Planned WSR-88D Upgrades

The Radar Operations Center is planning a number of sustaining engineering changes to the Nation's network of weather radars. The purpose of the changes is both to replace hardware that is becoming difficult to support as well as to provide additional processor capability.

One major change will be the WSR-88D Radar Product Generator (RPG) Refresh Project where existing RPG processors will be updated with higher capacity PC based processors running the LINUX operating system. Although this change is being driven by the increasing cost and difficulty of finding spare parts for the existing processors, the new processor suite will have the capacity to implement new science application software expected to be available in 2007 and beyond. The use of PCs running LINUX will ease the process of transitioning research developments into actual operation. This paper will mention new science being considered for addition after the upgrade.

In addition to RPG Refresh, the ROC is planning a Digital Auxiliary Unit (DAU) replacement. The need is to provide a more reliable DAU, but the final design may provide the ability to improve radar status reporting that will be of use to a future Dual Polarization upgrade.

Other planned projects include transmitter reliability modifications. The modifications are being coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration since that organization uses a transmitter very similar to the WSR-88D unit. Changes to the Radio Frequency Generator, pedestal electronics, the RPG LAN switch and router, as well as a number of communication and security changes, including the addition of a firewall, also are planned.