1 GPS - The Big Picture 2004

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

3 Show GPS Movie –Movie is found on your CD <Presentations/GPSMoviePresentations/GPSMovie Requires Acrobat Version 4 – on CD

4 Why do “Ologists” Need GPS? Spatial location is a critical component in all field work

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 Field work is done outside in remote locations where map information could be out of date, too large of spatial scale Ologists are retiring and locations of stuff are not being archived

6 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)

7 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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9 Overview Introduction - Show GPS Movie GPS and the Big Picture GPS Accuracy Review of GPS Receiver Types Why the Garmin GPSMap76 Receiver

10 GPS - The Big Picture GPS Data Collection Glacier Moraines Streams Trails

11 GPS - The Big Picture GPS Data for Maps –Original Mapping –What’s out there? –Updating –Databases

12 You Are The Big Picture Archive of Park Stuff! Create/Obtain New Data Distribute Data To Parks Distribute To W W W

13 How Accurate is GPS Today… –GPS manufacturers quote about 50 ft (17m) –...but were getting 26 ft (8m) fairly reliably with good sky 8 m

14 Accuracy Comparisons – Open* 4 m Map76 3 mGarmin V 95% - XY Garmins 4 mIII Plus *Test sites used on this slide: Garmin V(NPS Bakerville); Garmin III+/Map76 (MTDC)

15 Accuracy Comparisons – Open* 0.6 m Pro XR 2 mGeo 3 95% - XY Trimble 0.9 – 1.6 mGeo XT *Test sites used on this slide: Geo3 / GeoXT (1.6mMTDC); ProXR (Estacada). NOTE: GeoXT accuracy of 0.9 reported by NPS – Bakersville RT

16 Garmin Accuracy

17 GPS Under Canopy Garmins 17 – 20 meters Trimble 3 – 8 meters

18 Putting It Another Way

19 Which Tool for the Job Jobs for the Garmin Jobs for the Trimble

20 Garmin Jobs Bering Land Bridge - Drum Recovery and Disposal

21 Garmin Jobs Aerial Mapping –Fire Perimeters –Airstrips –Animal locations

22 Garmin Jobs Camp Sites –Using Photos to record site Conditions –Linking photos with location in GIS

23 Which Tool for the Job Jobs for the Garmin Jobs for the Trimble

24 Trimble Jobs Utility Mapping

25 Trimble Jobs Multi-Feature Mapping –Soil sample sites –Tree Core Locations Location D

26 Trimble Jobs Trail Mapping / Condition

27 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

28 Unique Aspects of Ologist Mapping 25 acres 10 mile perim. Scale Environment Mode of Collection Quantity of Units Moving Targets Other Duties

29 Quick Review of GPS Types Recreational Grade Mapping / GIS Grade

30 Review of GPS Receiver Types Survey Grade –Boundaries, Precise Control Networks, Vertical Measurements

31 Quick Review of GPS Types Recreational Grade –Navigation, Basic Mapping, Fun –Designed to Download into TOPO mapping programs – lightweight GIS

32 Quick Review of GPS Types Mapping/GIS Grade –GIS Features and Attributes

33 PLGR’s Retired PLGRS in April 2003 Only 3 left in Alaska Parks Software Improvements make PLGRs obsolete

34 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

35 DGPS - Coast Guard Beacons Sounds great but… –Limited coverage –KEFJ, LACL, KATM, SE AK Coast Guard DGPS Beacons

36 DGPS - Satellite Based - Realtime WAAS –2 Equatorial satellites –Broadcast corrected signals –Designed for aircraft –Limited coverage in Alaska –poor under trees Theoretical WAAS Coverage

37 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...

38 Decision Factors for the Ranger GPS Tool Accuracy Cost (hardware) Nerd Factor Scale

39 Recreational Grade Accuracy: 3meter - 7meter Costs: $ $150 Nerd Factor: Storage: hours worth of data Strategy: waypoints, simple lines, polys

40 Mapping/GIS Grade Accuracy: 1meter - 5meter Costs: $10,000 - $3,000 Nerd Factor: Storage: days worth of data Strategy: GIS update

41 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

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

43 Recreational Grade GPS Consumer Grade Manufacturers Garmin –Recognized World Leader –High Support

44 Garmin GPSMap 76 $ Channel GPS WAAS enabled 8 MB of Map memory* 10,000 track points 10 hours of battery life *Purchase of MapSource TOPO CD + $99

45 Garmin GPSMap 76 Integrates well with GIS DNR Garmin to ArcView is Fast and Efficient

46 Garmin GPSMap 76 Unique Aspects –Antenna (Quadrifilar Helix) –It Floats –Averages waypoints –External Antenna capabilities Other Models (e.g. eTrex) –No time/date in comment field –No external antenna –No averaging

47 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

48 NPS Intranet: –Cheatsheets and Guidelines Internet: – GPS Toolkits Your CD or Where to Go For More INFO

49 GPS Toolkits Where to Go For More INFO

50 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” Summary

51 Coming Up –GPS SkyGPS Sky –Garmin Setup –Get Outside! Break