The Open Radar Product Generator (ORPG) includes a system architecture that has already provided an opportunity to increase the pace of technology infusion and the deployment of new algorithms, into the operational weather radar. During the past year more than half a dozen new products have been added to the WSR-88D.

WSR-88D products include defined data packet types that are used to encode product data. These packets represent character data, special symbols for display and geographical arrays of meteorological data. Algorithms added for Build 2 and 3 have already exceeded the capabilities of existing data packet types. As a result, one new data packet type has been defined and the use of other data types modified. This paper introduces the topic of defining formal rules for use of existing data packets and developing a set of data types that have the flexibility to support the majority of new products.