Structure in C for the Radar Parameter Block

RFC: 0012

Title

Structure in C for the Radar Parameter Block

Author

R.J.Barnes

Summary

A description of the data structure in the C language used to store the Radar Parameter Block.

Description

1. Introduction

The Radar Parameter block is used throughout SuperDARN software to store the radar operating parameters. Listed below is the C data structure struct RadarParm used to store the block.

2. Array Limits

The array limits are defined as macros in the header superdarn/limit.h.

#define ORIGIN_TIME_SIZE 26
#define ORIGIN_COMMAND_SIZE 128
#define PULSE_SIZE 64    
#define LAG_SIZE 96	       
#define MAX_RANGE 300	
#define COMBF_SIZE 80       
#define MAX_BEAM 255

3. `struct RadarParm`

The parameter data block structure is defined in the header superdarn/rprm.h.

struct RadarParm {
  struct {
    char major;            /* major revision */
    char minor;            /* minor revision */
  } revision;

  struct {
    char code;             /* origin code, 0 when generated at radar */
    char time[ORIGIN_TIME_SIZE]; /* ASCII time */
    char command[ORIGIN_COMMAND_SIZE]; /* command line or control program */
  } origin;

  int16 cp;                /* control program identifier */     
  int16 stid;              /* station identifier */

  struct {
    int16 yr;              /* year */
    int16 mo;              /* month */
    int16 dy;              /* day */
    int16 hr;              /* hour */
    int16 mt;              /* minute */
    int16 sc;              /* second */
    int16 us;              /* micro-second */
  } time;

  int16 txpow;             /* transmitted power (kW) */
  int16 nave;              /* number of pulse sequences transmitted */
  int16 atten;             /* attenuation level */
  int16 lagfr;             /* lag to first range (microseconds) */
  int16 smsep;             /* sample separation (microseconds) */
  int16  ercod;            /* error code */
           
  struct {
    int16 agc;             /* AGC status word */
    int16 lopwr;           /* LOPWR status word */
  } stat;

  struct {
    float search;          /* calculated noise from clear frequency search */
    float mean;            /* average noise across frequency band */
  } noise;

  int16 channel;           /* channel number for a stereo radar */
  int16 bmnum;             /* beam number */
  float bmazm;             /* beam azimuth */
  int16 scan;              /* scan flag */
 
  int16 rxrise;            /* receiver rise time (microseconds) */
  struct {
    int16 sc;              /* number of seconds integration time */
    int16 us;              /* number of microseconds of integration time */
  } intt;   
  int16 txpl;              /* transmit pulse length (microseconds) */
  int16 mpinc;             /* multi-pulse increment (microseconds) */
  int16 mppul;             /* number of pulses in sequence */
  int16 mplgs;             /* number of lags in sequences */
  int16 nrang;             /* number of ranges */
  int16 frang;             /* distance to first range (kilometers) */
  int16 rsep;              /* range separation (kilometers) */
  int16 xcf;               /* XCF flag */
  int16 tfreq;             /* transmitted frequency */
  int16 offset;            /* offset between channels for a stereo radar */

  int32 mxpwr;             /* maximum power */
  int32 lvmax;             /* maximum noise level */

  int16 pulse[PULSE_SIZE]; /* pulse table */
  int16 lag[LAG_SIZE][2];  /* lag table */
  char combf[COMBF_SIZE];  /* comment buffer */

};

References

None

History

2004/11/19 Initial Revision.