I created this diagram to show a buddy how CWOP works as it illustrates all the systems involved. I may very well not have this exactly accurately displayed because I know that there are other complexities that are not depicted. But I feel that for simplicity sake this diagram works and gets the basics well laid out. Feel free to criticize and correct me.
The first thing to realize is that CWOP is not one thing (that is why there is no cwop.com). It is a culmination of a few systems coming together to create a bigger system with many benefits.
wxqa is where you register for a CWOP ID. This is not a typical account. There is no login. You register with your email and that ties you to your ID to do as you please. Realize that you could transmit to the APRS network without a valid ID and your data would show up on FindU database as an unregistered station and you'd also show up the aprs map systems like aprs.fi and aprsdirect.com. But that would be the end of your data as it would not make it to MADIS. But to actually make it to MADIS besides registering for your CWOP ID after you system is uploading you'd need to confirm with NOAA that your station is up and that the location is correct and you supply some siting characteristics like elevation ..etc.
That I know of there is no direct access to MADIS data. You see the data via the various organizations that are set up to receive MADIS data. Well you can see your data at FindU also.
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