This message was sent to ##Email##. To advertise in this publication please click here.

July 30, 2020

SPONSORED CONTENT

Promoted by EngineerSupply

•

Ground Penetrating Radar Now Available

•

New Bosch Rotary Laser Levels

•

Top 5 Schonstedt Magnetic Locators

•

Shop Total Stations

•

Browse Drafting Supplies

NIST and NGS Delay Final Determination on U.S. Survey Foot

NSPS

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) have announced a 90-day extension on the final determination of the decision to deprecate the US Survey Foot. The additional time is necessary to address public comments on the deprecation. A Federal Register notice on 10/17/2019 announced the intent to deprecate the Survey Foot. The notice stated that NIST and NGS would co-issue a Federal Register notice by June 30, 2020, announcing adoption of the “foot” equal to 0.3048 meter (exactly) as the “official definition for all applications in the U.S. after December 31, 2022.” However, a Federal Register notice published on 07/10/2020 announced “a 90-day extension of the review and analysis period to address public comments. The final determination will be published by September 28, 2020.” Public comments for the 10/17/2019 notice can be found here. NGS has also announced a delay in the implementation of the modernized National Spatial Reference System originally slated for roll-out in 2022.

NSPS Stolen Equipment Registry

NSPS

NSPS continues to maintain a registry of stolen equipment.

In order to register the loss, please provide the following information by email:

Description of Instruments including Serial Number
Location where equipment was stolen, include nearest Town and State
Date stolen
Contact person to provide information, include phone and/or email

Children’s eBook on COVID 19

Spotlight on project by Fiona Muir

The Fryhofer Fellowship is designed for students who have recently graduated from college, taking a gap year, and are seeking an opportunity to work in the field of medicine.

Fiona Muir, one of our current Fryhofer Fellows, is a 2019 graduate of Emory University with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. She is currently in the process of applying to Physician Assistant school.

Fiona has written a children’s eBook in response to COVID-19. Jeff Koplan MD, Vice President for Global Health at Emory, was inspired to launch a children’s book contest by the questions his three grandchildren, ages 5-11, had been asking about the pandemic. Fiona took up the challenge! Her book addresses the questions and feelings that children may be experiencing through this time, and provides encouragement as well as strategies to connect with others and spread love.

Fiona also created the lovely hand drawn watercolor illustrations as well as a set of accompanying handmade notecards. Enjoy and share with children, grandchildren, family, and friends!

New Op-Ed Re: Ligado/GPS

Aviation Week

Good afternoon! I’m Capt. “Sully” Sullenberger’s Executive Assistant. Hope this note finds you and yours well in these challenging times.

I’m reaching out because Capt. Sullenberger, Adm. Thad Allen, and Dr. Brad Parkinson have written a piece on the FCC’s dangerous decision to grant Ligado a license that would allow high-power terrestrial transmitters in the quiet band of frequencies that includes GPS, published yesterday. We wanted to call your attention to it in case you hadn’t already seen it, as we know this is an issue that is of importance to your organization. Please feel free to share widely!

Here is the link to the piece: Opinion: Ligado Is LightSquared Fiasco 2.0
Link to Capt. Sullenberger’s tweet.

House Agriculture Committee Lobbies the FCC on Ligado

NSPS

Earlier this month, 27 members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman (FCC) Ajit Pai, urging him to reconsider the FCC’s decision to allow Ligado Networks to operate a terrestrial nationwide network that opponents say will cause harmful interference to GPS signals for many users. This concern and opposition from a sector not traditionally engaged in GPS or positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) issues is just one example of how the FCC’s decision — rather than putting the issue to rest — has instead recruited a whole new set of actors from across multiple sectors for the opposition. Previously it was easy for many to assume the FCC would reject Ligado’s proposal. The entire executive branch had been vehemently opposed for years. So had aviation groups, the weather community, geospatial interests and some satellite communications concerns. With such opposition from so many important quarters, it was reasonable for many to assume they need not become involved. Now that the FCC has acted to the contrary, these interests have become well energized. The FCC decision also empowered opponents to educate and recruit others who don’t normally think or worry about GPS and PNT issues, folks like farmers and agricultural interests. Department of Transportation studies have shown that high-precision GPS receivers, such as those used in agriculture, could be impacted within 3,000 meters of a Ligado transmitters. With tens of thousands of transmitters deployed in a nationwide network, this could pose a real problem for American farming. According to some involved with protesting the FCC’s decision, there are nearly a hundred organizations and companies that are working in some way to have it overturned. These include multiple aviation, delivery service, agriculture, surface transportation, geospatial, weather, maritime, space and technology interests. NSPS plays a vital part in these coalitions, and helped to secure numerous offices of the 27 cosigners.

Featured NSPS Sustaining Member

NSPS

Krylon Industrial understands the needs of the survey and marking industries. Our breadth of aerosol technologies are easy to apply with excellent, durable one coat coverage serving all of your inverted marking paint needs.

Quik-Mark products meet both OSHA and ANSI specifications by offering fluorescent and APWA colors in water, solvent and chalk formulas. With over 60 years in the industry , you can trust Krylon Industrial to continue to deliver innovative products, quality and service that you’ve come to expect.

Survey & Marking - Make Your Mark

PRODUCT SHOWCASES

Measuring Today To Direct The Future

ABET Accredited Geospatial Engineering Curriculum, Transfer programs, Distance Learning, Individualized Instruction, Fast Track Master's Degree, Advanced Technology, Diverse employment opportunities, faculty are Licensed Professional Surveyors with real life experience.

LEARN MORE

Reach Your Prospects Every Week

Thousands of industry professionals subscribe to association news briefs, which allows your company to push messaging directly to their inboxes and take advantage of the association's brand affinity.

Connect with Highly Defined Buyers and Maximize Your Brand Exposure

LEARN MORE

OMB Memo Provides More Guidance to Agencies and Contractors for Resiliency During COVID

NSPS

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently published a memorandum with guidance that further addresses the resiliency of the federal acquisition workforce and the federal contractors who support Federal agency missions, including in the fight against COVID19. Working together, agencies and their contractors have made important strides in maintaining continued contract performance by seeking to maximize telework, and taking other steps to help maintain contractors in a ready state, as appropriate, and minimize the disruption caused by COVID-19. Equally important are the steps agencies have been taking to make new awards for critical activities, both to fight COVID and to enable the safe reopening of America. With continued workforce diligence and information sharing, including best practices and lessons learned, agencies can deliver good value and guard against waste and abuse, despite unprecedented challenges.

Why Renting a UAV May Make Sense

xyHt

I have a land surveyor client who’s interested in getting on the UAV train. But like many, he’s concerned with the financial outlay and not quite certain if the UAV path is the right one for his firm. His main concern: Will he be able to fully utilize and monetize the investment? That’s why I’m suggesting he take a look at renting versus an outright purchase, at least initially. Here are the top four reasons why renting a UAV may make sense.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Drone Data Processing for Surveyors

Linework professionally drafted from your drone data and delivered in CAD format.

Deliverables include:

Clean topo surface / TIN

Contours

Planimetric features

Orthophoto

Point cloud

And more!

LEARN MORE

Critical Update: Reinventing the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Nextgov

Just as earthly landscapes and communities of interest to the United States continually change, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is reimagining how it responds to increased threats from adversaries and the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the agency’s director, Vice Adm. Robert Sharp. Some of the changes are stark. For example, the normally secretive agency—which functions as the eyes of the intelligence community and Defense Department—has transitioned into a “redistributed force.”

Way, Way Out in Front – Navigation Technology Satellite-3: The Vanguard for Space-Based PNT

Inside GNSS

The U.S. Air Force’s GPS constellation was created to provide unprecedented position and timing accuracy for the U.S. Department of Defense. Since the inception of GPS, it has become a global utility with commercial use far outweighing military use. Applications such as air traffic control, banking, farming, search-and-rescue, and cellular networks all depend on uninterrupted GPS coverage.

New Depth Map Over the Arctic Ocean

Directions Magazine

Details of a new depth map of the Arctic Ocean have been published in the Nature Journal Scientific Data. The new portrayal of the Arctic Ocean floor is in the form of a digital gridded database and comprises Version 4.0 of the International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean. The gridded compilation has been completed under the auspices of the Regional Center for the Arctic and North Pacific Ocean of The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project.

Esri and United Nations Create COVID-19 Population Vulnerability Dashboard

Directions Magazine

Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, announced it has collaborated with the United Nations Population Fund to create the UNFPA COVID-19 Population Vulnerability Dashboard. This new interactive tool will provide public health workers, policy makers, and the general public with access to useful information on populations vulnerable to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in order to target preparedness and response and to help save lives.

Become a Certified Survey Technician (CST)

No matter what the future holds, prepare to meet challenges head on. Future-proof your resume by becoming a Certified Survey Technician (CST). This unique four-level certification program indicates official recognition by NSPS that a person can perform surveying tasks at a specific technical level. Show what you can do! Decide between the field or office track. Visit www.cstnsps.com for details.

In Aftermath of Ransomware Attack, Garmin Services Begin to Return

GPS World

Following a ransomware attack last week that left Garmin Connect and other services offline, the company is gradually restoring its internet capabilities. For those who make use of fitness tracking, however, Garmin Connect workouts are still not able to sync to devices and the app is under maintenance, reports CNN. “We are happy to report that Garmin Connect recovery is underway,” the company announced on the Garmin Connect website.

NSPS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President, Mark Sargent (NH)

Director, Thomas Brooks (AL)

President-Elect, Tim Burch (IL)

Director, Bob Neathamer (OR)

Vice President, Amanda Allred (WA)

Director, Danny Martinez (NE)

Treasurer, Bob Miller (PA)

Director, Matt Morris (MT)

Secretary, Craig Amey (MI)

Executive Director, Curt Sumner (MD)

Immediate Past President, Lisa Van Horn (WI)

SUSTAINING MEMBERS

For Engineers, Surveyors, Planners!
@Sincpac-C3D

Sincpac-C3D provides 150+ useful tools for Autodesk� Civil-3D. Points, Drafting, & Power modules available.

MORE INFO

Promoted by Quux Software

Level 3
@Level3

Our network services can handle even the most complex demands, easily and affordably.

MORE INFO

Promoted by Level 3

CenturyLink Business
@CenturyLinkEnt

CenturyLink is committed to the communication missions of your industry sector.

MORE INFO

Promoted by CenturyLink

Note: NSPS members may receive calls from MultiView sales associates regarding advertising opportunities in News & Views. MultiView, a partner of NSPS, produces the News & Views newsbrief each week.

ADVERTISE

PAST ISSUES

7701 Las Colinas Ridge, Ste. 800, Irving, TX, 75063