NOAA's National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) has developed a new, low-cost, easy-to-deploy, multi-purpose ocean observing system. The observing platform is a 1.8-meter foam discus hull buoy. The new electronic data acquisition system is called the Wave and Marine Data Acquisition System (WAMDAS). The system is intended to augment observations from existing NDBC observing stations, serve as a temporary or even permanent observing system. Originally developed primarily for the measurement of ocean waves, WAMDAS has the capability to interface with additional sensors.

After two test and evaluation deployments in a waves-only configuration, an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler and a compact meteorological sensor package were added to the system and deployed in the Florida Strait for evaluation. NDBC, in conjunction with the staff of the Weather Forecast Office, Key West, FL conducted the evaluation. This paper describes the field test and the results of the evaluation of the meteorological, oceanographic, and wave observations.