How to get a new database for METAR stations

[Hardy Heinlin]

Introduction

As you know, PSX can download METARs from the NOAA website to generate real-world weather along the flight path. A METAR doesn't include the station's latitude/longitude data; it just includes its ICAO code. So in order to get the location of each reported weather, PSX has to look up the locations in a separate list of ICAO codes that is permanently stored within the PSX system. That list won't be updated with nav database updates. It's not part of the navigational system. It may get older and outdated. The airport database cannot be used for this purpose either because many METAR stations are not located at airports.

PSX update 10.176 has introduced the option to load an external database file for METAR stations. When such a file exists in the Aerowinx/Weather subfolder during simulator start, PSX will automatically load it and use it. If the file doesn't exist, PSX will use its internal stations list from circa 2022.

The file must have a specific format and file name. It's a text file and you can even edit it yourself.




Where can I download the file?

Here: https://weather.rap.ucar.edu/surface/stations.txt

It's a UCAR website. Quote: "UCAR is a nonprofit consortium of more than 120 North American colleges and universities focused on research and training in Earth system science."

When the text of the file stations.txt appears in your browser, press CTRL+S (Windows) or CMD+S (Mac) to open the "Save as" dialog and save it in your Aerowinx/Weather subfolder. That's all. If you use multiple Aerowinx folders in a network, copy the file to those Aerowinx/Weather subfolders as well. Every PSX instance in the network must use the same version of the stations.txt file.




How do I load the new file in PSX?

Just restart PSX. PSX loads the file during simulator start (when the start progress is between 29% and 30%).




Where can I check whether PSX has loaded the file?

Go to Instructor > About and find the line starting with "METAR stations list by ...". If such a remark doesn't exist, your PSX is using its old internal stations list.




Can I check whether the file contains plausible data?

Go to Instructor > Situation > Position,
select the "World" section, select the "Met" checkbox, deselect all other checkboxes, and zoom out. You should see thousands of dots that all together approximately form the shape of the continents. Every dot is a METAR station. Some dots are located in the oceans; those stations are installed on ships or oil platforms.

The author who compiled that stations.txt file mentions his mail address in the file header, in case you want to report any corrections to him. I don't know how many reports he really wants to receive; I guess it shouldn't be exaggerated. In the current version, OKKK and MMSM, for example, are not included yet. You may also edit the file yourself; you just need to keep the exact text format. Note that PSX will not load USA-stations whose first ICAO letter is Q or X. The NOAA METAR files never include METARs from such stations.

[Will]

Thank you, Hardy! It works well, and the RJSS problem is solved!