diff --git a/ioos_qartod/handlers.py b/ioos_qartod/handlers.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81f76d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ioos_qartod/handlers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+from netCDF4 import Dataset
+import quantities as pq
+from cf_units import Unit
+import multiprocessing
+from ioos_qartod.qc_tests import qc
+from copy import deepcopy
+from functools import partial
+import pprint
+from datetime import datetime
+import pytz
+import numpy as np
+
+
+# don't apply unit conversions to these variables
+convert_blacklist = {'low_reps', 'high_reps'}
+
+# variables that represent a change in some quantity.  Additive differences
+# will be removed
+delta_vars = {'eps'}
+
+def load_ds_and_process(ds_loc, config_params, output_loc=None):
+    """
+    Takes a dataset location and outputs it to another place
+    params: ds_loc: string or netCDF Dataset
+    """
+    #ds = xarray.open_dataset(ds_loc)
+    ds = Dataset(ds_loc, 'a')
+    dat_vars = ds.variables
+    standard_name_dat_vars = []
+    std_names = [dat_vars[v] for v in dat_vars if 'standard_name'
+                                            in dat_vars[v].ncattrs() and not
+                                        ('flag_values' in dat_vars[v].ncattrs()
+                                         or
+                                         'flag_meanings' in dat_vars[v].ncattrs())
+                                            and dat_vars[v].standard_name
+                                            in config_params]
+
+    for var in std_names:
+        print(var)
+        test_params = convert_params(var.units, config_params[var.standard_name])
+        do_tests(ds, var, test_params)
+        # show history
+        applied_ts = datetime.now(tz=pytz.utc)
+        # store qartod parameter invocations
+        # TODO
+    hist_str = "\n{}: {}".format(applied_ts, pprint.pformat(config_params))
+    if hasattr(ds, 'history'):
+        ds.history += hist_str
+    else:
+        ds.history = hist_str
+    ds.close()
+
+def convert_params(var_units, cfg_section):
+    """Converts tests over with proper unit conversions"""
+    test_units = Unit(cfg_section['units'])
+    var_units = Unit(var_units)
+    # units that test parameters were specified in
+    # if the units are the same between the tests and the actual variable,
+    # do nothing
+    if test_units == var_units:
+        tests_dict = cfg_section['tests'];
+    # otherwise convert the units contained within the tests
+    else:
+        # py2/3 compat warning: iteritems will fail
+        tests_dict = deepcopy(cfg_section['tests'])
+        for test, params in tests_dict.iteritems():
+            for arg, val in params.iteritems():
+                if arg not in convert_blacklist:
+                    # Unit.convert won't work on lists or stock iterables,
+                    # but will work on scalar numeric types
+                    rep_val = np.array(val) if hasattr(val, '__iter__') else val
+                    if arg not in delta_vars:
+                        tests_dict[test][arg] = test_units.convert(rep_val,
+                                                                var_units)
+                    # need to remove additive portion for deltas
+                    else:
+                        tests_dict[test][arg] = (test_units.convert(rep_val,
+                                                                var_units) -
+                                                test_units.convert(0, var_units)
+                                                 )
+    return tests_dict
+
+# TODO: convert to use multiprocessing
+def do_tests(ds, var, cfg_section):
+    """Runs tests on the specified variable"""
+    for test, params in cfg_section.iteritems():
+        print(test, params)
+        # FIXME: improve safety for user supplied input. Maybe whitelist
+        # functions?
+        p_apply = partial(getattr(qc, test), **params)
+        # TODO: vectorize functions to operate faster
+        # loop invariant
+        if var.ndim > 1:
+            test_res = np.apply_along_axis(p_apply, 1, var)
+        else:
+            test_res = p_apply(var)
+        new_var_name = "{}_{}_qc".format(var.name, test)
+        try:
+            ds.createVariable(new_var_name, 'i1', var.dimensions)
+        except RuntimeError:
+            print("Var {} already exists, not creating new variable")
+        new_var = ds.variables[new_var_name]
+        ds.variables[new_var_name][:] = test_res
+        new_var.flag_values = np.array([1, 2, 3, 4, 9], dtype='i1')
+        new_var.flag_meanings = "GOOD NOT_EVALUATED SUSPECT BAD MISSING"
diff --git a/ioos_qartod/qc_tests/qc.py b/ioos_qartod/qc_tests/qc.py
index 3d65aa0..f712a17 100644
--- a/ioos_qartod/qc_tests/qc.py
+++ b/ioos_qartod/qc_tests/qc.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import multiprocessing
 
 
+"""All tests operate on single time series"""
 class QCFlags:
     """Primary flags for QARTOD."""
     # Don't subclass Enum since values don't fit nicely into a numpy array.
@@ -140,16 +141,20 @@ def spike_check(arr, low_thresh, high_thresh, prev_qc=None):
     The flag is set at point n-1.
     """
     # Subtract the average from point at index n-1 and get the absolute value.
-    if low_thresh >= high_thresh:
+    if arr.size < 3:
+        flag_arr = np.full(arr.shape, QCFlags.UNKNOWN)
+        return
+    elif low_thresh >= high_thresh:
         raise ValueError("Low theshold value must be less than high threshold "
                          "value.")
-    val = np.abs(np.convolve(arr, [-0.5, 1, -0.5], mode='same'))
-    # First and last elements can't contain three points,
-    # so set difference to zero so these will avoid getting spike flagged.
-    val[[0, -1]] = 0
-    flag_arr = ((val < low_thresh) +
-                ((val >= low_thresh) & (val < high_thresh)) * QCFlags.SUSPECT +
-                (val >= high_thresh) * QCFlags.BAD_DATA)
+    else:
+        val = np.abs(np.convolve(arr, [-0.5, 1, -0.5], mode='same'))
+        # First and last elements can't contain three points,
+        # so set difference to zero so these will avoid getting spike flagged.
+        val[[0, -1]] = 0
+        flag_arr = ((val < low_thresh) +
+                    ((val >= low_thresh) & (val < high_thresh)) * QCFlags.SUSPECT +
+                    (val >= high_thresh) * QCFlags.BAD_DATA)
     if prev_qc is not None:
         set_prev_qc(flag_arr, prev_qc)
     return flag_arr
diff --git a/ioos_qartod/run_config.example.yml b/ioos_qartod/run_config.example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..03f3423
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ioos_qartod/run_config.example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+flat_line: &flat_line
+  low_reps: 5
+  high_reps: 9
+
+sea_water_speed:
+  units: 'm/s'
+  tests:
+    range_check:
+      user_span: [0, 2.5]
+      sensor_span: [0, 2.8]
+
+sea_water_current_direction:
+  units: '1'
+  tests:
+    range_check:
+      sensor_span: [0, 360]
+
+    flat_line_check:
+      <<: *flat_line
+
+sea_water_electrical_conductivity:
+  units: 'S m-1'
+
+  tests:
+    range_check:
+      sensor_span: [4000, 65000]
+      user_span: [10000, 60000]
+
+    flat_line_check:
+      <<: *flat_line
+      eps: 0.02
+
+sea_water_temperature:
+  # temperature highly dependent on current location, depth, season
+  # may be better to use climatological test for gliders.
+  units: 'degC'
+
+  tests:
+    range_check:
+      user_span: [0, 25]
+      sensor_span: [-2, 38]
+    spike_check:
+      low_thresh: 5
+      high_thresh: 10
+    flat_line_check:
+      <<: *flat_line
+      eps: 0.02
+
+
+sea_water_practical_salinity:
+  units: '1'
+  tests:
+    range_check:
+      user_span: [0, 38]
+      sensor_span: [0, 70]
+    spike_check:
+      low_thresh: 1
+      high_thresh: 4
+    #rate_of_change_test:
+    #  thresh_val: 30
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 9e65689..6da27d2 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
-numpy
 pandas
 quantities
 pyproj
 nose
+cf_units>=1.0
+pytz==2016.3
+PyYAML==3.11
+numpy==1.11.0
+netCDF4==1.2.4
diff --git a/run_qartod.py b/run_qartod.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4a27b8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/run_qartod.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+import argparse
+import yaml
+from ioos_qartod import handlers
+
+def main():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Run QARTOD tests on a local NetCDF file or remote OPeNDAP dataset')
+    parser.add_argument('--config-file', '-c', required=True,
+                        help=("YAML config file containing variables and QARTOD "
+                            "test configurations"))
+    parser.add_argument('dataset_location',
+                        help=("Defines the location of a NetCDF file or remote "
+                            "OPeNDAP dataset to be checked."))
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+
+    with open(args.config_file, 'r') as f:
+        config = yaml.load(f)
+
+    handlers.load_ds_and_process(args.dataset_location, config)
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()