19990325: UALIST doesn't go above 100 mb

>From: Robert Mullenax <address@hidden>
>Organization: NMSU/NSBF
>Keywords: 199903251443.HAA23966 McIDAS UALIST DCIRAB

Robert,

>I looked at UALIST closer and realized that it still does not decode the
>standard levels above 100mb, the levels reported in the TTCC group(70,
>50,30,20,10, etc..)
>Is this a mod that would have to take place at Wisconsin?

There is at least one problem and perhaps two here:

o the IRAB schema for mandatory level upper air data does not allow
  for levels above 100 mb:

" (JSP) IRAB PYEATT   0390 SCHEMA-- UPPER AIR DATA, MANDATORY LEVELS
"        NAME VSN DATE  ID "TEXTID
"        ---- --- ----- -- -------
  SCHEMA IRAB   4 98231 0  "INTL. RADIOSONDE OBS (UPPER AIR DATA)

" KEY  SCALE UNITS
" ---- ----- -----

  ROWS 8              "ALLOW ROOM FOR 8 REPORTS/DAY

  DAY        CYD      "YEAR AND JULIAN DAY (CCYYDDD)
  TIME       HMS      "NOMINAL TIME (HH0000)
  NREC                "APPROX. # OF RECORDS WRITTEN IN THIS ROW

  COLUMNS 1500        "ALLOW ROOM FOR 1500 REPORTING STATIONS

  IDN                 "STATION NUMBER
  LAT  4     DEG          "RANGE (-90 => +90) POSITIVE NORTH
  LON  4     DEG          "RANGE (-180 => +180) POSITIVE WEST
  ZS         M            "ELEVATION
  ST         CHAR         "STATE ID
  CO         CHAR         "COUNTRY ID

  DATA

  MOD                  "USER MODIFICATION FLAG
                      "  0 = UNMODIFIED
                      "  1 = MODIFIED BY USER
                      " 10 = DERIVED FROM SIGNIFICANT LEVEL DATA
  HMS        HMS      "ACTUAL TIME OF REPORT (HHMMSS)
  REPEAT  15
  LEV        CHAR     "LEVEL (SFC OR TRO OR SAME AS P)
  P    1     MB       "PRESSURE
  T    2     K        "TEMPERATURE
  TD   2     K        "DEW POINT TEMPERATURE
  DIR        DEG      "WIND DIRECTION
  SPD  1     MPS      "WIND SPEED
  Z          M        "HEIGHT

ENDSCHEMA

  You can see that the REPEAT group only allows for 15 levels:

  SFC, 1000, 925, 850, 700, 500, 400, 300, 250, 200, 150, 100,
  TRO1, TRO2, MAXW

Some time ago, Don submitted an inquiry to SSEC regarding support of more
vertical levels in their standard upper air schema, and they responded
that this was a good idea.  The unfortunate fact is that the needed mods
have not been made to routines in the latest McIDAS release, 7.501,
so you will be unable to process data above 100 mb.  I will reissue
the inquiry (actually I will call someone) and see what the status
of it is.

>Thanks,
>Robert Mullenax

Tom