10/07

2008 Calendar: Enclosed is a copy of the 2008 NADP Calendar. It highlights the 30th year of NADP network operations and features the new NADP logo which was approved by the NADP’s committees at their annual meeting in September. For the first time, the 2008 calendar includes information and maintenance reminders about all three NADP networks (AIRMoN, MDN, and NTN). There are currently 56 collocated NTN-MDN sites, and 2 sites that have all three networks. We hope that the inclusion of maintenance information about all NADP networks will assist you in your site operations and improve data consistency
Reminder – Winterization Checks: With winter approaching it’s important to verify equipment performance and perform maintenance as necessary. Sites with collectors that have back-up batteries should “load test” their batteries.  For sites that run on solar power, it is especially important that their batteries be tested.  For more information about load testing batteries, please call (800) 952-7353.  Belfort raingage clock external batteries should be replaced annually. Internal clock batteries are also available by request. Check your Belfort raingage dashpot fluid. The dashpot should be filled approximately 2/3 full with clean dashpot fluid. Be sure there is no water trapped in the fluid.  Sites with Belfort raingages that have been winterized should remember to stir the antifreeze each week, and replenish it as necessary. As always, call 800 952-7353 if you have any questions or concerns.
http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/cal/		E-mail: cal@sws.uiuc.edu
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11/07

Upcoming Holidays: Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on Tuesdays in December 2007, and January 2008. As you make your holiday plans, you may need to make alternate arrangements for changing samples. Here are some suggestions: Change the sample on Monday or Wednesday to avoid the holiday. Remember to keep the total sampling period no greater than 8 days and 2 hours (194 hours) to ensure that these samples remain valid. Samples taken over periods greater than 194 hours are invalidated. It is permissible to collect samples with duration less than 7 days. Find a substitute that you can train to perform site operations.
Another winterization reminder: Please allow frozen samples to thaw completely before decanting them from the bottle. We recommend that you thaw the sample in a refrigerator overnight, or allow it to stand several hours at room temperature.  Heating the sample will alter the sample’s chemistry.
New lid bag requires revised bucket change procedures: Recently, the CAL has changed to “slide lock” bags for packing clean lids. Several observant site operators have noted that these bags require a modified bucket change procedure from that indicated in Section 3.2.2.1 of the Site Operations Manual. Please review the enclosed memo for the modified procedures. If you do not have a black box carrier, or yours is in poor condition, please contact us and we will send you a new one.
300,000th NTN sample received! The Central Analytical Laboratory has collected its 300,000th site-week of data for the NTN. The sample was precipitation collected on October 23, 2007 at the Northern Agricultural Research Center in Havre, Montana by operator Jeff Whitmus.
http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/cal/	E-mail: cal@sws.uiuc.edu
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12/07