2010 MUG Meeting
Jerrold Robaidek
McIDAS-XCD
McIDAS X
Conventional
data Decoder
McIDAS-XCD files, decodes and indexes the NOAAPORT data stream (or other
data streams) into formats that can be served by McIDAS-X ADDE servers.
Output formats include McIDAS MD files, text files, McIDAS GRID files, GRIB and
GRIB2 files, NEXRAD files, and GINI files.
 Before 1994, conventional data was decoded on IBM




mainframe (Whittaker)
Early 1990s moved to a distributed system. Prototypes
developed for McIDAS-OS2 (PC McIDAS) Called
McIDAS-OCD (Pyeatt)
1994 first version on Unix. Required McIDAS-X.
Named McIDAS-XCD (Pyeatt)
Data came in on a Central Data Card via the Family
of Services.
NOAAPORT certified operational on November 25,
1998 data broadcast over L-Band ingested by SSEC SDI
 GOES Channel


GOES East visible, infrared, and water vapor for the Eastern Conterminous United States (CONUS),
Puerto Rico, supernational composites, and Northern Hemisphere (NH) composites
GOES West. visible, infrared, water vapor for CONUS, Alaska, and Hawaii; supernational composites,
and NH composites.
 *NCEP/NWSTG Channel (NWS Telecommunications Gateway)




model output from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)
observations, forecasts, watches and warnings produced by NWS Forecast Offices
WSR-88D radar products
most observational data over North America.
 *NCEP/NWSTG2 Channel

supplements the NWSTG channel.
 Non-GOES Imagery/DCP Data Channel



GOES DCP data
MTSAT/GOES-West/GOES-East/METEOSAT-7/METOSAT-9 composites for visible, IR, and water vapor
products (every 3 hours)
OCONUS grids.
TDWR RADAR
products added
Daily Disk Space used in GB
Model GRIB
volume steadily
No significant
increasing
volume increases
40.0
2003-2005
Introduction of
35.0
NEXRAD
30.5
Mostly
text,
point
(operational
30.0
26.6
some Grids
170 1,
MB
January
2001)
23.7
25.0
in 1998 – 300 MB in
2000
20.0
39.1
32
16.8 16.9 17.0
Daily Disk
Space used
in GB
12.6
15.0
10.0
6.9
5.0
0.2
0.2
0.3
0
0.0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
NOAAPORT Operational
1.6 Mb/s (11/25/1998)
NOAAPORT DVB-S
begins
10.24 Mb/s (1/2005)
NOAAPORT DVB-S2
begins 30 Mb/s (MarchApril 2011)
Currently we get NOAAPORT data in two ways
1. Directly from DOMSAT via DBS using NOVRA S75
2. Over the Internet via LDM
Ssec ldm
LDM
Site 1
Internet
ldm
Ssec ldm
Site 3
Site 2
ldm
ldm
Ssec ldm
XCD
LDM
 Filing and indexing text data
 Filing and indexing point/MDXX
 Data management for NEXRAD
 Can incorporate local data feeds
 Installation/upgrades are difficult (many steps,
prone to user error)
 System is complex, large learning curve for
operators, and very large learning curve for new
programmer
 Performance can be an issue
 Data stored in format different than incoming
format
 Can’t handle BUFR (except for filing)
 McIDAS-XCD Survey (sent out immediately following
this meeting)
 Find out what users like/don’t like
 Find out what parts of McIDAS-XCD are used
 Solicit input on the future directions
 Does McIDAS-XCD need to change?
 If yes, how?




Stand alone decoders?
LDM decoders?
ADDE servers?
Other server model? THREDDS? RAMADDA?