sub parse_E ($) {
    my $data = shift;

    my ($sign, $characteristic, $fraction);
    $sign = ($data & 0x80000000) ? -1 : 1;
    $characteristic = (($data >> 24) & 0x7f) - 64;
    $fraction = (($data & 0x00ffffff) / 0xffffff) * 16;
    my $num = $sign * $fraction ** $characteristic;

    printf("DEBUG: parse_E(%32s)\n\tsign: %d charisteristic: %d ".
 	   "fraction: %f = %f\n",
 	   unpack ("B32", $data), $sign, $characteristic, 
 	   $fraction, $num);
    printf("DEBUG: unpacked characteristic  %s\n", 
	   unpack ("B7", ($data >> 24) & 0x7f));
    printf("DEBUG: unpacked fraction        %7s%s\n", " ",
	   unpack ("B24",  $data & 0x00ffffff));

    return $num;
}