Report - HMEI General Assembly at the 88th AMS Annual Meeting, New Orleans, USA, January 2008
HMEI held its 2008 General Assembly at AMS on Tuesday 22 January, 2008 at 9am in Room 232 of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Thirty-seven people attended. Items discussed included the amelioration of the HMEI Member Product Catalogue to include more detailed information on Members' Products and discussions regarding status of the collaboration between HMEI and WMO in making the Catalogue acceptable for endorsement by WMO.

The full Minutes of this General Assembly are available here

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Report -  HMEI Exhibiting at the 88th AMS Annual Meeting, New Orleans, USA, 20-24 January 2008
Thirty-six (36) HMEI Members exhibited at the AMS exhibition this year, making up, as usual a large contingent of the overall exhibitors. See below the photos of the exhibiting HMEI Members. Photos courtesy of the Executive Secretary of HMEI, Bruce Sumner.
Please click on any image below to enlarge it.

3SI	Aanderra Data Instruments	All Weather	Baron Services	Belfort Instrument Co.
Campbell Scientific	Climatronics	Davis Instruments	Delta-T Devices	EEC
EKO Instruments	Geonor	Graw Radiosondes	IBL Software	InterMet Systems
IPS Meteostar	Jenoptik	Kipp & Zonen	Leosphere	Li-Cor Biosciences
Lockheed Martin	Logotronic	Metek	Meteolabor	Modem
MPS System	OTT Messtechnik	Radiometrics	R M Young	Scintec
Sutron	Vaisala	Weather Decision Technologiees

The HMEI, as usual, had its own booth, manned by Bruce Sumner. HMEI extends again its thanks to the AMS organisers for this facility.

Bruce Sumner at the HMEI Booth

The booth was visited by many people, who were able to pick up a free copy of the HMEI Catalogue on CD. Bruce was pleased to also welcome HMEI Members who dropped by the booth.

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HMEI cooperation with WMO to identify instruments complying with WMO/TD No. 1379
HMEI was approached by WMO in January for collaboration regarding a WMO investigation to identify instruments that already satisfy, or are expected to satisfy, the requirements specified in the WMO/TD No. 1379, "Requirement Tables". The variables being investigated are generally concerned with atmospheric measurements, from the surface to 50km.

HMEI has contacted its membership requesting information in the WMO requested table format, but also for extra information as applicable. WMO requested information to be available by early February ready for the GRUAN meeting in Lindenburg, which will look at the results from this inquiry.

HMEI was pleased to be able to pass on to WMO information from the following 11 Member companies:
Graw
Jenoptik
Kipp & Zonen
Leosphere
Li-Cor
Lockheed Martin (Coherent Techologies)
Meisei
Metek
Radiometrics
Sumitomo
Vaisala
HMEI thanks these Members for their time and cooperation.

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Update on the progress of CIMO-Guide, Edition 7
Igor Zahumensky, Rapporteur CIMO Guide, has recently updated HMEI with the latest information regarding the 7th Edition of the CIMO Guide.

The CIMO Management Group (MG) held in Geneva, January 2008, was informed that the English version of the 7th Edition of the CIMO Guide was expected to be available in electronic version by the end of March 2008 and that the other official WMO languages would be available at a later, yet unspecified date. The MG agreed that it was urgent for the CIMO Guide to be translated in all WMO official languages. As soon as the electronic version is available, the relevant web page will be updated correspondingly.

It was also noted that a new update of IMOP/CIMO Web portal on Development, Maintenance and Operation of Instruments, Observing methods and AWS is available now at http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/IMOP/WebPortal-AWS/Index.html

Dr Zahumensky has said that he would appreciate any comments, proposals or suggestions on this matter. If you have any comments please send them to the HMEI Secretariat at hmei@wmo.int and we will pass them on for you.

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New Developments for the HMEI Member Catalogue
The 2008 HMEI General Assembly unanimously agreed that product information should be added to the HMEI Member Products Catalogue http://catalogue.hydrometeoindustry.org .

Following the subsequent decisions made in the Council Meeting also held at AMS in January, the next phase of the HMEI Product Catalogue, with the addition of product information, is therefore now being implemented. This will bring the HMEI catalogue into closer agreement with the requirements of WMO. HMEI intends to formally announce its new, enhanced catalogue at TECO in St Petersburg in November.

All HMEI Members have been emailed documents outlining the specifications for the new product information, and the associated fees. These fees have been kept to a minimum, and are only to cover costs within the Secretariat for the extra work involved.

Each set of a company's specific product information will be accessible from the relevant category/company entry of the catalogue. The extra information will include individual entries on company nominated products with pictures, brief descriptions and links to additional specification information from the companies' own websites.

For further information please contact Bruce Sumner at hmei@wmo.int

"Members News" item now on the HMEI Website
There is a new item now on the HMEI website "MEMBERS' NEWS", dedicated to items of interest that HMEI Members wish to be made public. This includes links to the latest newsletters from HMEI Member companies, as well as news releases they wish to post there and indeed any news item of interest from the membership.

The new feature can be seen at http://www.hydrometeoindustry.org/MemberNews.htm

For further information, or to submit an item, please contact Christine Charstone at hmei@wmo.int

HMEI Member Sagim visits WMO
Mr Bernard Cutillas from Sagim visited WMO and the HMEI Secretariat office on Tuesday 19 February. Mr Cutillas had been visiting Mr Illine in the WMO Procurement Section. Bruce and Christine were pleased to visit with Mr Cutillas before he drove home from Geneva.

Mr Cutillas noted that he would like to see WMO initiate a training workshop or workshops specifically dedicated to hydrogen generators. Such training has previously been an adjunct to training for upper-air systems. Whilst this is perfectly appropriate, there can be time constrains with this approach that does not always allow sufficient time for an extensive training in the hydrogen generators area. Because of the safety issues associated with hydrogen generation, a dedicated training workshop would seem to be an excellent suggestion.

TECO-2008 and METEOREX-2008  Russian Federation, 27-29  November 2008
Information is available on the CIMO webpage for those wishing to exhibit at METOREX or attend TECO. See the links below, in the exhibitions section of this newsletter, for further information.

HMEI has been in contact with the organiser of METEOREX 2008, Dmitri Kazuto. The organisers have kindly offered a booth for HMEI. Thus HMEI will be at booth 136 at METEOREX next year.

The HMEI Secretariat has offered support for METEOREX 2008 and provided a list of HMEI Members to the organisers. There are now 43 exhibitors registered for METEOREX, of these 33 are HMEI Members.

HMEI Members registered there to date are:
A. Thies GmbH & Co. KG
Campbell Scientific Inc.
Cimel Electronique
Degreane Horizon
Delta-T Devices
EEC Radar
Eigenbrodt GmbH & Co. KG
GAMIC
Geonor
Gill instruments Ltd.
IBL Software Engineering
International Met Systems
Jenoptik Laser, Optik Systeme, GmbH
Kipp & Zonen
Leospehere
Logotronic GmbH
METEK
Meteo France international
Meteolabor AG
Meteorage
MicroStep-MIS
Modem
Precis Mecanique
Prevention Foudre Service
R.M. Young Company
Rotronic AG
Sagim
Scintec
SELEX-Gematronic
Skandinaviska Meteorlogi- och Miljoinstrument AB
Sutron
Vaisala
Weather Decision Technologies, Inc.

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Opportunities for members  
HMEI received and sent on to Members the following opportunity of interest to HMEI Members, since the last newsletter.

GCOS invitation to tender for surface instrumentation in Tblilisi, Georgia
HMEI was informed that GCOS (Global Climate Observing System) is about to issue an invitation to tender, for the supply of surface station instrumentation for the station at Tblilisi, Georgia. GCOS stated that they would like to have the instruments provided by a single supplier.

This information was sent out to all Members on the 13 February 2008, with the list of required instrumentation.

Subsequently, a list of the 12 HMEI Member companies who responded was passed on to GCOS and the WMO Procurement Section.

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NEW MEMBERS
The Association of Hydro-Meteorological Equipment Industry welcomes the following companies as new HMEI members:

ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS CORPORATION
24900 Anza Dr., Unit D
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
USA

Tel: +1 661.294.9621
Fax: +1 661.294.9667
Email: sales@minisodar.com
www.minisodar.com

Company Information
Manufacturers and sells Doppler Sonic Detection And Ranging (SODAR) systems. These systems measure wind profiles in the atmospheric boundary layer.

China National Huayun Technology Development Corporation
No. 46 Zhnongguancun South Street
Haidian District
Beijing 100081
P.R. China

Tel: +86 10 6840 9121
Fax: +86 10 6217 4629
Email: QAR2008@sina.com
www.cnhyc.com

Company Information
China National Huayun technology development corporation (CHC) is solely owned by China Meteorological Administration, founded in 1992. It is a Hi-Tech enterprise which is located in Beijing Zhongguancun Science and Technology Zone. It has passed the ISO9001 International Quality System Certification. After integrating and restructuring, it has seen a transition to a scalable, specialized and intensive pattern and has formed 8 main business areas by Integrated sounding, radar, satellite receiver system, network maintenance of Integrated sounding maintenance, information engineering, thunder and lightning defence system, operation of assets and international business operations under the perform of the core level dept 、management dept and holding company. It truly becomes the largest product D&R, production and construction as one of the Enterprise Group in China. Based on the guideline of our company “Innovation, precision, and cooperation and development”, the company will fully display its advantages and play an important role in developing Hi-Tech meteorological industry.

New Member Information
All new members' information here was supplied to us by the member company. HMEI bears no responsibility for, nor endorses this information.

2nd International Symposium on Water Resources and Renewable Energy Development in Asia (Asia 2008), Central Vietnam, 10-11 March 2008
This will be held at the Furama Convention Centre, Danang.

A major Technical Exhibition is scheduled to take place alongside ASIA 2008; companies who are currently working, or plan to work, in the Asian region will have an opportunity to display their supplies and services to high level delegations from all Asian countries with water and energy development programmes under way.

The exhibition will be in the Furama Convention Centre immediately adjacent to the main auditorium. Refreshment breaks and lunches will take place there on each day of the Symposium. Information is available at: http://www.cig.ensmp.fr/~iahs/

For further details, or to obtain a detailed plan of the exhibition halls, contact:
Mr Gaël Bozec Sales & Marketing Manager Tel: + 44 20 8288 9009 Email: gb@hydropower-dams.com  or:
Mrs Maria Loredo Sales & Marketing Executive Tel: + 44 20 8652 5267 Email: maria.loredo@hydropower-dams.com

Oceanology International 2008, London, UK, 11-13 March 2008
Oceanology International (OI) is quoted to be "the world’s largest and most respected meeting place for the marine science and ocean technology community. OI hosts an agenda setting conference, training programme, visiting vessels and live demonstrations as well as the latest technology & solutions from an unparalleled selection of suppliers. OI is attended by a global community of engineers, scientists, legislators, policy makers and management professionals with responsibility across all of the ocean science and marine technology spectrum".

Exhibition information is available at http://www.oceanologyinternational.com/page.cfm/Link=9/t=m/goSection=5

The Oceanology International 2008 conference is themed ‘Technology, Sustainability and the Ocean Environment’. It will explore the vital role of marine science and ocean technology in meeting the interlocking challenges posed by climate change, satisfying future energy needs and ensuring environmental and civil security.

More information at: http://www.oceanologyinternational.com/page.cfm/Link=10/t=m/goSection=6

European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, Austria, 13-18 April 2008
The EGU 2008 will be held in Vienna. The exhibition will be held on the 14-17 April. The venue is the Austria Center Vienna. Information for the conference is available at: http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2008/general_information.html 

Information for exhibiting can be found at: http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2008/general_information_for_exhibitors.html
Currently there are 60 registered exhibitors at EGU, of which 9 are HMEI Members: Delta-T Devices; Droplet Measurement Technologies; Eijkelkamp Agrisearch; EKO Instruments; Kipp & Zonen; Leosphere; LI-COR Biosciences; Metek and Scintec AG.

4th International Symposium on Flood Defence, Canada, 6-8 May 2008
This event has an exhibition and sponsorship opportunities. It will be held in Toronto, Canada. Information is available at:  http://www.flood2008.org/flood/

The focus of the Toronto meeting will be a new perspective of flood risk management and assessment - one that recognizes flood risk reduction as an integral part of water resource management and which aims to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital systems.

Poster presentations are also invited and must be submitted by 31 March 2008.

Submission of papers has also been invited, these must arrive by 31 March. More information on papers at: http://www.flood2008.org/flood/paperpre.cfm 

SIEE-Pollutec 2008 (4ème Salon International des Équipements et Services de l’Eau), Algeria, 19-22 May 2008
This exhibition will be held in Alger, Algeria, Safex Pins Maritime, . More information will be available at:http://www.siee-pollutec.com/

BALWOIS 2008 - 3rd International Conference on Water Observation and Information Systems for Decision Support, 27- 31 May 2008
To be held in Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia. A trade Exhibition will be held in conjunction with the conference. The exhibition will cover a wide range of products and services in the fields of hydrology, meteorology and ecology.

The objectives of BALWOIS 2008 are to provide at international and more specifically at Balkan levels:
• a meeting that will further the progress of the knowledge in the fields of Scientific research, Education, Policy and Development Activities and on all the Water related issues related to climate changes, hazards mitigation and water resources assessment, management and protection,
• an atmosphere to enhance the links between the providers and the end users of water related knowledge,
• a forum for free discussion of new ideas, research, development and applications, including techniques and methods to stimulate future works,
• an exhibition of current hardware and/or software in the field of water,
• opportunities for students and young researchers and engineers to meet their experienced peers and to stimulate them to join BALWOIS activities, and
• new knowledge through the publishing of high quality papers on BALWOIS web site and through DVD bundle, books edition, etc.

BALWOIS Project - Water Observation and Information System for Decision for Balkan Countries - is a Network  of Water Resources Management and aquatic ecosystems Protection initially supported by the European Commission (2002-2004).

For information go to: http://balwois.viabloga.com/

ECWATECH-2008, Moscow, Russian Federation, 3-6 June 2008
The 8th International Water and Wastewater Technologies Trade Fair and Congress "Water: Ecology and Technology", (ECWATECH-2008) will be held June 2008 in Moscow in the International Exhibition Center "Crocus Expo".

ECWATECH is the biggest biannual water forum in CIS and Eastern Europe with 656 exhibitors and 1346 delegates in 2006. Exhibition and alongside congress enable to combine effectively an advanced technologies show and discussion of issues that involves key leaders of the sector. Please see the invitation to exhibit with more details here. Information is also available directly at www.ecwatech.com

 In 2008, within the framework of ECWATECH-2008, will be organised the International Conference “Water Resource Systems Management under Extreme Conditions”. For conference information go to www.ecwatech.com

8th European Meteorological Society (EMS) Annual Meeting and 7th European Conference on Applied Climatology (ECAC) 2008, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 29 September - 3 October 2007
The next EMS and the 7th European Conference on Applied Climatology will be held in Amsterdam, 29 October, 2008. There will be an exhibition associated with the event. More information is also available at: http://www.emetsoc.org/annual_meetings/annua_meetings_2008.php or http://www.copernicus.org/

Exhibitor opportunities will be an important feature of this conference and information is available at: http://meetings.copernicus.org/ems2008 The exhibition will be located in Ruby Lounge of the conference venue the Amsterdam RAI.

Exhibition Opening hours will be Monday, 29 September, 12:00–18:00; Tuesday, 30 September 2008 – Thursday, and 02 October 2008, 09:00–18:00

EMS 2008 and related conferences will be focused around the recent concerns on climate change and adaptation. The 7th European Conference on Applied Climatology (ECAC) to be held in conjunction with EMS 2008 has previewed a programme with two themes: Understanding of Climate and Adaptation to Climate, with the focus on applications for decision support and spatial planning on climate.

The programme will have three streams:
- The Atmosphere and the water cycle
- Forecasting the weather at all time scales - THORPEX studies, developments in NWP, applications and societal impact
- Meteorology and society

FLOODrisk 2008, UK, 30 September to 2 October 2008
This event will be held at Keble College, Oxford, UK. The event will be supported by a technical exhibition to provide organisations with an ideal opportunity to showcase their skills and products to a focused international audience. Sponsorship opportunities will also be available for organisations wishing to achieve a high degree of visibility at the conference. To receive more information, register your interest at http://www.floodrisk2008.net/registration.asp or contact floodrisk2008@hrwallingford.co.uk

FLOODrisk 2008 is an initiative of FLOODsite, the largest European research project on flooding, coordinated by HR Wallingford. FLOODrisk 2008 is an open forum for researchers, flood risk managers, policy makers and practitioners from government, commercial and research organisations, designers, owners and national agencies to discuss advances, case studies and best practice in this important subject. For more information go to: http://www.floodrisk2008.net/index.htm

The end date for submission of abstracts was 14 January 2008.

TECO-2008 and METEOREX-2008  Russian Federation, November 2008
The 2008 TECO and METEOREX, to be held in St  Petersburg from 27-29 November 2008. Information is available on the CIMO webpage http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/CIMO/cimo-teco-meteorex.html for those wishing to attend or exhibit.