The World Meteorological Organization/Global Atmosphere Watch (WMO/GAW) regional Dobson intercomparison campaign took place at the Bureau of Meteorology field annexe outside Melbourne from 13 to 24 February 2017.

The campaign was primarily for the intercomparison of the South-West Pacific Regional Standard Dobson (D 105) against the World Standard (D 083). Two additional Dobsons from the region's member countries also participated - D 072 from Lauder, New Zealand, operated by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and D 052 from Manila in the Philippines, operated by the Philippines Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Furthermore, the Asia Regional Standard (D 116) operated by the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) also took part in the intercomparison in order to provide traceability of Asian instruments to the World Standard.

All participating instruments were successfully calibrated against the World Standard during a short spell of sunny weather in the second week of the campaign.

The Vienna Convention Trust Fund supported the travel costs of the two participants from the Philippines as well as the shipping of Dobson 052 from Manila to Melbourne. This support also enabled the extensive training provided by Dobson experts from the USA, Japan and Australia regarding Dobson operation and testing procedures, as well as the refurbishment and repair of the instrument. Together, these actions should ensure a high quality of ozone observations in the tropical western Pacific.