GPS - The Big Picture

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GPS - The Big Picture
2004
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Overview

• Introduction - Show GPS Movie
• GPS and the Big Picture
• Accuracy
• Review of GPS Receiver Types
• Why the Garmin GPSMap76 Receiver

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• Show GPS Movie
• Movie is found on your CD
• ltPresentations/GPSMovie
• Requires Acrobat Version 4 on CD

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Why do Ologists Need GPS?

• Spatial location is a critical component in all
  field work

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Why do Ologists Need GPS?

• Field work is done outside in remote locations
  where map information could be out of date, too
  large of spatial scale
• Ologists are retiring and locations of stuff are
  not being archived

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What Can You Do With GPS?

• Accurately and precisely record sites within 4
  meters
• 1m or better with other GPS
• Navigate to locations pre-determined by others
• Record the path you took and play it back later
  (make a map in the GIS)

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GPS Myths

• GPS does not work in the far north
• Selective Availability will be turned back on
• I Just turn my GPS on and never check settings -
  it just works!!
• GPS is only a Field thing

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(No Transcript)
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Overview

• Introduction - Show GPS Movie
• GPS and the Big Picture
• GPS Accuracy
• Review of GPS Receiver Types
• Why the Garmin GPSMap76 Receiver

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GPS - The Big Picture
Trails
Glacier Moraines
Streams
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GPS - The Big Picture

• GPS Data for Maps
• Original Mapping
• Whats out there?
• Updating
• Databases

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You Are The Big Picture

• Archive of Park Stuff!

Create/Obtain New Data
Distribute Data To Parks
Distribute To W W W
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How Accurate is GPS

• Today
• GPS manufacturers quote about 50 ft (17m)
• ...but were getting 26 ft (8m) fairly reliably
  with good sky

Even Better!
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Accuracy Comparisons Open
95 - XY
Garmins
3 m
Garmin V
4 m
III Plus
Map76
4 m
Test sites used on this slide Garmin V(NPS
Bakerville) Garmin III/Map76 (MTDC)
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Accuracy Comparisons Open
95 - XY
Trimble
2 m
Geo 3
0.9 1.6 m
Geo XT
Pro XR
0.6 m
Test sites used on this slide Geo3 / GeoXT
(1.6mMTDC) ProXR (Estacada). NOTE GeoXT
accuracy of 0.9 reported by NPS Bakersville RT
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Garmin Accuracy
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GPS Under Canopy

• Garmins 17 20 meters
• Trimble 3 8 meters

Watch Out
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Putting It Another Way
Which One?
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Which Tool for the Job

• Jobs for the Garmin
• Jobs for the Trimble

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Garmin Jobs

• Bering Land Bridge - Drum Recovery and Disposal

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Garmin Jobs

• Aerial Mapping
• Fire Perimeters
• Airstrips
• Animal locations

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Garmin Jobs

• Camp Sites
• Using Photos to record site Conditions
• Linking photos with location in GIS

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Which Tool for the Job

• Jobs for the Garmin
• Jobs for the Trimble

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Trimble Jobs

• Utility Mapping

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Trimble Jobs

• Multi-Feature Mapping
• Soil sample sites
• Tree Core Locations

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Trimble Jobs

• Trail Mapping / Condition

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Which Tool For the Job

• Summary
• Garmin Jobs are for open country, site
  locating, simple maps
• Trimble Jobs for GIS base mapping, feature rich
  environments and areas with difficult GPS
  conditions

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Unique Aspects of Ologist Mapping
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Quick Review of GPS Types

• Recreational Grade
• Mapping / GIS Grade

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Review of GPS Receiver Types
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Quick Review of GPS Types

• Recreational Grade
• Navigation, Basic Mapping, Fun
• Designed to Download into TOPO mapping
  programs lightweight GIS

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Quick Review of GPS Types

• Mapping/GIS Grade
• GIS Features and Attributes

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PLGRs

• Retired PLGRS in April 2003
• Only 3 left in Alaska Parks
• Software
  Improvements
  make PLGRs
  obsolete

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Differential GPS (DGPS)

• Differential GPS
• A method of improving accuracy by adding a local
  reference station to augment information
  available from satellites
• Provided by
• Coast Guard Beacons (Realtime)
• WAAS

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DGPS - Coast Guard Beacons

• Sounds great but
• Limited coverage
• KEFJ, LACL, KATM, SE AK

Coast Guard DGPS Beacons
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DGPS - Satellite Based - Realtime

• WAAS
• 2 Equatorial satellites
• Broadcast corrected signals
• Designed for aircraft
• Limited coverage in Alaska
• poor under trees

Theoretical WAAS Coverage
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DGPS Review - Is it worth it?

• For higher accuracy and precision - a must
• Expect WAAS to increase broadcast area
• Purchase WAAS in your next receiver and hope...

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Decision Factors for the Ranger GPS Tool

• Accuracy
• Cost (hardware)
• Nerd Factor Scale

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Recreational Grade

• Accuracy 3meter - 7meter
• Costs 1500 - 150
• Nerd Factor
• Storage hours worth of data
• Strategy waypoints, simple lines, polys

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Mapping/GIS Grade

• Accuracy 1meter - 5meter
• Costs 10,000 - 3,000
• Nerd Factor
• Storage days worth of data
• Strategy GIS update

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Recreational Grade GPS Wins!

• Reasonable accuracy for mapping large things
• Low receiver cost
• Low nerd scale
• Strategy set to enhance navigation capabilities
• Low attribution requirements

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Overview

• Introduction - Show GPS Movie
• GPS and the Big Picture
• GPS Accuracy
• Review of GPS Receiver Types
• Why the Garmin GPSMap76 Receiver

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Recreational Grade GPS

• Consumer Grade Manufacturers
• Garmin
• Recognized World Leader
• High Support

Lowrance
Garmin
Magellan
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Garmin GPSMap 76
4 meters (open)

• 400
• 12 Channel GPS WAAS enabled
• 8 MB of Map memory
• 10,000 track points
• 10 hours of battery life

Purchase of MapSource TOPO CD 99
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Garmin GPSMap 76

• Integrates well with GIS
• DNR Garmin to ArcView is Fast and Efficient

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Garmin GPSMap 76

• Unique Aspects
• Antenna (Quadrifilar Helix)
• It Floats
• Averages waypoints
• External Antenna capabilities

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Limitations - Garmin GPSMap 76

• Weak Connection to External Antenna
• Must hold UPRIGHT for best reception
• Laying down on back produces poor data
• Purchase a bracket if using in vehicles
• Missing other features (Available in S Model
• Digital Compass
• Altimeter

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Where to Go For More INFO

• NPS Intranet
• Cheatsheets and Guidelines
• http//web/rgr/gps/tips.htm
• Internet
• http//www.nps.gov/gis/gps/aksogps/
• GPS Toolkits
• Your CD or
• http//www.nps.gov/gis/gps/aksogps/

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Where to Go For More INFO

• GPS Toolkits

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Summary

• GPS allows precise positioning anywhere in Alaska
  
• Recreational grade GPS satisfies...
• Moderate accuracy's
• Low costs in hardware, training
• A Garmin allows for navigation and simple site
  marking jobs for many Ologists

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Break

• Coming Up
• GPS Sky
• Garmin Setup
• Get Outside!