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19990621: McIDAS-XCD

>From: Edward Hindman <address@hidden>
>Organization: CCNY
>Keywords: 199906211526.JAA14007 McIDAS-XCD

Ward,

>This is in response to your 18 June note concerning sunsetting of 
>non-imagery products (specifically MDXX files) from the Unidata-Wisconsin 
>datastream.
>
>We need MDXX files plus the image products.  So, if we install McIDAS-XCD 
>version (7.5) which will be fed from the LDM which is connected to the IDD, 
>will we continue to get MDXX and image files?

Yes.  In fact, the XCD will produce MDXX files that have _lots_ more stations
than the ones you are receiving in the Unidata-Wisconsin datastream.
Not only will they have more information, there will be more types (if
you decide that you want them) as well.  Here is the list of MDXX files
that we are currently producing on our LDM ingest machine using either
XCD or ldm-mcidas decoders:

MD file type      Decoder source  Scope
-----------------+---------------+-------
SAO/METAR         XCD             global
Mand. Level RAOB  XCD             global
Sig.  Level RAOB  XCD             global
SHIP/BUOY         XCD             global
NGM MOS           XCD             US
SYNOPTIC          XCD             global
PIREP/AIREP       XCD             US
NLDN Lightning    ldm-mcidas      US
Hourly Profiler   ldm-mcidas      US
6-min Profiler    ldm-mcidas      US

>If the above question makes little sense that's because I do not have a 
>thorough understanding of the McIDAS-XCD system.

XCD stands for X Conventional Decoders.  This is a package that SSEC
provides separately.  We, on the other hand, have bundled XCD with
McIDAS for several years.

>Mr. Dong (the cc) is the 
>student systems administrator and Dr. Bob Kahn (the other cc) is the 
>Science Division Computing Admninistrator; they are going to make the 
>McIDAS-XCD installation.

In McIDAS-X, building the XCD decoders is very simple.  Instead of
running 'make' or 'make mcx' one runs 'make all'.  The installation is
equally simple: instead of running 'install mcx' you simply run
'install all'.

>Bob is on the waiting list for the LDM workshop 
>this summer and I also encouraged him to sign up for the McIDAS 
>workshop which follows (even though I'm to attend).

Currently, all of our workshops are full (16), so he would go on the
waiting list for McIDAS as well.

>With the workshop 
>knowledge and Unidata coaching, Bob and Mr. Dong should beable to 
>successfully update our important McIDAS installation.

The installation and setup should take no more than an hour.  There are
a number of steps involved, but each is very simple.  The online
documentation for McIDAS-X,-XCD
(http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/mcidas/mcx) gives a step-by-step
method for building/installing/configuring MCIDAS-X and McIDAS-XCD.  We
are here to help those who desire it.

>Sincerely,

I think that it would be a smart move for someone there to do the XCD
installation and configuration before anyone comes out to attend the
workshops.  This way he would have ready questions if there were steps
that did not make sense.

>Prof. Ward Hindman
>