Change to DCP messages disseminated on EUMETCast

Currently, the DCP messages are wrapped into LRIT files for dissemination on EUMETCast. It is planned to move away from these legacy file formats and the reliance on MSG facilities, in preparation for MTG.

The change will consist of the following:

The DCP messages disseminated via EUMETCast will no longer be wrapped and, instead, will be disseminated as individual files, with WMO-type filenames. This will also involve a change of EUMETCast channels.

To facilitate user transition, a period of parallel dissemination is foreseen. Planned timeline is as follows:

• 17 January 2022: individual DCP messages with WMO-type filenames will start being distributed on EUMETCast.
• 17 January–17 March 2022: both old DCP messages and new individual DCP messages will be distributed in parallel on EUMETCast.
• 17 March 2022: the distribution of the old DCP messages will be stopped.

Note: from 17 February 2022, the new DCP messages will be considered the prime DCP service, and will be monitored operationally accordingly. The monitoring of the old DCP messages will then only be on a best-effort basis.

Change to DCP filename/content

Current LRIT filename/content

Example filename:

L-000-MSG___-DCP_________-DCP______-000005___-202104130017-__

The current LRIT file contains a set of DCP messages.

New filename/content

A WMO-type filename will be used, as follows:

W_XX-EUMETSAT-Darmstadt,SURF+OCEAN,DCP+REP+<service>+<dcp-id>_C_EUMG_<reception time>.bin

Where:
service = 0DEG, IODC
dcp-id = DCP Address
Reception time = the actual reception time, format ‘YYYYMMDDHHMMSS’

Example filename

W_XX-EUMETSAT-Darmstadt,SURF+OCEAN,DCP+REP+0DEG+182E272C_C_EUMG_20210409133009.bin

Content of each DCP file: DCP Quality Record + DCP Record.

A sample of the new DCP message file is provided on our SFTP server:

https://sftp.eumetsat.int/public/folder/UsCVknVOOkSyCdgpMimJNQ/User-Materials/Test-Data/New_DCP_File/

Change of EUMETCast channels

The old DCP messages will continue to be distributed on the same EUMETCast channels as currently, until their distribution is stopped on 17 March 2022.

The new DCP messages will be distributed on new EUMETCast channels during the parallel dissemination period, and beyond (with the exception of the EUMETCast Africa channel which, after the parallel dissemination period, will be reverted back to the currently used channel).

A summary of the channels is provided in the table below.

For more information, contact our User Service Helpdesk.