diff --git a/geomagio/processing/filters.py b/geomagio/processing/filters.py
index 32020635cea8380a8a1d61c7a2c73e2c67f0c19e..1cda8bf2c1f7d02ab19999cdfe47784928edbf6d 100644
--- a/geomagio/processing/filters.py
+++ b/geomagio/processing/filters.py
@@ -207,7 +207,6 @@ def realtime_command(
                 ("U", "H"),
                 ("V", "E"),
                 ("W", "Z"),
-                ("F", "F"),
             ),
             interval="second",
             input_factory=EdgeFactory(
@@ -223,7 +222,24 @@ def realtime_command(
             realtime_interval=realtime_interval,
             update_limit=update_limit,
         )
-
+        # remove the following after data migration is complete
+        _copy_channels(
+            observatory=observatory,
+            channels=(("F", "F"),),
+            interval="second",
+            input_factory=MiniSeedFactory(
+                host=input_host, port=input_port, type="variation", sncl_mode="geomag"
+            ),
+            output_factory=EdgeFactory(
+                host=output_host,
+                port=output_read_port,
+                write_port=7981,  # hard-code port for legacy sncls
+                type="variation",
+                sncl_mode="legacy",
+            ),
+            realtime_interval=realtime_interval,
+            update_limit=update_limit,
+        )
         minute_filter(
             observatory=observatory,
             channels=("U", "V", "W"),