obsolete instruments

[LiborDuchacek]

Many thanks for your suggestions during yesterday’s call. I would like to continue discussing this topic here, if possible, and inquire about your experiences in redistributing instruments that are no longer used within your institution but could still be valuable elsewhere.

To be more specific, I am seeking advice related to a government institution dealing with administrative issues, particularly asset depreciation. To be honest, our ability to support potential competitors in the private sector is a limitation as well.

While the academic community seems like a promising option, there is currently not considerable interest from their side in our region. I would prefer supporting the development of the foreign NHMS, but the process must be comfortable for both parties involved. Is there any international supervisor which could help? WMO did not seem very open to this when I asked before…

I would greatly appreciate your assistance.

Thank you,

Libor

Topic

[Alec Dempster]

Hi Libor,

While us here at NIWA haven’t actually sent any of our old “instruments” to developing countries in the Pacific, we have certainly sent old IT gear which has been gratefully received. NIWA has extensive experience working all across the Pacific Islands and I am actively working on a project in Fiji where they have just ordered the first ADCPs (RiverPro’s) into the entire Pacific! Currently ~90-95% of all gaugings in the Pacific are wading gaugings completed via old current meters and ~5-10% via FlowTrackers, so these ADCPs will revolutionise their gauging abilities.

NIWA would be happy to liase with you and some other funding agency (UNESCO, UNEP, UNDP etc), to work towards re-homing old hydrology equipment and providing adequate training on how to use and maintain it.

Contact me at alec.dempster@niwa.co.nz if you think this is something you’d be open too.

 

Cheers!

[kevinaoberg]

Libor:

I know several groups in several different countries in South America who would love to have some instruments that work, even older ones.  They are desparate for instrumentation because it costs many times more for them to get an ADCP due to duties, unstable currencies, etc.  In some cases the cost of an ADCP would be 3 times the salary for a well-trained professional.

I could make some inquiries with them about it and see if they or someone they know could assist you.  For one example, the current secretary general of WMO is the former Director of the Argentinean National Meteorological Service and is known to several people who work with me in hydroacoustics.

[Author]

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