20010320: NOAAPORT GINI satellite data decoding (cont.)

>From: "Jason J. Levit" <address@hidden>
>Organization: Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms/OU
>Keywords: 200103202045.f2KKjqL22810 NOAAPORT GINI

Jason,

Sorry that it took me so long to get back to you on this.

re: looking for method of using NOAAPORT GINI imagery directly

>  Well, I'm actually looking at using the satellite data from two
>separate routes.  We are currently using the McIDAS AREA files within
>our NWP forecast system, but there was some discussion within our center
>about using the actual raw GINI files via NOAAPORT rather than the
>converted AREA files.  So, I was checking out that avenue, to see what
>would be involved with that particular solution.

OK.  You can see that the GINI file format is pretty simple: 533 byte header
followed by a rectangular array of image pixel data.

>  I could run an ADDE server here locally at CAPS, but we can't provide
>the support to outside users; Mark at the SOM would be the one to do
>that.

OK,

>However, from my last discussion with him, he was still very much
>interested in that solution...but we would have to obtain new hardware,
>which he is working on.

He chatted with Russ Rew of our office about this.

>In fact, he'll eventually need it; the SOM
>students use McIDAS area files within the GARP display program for
>classes.  So, for our own solution within CAPS, ADDE would work - we
>just won't be able to provide the data outside of our center, which was
>something you had a particular interest in.

GEMPAK (including GARP and NMAP) can both use GINI imagery directly,
so There is no need to convert the images to AREA form to make them
useful.

>  My e-mail to Linda was to determine if any code existed that could
>read-in the raw NOAAPORT files.  I had actually seen the IDC document
>you describe, but it looks like a bear to code up!  I was hoping someone
>out there had already generated some C or FORTRAN code that we could use
>to interface with our existing NWP code.  Do you know of such a source?

There is code in both McIDAS and GEMPAK for reading GINI image data, but
it may be too package centric to be of real use to you.  I can provide
you with the McIDAS ADDE server code that reads GINI so you could take
a look.  Let me know if you are interested.

>  Let me know what you think about the ADDE server.  I think I could set
>it up here locally on our SGI, but the caveat that no other users (other
>than locally) would have access to it might be a problem?

It sounds like your (OU) uses of the GINI data do not require a conversion
to AREA form (if you write your own GINI access code), so you may not
really benefit from running McIDAS internally (you might, I just don't
know enough about what you need to say for sure).  If you decide that
you do want to install McIDAS and the remote ADDE server for internal
use, I can help out if you like.  Please let me know.

Tom

>From address@hidden Wed Apr  4 12:37:33 2001
>Subject: Re: 20010320: NOAAPORT GINI satellite data decoding (cont.)

Hi Tom,

Actually, it's likely we will be setting up an ADDE server so that it
will automatically convert the GINI data to McIDAS AREA format.  I'm
working with our sysadmin to get the ball rolling on installing the
software.  Thanks for your offer of help; I'm almost sure we'll need a
bit!  :-)

Jason

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason J. Levit, N9MLA                      Research Scientist,
address@hidden                Center for Analysis and Prediction of
Storms
Room 1022                                 University of Oklahoma
405/325-3503                              http://www.caps.ou.edu/