diff --git a/fix b/fix
index 2ff80650bb..f5bdc18370 160000
--- a/fix
+++ b/fix
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 2ff80650bb769b9c883e758262a63025b99fe2ca
+Subproject commit f5bdc18370927dd7dd539ae1adb2c729134fdbde
diff --git a/regression/regression_var.sh b/regression/regression_var.sh
index 37096edde1..92af951596 100755
--- a/regression/regression_var.sh
+++ b/regression/regression_var.sh
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ case $machine in
 
    #  On Hera, there are no scrubbers to remove old contents from stmp* directories.
    #  After completion of regression tests, will remove the regression test subdirecories
-   export clean=".true."
+   export clean=".false."
    ;;
    Jet)
 
diff --git a/src/gsi/hdraobmod.f90 b/src/gsi/hdraobmod.f90
index fe96c63ab2..5fa452df4b 100644
--- a/src/gsi/hdraobmod.f90
+++ b/src/gsi/hdraobmod.f90
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ subroutine read_hdraob(nread,ndata,nodata,infile,obstype,lunout,twindin,sis,&
   character(10) date
   character(8) subset
   character(8) c_station_id,id_station
+  character(8) c_prvstg,c_sprvstg
 ! character(8) stnid
   character(8) stntype
 
@@ -198,11 +199,14 @@ subroutine read_hdraob(nread,ndata,nodata,infile,obstype,lunout,twindin,sis,&
   real(r_double),dimension(2,maxlevs):: levdat
   real(r_double),dimension(8,maxlevs):: var_jb,obserr
   real(r_double),dimension(8,maxlevs):: obsdat
+  real(r_double) :: r_prvstg,r_sprvstg
 
   logical newstation,toocold
 
 
 !  equivalence to handle character names
+  equivalence(r_prvstg,c_prvstg)
+  equivalence(r_sprvstg,c_sprvstg)
   equivalence(rstation_id,c_station_id)
   equivalence(r_station,id_station)
 
@@ -220,6 +224,8 @@ subroutine read_hdraob(nread,ndata,nodata,infile,obstype,lunout,twindin,sis,&
   
   print_verbose=.false.
   if(verbose) print_verbose=.true.
+  c_prvstg = '88888888'
+  c_sprvstg =HDRAOB'
 
 ! Initialize variables
 
@@ -976,8 +982,8 @@ subroutine read_hdraob(nread,ndata,nodata,infile,obstype,lunout,twindin,sis,&
                  cdata_all(19,iout)=stnelev                ! station elevation (m)
                  cdata_all(20,iout)=levdat(2,k)            ! observation height (m)
                  cdata_all(21,iout)=zz                     ! terrain height at ob location
-                 cdata_all(22,iout)='88888888'             ! provider name
-                 cdata_all(23,iout)='HDRAOB'               ! subprovider name
+                 cdata_all(22,iout)=r_prvstg               ! provider name
+                 cdata_all(23,iout)=r_sprvstg              ! subprovider name
                  cdata_all(24,iout)=2                      ! cat
                  cdata_all(25,iout)=var_jb(3,k)            ! non linear qc for T
                  if(perturb_obs)cdata_all(nreal,iout)=ran01dom()*perturb_fact ! t perturbation
@@ -1075,8 +1081,8 @@ subroutine read_hdraob(nread,ndata,nodata,infile,obstype,lunout,twindin,sis,&
                  cdata_all(19,iout)=dlon_earth_deg         ! earth relative longitude (degrees)
                  cdata_all(20,iout)=dlat_earth_deg         ! earth relative latitude (degrees)
                  cdata_all(21,iout)=zz                     ! terrain height at ob location
-                 cdata_all(22,iout)='88888888'             ! provider name
-                 cdata_all(23,iout)='HDRAOB'               ! subprovider name
+                 cdata_all(22,iout)=r_prvstg               ! provider name
+                 cdata_all(23,iout)=r_sprvstg              ! subprovider name
                  cdata_all(24,iout)=2                      ! cat
                  cdata_all(25,iout)=var_jb(5,k)            ! non linear qc parameter
                  cdata_all(26,iout)=one                    ! hilbert curve weight, modified later 
@@ -1157,8 +1163,8 @@ subroutine read_hdraob(nread,ndata,nodata,infile,obstype,lunout,twindin,sis,&
                  cdata_all(17,iout)=stnelev                ! station elevation (m)
                  cdata_all(18,iout)=levdat(2,k)            ! observation height (m)
                  cdata_all(19,iout)=zz                     ! terrain height at ob location
-                 cdata_all(20,iout)='88888888'             ! provider name
-                 cdata_all(21,iout)='HDRAOB'               ! subprovider name
+                 cdata_all(20,iout)=r_prvstg               ! provider name
+                 cdata_all(21,iout)=r_sprvstg              ! subprovider name
                  cdata_all(22,iout)=2                      ! cat
                  cdata_all(23,iout)=var_jb(2,k)            ! non linear qc b parameter
                  if(perturb_obs)cdata_all(24,iout)=ran01dom()*perturb_fact ! q perturbation
@@ -1222,8 +1228,8 @@ subroutine read_hdraob(nread,ndata,nodata,infile,obstype,lunout,twindin,sis,&
                  cdata_all(15,iout)=dlat_earth_deg         ! earth relative latitude (degrees)
                  cdata_all(16,iout)=stnelev                ! station elevation (m)
                  cdata_all(17,iout)=zz                     ! terrain height at ob location
-                 cdata_all(18,iout)='88888888'             ! provider name
-                 cdata_all(19,iout)='HDRAOB'               ! subprovider name
+                 cdata_all(18,iout)=r_prvstg               ! provider name
+                 cdata_all(19,iout)=r_sprvstg              ! subprovider name
                  cdata_all(20,iout)=var_jb(1,k)            ! non linear qc b parameter
                  if(perturb_obs)cdata_all(21,iout)=ran01dom()*perturb_fact ! ps perturbation
                  if (twodvar_regional) &