I have completed my SAMOS course at Manchester. I was assesed in a 11/2 hour "Practical and Theory" session, and was told that I had passed. I now have a "Limited [SAMOS] Met Observers Cerificate. Perhaps of my interest in all aspects of Aviation, I found the prospect of a new disciplne quite stimulating.
I know that I am not as competent as a Met Office observer, but in my 40+ years in aviation, I have found that people who "pass the same exam" pass with different degrees of "Competency" . Observer 1 will give xxx wx, Observer 2 may have his/her own ideas on the interpretation of the same wx.
At the end of the day, we have a reasonable piece of kit to help us, and I [at least] consider myself no less proffesional than an ATCO or a Line Captain.
If you want to see the kit in action, ask the Tower Sup for a visit, you [just] may be pleasantly surpised.
watp,iktch