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The RPS List Decision Aid for AWIPS 17.1.1

The guidance provided here has been updated for the 17.1.1 release of AWIPS.

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Welcome to the Routine Product Set (RPS) list decision aid from WDTD. This page provides general guidance for setting up VCP (Volume Coverage Pattern)-specific and event-specific RPS lists. Every office has its own unique needs in the generation of radar products. As a result, your lists may not match what we show here. If you do have a question, or see a descripancy in our lists, please e-mail so I can contact you. Additional field input is strongly encouraged.

Overview

As of RPG Build 12.3, RPS lists for may contain up to 300 products (except for backup connections, where the limit is 150 products). There is a different, more practical, limitation on the number of products an office may request: The product distribution communications between the RPG and the local office's AWIPS. The primary AWIPS connection to a NWS radar can handle a full RPS list under almost any circumstance. Primary AWIPS connections to a DoD or FAA radar are almost always slower than those to a NWS radar. However, primary connections to FAA radars are much more susceptible to load shedding at faster VCPs like 12 or 212. Likewise, supplemental or temporary backup connections to any radar are much slower than a primary connection. As a result, you will need to be judicious with the products you request via a RPS list on these connections because you will not be able to request as many products as you are otherwise used to receiving.

Details on the number of products in the national and local RPS lists by VCP are provided below. The products that are automatically added to the list the RPG uses varies depending on the VCP used. Click on the collapsible panels below to view the full list used for clear air and precipitation VCPs. These lists are current through AWIPS 17.1.1.

NOTE: RPS list files are saved in multiple locations on your office AWIPS. When you make edits to your RPS lists, make sure to:

  • copy any lists you edit to dx1:/awips2/rcm/data/config/drop-ins AND
  • ensure your lists follow the proper naming convention (e.g., KLWX.storm.VCP12, KGWX.clear-air.VCP32) so that the Radar Server will handle them properly when changing VCPs.

Guidance for local RPS lists for each of the VCPs are included on linked pages at the bottom of this page. While perusing these pages, assume the following:

  • RPS list guidance on these pages is for primary AWIPS connections with a dedicated DoD or NWS RPG and
  • For primary FAA, supplemental, or temporary backup AWIPS connections, slower connection speeds may require a shorter list of products than those presented on these pages. RPS lists from these connections will want to balance your goals (e.g., supplemental radar site samples section of CWA better than primary radar) verses your wants (e.g., the hightest resolution base data analysis for all elevation angles).

Because the national and local lists are combined into a single list for primary and backup situations, there's no need to to include files from the national list in your local RPS lists. However, AWIPS is smart enough to identify products listed in both places so that a product isn't requested twice. If you are using a RPS list to request radar products through a supplemental connection (or if your office is using a backup connection over the WAN for an office to gain situation awareness prior to switching officially to service backup), things work differently. In these cases, you will need to do the following:

  • Most products from the national RPS list are transmitted to all offices via the SBN. Those products from the national list not received via the SBN include:
    • Spectrum Width (28 & 30),
    • Composite Reflectivity (38),
    • Hail Index (59),
    • Tornado Vortex Signature (61),
    • Storm Structure (62),
    • Layer Mean Reflectivity (65, 66, 67, & 90), and
    • Supplemental Precipitation Data (82).
  • Include any of these products from the national list you want to see on your local RPS list for a supplemental connection,
  • Structure your list so the most important products are listed first (i.e., if loadshedding does occur, make sure the most important products are received), and
  • When loadshedding occurs, consider removing any derived products from your list that your office already receives over the SBN for that site (i.e., products may be a little slower coming in, but there's a better chance you receive all the products you want).

AWIPS National Dataset Products

These products are current as of AWIPS 17.1.1. There are some minor differences between the clear air and precipitation VCPs. Expand the collapsible panels below to see a complete list that is included for each. The products in the table below are not listed explicitly on local RPS lists. When local lists are created or edited, only products not included on the national list need to be selected. The only constraint on local lists is that the total number of products (local + national) cannot exceed 300.

All told, there are a total of 62 products in Clear Air mode (allowing for 232 products on a local RPS list) and 68 products in Precip mode (84 products if operating in VCP 12/212) allowing for 232 products (or 216 products in VCP 12/212) on a local RPS list.

RPS List: Clear Air VCPs
National RPS List for VCPs 31, 32
ID

Code

Elevation Angles
Product Description
19
R

0.5

16 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Base Reflectivity
20
R
0.5
16 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm) Base Reflectivity
27
V
0.5
16 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Base Base Velocity
28
SW
0.5
8 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Base Spectrum Width
30
SW
0.5
8 Level, 0.50 km (0.27 nm) Base Spectrum Width
32
DHR
Volume Product
256 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Digital Hybrid Reflectivity
37
CR
Volume Product
16 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Composite Reflectivity
38
CR
Volume Product
16 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Composite Reflectivity
41
ET
Volume Product
16 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Echo Tops
48
VWP
Volume Product
VAD Wind Profile
56
SRM
Lowest 4 tilts
16 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Storm Relative Velocity (Map)
57
VIL
Volume Product
16 Level, 4 km (0.54 nm) Vertically Integrated Liquid
65
LRM
Volume Product
8 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Layer Composite Reflectivity Maximum (< 24 kft MSL)
66
LRM
Volume Product
8 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Layer Composite Reflectivity Maximum (25-34 kft MSL)
67
APR
Volume Product
8 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Layer Composite Reflectivity with AP removed (< 24 km MSL)
78
OHP
Hybrid Scan Product
16 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm ) Surface Rainfall Accumulation One Hour Running Total
80
STP
Hybrid Scan Product
16 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm) Surface Rainfall Accumulation Storm Total
81
DPA
Hybrid Scan Product
Digital Precipitation Array (not viewable in AWIPS)
90
LRM
Volume Product
8 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Layer Composite Reflectivity Maximum (> 33 kft MSL)
94
Z
Lowest 4 tilts
256 Level 1.0 km (0.54 nm) Base Reflectivity
99
V
Lowest 4 tilts
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Base Velocity
134
DVL
Volume Product
256 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Digital Vertically Integrated Liquid
135
EET
Volume Product
256 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Enhanced Echo Top
138
STP
Volume Product
256 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm) Surface Rainfall Accumulation Storm Total
159
ZDR
Lowest 4 tilts
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Differential Reflectivity
161
CC
Lowest 4 tilts
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Correlation Coefficient
163
KDP
Lowest 4 tilts
256 Level 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Specific Differential Phase
165
HC
Lowest 4 tilts
256 Level 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Hydrometeor Classification
166
ML
Lowest 4 tilts
Melting Layer
169
OHA
Volume Product
16 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm) One Hour Accumulation
170
DAA
Volume Product
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) One Hour Unbiased Accumulation
171
STA
Volume Product
16 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm) Storm Total Accumulation
172
STA
Volume Product
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Storm Total Accumulation
174
DOD
Volume Product
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) One Hour Accumulation Difference
175
DSD
Volume Product
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Storm Total Accumulation Difference
176
DPR
Volume Product
65536 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Digital Instantaneous Precipitation Rate
177
HHC
Volume Product
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Hybrid Hydrometeor Classification
RPS List: Precipitation VCPs
AWIPS National Dataset Products
ID

Code

Elevation Angles
Product Description
19
R

0.5

16 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Base Reflectivity
20
R
0.5
16 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm) Base Reflectivity
27
V
0.5
16 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Base Base Velocity
28
SW
0.5
8 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Base Spectrum Width
30
SW
0.5
8 Level, 0.50 km (0.27 nm) Base Spectrum Width
32
DHR
Volume Product
256 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Digital Hybrid Reflectivity
37
CR
Volume Product
16 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Composite Reflectivity
38
CR
Volume Product
16 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Composite Reflectivity
41
ET
Volume Product
16 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Echo Tops
48
VWP
Volume Product
VAD Wind Profile
56
SRM
VCP 11, 121, 21, 211, 221:
0.5, 1.5, 2.4, 3.4
VCP 12, 212:
0.5, 0.9, 1.3, 1.8
16 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Storm Relative Velocity (Map)
57
VIL
Volume Product
16 Level, 4 km (0.54 nm) Vertically Integrated Liquid
58
STI
Volume Product
Storm Tracking Information
59
HI
Volume Product
Hail Index
61
TVS
Volume Product
Tornado Vortex Signature
62
SS
Volume Product
Storm Structure
65
LRM
Volume Product
8 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Layer Composite Reflectivity Maximum (< 24 kft MSL)
66
LRM
Volume Product
8 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Layer Composite Reflectivity Maximum (25-34 kft MSL)
67
APR
Volume Product
8 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Layer Composite Reflectivity with AP removed (< 24 km MSL)
78
OHP
Hybrid Scan Product
16 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm ) Surface Rainfall Accumulation One Hour Running Total
80
STP
Hybrid Scan Product
16 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm) Surface Rainfall Accumulation Storm Total
81
DPA
Hybrid Scan Product
Digital Precipitation Array (not viewable in AWIPS)
82
SPD
N/A
Supplemental Precipitation Data
90
LRM
Volume Product
8 Level, 4 km (2.2 nm) Layer Composite Reflectivity Maximum (> 33 kft MSL)
94
Z
VCP 11, 121, 21, 211, 221:
0.5, 1.5, 2.4, 3.4
VCP 12, 212:
0.5, 0.9, 1.3, 1.8
256 Level 1.0 km (0.54 nm) Base Reflectivity
94
Z
0.5 for SAILS
256 Level 1.0 km (0.54 nm) Base Reflectivity
99
V
VCP 11, 121, 21, 211, 221:
0.5, 1.5, 2.4, 3.4
VCP 12, 212:
0.5, 0.9, 1.3, 1.8
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Base Velocity
99
V
0.5 for SAILS
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Base Velocity
134
DVL
Volume Product
256 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Digital Vertically Integrated Liquid
135
EET
Volume Product
256 Level, 1 km (0.54 nm) Enhanced Echo Top
138
STP
Volume Product
256 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm) Surface Rainfall Accumulation Storm Total
141
MD
Volume Product
Mesocyclone
159
ZDR
VCP 11, 121, 21, 211, 221:
0.5, 1.5, 2.4, 3.4
VCP 12, 212:
0.5, 0.9, 1.3, 1.8
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Differential Reflectivity
159
ZDR
0.5 for SAILS
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Differential Reflectivity
161
CC
VCP 11, 121, 21, 211, 221:
0.5, 1.5, 2.4, 3.4
VCP 12, 212:
0.5, 0.9, 1.3, 1.8
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Correlation Coefficient
161
CC
0.5 for SAILS
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Correlation Coefficient
163
KDP
VCP 11, 121, 21, 211, 221:
0.5, 1.5, 2.4, 3.4
VCP 12, 212:
0.5, 0.9, 1.3, 1.8
256 Level 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Specific Differential Phase
163
KDP
0.5 for SAILS
256 Level 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Specific Differential Phase
165
HC
VCP 11, 121, 21, 211, 221:
0.5, 1.5, 2.4, 3.4
VCP 12, 212:
0.5, 0.9, 1.3, 1.8
256 Level 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Hydrometeor Classification
165
HC
0.5 for SAILS
256 Level 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Hydrometeor Classification
166
ML
VCP 11, 121, 21, 211, 221:
0.5, 1.5, 2.4, 3.4
VCP 12, 212:
0.5, 0.9, 1.3, 1.8
Melting Layer
166
ML
0.5 for SAILS
Melting Layer
169
OHA
Volume Product
16 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm) One Hour Accumulation
170
DAA
Volume Product
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) One Hour Unbiased Accumulation
171
STA
Volume Product
16 Level, 2 km (1.1 nm) Storm Total Accumulation
172
STA
Volume Product
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Storm Total Accumulation
174
DOD
Volume Product
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) One Hour Accumulation Difference
175
DSD
Volume Product
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Storm Total Accumulation Difference
176
DPR
Volume Product
65536 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Digital Instantaneous Precipitation Rate
177
HHC
Volume Product
256 Level, 0.25 km (0.13 nm) Hybrid Hydrometeor Classification

Links to VCP-specific RPS lists:

Use these links to see WDTD's recommendations for your local RPS lists based on which VCP you are using.