IDL Data Structure for the Radar Parameter Block

Summary

A description of the IDL data structure used to store the radar parameter block.

Description

The radar parameter block is used throughout SuperDARN software to store the radar operating parameters. Within IDL a structure is used to store the parameter block.

Constants

A number of constants are used to define array limits

PULSE_SIZE=64
LAG_SIZE=96
MAX_RANGE=300

Radar parameter block structure RadarParm

  prm={RadarPrm, $
       revision: {rbstr, major: 0B, $  ; major revision
                         minor: 0B}, $ ; minor revision
       origin: { ogstr, code: 0B, $ ; origin code
                 time: ' ', $ ; time of generation
                 command: ' '}, $ ; command line or control program

       cp: 0, $                        ; program identifier
       stid: 0, $                      ; station identifier
       time: {tmstr, yr:0, $           ; year
                    mo:0, $            ; month
                    dy:0, $            ; day
                    hr:0, $            ; hour
                    mt:0, $            ; minute
                    sc:0, $            ; second
                    us:0  $            ; microsecond
            }, $
       txpow: 0, $                     ; transmitted power (kw)
       nave: 0, $                      ; number of pulse sequences transmitted
       atten: 0, $                     ; attenuation level
       lagfr: 0, $                     ; lag to first range (microseconds)
       smsep: 0, $                     ; sample separation (microseconds)
       ercod: 0, $                     ; error code
       stat: {ststr, agc:0, $          ; AGC status word
                    lopwr:0}, $        ; LOPWR status word
       noise: {nsstr, search:0.0, $    ; noise from clear frequency search
                     mean:0.0}, $      ; average noise across frequency band
       channel: 0, $                   ; channel number for stereo radar
       bmnum: 0, $                     ; beam number
       bmazm: 0.0, $                   ; beam azimuth
       scan: 0, $                      ; scan flag
       rxrise: 0, $                    ; receiver rise time
       intt: {itstr, sc:0, $           ; number of seconds integration time
                     us:0}, $          ; number of microseconds integration time
       txpl: 0, $                      ; transmit pulse length (microseconds)
       mpinc: 0, $                     ; multi-pulse increment (microseconds)
       mppul: 0, $                     ; number of pulses in sequence
       mplgs: 0, $                     ; number of lags in sequence
       nrang: 0, $                     ; number of ranges
       frang: 0, $                     ; distance to first range (kilometers)
       rsep: 0, $                      ; range separation (kilometers)
       xcf: 0, $                       ; XCF flag
       tfreq: 0, $                     ; transmitted frequency
       offset: 0, $                    ; offset between channels
       mxpwr: 0L, $                    ; maximum power
       lvmax: 0L, $                    ; maximum noise level
       pulse: intarr(PULSE_SIZE), $    ; pulse table
       lag: intarr(LAG_SIZE,2), $      ; lag table
       combf: '' $                     ; comment buffer
    }

References

• Radar Parameter Structure in C
• This information is sourced from the RFC: 0020 previously in the RST RFC documentation was written by R.J. Barnes.

History from RFC Documentation

• 2007/03/26 Revision to include origin and beam azimuth.
• 2004/11/22 Initial Revision.