Orlando L. Rodríguez, Marco A. Pérez. Roberto A. Naranjo, Leonardo L. Fernández, Arturo A. Peña and, Albio Barreiras.

Technical Development Laboratory, Camagüey Meteorological Center.
G. Postal 160, C. P. 70100, Camagüey, Cuba

The Cuban Weather Radar Network is composed by 3 RC-32B (Japan) and 4 MRL-5 (Russia). In 1993 the Cuban Meteorological Service decided to mount a modernized radar prototype at Camagüey Meteorological Center, incorporating computer control and data acquisition hardware to achieve fully unmanned operation. Modernization of conventional weather radars is now possible within a small budget using open hardware and software architectures. Our Primary Processor "ELBRUS" (Signal Processor + Radar Controller) makes use of available computer cards and commercial PC systems. The system architecture was designed with a particular stress on software. All functions that could be handled within the Data Acquisition Computer have been put there. Also, a versatile Product Generator and Processing System were developed. VESTA RPG and its front end application Vesta|Process deal with product and composite generation, data base management and web server links. They function in a server-client fashion using standard protocols. Results obtained with this prototype are now being extended to other 3 radars under a National Program for the modernization of the Cuban Weather Radar Network, which also includes composition and distribution of the products.