The earliest tidal monitoring stations were small and self-
contained, but they required frequent visits for maintenance and
adjustment. Today, stations are still self contained but are
very accurate, require little maintenance, and are part of a
larger nationwide network. Today, data are transmitted to NOAA
headquarters via satellite shortly after they are collected.
After rapid computer analysis, the data are immediately posted
to one of several Web sites where they can be universally
accessed. With these systems in place, scientists can run
diagnostic checks on the equipment without needing to travel
into the field. This saves both time and money.