NWRA uses a simple ASCII-format file as an interim file prior to building the netCDF files. An example of the first few lines of one of these files is listed below. Information included in the header lines include:

• First line: Pass information (start date/time/azimuth, maximum elevation with azimuth and time, end time/azimuth, satellite ID)
• Second line: Station information (name, location)
• Third line: Time of first data point and data rate (full)
• Fourth line: First line of NORAD-format orbit elements
• Fifth line: Second line of NORAD-format orbit elements
• Sixth line: EndOfHeader
• Seventh through ninth lines: Column headers

The time-series data in the columns are the time (in seconds) since the pass start time (in the header on line 3), relative TEC (TECU), flags for quality of UHF and VHF intensity and differential phase, azimuth and elevation angles from the station to the satellite, and the latitude and longitude of the F- and E-layer penetration points.

2001-09-06 15:44 187 15:52:41.0 272.3 73.1 16:02   2 OSCAR 31     -145          
Station Coordinates: Delta, AK       63.902 deg  -145.240 deg  390 m  -9 hrs    
First data point @ 2001-09-06 15:44:57.00;   Data rate = 50 per sec             
1 19420U 88074B   01241.59301887  .00000066  00000-0  10000-3 0  6940           
2 19420  89.7995  71.7154 0094610 327.2894  32.2413 13.41498509636942           
EndOfHeader                                                                     
  Time   Rel TEC   UHF  VHF phase  Az     El    Flat   Flon    Elat   Elon
  (sec)  (10^16)  flag flag flag  (deg)  (deg)  (deg)  (deg)   (deg)  (deg)
         (el/m^2)
   1.00   18.465    0    0    0   187.8   6.4   50.4  -148.1   57.5  -146.8
   2.00   18.424    0    0    0   187.8   6.5   50.5  -148.1   57.5  -146.8
   3.00   18.372    0    0    0   187.8   6.6   50.5  -148.1   57.6  -146.8
   4.00   18.322    0    0    0   187.9   6.7   50.6  -148.1   57.6  -146.8
   5.00   18.280    0    0    0   187.9   6.7   50.6  -148.1   57.6  -146.8
   6.00   18.232    0    0    0   187.9   6.8   50.7  -148.1   57.7  -146.8
   7.00   18.188    0    0    0   187.9   6.9   50.7  -148.1   57.7  -146.8
   8.00   18.145    0    0    0   187.9   7.0   50.8  -148.1   57.7  -146.8
   9.00   18.097    0    0    0   187.9   7.0   50.8  -148.1   57.8  -146.8
  10.00   18.051    0    0    0   188.0   7.1   50.8  -148.1   57.8  -146.8
  11.00   18.001    0    0    0   188.0   7.2   50.9  -148.1   57.8  -146.8