20000808: Query about aircraft observations using GEMPAK

>From: James Murakami <address@hidden>
>Organization: UCAR/Unidata
>Keywords: 200008082048.e78KmkT24605

>Hi:
>
>With the eventual demise of DIFAX, I know GEMPAK plots can
>duplicate most DIFAX charts. University of Wisconsin produces
>some nice examples of such plots. However, does GEMPAK have (or
>will have in the future) the ability to plot aircraft observations?
>The DIFAX 250 millibar charts, for example, plot aircraft, satellite,
>and rawindsonde observations. I know aircraft reports at jetstream
>level are transmitted across DDPLUS (just can't remember WMO header).
>The satellite obs would be nice to plot too, but I don't know if
>that's on the datastreams.
>
>James
>
>--------------------------------------
>James Murakami
>Staff Meteorologist/Student Affairs
>Department of Atmospheric Sciences
>University of California, Los Angeles
>405 Hilgard Ave.
>Los Angeles, CA  90095-1565
>
>
>   e-mail:  address@hidden
>telephone:  310-825-2418
>      Fax:  310-206-5219
>---------------------------------------
>

James,

You can plot the ACARS observations on a map currently. ACARS data are available
from FSL using the PCWS data stream.

Also, GEMPAK 5.5 will have a PIREP decoder for bulletins with headers:
DDPLUS|IDS      (^U[ABDR].... ....|^XRXX84 KAWN|^YIXX84 KAWN) 

Steve Chiswell