19990629: nids software

>From: Christine Molling <address@hidden>
>Organization: .
>Keywords: 199906291628.KAA00853

Christine,

>At UW-Madison, the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science
>receives NEXRAD for (among others) the Sullivan radar site (MKX).  I
>would like to extract information from the NEXRAD products for specific
>locations to use in my research.  Am I allowed to use code from the NIDS
>software in my extract programs?

Yes.  I am assuming that you are referring to code that unpacks the
WSI proprietary run length encoding of the products; true?

>Is there any difference in permissions
>to use NEXRAD data or NIDS software if results from my research are
>disseminated on a near-real time basis?

It depends on what you mean by results.  The agreement with WSI corporation
is that one can not display any of the products in the NIDS or NOWrad (tm)
datasets before they are 48 hours old.  If there is a fine line between
what you want to distribute and what constitutes a product, it will be
a good idea to get specific approval from WSI.

>I will not be disseminating
>entire NEXRAD products.  I probably won't be disseminating the extracted
>precip values, either, but I might if I can get permission.

Even though I don't think it is absolutely needed, I would get specific
permission to disseminate values that you extract from the products if
the dissemination is less than 48 hours after the product's receipt.
Since individual sites sign contracts with WSI Corporation, you, or
your site contract person, needs to contact WSI directly.  I recommend
that you send email or call:

Maria Pirone
Manager, Technical Development Group
WSI Corporation
4 Federal Street
Billerica,  MA 01821
978 670-5149  Fax: 978-670-5100
"Pirone, Maria" <address@hidden>

>By the way, the person here responsible for handling NIDS is Pete
>Pokrandt (address@hidden).

Pete is most likely not, however, the contract person at UW-Madison.
If I were you, I would contact Maria first and see if she/they needs
official contact (I am betting not).  The process could be as easy as
you sending an email with a full description of what you are wanting to
do and Maria replying with permission.

>-- 
>Christine C. Molling
>Upper Midwest Regional Earth Science Application Center
>Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin
>address@hidden (608) 263-0228
>...And when I woke up, my pillow was gone.

Tom Yoksas