ET Remote Connections Portal

Quick-launch dashboard for high-speed, low-speed, and IP-based ASOS connections. Live METAR status per site.

🔍

METARNormal

METARManual Mode

METAR $Maintenance Required

METARStale (> 75m)

ℹ️ Information

📖 Instructions

Manage Sites

Import / Export

Current Version: v21.00

This portal is the collaborative brainchild of several Electronics Technicians (ETs) and Electronics Systems Analysts (ESAs). It was developed out of necessity to ensure the continued maintenance and operation of ASOS systems during the disruptive loss of daily net-modem connectivity services.

For any questions, feedback, or new ideas that might benefit the ET community, please reach out to:
📧 tommy.young@noaa.gov

📁 ET Portal Shared Google Drive Folder

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Data Storage & Backups

All of your sites, links, and passwords are saved locally in your browser's cache. If you clear your browser data or cache, your entire setup will be erased, and you will have to recreate all your sites and links from scratch.

Action Required: Once you have created all your sites and configured the portal to your liking, go to the Import / Export tab, export your code, and save it in a secure document or text file. You can use this code to instantly restore your setup if your cache is cleared.

🔄 Release Notes & Information

📖 Portal Comprehensive Guide

Welcome to the ET Portal. This dashboard is designed to quick-launch connections and monitor live METAR data for ASOS sites. Below is a detailed guide on how to use all features.

1. Navigation & Global Actions (Top Bar)

Zulu Clock: Displays current UTC/Zulu time live.
Jump to Site Dropdown: Quickly scroll to any State, City, or specific site without having to use the search bar.
Remote / Tech Pass: Click to copy your globally saved passwords to the clipboard.
Refresh (15:00): Manually forces a refresh of all METAR data across the portal. Otherwise, it updates automatically every 15 minutes.

2. Main Dashboard & Site Cards

Search Bar: Type an ICAO ID, site name, city, or state to instantly filter the visible cards.
AWC METARs Button: Found on the right side of both State and City headers. Clicking it opens AviationWeather.gov with a combined list of all sites housed within that specific State or City.
📡 WFO Radar Button: Found on the right side of City (WFO) headers next to the AWC button. Opens a direct NEXRAD modal centered on that specific WFO. The button's color will dynamically update to reflect the latency status from radar3pub.ncep.noaa.gov. Inside the modal, you'll find the ⚡ Peak Pwr Button to open the official weather.gov NEXRADview data sheet, and a 📄 live FTM message viewer.
Dialup Connections (Auto-Copy): Click "Connect HS" or "Connect LS" to open a remote connection popup window auto-dialing the respective phone number. Note: Clicking these buttons will automatically copy your saved Remote Password to your clipboard so you can easily paste it into the new window.
IP Connections: Use the OID5 (High-Speed), OID4 (Low-Speed), or VDU buttons to route securely over the ZTNA NOAA infrastructure directly to the ASOS web gateway. These open in streamlined popup windows mirroring dialup connections.
Maps, Phones & Cameras: Quick links for DCP/ACU maps, Voice line, Telco repair line, and a direct link to the FAA Weather Cams for that specific ICAO. Edit the site in settings to add Map links if they are missing.
Quick Edit: Clicking the background space of any tile card will instantly launch the Settings menu and pre-load that site's information so you can easily modify phone numbers or map links.
Clickable METAR Ticker: Click the scrolling text at the bottom of the card to open the 72-hour history on AviationWeather.gov.

3. METAR Ticker Status

Pulls live data via the VATSIM Aviation Mirror Network with an automated NWS fallback loop.

Green: Normal operation.
Blue: Manual Mode (Observation lacks AUTO).
Red (METAR $): Raw METAR contains a $ indicating maintenance is needed. (Overrides Stale status).
Gray: Observation is more than 75 minutes old (Stale) or file unreachable.

4. System Updates

The portal features a direct link to the Google Drive folder. Click the 📦 Updates button in the top navigation bar to manually check the shared drive for newer versions of the portal to download and apply.

5. Settings: Manage Sites

Auto-Alphabetization: Once any State, City, or Site is created or modified, the portal will instantly automatically sort everything alphabetically.
Hierarchy: The portal is organized by State ➔ City (Office) ➔ Sites. You must create a State first, then add a City under it, before you can add individual sites.
Manage States & Cities: Use the ✏️ Rename buttons next to the State or City dropdowns to quickly rename them or update their IDs without losing any sites. Use the 📡 Radar button to assign a custom NEXRAD ID to the selected city.
Global Passwords: Input and save your Remote and Tech passwords. They are stored securely only in this browser's local storage.
POD Offices: Select two or more WFOs across the country to merge them into a single "POD" grouping. This group will automatically be pinned to the very top of your dashboard when you start the portal.

🔐 Global Passwords

Your passwords are saved locally in plain text to your browser cache.

Remote Password

Tech Password

Show Navbar Buttons?

Yes No

🏢 POD Offices (Grouped Offices)

Select one or more offices to form a POD. These will be automatically extracted from their normal states and permanently pinned to the top of your dashboard.

1. Create a New State

2. Create a New City (Office)

3. Select State:

Select City to Manage Sites:

Sites in this City:

ID	Name	Type	Action

4. Add New Site

Site ID (ICAO)

Owner

Connection Type

Airport / Site Name

Physical Address (optional)

High-Speed Phone

Low-Speed Phone

ASOS Voice Phone

Telco Repair Phone

DCP / SCA Map Link (optional)

ACU Maps Link (optional)

👋 Welcome to the ET Portal

📡 Live NEXRAD Radar

📝 Site Notes

Shared History Log

⚙️ Portal Settings