NEXRAD Radar Operations Center, WSR-88D

AWIPS RPS List Guidance

Overview

RPS Lists allow for AWIPS to request products from an RPG/SPG in an automated fashion. This document will discuss the design behind AWIPS RPS Lists and how to effectively implement them. The table below gives a high-level overview of the RPS List paradigm in AWIPS-2.

	National RPS List	Local RPS List
Purpose	Base set of products requested by each AWIPS from its primary RPG/SPG	Set of products defined by an AWIPS user to be requested from any connected RPG/SPG (primarily for products not requested on National RPS List)
Location*	DV1 (formerly DX1): /awips2/rcm/data/config/drop-ins/	*-- Active* -- DV1:/awips2/rcm/data/config/drop-ins/ -- Draft/Backup --** /home/<user>/caveData/common/site/<siteID>/radar/ /data/fxa/rps-lists/
Filename	rps-RPGOP-tcp.clear-air rps-RPGOP-tcp.storm rps-SPGOP-tcp.storm	*-- Active* -- KNNN.storm.VCPxx -or- KNNN.clear-air.VCPxx -- Draft/Backup --** RPS file extension (*.rps)
Editable	NO (Nationally managed NDM files)	YES (Draft/Backup files using RPS List Editor)
Max # Products	Dedicated/Supplemental connection = 300 Backup connection = 300**

* See the section on Local RPS Lists for more details regarding the multiple locations of these lists.

** As of RPG Build 21.0 when the throughput on Line 29, 41-44 were upgraded to 200 kbps (FAA/DoD) and 500 kbps (NWS)… to get higher number of products, your ITO/AWIPS admin must update the maximum number of products in the /awips2/rcm/data/config/persist/config.xml file located on DV1. This can be edited either via direct edit on DV1 or via the Radar Server Configuration GUI in CAVE.

The next two sections will go into further detail on the National and Local RPS Lists.

National RPS Lists

The purpose of the National RPS Lists is to collect a common set of products from all connected RPG/SPG systems. These products are requested and sent to central collection (i.e., RPCCDS), for archival at NCEI, and/or made available on the Satellite Broadcast Network (SBN)/NOAAPort. The RPG has two lists, one for Clear-Air VCPs and one for Precipitation VCPs. The SPG only has one list. These lists primarily consist of the following:

Clear Air VCPs

Precipitation VCP

SPG VCPs

Base Data (<= 3.5° + repeats)

(Z**, V**, SW, ZDR, CC, KDP)

Base Data (<= 3.4° + repeats)

(Z**, V**, SW, ZDR, CC, and KDP)

Base Data (<=3.0° + repeats)

(Z (short & long range), V)

Super Resolution Base Data*

HZ <= 3.5° + repeats

HV <= 1.5° + repeats

Super Resolution Base Data*

HZ <= 3.5° + repeats

HV <= 1.5° + repeats

Common Products

(CZ, ET**, VIL, VWP, HC, ML, DHR, HHC, Precip Accum)

Common Products

(CZ, ET**, VIL, VWP, HC, ML, DHR, HHC, Precip Accum)

Common Products

(CZ, ET**, VIL, VWP)

Storm-base Products

(STI, HI, MD, TVS, SS, SPD)

Storm-base Products

(STI, HI, MD, TVS)

* Super-Resolution data are available on SBN/NOAAPort only.

** These products are no longer available on SBN/NOAAPort.

National RPS Lists are stored on DV1 in /awips2/rcm/data/config/drop-ins/

· rps-RPGOP-tcp.clear-air

· rps-RPGOP-tcp.storm

· rps-SPGOP-tcp.storm

These files should not be edited but can be viewed to help build local RPS Lists. The National RPS Lists are nationally managed NDM files which can be accessed at the following location: https://vlab.noaa.gov/redmine/projects/awips-ndm. A NOAA LDAP account is required to access these files. Your NOAA e-mail credentials should provide you access.

Local RPS Lists

These lists serve as a way for forecast offices to customize which products are requested from an RPG/SPG. They are stored in various locations within AWIPS, as described below:

· DV1:/awips2/rcm/data/config/drop-ins/

“Active” directory for all RPS lists
- RadarServer will poll this directory for the Local RPS list that matches the current VCP and merge it with the appropriate National RPS List if the WFO is the designated sender for that RPG; otherwise the RadarServer will send only the Local RPS List
- Since the files in this directory are the ones automatically sent by AWIPS when an RPS List is sent to the RPG/SPG with no user interaction (i.e., VCP mode change), it is important these files are always up-to-date based on the needs of the office
RPG Naming Convention
- KNNN.[storm|clear-air].VCPxx where KNNN is replaced by the local radar ICAO (e.g., KPAH) and VCPxx is replaced by the VCP number (e.g., VCP212 or VCP12). If the VCP is a precipitation VCP, the use “storm” in the name, otherwise use “clear-air”.
  - Examples: KTLX.storm.VCP112 (Local RPS List for VCP 112 for KTLX); KPAH.clear-air.VCP35 (Local RPS List for VCP35 for KPAH)
SPG Naming Convention
- TNNN.storm.VCPxx where TNNN is replaced by the local radar ICAO (e.g., TADW) and VCPxx is replaced by the VCP number (i.e., VCP80 or VCP90)
  - Example: TLAS.storm.VCP90 (Local RPS List for VCP 90 for TLAS)
Template Files
- Should be used as a starting point for new Local RPS Lists.
- If a Local RPS List does not exist in this directory for a specific radar and VCP mode, that specific radar will merge the National RPS List with the corresponding VCP template to request products if the WFO is the transmitting site for that RPG. If the WFO is not the sender for the RPG that does not have a Local RPS List for the given VCP, then the “default” template will be used to generate an RPS List to send to the radar.
- Naming convention (SPG does not have any template files)
  - KXXX.storm.VCP215 (Generic RPS List for VCP 215 for any RPG without a Local RPS List)
  - KXXX.clear-air.VCP32 (Generic RPS List for VCP 32 for any RPG without a Local RPS List)

· /home/<username>/caveData/common/site/<siteID>/rcm/

When an RPS List is edited by a forecaster using the RPS List Editor in AWIPS by selecting “View --> Current” or “View” and then one of the VCP modes, the default save location is within their home directory, /home/<username>/caveData/common/site/<siteID>/rcm/.
Changes made, saved, and sent from here are only used until AWIPS automatically sends an RPS List, then it will revert back to using the RPS List defined in the “active” location on DV1. If it is desired to update the Local RPS Lists in the “active” location with changes made locally, make sure to copy the changes made in the home directory to the “active” directory on DV1. Once the files have been copied over to the "active" directory, make sure to restart the radar server or, alternatively, change (and change back if necessary) the VCP mode.

· /data/fxa/rps-lists/

When an RPS List is edited by a forecaster using the RPS List Editor in AWIPS by selecting “File --> Open”, the default save location is /data/fxa/rps-lists/ because the default file open location is also /data/fxa/rps-lists/.
This directory serves as a backup for all RPS Lists and files in these directories could be outdated. Use caution when editing or looking at these files.
Changes made, saved, and sent from here are only used until AWIPS automatically sends an RPS List, then it will revert back to using the RPS List defined in the “active” location on DV1. If it is desired to update the Local RPS Lists in the “active” location with changes made locally, make sure to copy the changes made in the /data/fxa/rps-lists/ directory to the “active” directory on DV1. Once the files have been copied over to the "active" directory, make sure to restart the radar server or, alternatively, change (and change back if necessary) the VCP mode.

The files in the user home and backup directories should have a .rps extension added to the filename. If they do not, the RPS List Editor within AWIPS (Radar --> RPS List Editor) may not read the files properly. When copying the edited files over to the "active" directory on DV1 to update the default Local RPS List files, make sure to remove the .rps extention and use the proper naming convention mentioned above.

How Data Gets Consolidated & Distributed

Now that you know the differences between National & Local RPS Lists, this section will detail how the two lists are consolidated and then how the data are distributed. How consolidation and distribution happens primarily depends on whether your local AWIPS has a dedicated connection to the RPG/SPG and is the transmitting or non-transmitting AWIPS. Transmitting means the AWIPS requesting the data is passing the collected data from the National RPS List onto central collection. Non-transmitting means the AWIPS is just requesting the data for local use.

Let’s take a look at more of the details:

Dedicated Connection & Transmitting RPG & SPG: AWIPS merges the National RPS List with the currently selected Local RPS List (either site-specific or template) into one RPS List sent to the RPG/SPG. Exact duplicate entries (e.g., 0.5 deg Super-Resolution Reflectivity) are removed from the final list sent. Similar duplicate entries are compared and the lesser of the requests is removed. For example, if one list being merged requests Super-Resolution Reflectivity at or below 3.5 degrees and the other list being merged requests Super-Resolution Reflectivity at or below 2.5 degrees, the request for at or below 2.5 degrees is removed because all of the data requested in that list are at least included in the at or below 3.5 degrees list. The final list sent is stored in /data_store/radar/lists/.
- For Radar Multiple Requests (RMRs), starting in AWIPS 21.4.1, exact and similar duplicate requests will be removed like they are in RPS Lists.
Dedicated Connection & Non-Transmitting RPG: AWIPS just sends the currently selected Local RPS List to the RPG. In this case, only the Local RPS List is searched for exact and similar duplicates before being sent to the RPG. The final list is stored in /data_store/radar/lists/.
- Beginning in AWIPS 23.2.1 there will be a new flag within the RadarServer Configuration GUI called filterSbnDuplicates. SBN stands for Satellite Broadcast Network and allows any AWIPS to receive data sent over this network. Data sent over the SBN are defined by an NDM file located in /awips2/rcm/data/config/drop-ins/sbnProdList.txt. This filterSbnDuplicates flag will be selected by default. When selected, if the radar type is “WSR” the list being sent will be compared against the NDM SBN list and any duplicates will be removed.
- For RMRs, starting in AWIPS 21.4.1, exact and similar duplicate requests will be removed like they are in the RPS Lists. Additionally, in AWIPS 23.2.1, if an RMR defines a product in the NDM SBN list, it will be removed from the RMR if the filterSbnDuplicates flag is set.
Non-Dedicated Connection RPG: If you have a non-dedicated connection, only the RMR is applicable. As mentioned above, beginning in AWIPS 21.4.1, exact and similar duplicate entries will be removed like in the RPS Lists. In AWIPS 23.2.1, products defined the NDM SBN lists will be removed from the RMR if the filterSbnDuplicates flag is set.

RPS List Editor

The RPS List Editor is robust when it comes to flexibility in requesting products. For example, you can request all elevations of a product with a single line entry as opposed to a single entry for each elevation angle. You can also request all the supplemental scans such as SAILS or MRLE (i.e., “repeats”) using a single line entry rather than adding another entry specifically for those products as was required in the past. This is accomplished by choosing the appropriate “Elevation(s):” drop-down option inside the RPS List Editor. The following options are available:

Request Option	Behavior
All	Requests all elevations of a single product (excluding repeats)
All at or below	Requests all elevations of a single product at or below a specified elevation angle (excluding repeats)
All at or below/All cuts	Requests all elevations of a single product at or below a specified elevation angle (including repeats)
Lowest N	Requests the lowest N number of elevations (excluding repeats)
Lowest N/All cuts	Requests the lowest N number of elevations (including repeats)
Single	Requests a single elevation cut (excluding repeats)
All cuts	Requests a single elevation cut (including repeats)

RPS List Caveats

The above information is generic in nature and there are few caveats to keep in mind when you are editing or creating new RPS Lists

· Max # Products: For dedicated or supplemental connections, the RPG and AWIPS only allows a maximum of 300 products to be requested. Multiple products can be requested on one line, so one entry does not equal one product (e.g., requesting all elevations of reflectivity can be done on one line, but each elevation counts as one product toward the 300). For sites with a WAN-Dedicated connection, the maximum number of products allowed in an RPS List is 300 (as of RPG Build 21.0).

o If more than the maximum number of allowed products are requested in an RPS List, AWIPS will truncate the list starting by deleting products off the bottom of the list. Therefore, have the highest priority products at the top of the list.

To check for truncation run the following command in dv1:/awips2/rcm/data/logs/
more radarserver.log | grep -i truncated
This will show you how many requests there were prior to truncation as well as after. The RadarServer will truncate the list to a number at or below 300. Often times the number of requests will end up below 300 because the RadarServer can only truncate entire RPS List entry lines, which means it may truncate one line that represented all elevations, all cuts of Super Res Reflectivity, which could be somewhere on the order of 20 requests with the right features enabled on the RPG. If the full list came out to 301 requests and the last line of the RPS List represented 20 requests like above, then the final list would only be 281 requests.