WXP
File Reference

ASCII MDR Radar File

This type of file is generated by the radcvt program for use with the WXP radar display program.

FORMAT

The format of the file is as follows:

WXPRAD
hhnnZ dd mmm yy
SDUS SUMMARY
+
rr ccc
echos
+ rr ccc
SDUS
+ rr ccc
...
SDXX STATIONS
iiiii CCCC ppp ttt TTT,dddrrr Mddff Mddff Mddff
iiiii CCCC ...

Header Format

The first line of the file is the string:

WXPRAD

which is used to determine file type. The second line of the data file contains the date and time in the following format:

hhnnZ dd mmm yy

Where:

hhnn -- Hour and minute of the observation in GMT
dd -- Day of the observation
mmm -- A three letter abbreviation for the month
yy -- The last two digits of the year

Example: 21Z 14 JUN 98

Radar Summary Data

The radar summary data are displayed on the following lines. Line three of the data file marks the start of the radar summary information:

SDUS SUMMARY

This is followed by a location line containing the following:

+ rr ccc

Where:

The actual summary data are listed on the following lines up to the next location line. Each character on the following lines represents the radar echo value for a grid box starting in column ccc and incrementing one column for each character on the line. The line following the location line represents row rr+1, and each successive line increments the row by one. This sequence is repeated until the whole radar summary is displayed.

SDUS
+
rr ccc
echos
+ rr ccc

The last rr ccc sequence represents the physical row column location of that "+". An example of a summary listing is:

SDUS
+ 44 040
                                    1  2
                   243             1 1 1
                                    21  
                                   12 22
                                   12444
                                   24442
                                   23233
                                  332333
                                13 24412
                               3 1334  2
                            222  2453  1
                             2   465   2
                                245     
                              3244      
                          12234442      
                         12225333       
                        2223243         
                     23545253           
                  22225553342           
                 14436623332            
              2   1266 3432            4
        2     2   5552 212            64
            422  5533                24 
          22 1  2554           4 3   25 
         23211 6563                 2  2
         233563642                  35  
     122522666566                 4     
      23155 4423         4        4     
       1 2                      22      
                                 2      
                                        
                                        
                                        
                       111              
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                            3           
                                        
                                        
                                        
+ 44 080

Radar Site Data

After the radar summary is listed, decoded information from each MDR report is listed for radar annotation. A separator line is listed to denote the start of the station reports:

SDXX STATIONS

The MDR information is formatted as follows:

iiiii CCCC ppp ttt TTT,dddrrr Mddff Mddff Mddff

Where:

An example of converted MDR reports are listed below:

SDXX STATIONS
MPX AREA RW++ * * * * *
EAX AREA RW++ * 540,199113 * * *
LSX AREA * * * * * *
SGF AREA RW++ * 470,262085 * * *
GWX NA * * * * * *
JAN AREA RW++ * * * * *
BLX NA * * * * * *
GGW CELL * * * * * *
MSX AREA RW+ * * * * *
TFX AREA * * 390,050067 * * *
LTX AREA RW++ * 190,084126 * * *
MHX AREA RW++ * 390,114086 C1006 * *
RAX NE * * * * * *
BIS LN * * * C0911 * *
MBX NA * * * * * *
MVX LN TRW++ * * * * *
LNX AREA * * * * * *
OAX AREA RW++ * * * * *

Describing the information from MHX (Moorehead, NC). There is an AREA of very heavy rain showers (RW++). The maximum precipitation tops are 39,000 feet located 114 degrees at 86 nautical miles away from the radar site. The cell is moving from 100 degrees at 6 knots.

EXAMPLES

A sample radar converted file would look like:

WXPRAD
0030Z  3 AUG 98
SDUS SUMMARY
+ 01 081
...

                        1
                          4
                         431
                        2342
+ 44 081
SDUS
+ 43 081
                        4444
                        54522
                       15442
                        32
                        32












                      45
                     252
                  1   3
                 21   3     5
                  222
  5              232
                 22234
               55   55
               4  22445     2
                      62
                       442
                        5
                        52
                         34
                          4














+ 90 081
SDUS
...
+ 90 002
SDXX STATIONS
BMX NE * * * * * *
EOX NA * * * * * *
HTX NA * * * * * *
MOB CELL * * * * * *
MXX NA * * * * * *
LZK CELL * * * * * *
SRX NA * * * * * *
EMX CELL * * * * * *
FSX AREA RW++ * * * * *
IWA AREA TRW++ * * * * *
...
MPX AREA RW++ * * * * *
EAX AREA RW++ * 540,199113 * * *
LSX AREA * * * * * *
SGF AREA RW++ * 470,262085 * * *
GWX NA * * * * * *
JAN AREA RW++ * * * * *
BLX NA * * * * * *
GGW CELL * * * * * *
MSX AREA RW+ * * * * *
TFX AREA * * 390,050067 * * *
LTX AREA RW++ * 190,084126 * * *
MHX AREA RW++ * 390,114086 C1006 * *
RAX NE * * * * * *
BIS LN * * * C0911 * *
MBX NA * * * * * *
MVX LN TRW++ * * * * *
LNX AREA * * * * * *
OAX AREA RW++ * * * * *
...

FILES

SEE ALSO

Last updated May 10, 2020