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19991108: Radar Coded Message plotting

Gempak Users,

I have posted a new GEMPAK program "GPRCM" which will plot the
Radar Coded Message bulletins in the NOAAport data stream.

This program can be found in the nawips-5.4/contrib directory of
the gbuddy ftp account for Gempak as gprcm.tar.Z. I will attatch the
gprcm.README file from that directory at the end of this message.

The RCM bulletins contain digitized radar reflectivity values as well
as annotations including Maxtop heights, cell centroid motion, mesocylone and
TVS locations.

GPRCM can be used to plot single site and composite reflectivity maps
with the capability to turn annotations and reflectivities on/off
as needed. Since GPRCM is derived from GPMAP, GPRCM can be used in conjunction
with other GEMPAK programs to create overlays including satellite and
NIDS imagery products (Yes, you can overlay RCM echos on satellite images
and annotate NIDS images with maxtop, tvs, mesocyclones and cell movement). 
A dithering feature has been added for allowing some method of transparency or
echoes.

Examples of using GPRCM, including LDM patterns, can be found at:
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/gempak/examples/gprcm/
I have included a sample plotting script as well.

To install gprcm, download the tarfile to your $NAWIPS directory, unpack with:
zcat gprcm.tar.Z | tar cvf -
Then build and install with:
cd $NAWIPS/unidata/programs/gprcm
make clean
make all
make install
make clean

Please address any questions or problems to address@hidden.

Steve Chiswell
Unidata User Support





GPRCM is a version of GPMAP that plots Radar Coded Message (RCM)
bulletins. For examples of the use and capabilities of this program,
see the GEMPAK Examples www page:
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/gempak/examples/

INPUT PARAMETERS
 
    MAP       *Map color/dash/width
    GAREA     *Graphics area
    PROJ      *Map projection/angles/margins|drop flag
    SATFIL    *Satellite image filename(s)
    RADFIL    *Radar image filename(s)
    LATLON    *Line color/dash/width/label/inc
    PANEL     *Panel loc/color/dash/width/regn
    TITLE     *Title color/line/title
    TEXT      *Text size/font/width/hw flag
    CLEAR     *Clear screen flag
    DEVICE    *Device|name|x size;y size|color type
    LUTFIL    *Enhancement lookup table filename
    STNPLT    *Txc|mkc/mkt/mks/mkwd/hwfl|stnfil
    RCMFIL    *Input source text file
    RADTIM    *Valid Plot time {current or dattim}
    RADDUR    *Time duration (min_prior to RADTIM)
    DITHER    *dither level
    MESO      *mesocyclone color/marker/size/width/hw
    TVS       *tornado vortex signature color/marker/size/width/hw
    CNTR      *Cell Centroid movement barb color/size/width
    MAXTOP    *Maxtop color
    RADINFO   *Radar status color
    ECHO      *Plot radar echoes (0=None,1=PRCP,2=PRCP&CLAR)
 
 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

   GPRCM is derived from the standard GEMPAK program GPMAP.
   The behavior is similar to gpmap, with the addition of
   reading Radar Coded Message (RCM) bulletins and optionally
   plotting radar echoes and/or annotations from the remarks
   included within the RCM bulletin. 

   RCM bulletins contain digitized reflectivity values derived 
   from the 2.2 x 2.2 nmi NIDS Composite reflectivity product
   over the radar area of coverage out to 248 nmi based on grid squares 
   approximately 5.4 nmi on a side. The reflectivity intensity
   value for each grid box is determined by assigning the maximum 
   value of all Composite Reflectivity boxes whose centers
   are contained within the grid square. The RCM message
   comprises 9 intesity categories as follows:
   
   Code                       Color Plotted (Precip mode)
     0    ND
     1    15-30 dBZ             23
     2    30-40 dBZ             22
     3    40-45 dBZ             21
     4    45-50 dBZ             20
     5    50-55 dBZ             17
     6    >= 55 dBZ             15
     7    data beyond 124 nmi that are above threshold
     8    data beyond 124 nmi that are below threshold

   RCM data within a user specified time range are plotted.
 
   RCMFIL is the RCM data file. Bulletins with radar observation times
   in the RCM file will be plotted if the observation time is within
   the range specified by the starting and ending times.

   RADTIM (current or dattim) specifies the ending time for accepted data.
   RADDUR is the number of minutes prior to the ending time to begin
   accepting data.
   
   DITHER is used to specify the plotting behavior of the reflectivity
   intensities. A value of 0 specifies no dithering, the grid box is
   completely filled. Values 1-4 increase the number of dither points
   per grid box, approaching an increasingly opaque value. Dither
   can be used to overlay image data with radar reflectivity in
   order to simulate transparency. A dither value >= 5 will outline
   the grid box.

   MESO specifies the color/marker/size/width/hw for mesocyclones to be 
   marked. A color value of 0 is used to turn off mesocyclone plotting.
   Marker attributes behave as MARKER for other plotting programs.

   TVS specifies the color/marker/size/width/hw for tornado vortex signatures 
   to be marked. A color value of 0 is used to turn off TVS plotting.

   CNTR specifies the color/size/width for Cell Centroid movement barbs (knots).
   A value of 0 is used to turn off centroid plotting.

   MAXTOP specifies the color for cell top annotations (feet).
   A value of 0 is used to turn off cell top annotations.

   RADINFO specifies the color for radar site operational status annotations.
   NA, data not available; OM, out for maintenance; NE, no echoes.

   ECHO specifies whether to plot the grid box intesities. A value of 0
   specifies no plotting of echoes; 1 specifies plotting only those 
   echoes from radars in precipitation mode; 2 specifies plotting
   of echoes from radars in both precipitation and clear air mode.

   GPRCM utilizes the nexrad.tbl station table to determine the radar
   location (not all RCM bulletins contain radar location as of Nov. 1999).
   The radars listed in the station table are also used to determine
   which locations are missing (Not Available: NA).

 
EXAMPLES
 
    1.  Draw a Lambert Conformal map of the US.
        Display RCM data from the file rcm.dat. Plot radar observations
        for the past 60 minutes. Display the echo intensities (no dithering), 
        maxtop values in yellow, and radar status in red. Do not plot 
mesocyclone, 
        or TVS locations. Plot the cell centroid motion barbs in white.

         GAREA    = us
         PROJ     = str/90;-105;0
         SATFIL   =
         RADFIL   =
         LATLON   = 0
         PANEL    = 0
         TITLE    = 1/-1/Radar Summary 
         TEXT     = 1.3/22/1/hw
         CLEAR    = yes
         DEVICE   = xw
         RCMFIL   = rcm.dat
         RADTIM   = current
         RADDUR   = 60
         DITHER   = 0
         MAXTOP   = 5
         RADINFO  = 2
         MESO     = 0
         TVS      = 0
         CNTR     = 1/1/1

    2.  Overlay the IR satellite imagery with RCM data for the US west coast. 
        Use a DITHER value of 2 to for moderate transparency. Plot the radar
        CLRBAR horizontally above title. Satellite CLRBAR will be vertical 
along 
        the left side of the image.

         GAREA    = ca-
         PROJ     = sat
         SATFIL   = $SAT/GOES-10/4km/IR/IR_991108_1600
         RADFIL   =
         LATLON   = 0
         PANEL    = 0
         TITLE    = 1/-1/Satellite and Radar Composite
         TEXT     = 1/22/1/hw
         CLEAR    = yes
         DEVICE   = xw
         RCMFIL   = rcm.dat
         RADTIM   = current
         RADDUR   = 60
         DITHER   = 2
         MESO     = 0
         TVS      = 0
         CNTR     = 0
         MAXTOP   = 0
         RADINFO  = 0
         ECHO     = 1
         CLRBAR   = 1/h/cc/.46;.06


ERROR MESSAGES
 
    [GPRCM  -1]     Fatal error initializing TAE.
    [GPRCM  -2]     Fatal error reading TAE parameters.
    [GPRCM  -3]     Fatal error initializing GEMPLT.