McIDAS-X Learning Guide
Version 2020

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Graphics and the Cursor - Locating Specific Positions Using the Cursor

In this exercise, you will use the STNLIST command to find the station ID for Morgantown, West Virginia, position the cursor at that location using the PC command, display its earth coordinates using Alt E, and list the towns closest to Morgantown with the TOWNS command. Then you'll follow the same procedure for Montreal, Canada using the S command instead of TOWNS. You will also use the STNPLOT command to plot all of the RAOB stations on your image.
  1. Display a recent GOES-16 visible image on frame 2 centered over Bangor, Maine. Add a high resolution map.
    Type:  IMGDISP G16FD.-1 2 BAND=13 STA=KBGR MAG=-2 SF=Y;MAP H
  2. List all of the METAR stations in West Virginia.
    Type:  STNLIST ST=WV TYPE=M
    The METAR stations in West Virginia are listed, including their station number, station ID, data types, state and country, earth coordinates, and elevation, as shown below.
    STNLIST ST=WV TYPE=M                                                                  
     IDN   ID     Station Name         Data Types        ST CO LAT        LON         ELE
    ----- -----  -------------------- ----------------- -- -- ---------- ----------  ----
     ---  K3I2   Point Pleasant       M              EG WV US   38:54:52   82:05:54   196
     ---  K48I   Sutton               M              EG WV US   38:41:13   80:39:06   387
     ---  K6L4   LOGAN                M                 WV US   37:51:00   81:55:00   508
    72412 KBKW   RALEIGH COUNTY MEM A M 36 T         EG WV US   37:48:00   81:07:00   763
     ---  KBLF   BLUEFIELD MERCER COU M    T         EG WV US   37:18:00   81:12:00   871
     ---  KCKB   HARRISON/MARION RGNL M    T         EG WV US   39:18:00   80:13:00   367
    72414 KCRW   YEAGER AIRPORT       M 36 T         EG WV US   38:22:00   81:36:00   299
    72417 KEKN   JENNINGS RANDOLPH FI M 36 T         EG WV US   38:53:00   79:51:00   606
     ---  KHLG   WHEELING OHIO COUNTY M    T         EG WV US   40:10:00   80:39:00   364
    72425 KHTS   TRI-STATE AIRPORT    M 36 T         EG WV US   38:22:00   82:33:00   252
     ---  KI16   Pineville            M              EG WV US   37:36:01   81:33:33   544
     ---  KLWB   Lewisburg / Greenbri M    T         EG WV US   37:52:00   80:24:00   702
     ---  KMGW   MORGANTOWN MUNI-HART M    T         EG WV US   39:39:00   79:55:00   380
     ---  KMRB   MARTINSBURG EASTERN  M    T         EG WV US   39:24:00   77:59:00   170
     ---  KPKB   MID-OHIO VALLEY RGNL M    T         EG WV US   39:20:00   81:27:00   262
    72427 KPKB   PARKERSBURG          M 36 T         EG WV US   39:21:00   81:25:00   262
     ---  KRLX   Charleston           M                 WV US   38:19:00   81:43:00   364
     ---  KSSU   White Sulphur Sprng  M                 WV US   37:46:00   80:20:00   549
     ---  KW22   Buckhannon           M              EG WV US   39:00:00   80:16:00   498
     ---  KW99   Petersburg           M              EG WV US   38:59:00   79:08:00   293
    Number of stations listed: 20
    STNLIST: Done                                                                         
    
  3. List the stations in West Virginia that include MORGANTOWN in their name.
    Type:  STNLIST ST=WV MATCH=MORGANTOWN
     STNLIST  ST=WV MATCH=MORGANTOWN                                                       
     IDN   ID     Station Name         Data Types        ST CO LAT        LON         ELE  
     ----- -----  -------------------- ----------------- -- -- ---------- ----------  ---- 
      ---  BBO    MORGANTOWN                       V     WV US   39:41:00   79:56:00     0 
      ---  KMGW   MORGANTOWN MUNI-HART M    T         EG WV US   39:39:00   79:55:00   380 
      ---  MGW    MORGANTOWN MUNI-HART             V F   WV US   39:39:00   79:55:00   380 
     Number of stations listed: 3                                                          
     STNLIST: Done                                                                         
    
  4. Position the cursor over Morgantown.
    Type:  PC L KMGW

    The PC command places the cursor over the designated location (L indicates location) on the displayed frame.

  5. Display the coordinates at the cursor position.
    Press:  Alt E
    Notice that the latitude and longitude are the same or very close to those listed in the STNLIST output.
     Frame    Latitude    Longitude    Tvline    Tvelem    Line    Elem 
         2    39:39:43    079:56:18      329       104     3117   10041 
    
  6. List the towns closest to Morgantown and then press Alt-Q to quit the TOWNS command.
    Type:  PC L KMGW;TOWNS
    Press:  Alt G
    Press:  Alt Q
  7. If you would like to enter the current lat/lon position of your cursor onto the command, you can press the Ctrl button on your keyboard and the left mouse button simultaneously. Enter a lat/lon pair into an IMGPROBE command using this method.
    Type:  IMGPROBE MODE=N LATLON= - but don't press Enter!
    Press:  Ctrl LeftMouseButton
    Press:  Enter

    This should give you the image information for your current cursor location.

  8. Find the country code for Canada, as you will need it for the CO keyword in step 9.
    Type:  CCODE CANADA
  9. Find the station code for Montreal.
    Type:  STNLIST CO=CA MATCH=MONTREAL
    The text window lists the stations that include Montreal in their name, as shown below. Use the 4-letter station code for Montreal/Mirabel.
    STNLIST CO=CA MATCH=MONTREAL                                                          
    IDN   ID     Station Name         Data Types        ST CO LAT        LON         ELE
    ----- -----  -------------------- ----------------- -- -- ---------- ----------  ----
     ---  CWGJ   Montreal River Radar M                    CA   47:14:00   84:31:00   559
     ---  CZGJ   MONTREAL RIV         M                 ON CA   47:15:00   84:36:00   520
    71675 CWPQ   Montreal-Est         M 36              QB CA   45:38:00   70:33:00    51
     ---  CYMX   Montreal / Mirabel   M    T            QB CA   45:41:00   74:02:00    82
    71627 CYUL   Montreal / Pierre El M 36 T            QB CA   45:28:00   73:45:00    31
     ---  IDO    MONTREAL                         V     QB CA   45:28:00   73:45:00     0
     ---  UTM    ST MATHIAS/MONTREAL              V     QB CA   45:20:00   73:16:00     0
     ---  WAO    MONTREAL                         V     QB CA   45:28:00   73:45:00     0
     ---  YMX    MONTREAL                         V     QB CA   45:50:00   74:23:00    82
     ---  YUL    MONTREAL P.Q.                    V     QB CA   45:31:00   73:58:00    36
    71183 CWTQ   MONTREAL/DORVAL      M 36              QC CA   45:28:00   73:45:00    32
    71626 CYMX   MONTREAL/MIRABEL     M 36 T            QC CA   45:40:00   74:01:00    82
     ---  WPQ    MONTREAL EST                     V     QC CA   45:38:00   73:30:00     6
    Number of stations listed: 13
    STNLIST: Done                                                                         
    
  10. Position the cursor at Montreal.
    Type:  PC L CYMX
  11. Display the coordinates at the cursor position.
    Press:  Alt E
  12. List the METAR, Synoptic and RAOB stations that are closest to Montreal.
    Type:  PC L CYMX
    Press:  Alt S
  13. Plot all of the RAOB stations that are within the navigation of your image frame.
    Type:  STNPLOT TYPE=R

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