AWIPS Map Database Catalog

Radar Density Utility

The radar density utility takes the "MISBIN" data which are output from the RADCLIM program an converts the output into a polygon shapefile. The polygon shapefile consists of a subset of the national HRAP grid where each grid cell existing in the shapefile cooresponds to a HRAP grid cell that is covered by the radar. The output shapefile has the following useful attributes:

Relevant attributes:

field name	type	width,dec	description
POINTID	numeric	24	The xy (i,j) HRAP grid number as a number
X	character	3	The X(i) coordinate of the HRAP Grid
Y	character	3	The Y(j) coordinate of the HRAP Grid
LAT	numeric	9,5	Latitude of center of grid cell [decimal degrees]
LON	numeric	9,5	Longitude of center of grid cell [decimal degrees]
ID	character	5	Not used
XY	character	24	The xy (i,j) HRAP grid number as a character string

There are two versions of the utility available - an ArcView GIS 3.x version and an ArcGIS 8/9 version. These versions use a version of the fsl-w88d shapefile used in AWIPS to determine radar locations (nexradsites.*) and a shapefile containing nationwide HRAP polygons (hrapPoly.*). Please do not move or delete these shapefiles.

ArcView 3.x version

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Instructions for use:

Download the zip file and unzip to a new folder (installation folder).
Procure "msbin" files for radar(s) to plot
Use ArcView to open the project.
Start program by clicking radar button at top right of view
Using the buttons in the dialog, Choose a msbin file, a 4 charcter Radar Id and the name of the output shapefile to create. Click GO to process.
A sample msbin file has been provided for LWX

ArcGIS 8/9 version

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Instructions for use:

Download the zip file and unzip to a new folder (installation folder).
Procure "msbin" files for radar(s) to plot
Run "radardensity.exe" in installation folder
Using the buttons in the dialog, Choose a msbin file, a 4 charcter Radar Id and the name of the output shapefile to create. Click GO to process.
View the resulting shapefile with ArcMap
A sample msbin file has been provided for LWX


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AWIPS Map Database Catalog > Data Conversion > Editing Utilities >Radar Density Utility

Radar Density Utility

Relevant attributes:

ArcView 3.x version

ArcGIS 8/9 version