Processing NAM BUFR sounding files with NAMSND

[Schroeder, Joshua]

I have encountered a similar problem with NAMSND (called from MODSND)
aborting in Linux.  The problem seems to be unique to GEMPAK 5.9.x, as I
don't get the error when running from 5.8.
 
Josh Schroeder
----------------------------------------------------------
Joshua J. Schroeder
Meteorologist
CSTE-DTC-WS-RO-DA-F
White Sands Missile Range, NM  88002
 
Comm:  (505) 678-2963
DSN:  258-2963
 
> I regularly process NAM soundings from the NCEP FTP server (path:
> pub/data/nccf/com/nam/prod/nam.YYYYMMDD/bufr.HHz) with NAMSND. I have found
> that in order to process them, $GEMTBL/pack/snclass1.prm needs to be modifed
> as follows:
> change the line
> TKEL 0. 40. .01
> to
> TKEL 0. 40. .01 1. IMXR
> 
> As this modification needs to be done each time a new version of GEMPAK is
> enabled, can this change be added to future distributions?
> 
> 
> Also, while NAMSND works fine on Sun Solaris, it always aborts on Linux:
> 
> SNBUFR    BUFR model sounding file          bufr.725180.2006120512
> 
> SNOUTF    Output sounding file              06120512_nam.snd
> 
> SFOUTF    Output surface file               06120512_nam.sfc+
> 
> SNPRMF    Sounding parameter packing file   snclass1.prm
> 
> SFPRMF    Surface parameter packing file    sfclass1.prm
> 
> TIMSTN    Times/additional stations         120/200
> 
> Parameters requested: SNBUFR,SNOUTF,SFOUTF,SNPRMF,SFPRMF,TIMSTN.
> 
> GEMPAK-NAMSND>r
> 
> **************BUFR ARCHIVE LIBRARY ABORT*****************
> BUFRLIB: OPENBF - ERROR READING INPUT FILE CONNECTED TO UNIT 14 WHEN
> CHECKING FOR 'BUFR' IN FIRST 4 BYTES OF RECORD
> **************BUFR ARCHIVE LIBRARY ABORT*****************
> 
> Finally, is there another model sounding/BUFR program that I should be using
> instead of NAMSND?
> 
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Kevin