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FGCS 1996 Annual Report
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<center><p>FEDERAL GEOGRAPHIC DATA COMMITTEE (FGDC)
<br>FEDERAL GEODETIC CONTROL SUBCOMMITTEE (FGCS)
<br>1996 ANNUAL REPORT</center>
<p><strong>PURPOSE OF SUBCOMMITTEE:</strong>
<p>The Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee (FGCS) exercises government wide leadership in
coordinating the planning and execution of geodetic, land, and resource surveys, in developing
standards and specifications for these surveys, and in the exchange of survey data and technical
information. In its role as Global Positioning System (GPS) Interagency Advisory Council
(GIAC) to the DOT Pos/Nav Executive Committee, the FGCS acts to ensure that GPS will
continue to meet the needs of the civilian community and works to strengthen the ties between
the GPS positioning, timing, and navigation communities.
<p><strong>OBJECTIVES:</strong>
<p>1. Assist government agencies and the general public in meeting geodetic, land, and natural
resource survey needs in the most expeditious and economical manner possible with available
resources.
<p>2. Develop standardized instrument testing procedures, evaluate new survey instrumentation and
procedures and publish the results of these evaluations.
<p>3. Develop, publish, and maintain accuracy, collection, content, transfer, and archive standards
for geodetic, land, and resource surveys and their related metadata. Promote the use of these
standards by Federal, state, and local levels of government and the private sector.
<p>4. Participate in the implementation of a National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse and its
subsequent geodetic data framework.
<p>5. Participate in the nationwide implementation of NAVD88 and in the development of the
nation's geodetic height system using GPS.
<p>6. Monitor compatibility of Federal fixed reference stations with NAD83 and their relationship to
the development of a single Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) system to meet
the requirements of Federal GPS post-processing procedures, consistent with NAD83.
<p>In support of these objectives, the following tasks were performed by the GIAC and the FGCS.
</strong>
<p><strong>GIAC ACTIVITIES:</strong>
<p>On September 12, 1995, the GPS Interagency Advisory Council (GIAC) was chartered within the
Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee (FGCS), under the Federal Geographic Data Committee
(FGDC) which is chaired by Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt.
<p>On September 11, 1996, Secretary Babbitt presented the 14 Federal Agencies represented on the
FGDC with Vice President Al Gore's Hammer Award at the Department of the Interior
headquarters in Washington, D.C. The group was honored for its vision and efforts toward
creating a national, readily accessible source of accurate geospatial data. The Hammer Award is
Vice President Al Gore's Special recognition for contributions in support of the Presidents's
National Performance Review principles. Those principles are: putting customers first, cutting
red tape, empowering employees, and getting back to basics which are the essence of Federal
government "reinvention."
<p>As Director of the National Geodetic Survey, Captain Lewis A. Lapine, NOAA, chairs the FGCS
and represents the GIAC on the permanent interagency GPS Executive Board, jointly chaired by
the Departments of Defense and Transportation. This Board manages GPS and U.S. Government
augmentations, with other departments and agencies participating as appropriate. The
Department of State coordinates with departments and agencies, foreign governments, and
international organizations to assess the feasibility of developing standards and guidelines on the
provision and use of GPS services worldwide.
<p>The GIAC concentrates its interests and efforts on the timing and positioning issues of GPS and
related navigation issues. The minutes of meetings, action items, and general information about
the FGCS and the GIAC are provided on the Worldwide Web over Internet at the following
address:
<center><b><p>http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/FGCS/fgcs.html</b></center>
<p>Since its creation last year, the GIAC has addressed the following issues and topics:
<p>1. Assisted in the development of the Presidential Decision Directive on GPS
<br>Participated with the Department of State - International Working Group concerning:
<br>US - Japan Bilateral Negotiations
Fair Trade Policy
Standardization Issues for Navigation, Spectrums and
Positional Accuracy
<p>2. Spectrum Allocation Issues
<br>DOD/DOT Spectrum Allocation for L5 Carrier Phase Tracking
Theater Denial Consequences for Civil Users
System Interference Testing
<p>3. Federal Radio Navigation Plan
Open Meeting in Boston
Formal Review
<p>4. DOT study for full implementation of USCG Differential Beacons
<p>5. L5 informational presentations prepared for:
Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee and
Civil Applications Committee
<p>6. GIAC News Flash Service Initiated on Internet
<p>7. USCG Improved Correctors
<p>8. Interagency Questionnaire
<p>9. Continuously Operated Reference Stations, presently with 75 sites being operated by 10
Federal and state agencies, and interpolation algorithm development
<p>10. GIAC agency demonstrations given to date:
NOAA, NSF and USACE
<p>11. L2 Full Wavelength Carrier Phase Tracking Versus L5
<p><strong>FGCS ACTIVITIES:</strong>
<p>At the FGCS meeting on June 13, 1996, the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME)
1995 Karo Award was awarded to Ken Bays and Mary Hartel (accepted for her by Dan Webb),
BLM, for outstanding high accuracy survey field work in Romania during 1994 and 1995.
Eighteen members of NGS' field and office staff also received the award at an earlier ceremony.
Captain Lapine, who presented the award for SAME, express great satisfaction with the
cooperativeness of the FGCS member agencies to accomplish the Department of State sponsored
project. Further explanation of the SAME Karo award can be provided by Charles Challstrom of
NGS, at his e-mail address: charlie@ngs.noaa.gov.
<p>The Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standard was approved by the Methodology Work Group
and the FGCS membership; it was forwarded to the FGDC for final review and for public release
in early 1997. For copies of the proposed standard and status report on final release, contact Ed
McKay of NGS at his e-mail address: edm@ngs.noaa.gov.
<p>The Instrument Work Group has been working on the final report of the October 1995 Airborne
GPS test which will be reported at the 1997 Institute on Navigation's GPS Conference. "Survey
Guidelines on Airborne GPS Procedures" are being developed and will be released during 1997
to complement the final report. For particulars, contact Sally Frodge, DOT, at her e-mail
address: Sally_Frodge@ost.dot.gov.
<p>According to the review of responses to the CORS questionnaire, nearly one-third of the GPS
users require 5 second data rates rather than 30 second data which will suffice for the majority of
users. NGS has developed software to derive 5 seconds rates from 30 second block for these
users. During the year, Captain Lapine had placed highest priority on the effort to complete this
conversion software which is now available. For the development reports and availability of
software, contact Dr. Charles Schwarz of NGS, at his e-mail address: cschwarz@ngs.noaa.gov.
<p>The FGCS membership recommended the establishment of a Geodetic Control Profile to be in
compliance with the FIPS 173, Spatial Data Transfer Standard. The following resolution to
establish this profile was approved unanimously by the FGCS, and was forwarded to the FGDC
for action:
<p>"The Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee (FGCS) has been briefed on the current efforts by
the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) of NOAA to place geodetic control data (called
NOAA Framework Data) into a format conforming with the Spatial Data Transfer Standard
(Federal Information Processing Standard 173). It recognizes that a necessary first step for this
effort is that a Geodetic Control Profile be written and approved by the formal approval methods
for FIPS standards managed by the National Institutes of Science and Technology (NIST).
<p>Writing such a profile requires skills not found in the FGCS member organizations; it requires a
thorough understanding of the Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS) itself, as well as
knowledge of the procedures for proposing FIPS standards for approval. Initial contact with the
FGDC Standards Working Group indicates that this group and the SDTS maintenance authority
at USGS are willing to take the lead in both writing and staffing the Geodetic Control Profile.
<p>The FGCS endorses this effort and encourages the FGDC Standards Working Group and the
SDTS maintenance authority to proceed with the development of a Geodetic Control Profile. It
further encourages the NOAA Framework Data project team at NGDC and the FGCS member
organizations to support and participate in this review effort as resources permit."
<p>During the year, with regard to the above resolution, the Point Profile (Geodetic Control Profile)
addendum to the FIP 173 was cooperatively developed by NOAA and USGS; has been reviewed
by the FGDC Standards Working Group; and is pending approval from the FGDC for release
through the Federal Register to solicit public comments. After the evaluation of comments, it is
expected that the Point Profile will be incorporated into the Spatial Data Transfer Standard, FIP
173 in early 1997. For copies of the proposed standard and status report on its final release,
contact John Spencer of NGS at his e-mail address: jspencer@ngs.noaa.gov.
<p>NAVD88 has been adopted by Canada only around the Great Lakes; further dialogue must be
continued between Canada/US regarding client driven acceptance of NAVD88 within both
countries. David Zilkoski of NGS will act as U.S. point of contact and keep the FGCS members
informed of implementation efforts/actions. There was a meeting in Ottawa, Canada during May
1996 where NAVD88 implementation and related subjects were discussed. For particulars on
meetings and follow up discussions, contact Dave Zilkoski, e-mail: davez@ngs.noaa.gov.
<p>The draft "Federal Radio Navigation Plan" (FRP) was distributed to the FGCS members during
the reporting period. Comments on the FRP are still being compiled by Liz Carpenter, DOT, tel:
617-494-2126, e-mail address: carpenter@volpel.dot.gov. You may contact her for copies or
provide comments on the FRP.
<p>The draft "Building the National Spatial Data Infrastructure: A Progress Report 1993-1995" was
distributed during the reporting period, this report provides a brief overview of the FGCS and
other subcommittee interactions with the FGDC during the last three years. For copies or
comments to the report, contact John Spencer, e-mail: jspencer@ngs.noaa.gov.
<p>During the year, the FGCS was extremely grateful to have had in attendance the Director,
Geodetic Survey of Canada and members of his staff. The discussions on contract services of
Canadian government surveying/mapping activities will lead to future exchange of administrative
ideas. The discussions on the Canadian GPS Base Net validation/calibration sites and "real
time" submeter GPS activities will lead to future exchange of technical and operational ideas.
<p>Minutes from the FGDC and the FGCS meetings held during 1996 are posted on the respective
home pages:
<center><b><p>FGDC - http://fgdc.er.usgs.gov/fgdc.html
<br>FGCS - http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/FGCS/fgcs.html</b></center>
<p>The goals for calendar year 1997 are presently being developed by the FGDC and its various
subcommittees. Please provide any comments to the FGCS ongoing activities, as herein
reported, as well as any suggestions (or concerns) that need to be considered in the development
of the FGCS 1997 Plan. Please provide comments and suggestions to the FGCS chairperson,
Captain Lewis A. Lapine, NOAA, at the following:
<center><b><p>e-mail: llapine@ngs.noaa.gov
<br> tel: 301-713-3222
<br> fax: 301-713-4175
</b></center>
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