Narrative:

I first noticed a problem with the metars for all of the dominican stations not being available on jul/sun/06. On that shift; pop; sdq; lrm; sti; and puj had no metars entered into the system. I asked the operations sector manager to find out what was wrong and see if he can get it fixed. Later that afternoon after a very busy 3.5 hours of work; the problem was still not fixed so I asked the new sector manager if they had found the problem. I was told that she thought it had been taken care of already by the earlier manager. About 30 mins later; the metars started coming in again automatically. Since this day we have had only sporadic metars for all of these stations. I spoke with the operations sector manager today and told me that the problem is the WX observers themselves are not putting in the metars. I explained to him that we need current metars for these stations not only because of the obvious; but that we have no WX radar sites and when it rains; we can have problems landing and taking off due to the wet runways. Can we even dispatch to these stations when we know we cannot get the metars? I tried calling the sti tower and because of a language problem; they were unable to understand what I needed. This problem needs to be fixed and as of now; there are no plans to correct the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCHER RPTS LACK OF METARS FOR ALL DOMINICAN STATIONS OVER A PERIOD OF DAYS.

Narrative: I FIRST NOTICED A PROB WITH THE METARS FOR ALL OF THE DOMINICAN STATIONS NOT BEING AVAILABLE ON JUL/SUN/06. ON THAT SHIFT; POP; SDQ; LRM; STI; AND PUJ HAD NO METARS ENTERED INTO THE SYS. I ASKED THE OPS SECTOR MGR TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG AND SEE IF HE CAN GET IT FIXED. LATER THAT AFTERNOON AFTER A VERY BUSY 3.5 HRS OF WORK; THE PROB WAS STILL NOT FIXED SO I ASKED THE NEW SECTOR MGR IF THEY HAD FOUND THE PROB. I WAS TOLD THAT SHE THOUGHT IT HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF ALREADY BY THE EARLIER MGR. ABOUT 30 MINS LATER; THE METARS STARTED COMING IN AGAIN AUTOMATICALLY. SINCE THIS DAY WE HAVE HAD ONLY SPORADIC METARS FOR ALL OF THESE STATIONS. I SPOKE WITH THE OPS SECTOR MGR TODAY AND TOLD ME THAT THE PROB IS THE WX OBSERVERS THEMSELVES ARE NOT PUTTING IN THE METARS. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT WE NEED CURRENT METARS FOR THESE STATIONS NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE OBVIOUS; BUT THAT WE HAVE NO WX RADAR SITES AND WHEN IT RAINS; WE CAN HAVE PROBS LNDG AND TAKING OFF DUE TO THE WET RWYS. CAN WE EVEN DISPATCH TO THESE STATIONS WHEN WE KNOW WE CANNOT GET THE METARS? I TRIED CALLING THE STI TWR AND BECAUSE OF A LANGUAGE PROB; THEY WERE UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I NEEDED. THIS PROB NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND AS OF NOW; THERE ARE NO PLANS TO CORRECT THE PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.