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.