20010117: viewing NEXRAD in GEMPAK or McIDAS

>From: Wil Wollheim <address@hidden>
>Organization: UNH
>Keywords: 200101172046.f0HKk9e01376 GEMPAK McIDAS

Wil,

>Hi, Our lab here at the University of New Hampshire is new to the unidata
>system. We are interested in NEXRAD data in particular.  However, I am
>having a hard time figuring out which programs I need in order to view the
>NEXRAD info.  I downloaded a recent precip NEXRAD file for the Boston
>radar from the ftp site , but how do I display the data?

You can either run GEMPAK or McIDAS-X.  Either application suites can
display the NEXRAD Level III products.

>Do I need to go
>through the LDM system before I can even begin to use these files?

No, the LDM could be used to acquire these files in near-realtime,
however.

>We have
>the GEMPAK programs installed or do I need to the McIDAS system?

The most recent Unidata version of GEMPAK can be used to display the
NEXRAD data.

>A little
>guidance to get us started in the right direction would be very helpful.

If you do have the most recent Unidata release of GEMPAK, you should be
able to view the files directly.  If you have the NCEP version of
GEMPAK and not the Unidata version, you will have to wait until NCEP
makes a new release that includes the Unidata additions for support of
the zlib-compressed NEXRAD images.  I must add quickly that the NEXRAD
files that you FTP from the NWS should not be in zlib-compressed
format, so either version of GEMPAK should suffice.

>Can you recommend a good web site that provides information on how to 
>get started?  Thank you for your help!

Have you read through the GEMPAK web pages on our server:

http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/gempak

>Wil Wollheim
>Water Systems Analysis Group
>Complex Systems Research Center
>Morse Hall
>University of New Hampshire
>Durham NH 03824
>Voice: (603) 862-0812
>FAX: (603) 862-0587
>E-mail: address@hidden

Tom Yoksas