Graphics and the Cursor - Locating Specific Positions Using the Cursor

McIDAS Learning Guide
Version 2015

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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.

Display the latest Meteosat-3 Visible image on frame 2 centered over Bangor, Maine. Add a high resolution map.

Type: IMGDISP BLIZZARD/M3-VIS 2 STA=BGR SF=Y;MAP H

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                 WV US   38:54:52   82:05:54   196 
  ---  K48I   Sutton               M                 WV US   38:41:13   80:39:06   387 
 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                 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 
  ---  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               G WV US   39:00:00   80:16:00   498 
  ---  KW99   Petersburg           M               G WV US   38:59:00   79:08:00   293 
 Number of stations listed: 18                                                         
 STNLIST: Done

List the stations in West Virginia that include MORGANTOWN in their name.

Type: STNLIST ST=WV MATCH=MORGANTOWN

 STNLIST  ST=WV MATCH=CHARLESTON                                                       
 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

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.
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 39:40:41 079:55:08 319 127 777 2321
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
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.
Find the country code for Canada, as you will need it for the CO keyword in step 9.

Type: CCODE CANADA

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 
 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 
 Number of stations listed: 9                                                          
 STNLIST: Done

Position the cursor at Montreal.

Type: PC L CYMX
Display the coordinates at the cursor position.

Press: Alt E
List the Metar, Synoptic and RAOB stations that are closest to Montreal.

Type: PC L CYMX

Press: Alt S
Plot all of the RAOB stations that are within the navigation of your image frame.

Type: STNPLOT TYPE=R

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