FEATURES

The LEADS software solution includes hundreds of features, including the following.

International Language Support: IPSM can convert all LEADS menu items, dialogs, and panels into your native language. Our customers have already helped us translate English to Spanish, Polish, and Portuguese. Language settings are kept as a user preference, allowing each user to choose their own language.

Global Product Database: The LEADS solution gives you complete access to the LEADS storage layers that provide global product storage. Unlike our competitors, we maintain global databases and focus on approved open standards for data storage and display.

Preference Settings & Access Controls: LEADS allows users to apply preferences on either a global or individual basis. Access can be given on a user or group basis for all critical LEADS functions. You decide who is allowed access to specific functions, giving you flexibility to maintain your system security without mission compromise.

Plots & Contours: Plot models for surface, upper air, and point data can be created and shared. Control over criteria, data placement, and color are all provided. Contour the way you prefer! Set line thickness, color, and contour interval. LEADS even allows “first guess grids” that will smooth point/station data based on the gridded model analysis/forecast of your choice! This greatly enhances data-sparse areas.

Imaging: Image your data to highlight certain areas such as vorticity, moisture, or temperature-you choose not only the parameters to image, but the color scale to use. Unlimited combinations!

Multi-Layered Products: Multiple images and data layers are fully supported in LEADS. You can build products which allow you to turn visibility on and off for each layers, along with viewing the actual values contained in each layer.

Shading/Shadows: LEADS allows you to shade or shadow any layer within a product. This provides broadcast-quality detail and adds significant value to any LEADS produced image!

Scripting: LEADS contains a simple scripting language that records all events as you build products and perform tasks within the software. This allows you to easily repeat common practices with a single button click. Save files, build charts, perform advanced algorithms— if you can do it in LEADS, you can make it scriptable, interactive, and automatic. This powerful capability sets LEADS apart from many other products as it allows you to tailor a complex system down to a single set of buttons that perform exactly the functions you need. Meteorologists need to concentrate on the weather, not the software!

Advanced Weather Algorithms: IPSM has incorporated algorithms from agencies within the US Air Force, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon, and universities like Texas Tech and Oklahoma. This allows single button computations of parameters such as the Knapp-Ellrod Turbulence Index, Panofsky, Showalter, Bulk-Richardson, and many more.

Context-Sensitive Help: We have tightly integrated Adobe RoboHelp with the LEADS software suite. Help buttons on all the dialogs, coupled with F1 Key functionality, bring up the right help at the right time.

Storm/Hurricane Tracking: IPSM fully decodes bulletins from the National Hurricane Center, the Joint Typhoon and Warning Center, and the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) to instantly overlay the current and forecast storm tracks on ANY LEADS display. Options for wind radi, peak gusts, past track, and full symbols are available. Create graphics that will instantly make sense to your customers and key decision makers!

Instant Lightning Overlay Display: LEADS works with all the primary lightning collection vendors which include Vaisala, WSI, and the new World-Wide Lightning Network (WWLN), to decode and overlay lightning data for anywhere in the world! Lightning, like all LEADS data types can be overlaid on ANY graphic.

Topo & Bathy Database: LEADS includes a complete 1km topography (land), and 4km bathymetry (Ocean Floor) database. A complete range of color maps can be applied for maps that really stand out!

Navigation Data Display: The Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File (or DAFIF) is a set of files that contain data on airports, navaids, way-points, special use airspace and other facts relevant to flying in the entire world. This data is provided by the US military, through the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), and is primarily developed for the benefit of military aeronautical operations, but was made available to the general public.

Symbols, Fronts, and Logos: IPSM includes comprehensive support for meteorological drawing tools, along with a standard set of line, polygon and shape tools. It contains a complete set of symbols, fronts, and even custom user symbols, which let you import your own logos, symbols or images. This set of tools is the most complete anywhere, and can be extended to include the ones you create.

Workstation Modes: LEADS can be used to create detailed scripts and customize products but we have also added several interactive “modes” that allow the forecaster to overlay data types on any images.

• Radar Mode: Instantly display radar site locations overlaid on any displayed map. Single click access to all the Radar Products.
• Map Mode: Toggle on overlay of surface and upper-air stations with complete mouse over capability and one click, multi -message display for a single site or area.
• METWATCH Mode: Station circles show Green/Yellow/Red for an unlimited number of user defined thresholds and criteria. Metwatch METARS, SYNOPS, TAFS, or even polygon areas. One click access to see the triggered conditions. Audio and visual customizable notifications are built in.
• Aircraft Mode: Toggle on overlay of PIREPS, AIREPS, or AMDARS on any map background. One click, single message access or area access to raw messages. User customizable plot models show as much or as little data as you desire.