GPS Best Practices -- Field

Chris Wayne (CRLA) channeled through Tim Smith April 1, 2008

Session Overview
Discuss best practices for field techniques when conducting GPS-based missions Field recon, antenna positioning, pre-field preparation and other important stuff techniques for maximizing accuracy and completeness of field-collected data software generic but examples use Garmin and Trimble workflows.

Review of pre-planning session:

Now youre ready right? Verify everything: GPS settings, batteries, personal gear, gas in the rig Test it all before you leave the lab, especially the GPS

Field Recon Know before you go

Be realistic about what you can accomplish in 1 day Round trip? Go to your most distant point then map your way back If you dont finish, you have less distance to cover when you return Pay attention to features that will become attributes

Safety First!
Water, food, communication Plan left with responsible party: departure time & place, return time & place Map and compass and competency with them. DO NOT TRUST YOUR LIFE OR YOUR MISSION TO A GPS UNIT!
(Would you trust life or mission to a double-A battery?????)

Getting geared up
10 essentials for hiking Camera Rite-in-rain Notebook Other field forms on R-in-R paper GPS Quick Guide FOOD!!!!!!

Define and Review Mission Goals

Positional Requirements:
Mapping into GIS: Points, lines, polygons Relocation by GPS and/or map and compass

Attribute requirements
Just a name and/or ID? GIS-quality attributes?

Project requirements
What must be done by when? Fast, accurate, cheap: pick 2

Attribute Collection
Minimum: Unique ID (name or number) of a position or feature Ideal: Detailed, multi-field descriptions of positions or features that meet pre-defined standards Reality: A bit of both Geodatabases and data dictionaries help us reach the ideal ALWAYS include an Other as Encountered option in menus, AND a Notes field

Ways to collect attributes

Rec Grade (Garmins, Magellans): Waypoint metadata forms, available on NPS GIS Site
Requires careful manual notekeeping

Data Dictionary: Built in Trimble Pathfinder Office, deployed with Terrasync

Will require conversion to use in ArcGIS

Geodatabase: Built in ESRI ArcCatalog, deployed in field with ArcPad

Workflow Examples
Trimble: Mapping-grade units
More accurate, correctable, steep learning curve

Garmin: recreational-grade units

Less accurate, not correctable, learn on the fly

Table to compare and contrast

Trimble - ArcPad Workflow Example

Check out data (or data schema) from Geodatabase using ArcMap Upload data to Trimble unit Collect field data with ArcPad
GPSCorrect optional but required for post-processing

Download field data from Trimble unit Post-process field data (either in Pathfinder Office or ArcMap w/GPS Analyst extension)
Only possible if you used GPSCorrect while collecting

Check corrected field data back into Geodatabase using ArcMap

Trimble - Terrasync Workflow Example

Build data dictionary in Pathfinder Office Upload data to Trimble unit Collect field data with Terrasync (.ssf files) Download field data from Trimble unit Post-process field data in Pathfinder Office Convert corrected field data back into Geodatabase using ArcMap

Garmin ArcMap Workflow Example

Configure GPS unit: coordinate system, datum, etc. * Upload background maps to Garmin unit using MapSource * Upload tracks and waypoints (if needed) using DNRGarmin or ArcMap Collect field data : tracks and/or waypoints Turn off tracklog before turning off GPS! Why..? See upcoming slide! Download tracks and/or waypoints from Garmin using DNRGarmin Export field data (tracks and/or waypoints) to ArcMap using DNRGarmin
* These tasks normally have to be done only once, unless the Garmin runs out of power or the settings get changed. Always verify before you go into the field!

Garmin vs. Trimble

Garmin Trimble

Hardware

70Csx, 60Csx, etc

GeoGT, GeoXH (ProXRS)

Background Data Source

Garmin MapSource

GIS Data from ArcMap

Field Software

Embedded menus and pages

ArcPad -- Windows-based or Terrasync

Accuracy GIS Conversion Software

2-30 meters DNR Garmin to ArcMap

0.5 - 5 meters ArcMap or Pathfinder Office

Managing Garmin Tracklogs

Turn off tracklog before turning off GPS! Otherwise, your track will connect the last point collected on your previous mission to the first point collected on your new mission Contrast to ArcPad or Terrasync, where you must explicitly save each feature before making a new one Mapping is a secondary design consideration for Garmins, navigation and re-location are primary

Differential (real time) correction

3 options:
WAAS: Wide-Area Augmentation System satellites NDGPS: National Differential GPS Beacons Onstar Satellite Subscription

Each must be separately enabled on each unit Not all GPS units support all options

WAAS and Real-time Correction

Always turn on WAAS
Works with rec-grade and mapping grade units Remember it is only line-of-sight

NDGPS is active (for now? Thanks Tim!)

Most units (e.g..: Trimble) will require additional hardware to receive: Trimble BoB, Thales Mobile Mapper Wont work with rec-grade units

A supplement to, not a replacement for, Postprocessing

Quantity Over Quality?

Better to get a bad position than no position? Trimble doesnt think so: many units wont allow a 2d position You may disagree dumb down the minimum quality of positions to increase quantity (1 is better than 0)

Quantity Over Quality?

Settings are dynamicadjust them according to conditions Few options on recreational grade e.g.: Garmins Many options on mapping grade e.g.: Trimbles Personal experience: Garmins are less accurate but get much better reception under canopy, in cars, even indoors

How to get better reception in poor conditions

You will sacrifice accuracy for productivity! Bump up maximum allowable PDOP (lower = better quality position) Allow 2d (no elevation, x-y only)
Trimble units wont let you do take 2d

Change minimum angle: lower angle above horizon higher PDOP but more satellites Use the pre-plan utility in GPS Analyst or PFO
Tells you estimated PDOP, available SVs for your location at any given time

Reading your constellation: where are the SVs?

SV = Space Vehicle = Satellites Arrangement of SVs in sky = constellation Best constellation: many scattered across the sky Farther from bullseye = lower on horizon

Canopy and canyon conditions

Wood (trunks) is worse than leaves/needles Rock and buildings worse than wood Canopy + Canyons = Patience + flexibility Any antenna helps, especially on a range pole. Higher the better. Even after adjusting PDOP, minimum angle, raising the antenna Be prepared for walk, stop, wait, wait, walk, stop, wait, walk etc.

Listen to your unit!

Make sure that all warnings are audible, not just visual
2D only! max PDOP exceeded! no SVs! etc.

You can hear when you lose signal Allows you to look up so you dont walk off a cliff Annoying? Of course.

Antenna Use
Use an external antenna whenever possible Different grades of antenna: multi-path rejection, receptivity Antenna is the GPS position, not the unit Keep it still if collecting a point Multiple antennae will interfere with each othermaintain at least a foot of spacing Tip: Duct tape is OKtape it down

Antennas with Trimbles

Important to get antenna settings correct
Antenna type: Zephyr, Hurricane, etc. Antenna Height (above ground)

Set in TerraSync SetupAntenna Or if using ArcPad

GPSCorrect if available PFController if not ArcPad takes what you give it w/o question

Serious mapping? Take two units!

CRLA example on backcountry trails: Mapping-grade unit: Trimble GeoXH w/Hurricane Antenna running ArcPad, GPSCorrect Backup unit: Garmin GPSMap 76CSx w/Gilsson MCX Antenna and waypoint metadata forms Dont waste a day in the woods w/nothing to show for it!

Navigation Considerations
To paraphrase Joel: GPS just messed everything up. Even a rec-grade unit will have better accuracy than any map, paper or digital Background maps on GPS vary widely in source and quality Even 2005 Orthos are generally based on 1:24k National Map Accuracy Stds = 40 = 10m

Wrap-Up
Field work with GPS units is a dynamic undertaking Not just a walk in the woods with the GPS Never trust your life to a GPS unit Look up pay attention to conditions that affect your GPS reception and your safety (cliff edges, snags, traffic!) Look down dont ignore your unit, it may be telling you something important Never trust your life to a GPS unit!