LOCAT - A Data Retrieval Program.

LOCAT is a program used to facilitate the retrieval of data from the SARSAT Evaluation Facility SEF database. It is written using FORTRAN 4X and IMAGE1000, and is intended to be used on an HP-1000 computer with a RTE IVB operating system. The SEF database was established to process Canadian SARSAT evaluation data collected from various sources including the SARSAT Local User Terminal, the Canadian Mission Control Centre located at CFB Trenton and the Rescue Coordination Centre located across Canada. Because of limitations in the SEF software, which was developed under contract, and in order to address specific evaluation requirements, it was necessary to build a package of software routines to support SARSAT studies. LOCAT was the first of a series of analytical software programs to meet these requirements. This report documents the program LOCAT in terms of the program overview which summarizes the data retrieval criteria and the output files produced, a users guide which provides instructions on how to run the program, and finally, information on compiling and loading the program in the SEF operating environment. Appendix A contains a sample run and Appendix B documents the LOCAT source code. The SEF database is a time ordered structure containing SARSAT evaluation data from a variety of sources. During operations, SARSAT facilities detect transmissions from Emergency Locator Transmitters ELTs or their marine equivalent, the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon EPIRB, which may have been activated because of an air or marine distress incident.