This archive contains answers to questions sent to Unidata support through mid-2025. Note that the archive is no longer being updated. We provide the archive for reference; many of the answers presented here remain technically correct, even if somewhat outdated. For the most up-to-date information on the use of NSF Unidata software and data services, please consult the Software Documentation first.
Ward and Ka Kit, I logged into the system and added the MCIDAS entry in the pqact.conf file to file the satellite images. I also added the crontab entry to move the AREAfiles into the gempak $SAT tree for use with NSAT and/or Garp. These files will be scoured at 24 per image type. Robb and I also editted the path locations for the gempak decoders in your pqact.conf file to correctly locate the decoders and ancillary tables on your system. Since the time you downloaded the GEMPAK distribution (which appears to be last November), our current distribution has been updated with Y2K patches. While NSAT will run on your system, the displayed year will appear as 1900 instead of 2000. Garp has been updated to version 2.1 with required Y2K updates. I tried to compile the necessary changes, but could not execute the compilers on your system due to configuration problems. Trying to use the "pwd" command on your system fails as well and may be one of the related problems. At any rate, you should keep up to date with the Gempak distribution. The current distribution is gempak54upc_pl15.tar.gz. Here are the basic instructions that Ka Kit should follow: To download and install the distribution, 1) save your Gemenviron settings that you have configured, eg: cp Gemenviron Gemenviron.bak and remove your current library files, eg: cd $GEMLIB rm * It is very important that you delete the curent .a files in the $GEMLIB directory so ensure that your new build correctly installs the changes. 2) then download the distribution into your current $NAWIPS directory and unpack with: gunzip -c gempak54upc_pl15.tar.gz | tar xvf - Restore your Gemenviron.bak file settings, cp Gemenviron.bak Gemenviron 3) Verify that you have sourced the Gemenviron variables into your csh environment and then build the Gempak distribution with: cd $NAWIPS make clean make all make install make clean After building and installing the distribution, the executables in the $GEMEXE directory will be updated. Steve Chiswell Unidata User Support >From: Edward Hindman <address@hidden> >Organization: . >Keywords: 200002022323.QAA25589 >Dear Steve: > >I attended your excellent GEMPAK workshop last summer and "fell in love" >with the GUI's. Consequently, we have been working on installing GEMPAK, >connecting it to the LDM and to the data stream from SUNY/Albany. My >system administrator Ka-Kit Lai, a recent CCNY computer science graduate, >has been working closely with Robb Khambic in this installation. In >fact, occasionally Robb has worked directly on our machine "Halo" to help >the procedure. > >The current status of the installation, Ka-Kit informs me, is the >following. GEMPAK is installed. The LDM is installed and receiving >data. But, the data feed is not stable for reasons yet to be determined. >After the data become stable, they will be decoded and stored in the >appropriate directory according to the pqact.conf file. Then, we should >be able to display the data with the GUI's. > >My problem in advising Ka-Kit is that I do not know the GEMPAK data >stream. As a first step, we need direction from you on how to receive, >decode and display GOES-East and -West visible, infrared and water vapor >images. We need to receive the most current images and store just >24-hours of images before the data are overwritten. > >Once we learn how to receive, decode and display these "bread-and-butter" >images, we should be able to move onto receiving additional data. > >Please send your technical guidance to Ka-Kit at address@hidden >and send to me any general comments that I would be able to understand. > >Thank you for your help. > >Sincerely, > >Prof. Ward Hindman >EAS Dept. >CCNY, NYC >