diff --git a/aosstower/level_a0/nc.py b/aosstower/level_a0/nc.py
index 3d75f18fb1e3a381728a7f83afdeed7fd9b4eb1d..fc140d72117923222595248412b2a7ec53adcfd7 100644
--- a/aosstower/level_a0/nc.py
+++ b/aosstower/level_a0/nc.py
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ def writeDimensions(ncFile):
     ncFile.createDimension('time', None)
     ncFile.createDimension('strlen', 256)
 
-    print(ncFile)
-
     return ncFile
 
 def createVariables(ncFile, firstStamp, chunksizes, zlib):
@@ -37,19 +35,22 @@ def createVariables(ncFile, firstStamp, chunksizes, zlib):
     bts = firstStamp.strftime('%Y-%m-%d 00:00:00Z')
 
     #time long name
-    tln = 'time offset from midnight UTC'
+    tln = 'time offset from base_time'
 
     #time units
     tu = 'seconds since ' + firstStamp.strftime('%Y-%m-%d 00:00:00Z')
 
+    
+
     coordinates = {
-                      #fields: type, dimension, fille, positive, valid_min, std_name, longname, units, valid_max, cf_role, axis
+                      #fields: type, dimension, fill, valid_min, std_name, longname, units, valid_max, cf_role, axis
                       'lon': [np.float32, None, float(-999), '-180L', 'longitude', None, 'degrees_east', '180L', None],
                       'lat': [np.float32, None, float(-999), '-90L', 'latitude', None, 'degrees_north', '90L', None],
                       'alt': [np.float32, None, float(-999), None, 'height', 'vertical distance', 'm', None, None],
                       'base_time': [np.float32, None, float(-999), None, 'time', btln, btu, None, None],
-                      'time': [np.float32, 'time', float(-999), None, 'time', tln, tu, None, None],
-                      'station_name': ['c', 'strlen', '-', None, None, 'station name', None, None, 'timeseries_id']   
+                      'time_offset': [np.float32, 'time', float(-999), None, 'time', tln, tu, None, None],
+                      'station_name': ['c', 'strlen', '-', None, None, 'station name', None, None, 'timeseries_id'],   
+                      'time': [np.float32, 'time', float(-999), None, None, "Time offset from epoch", "seconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00Z", None, None, None]
                   }
 
     for key in coordinates:
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ def createVariables(ncFile, firstStamp, chunksizes, zlib):
 
         if(attr[1]):
             if attr[1] == 'strlen':
-                if chunksizes[0] > 256:
+                if (chunksizes) and chunksizes[0] > 256:
                     variable = ncFile.createVariable(key, attr[0], dimensions=(attr[1]), fill_value=attr[2], zlib=zlib, chunksizes=[256])
 
                 else:
@@ -165,7 +166,8 @@ def writeVars(ncFile, frame):
     fileVar = ncFile.variables
 
     fileVar['base_time'].assignValue(baseTimeValue)
-    fileVar['time'][:] = timeNumpy
+    fileVar['time_offset'][:] = timeNumpy
+    fileVar['time'][:] = timeNumpy + baseTimeValue
 
     #write coordinate var values to file
     #alt might not be right, need to verify
@@ -200,7 +202,11 @@ def writeVars(ncFile, frame):
 # @param output filename - filename of the netcdf file
 
 def createGiantNetCDF(start, end, inputFiles, outputName, zlib, chunkSize, no_empty):
-    chunksizes = [chunkSize]
+    if(chunkSize):
+        chunksizes = [chunkSize]
+
+    else:
+        chunksizes = None
 
     frame = getData(inputFiles, no_empty)
 
@@ -288,7 +294,6 @@ def main():
     level=levels[min(3, args.verbosity)]
     logging.basicConfig(level=level)
 
-    print(args)
 
     if(args.start_time and args.end_time):
         createGiantNetCDF(args.start_time, args.end_time, args.input_files, args.output[0], args.zlib, args.chunk_size, args.no_empty)