20031116: Antarctic METAR obs not in GEMPAK file

>From: Robert Mullenax <address@hidden>
>Organization: UCAR/Unidata
>Keywords: 200311170430.hAH4UPOb024143

>The METAR obs for Williams Field/Ice Runway in Antarctica (near McMurdo) aren'
> t in
>the decoded *sao.gem file in GEMPAK (5.6j).  Currently the obs are taken at NZ
> IR but later the 
>site will be moved the NZWD when the ice becomes too weak.   The obs for the S
> outh Pole
>are also not in there (NZSP).  They come in under SAA31 KWBC and each station 
> (NZIR,NZWD,NZSP)
>is in sfstns.tbl.    Is there another station table that these stations need t
> o be in, in order for them
>to be placed into the *sao.gem file?
>
>Thanks,
>Robert Mullenax
>

Robert,

I am using "-s sfmetar_sa.tbl", which doesn't have the station in it, but am
still decoding the data into the output file (with lat/lon -9999) since I have 
-a 5000 to allow space for unknown stations. So, it should have lat/lon if it 
is added
to the station table, (NZIR is in inactive.tbl cand can just be copied and 
pasted,
and NZSP is in sfstns.tbl already).

Are you specifying the table with -s, or using the default table without
specifying the table on the command line. Check to make sure you don't have any
stray tabs in the file.

Steve Chiswell

 NZIR    031117/0900  -9999.00 -9999.00   988.10    29.06   -12.00   -19.00
                           12.00    80.00 -9999.00 -9999.00   256.00   603.00
                         1003.00     6.21 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00    60.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
   NZIR    031117/1000  -9999.00 -9999.00   987.60    29.04   -12.00   -19.00
                           12.00    70.00 -9999.00 -9999.00   306.00   603.00
                         1003.00     6.21 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00    60.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
   NZIR    031117/1100  -9999.00 -9999.00   987.00    29.03   -12.00   -20.00
                           10.00    70.00 -9999.00 -9999.00   216.00   306.00
                          603.00     6.21 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00    60.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
   NZIR    031117/1200  -9999.00 -9999.00   986.70    29.02   -11.00   -20.00
                           10.00    70.00 -9999.00 -9999.00   156.00   306.00
                          603.00     6.21 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00    60.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
   NZIR    031117/1300  -9999.00 -9999.00   986.10    29.00   -12.00   -20.00
                            9.00    70.00 -9999.00 -9999.00   206.00   602.00
                          903.00     6.21 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00    90.00
                        -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00