A feasibility study will be undertaken to facilitate the collection of underway oceanographic and meteorological data from the increased use of Volunteer Observing Ships (VOS). A major element of a VOS installation is the wiring that links sensors to data loggers and satellite transmitters. The feasibility of removing the need for the wiring will be explored by seeking a wireless means of signal transmission. Three possible solutions will be investigated:(1) a radio modem, (2) an acoustic modem, and (3) a power line/inductive coupled system. Different ships may require different approaches or combinations of approaches. Wireless system benefits include:(1) greatly reduced time to install data gathering systems on ships,(2) increased flexibility, including the ability to quickly relocate sensors for better performance, (3) portability, making it easier to move a meteorological system from ship to ship, and (4) the ability to obtain real-time data, such as sea-surface temperature, from difficult locations onboard or inside the ship without the need to run expensive cabling through bulkheads.
