low power and occupy narrow frequency band. The frequency of radiosonde can be tuned continuously among the meteorological frequency band to avoid being interfered by another same frequency signal. Frequency range is limited so that inadvertent tuning to unauthorized frequency is prevented.

C8 GNSS Radiosonde CF-06-AH

Technical Data Table