diff --git a/.github/workflows/basic_checks.yml b/.github/workflows/basic_checks.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4e40790b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/basic_checks.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+name: Basic checks for CCPP physics schemes
+
+on: [push, pull_request]
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+
+    runs-on: macos-latest
+
+    steps:
+    - name: Checkout
+      uses: actions/checkout@v2
+    - name: Init submodules
+      run: git submodule update --init --recursive
+    #- name: Update packages
+    #  run: |
+    #    /usr/bin/ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"
+    #    #brew install autoconf automake coreutils gcc@9 libtool mpich gnu-sed wget
+    #    brew install automake coreutils mpich gnu-sed
+    - name: Check for ASCII encoding
+      run: ./tools/check_encoding.py
diff --git a/physics/cires_ugwp.F90 b/physics/cires_ugwp.F90
index 504b24a77..07b235c72 100644
--- a/physics/cires_ugwp.F90
+++ b/physics/cires_ugwp.F90
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 !! "Unified": a) all GW effects due to both dissipation/breaking; b) identical GW solvers for all GW sources; c) ability to replace solvers.
 !! Unified Formalism:
 !! 1. GW Sources: Stochastic and physics based mechanisms for GW-excitations in the lower atmosphere, calibrated by the high-res analyses/forecasts, and observations (3 types of GW sources: orography, convection, fronts/jets).
-!! 2. GW Propagation: Unified solver for “propagation, dissipation and breaking” excited from all type of GW sources.
-!! 3. GW Effects: Unified representation of GW impacts on the ‘resolved’ flow for all sources (energy-balanced schemes for momentum, heat and mixing).
+!! 2. GW Propagation: Unified solver for "propagation, dissipation and breaking" excited from all type of GW sources.
+!! 3. GW Effects: Unified representation of GW impacts on the "resolved" flow for all sources (energy-balanced schemes for momentum, heat and mixing).
 !! https://www.weather.gov/media/sti/nggps/Presentations%202017/02%20NGGPS_VYUDIN_2017_.pdf
 
 module cires_ugwp
diff --git a/physics/drag_suite.F90 b/physics/drag_suite.F90
index 080bee156..0189785e3 100644
--- a/physics/drag_suite.F90
+++ b/physics/drag_suite.F90
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ end subroutine drag_suite_init
 !! the GWD scheme has the same physical basis as in Alpert (1987) with the addition
 !! of enhancement factors for the amplitude, G, and mountain shape details
 !! in G(Fr) to account for effects from the mountain blocking.  A factor,
-!! E m’, is an enhancement factor on the stress in the Alpert '87 scheme.
+!! E m', is an enhancement factor on the stress in the Alpert '87 scheme.
 !!  The E ranges from no enhancement to an upper limit of 3, E=E(OA)[1-3],
 !!  and is a function of OA, the Orographic Asymmetry defined in KA (1995) as
 !!
@@ -105,9 +105,9 @@ end subroutine drag_suite_init
 !!
 !!
 !! where Nx is the number of grid intervals for the large scale domain being
-!! considered. So the term, E(OA)m’/  \f$ \Delta X \f$ in Kim's scheme represents
-!! a multiplier on G shown in Alpert's eq (1), where m’ is the number of mountains
-!! in a sub-grid scale box. Kim increased the complexity of m’ making it a
+!! considered. So the term, E(OA)m'/  \f$ \Delta X \f$ in Kim's scheme represents
+!! a multiplier on G shown in Alpert's eq (1), where m' is the number of mountains
+!! in a sub-grid scale box. Kim increased the complexity of m' making it a
 !! function of the fractional area of the sub-grid mountain and the asymmetry
 !! and convexity statistics which are found from running a gravity wave
 !!  model for a large number of cases:
diff --git a/physics/gfdl_fv_sat_adj.F90 b/physics/gfdl_fv_sat_adj.F90
index f5c84cd99..025ee1c34 100644
--- a/physics/gfdl_fv_sat_adj.F90
+++ b/physics/gfdl_fv_sat_adj.F90
@@ -150,6 +150,12 @@ subroutine fv_sat_adj_init(do_sat_adj, kmp, nwat, ngas, rilist, cpilist, &
       return
     end if
 
+    if (.not.nwat==6) then
+      write(errmsg,'(a)') 'Logic error: fv_sat_adj requires six water species (nwat=6)'
+      errflg = 1
+      return
+    end if
+
     if (is_initialized) return
 
     ! generate es table (dt = 0.1 deg c)
diff --git a/physics/gwdps.f b/physics/gwdps.f
index 9454b967d..96ce0205b 100644
--- a/physics/gwdps.f
+++ b/physics/gwdps.f
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ end subroutine gwdps_init
 !! the GWD scheme has the same physical basis as in Alpert (1987) with the addition
 !! of enhancement factors for the amplitude, G, and mountain shape details
 !! in G(Fr) to account for effects from the mountain blocking.  A factor,
-!! E m’, is an enhancement factor on the stress in the Alpert '87 scheme.
+!! E m', is an enhancement factor on the stress in the Alpert '87 scheme.
 !!  The E ranges from no enhancement to an upper limit of 3, E=E(OA)[1-3],
 !!  and is a function of OA, the Orographic Asymmetry defined in Kim and Arakawa (1995) 
 !! \cite kim_and_arakawa_1995 as
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@ end subroutine gwdps_init
 !! \; (x_{j} \; - \; \bar{x} )^2}{N_{x}} } 
 !!\f]
 !! where \f$N_{x}\f$ is the number of grid intervals for the large scale domain being
-!! considered. So the term, E(OA)m’/  \f$ \Delta X \f$ in Kim's scheme represents
-!! a multiplier on G shown in Alpert's eq (1), where m’ is the number of mountains
-!! in a sub-grid scale box. Kim increased the complexity of m’ making it a
+!! considered. So the term, E(OA)m'/  \f$ \Delta X \f$ in Kim's scheme represents
+!! a multiplier on G shown in Alpert's eq (1), where m' is the number of mountains
+!! in a sub-grid scale box. Kim increased the complexity of m' making it a
 !! function of the fractional area of the sub-grid mountain and the asymmetry
 !! and convexity statistics which are found from running a gravity wave
 !!  model for a large number of cases:
diff --git a/physics/micro_mg_utils.F90 b/physics/micro_mg_utils.F90
index 89dd7193e..74da36df4 100644
--- a/physics/micro_mg_utils.F90
+++ b/physics/micro_mg_utils.F90
@@ -2656,7 +2656,7 @@ end subroutine graupel_rime_splintering
 !      prdg(i) = epsg*(q(i)-qvi(i))/abi
 !
 !! make sure not pushed into ice supersat/subsat
-!! put this in main mg3 code…..check for it…
+!! put this in main mg3 code ... check for it ...
 !! formula from reisner 2 scheme
 
 !!
diff --git a/physics/samfdeepcnv.f b/physics/samfdeepcnv.f
index 8bffd0a42..03f5f05ef 100644
--- a/physics/samfdeepcnv.f
+++ b/physics/samfdeepcnv.f
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ end subroutine samfdeepcnv_finalize
 !!        + 2) For the "dynamic control", using a reference cloud work function, estimate the change in cloud work function due to the large-scale dynamics. Following the quasi-equilibrium assumption, calculate the cloud base mass flux required to keep the large-scale convective destabilization in balance with the stabilization effect of the convection.
 !!  -# For grid sizes smaller than the threshold value (currently 8 km):
 !!        + 1) compute the cloud base mass flux using the cumulus updraft velocity averaged ove the whole cloud depth.
-!!  -# For scale awareness, the updraft fraction (sigma) is obtained as a function of cloud base entrainment. Then, the final cloud base mass flux is obtained by the original mass flux multiplied by the (1−sigma) 2  .
+!!  -# For scale awareness, the updraft fraction (sigma) is obtained as a function of cloud base entrainment. Then, the final cloud base mass flux is obtained by the original mass flux multiplied by the (1-sigma) 2.
 !!  -# For the "feedback control", calculate updated values of the state variables by multiplying the cloud base mass flux and the tendencies calculated per unit cloud base mass flux from the static control.
 !!
 !!  \section samfdeep_detailed GFS samfdeepcnv Detailed Algorithm
diff --git a/physics/ugwp_driver_v0.F b/physics/ugwp_driver_v0.F
index 6dd03534a..af19447dc 100644
--- a/physics/ugwp_driver_v0.F
+++ b/physics/ugwp_driver_v0.F
@@ -264,7 +264,20 @@ end subroutine cires_ugwp_driver_v0
 !=====================================================================
 !>\ingroup cires_ugwp_run
 !> @{
-!!<b>Note for the sub-grid scale orography scheme in UGWP-v0:</b> Due to degraded forecast scores of simulations with revised schemes for subgrid-scale orography effects in FV3GFS, EMC reinstalled the original gwdps-code with updated efficiency factors for the mountain blocking and OGW drag. The GFS OGW is described in the separate section (\ref GFS_GWDPS) and its “call” moved into UGWP-driver subroutine. This combination of NGW and OGW schemes was tested in the FV3GFS-L127 medium-range forecasts (15-30 days) for C96, C192, C384 and C768 resolutions and work in progress to introduce the optimal choice for the scale-aware representations of the efficiency factors that will reflect the better simulations of GW activity by FV3 dynamical core at higher horizontal resolutions. With the MERRA-2 VMF function for NGWs (\ref slat_geos5_tamp) and operational OGW drag scheme (\ref GFS_GWDPS), FV3GFS simulations can successfully forecast the recent major mid-winter sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events of 2018-02-12 and 2018-12-31 (10-14 days before the SSW onset; Yudin et al. 2019 \cite yudin_et_al_2019). The first multi-year (2015-2018) FV3GFS simulations with UGWP-v0 also produce the equatorial QBO-like oscillations in the zonal wind and temperature anomalies.
+!! <b>Note for the sub-grid scale orography scheme in UGWP-v0:</b> Due to degraded forecast
+!! scores of simulations with revised schemes for subgrid-scale orography effects in FV3GFS,
+!! EMC reinstalled the original gwdps-code with updated efficiency factors for the mountain
+!! blocking and OGW drag. The GFS OGW is described in the separate section (\ref GFS_GWDPS)
+!! and its "call" moved into UGWP-driver subroutine. This combination of NGW and OGW schemes
+!! was tested in the FV3GFS-L127 medium-range forecasts (15-30 days) for C96, C192, C384 and
+!! C768 resolutions and work in progress to introduce the optimal choice for the scale-aware
+!! representations of the efficiency factors that will reflect the better simulations of GW
+!! activity by FV3 dynamical core at higher horizontal resolutions. With the MERRA-2 VMF
+!! function for NGWs (\ref slat_geos5_tamp) and operational OGW drag scheme (\ref GFS_GWDPS),
+!! FV3GFS simulations can successfully forecast the recent major mid-winter sudden stratospheric
+!! warming (SSW) events of 2018-02-12 and 2018-12-31 (10-14 days before the SSW onset;
+!! Yudin et al. 2019 \cite yudin_et_al_2019). The first multi-year (2015-2018) FV3GFS simulations
+!! with UGWP-v0 also produce the equatorial QBO-like oscillations in the zonal wind and temperature anomalies.
 !!
       SUBROUTINE GWDPS_V0(IM,  km,    imx, do_tofd,
      &    Pdvdt, Pdudt, Pdtdt, Pkdis, U1,V1,T1,Q1,KPBL,
diff --git a/tools/check_encoding.py b/tools/check_encoding.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..1d24d4679
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/check_encoding.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+#import chardet
+import os
+import sys
+
+
+SUFFICES = [ '.f', '.F', '.f90', '.F90', '.meta' ]
+
+for root, dirs, files in os.walk(os.getcwd()):
+    #print root, dirs, files
+    for file in files:
+        suffix = os.path.splitext(file)[1]
+        #print file, suffix
+        if suffix in SUFFICES:
+            with open(os.path.join(root, file)) as f:
+                contents = f.read()
+            try:
+                contents.decode('ascii')
+            except UnicodeDecodeError:
+                for line in contents.split('\n'):
+                    try:
+                        line.decode('ascii')
+                    except UnicodeDecodeError:
+                        raise Exception('Detected non-ascii characters in file {}, line: "{}"'.format(os.path.join(root, file), line))