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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD: 

Code and decode meteorological messages 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
246541  Code and decode meteorological messages 
ORIGINATOR
Task Team - Weather 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 10 - Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences Environmental Sciences 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  18 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
The person credited with this Unit Standard will be able to read all meteorological instruments and will be able to code and decode aviation and synoptic messages as required by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

A person credited with this Unit Standard will be able to:
  • Record meteorological variables according to international regulations.
  • Code and decode synoptic messages according to World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) formats.
  • Code and decode aviation based weather according to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) formats. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    It is assumed that learners are competent in the following:
  • Communication at NQF Level 4 or equivalent.
  • Mathematical Literacy at NQF Level 4 or equivalent.
  • Unit Standard: Explain Basic Meteorological Concepts at NQF Level 5. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    N/A 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Record meteorological variables according to international regulations. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    The recording of data must be undertaken according to both the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulations. The meteorological variables are as prescribed by the World Meteorological Organisation. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Meteorological variables are read and recorded within ten minutes according to South African Weather Service Regulations. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Temperatures must be recorded in degrees Celsius (oC). Pressure must be recorded in hectopascal (hPa) or millibars (mb). Wind speed must be recorded in knots (kt). Wind direction must be measured according to meteorological direction. Rainfall is recorded in millimeters (mm).
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Non-instrumented meteorological variables are observed and recorded in order to complete World Meteorological Organisation and/or International Civil Aviation Organisation meteorological messages. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Non-instrumented meteorological variables include the naming of clouds from the twenty seven different cloud types as stipulated by WMO. Cloud amount in octas, cloud height in feet above ground level (AGL), horizontal visibility in meters/kilometers and present and past weather.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Faulty readings of instrumented and non-instrumented meteorological variables are identified and rectified in order to record accurate data. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Code and decode synoptic messages according to World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) formats. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    The coding of meteorological data into the synoptic format must be done according to the stipulated World Meteorological Organisation regulations as well as the South African regional regulations where necessary. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Meteorological variables are manually coded into the synoptic land code format within the standard time. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Standard time is 5 minutes.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Meteorological variables are manually coded into the synoptic ship code format within the standard time. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Standard time is 5 minutes.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    All synoptic messages are decoded according to South African regional regulations. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Synoptic weather data is entered into computer database for transmission and safekeeping purposes. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Faulty synoptic messages are identified in order to rectify or discard data. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Code and decode aviation based weather reports according to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) formats. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Meteorological aviation variables are coded into a routine meteorological aviation report (METAR) within the standard time. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Meteorological variables may include wind direction and speed, horizontal visibility, vertical visibility, present weather, cloud amount, cloud type and cloud height, temperature and dew point temperature, and pressure.
  • Standard time is 5 minutes.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Observed meteorological aviation variables are determined as to whether they fall within the selected special aviation report (SPECI) criteria. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Meteorological SPECI variables may include wind direction and/or speed horizontal visibility and vertical visibility the runway visual range (RVR), present weather, cloud amount and cloud height and temperature.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    METAR and SPECI reports are decoded in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation regulations (ICAO). 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Aviation data is entered into computer database for transmission and safekeeping purposes. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Faulty METAR and SPECI reports are identified in order to rectify data. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) reports are decoded according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) format. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard or will assess this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA by SAQA.
  • Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines in the relevant qualification and the agreed ETQA procedures. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
  • The learner must be able to communicate and understand basic scientific language.
  • The learner must be able to communicate in English, as this forms part of an international aviation "language". 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems pertaining to the coding and decoding of meteorological measures. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively with users in the process of coding and decoding meteorological measures. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology to process meteorological data. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems where the accurate coding and decoding of meteorological measures improve the quality of weather observations. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    N/A 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  58995   National Certificate: Weather Observation  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  TETA 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. South African Weather Service 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.