Evaluation of GPS Instruments for Resource Management Applications

Frederick L. Gerlach, Anthony E. Jasumback

Abstract:	Beginning in 1986, the USDA Forest Service Missoula Technology and Development Center in cooperation with the School of Forestry, University of Montana established a satellite navigation field evaluation facility. An existing ground control network and a field location test strip in Lubrecht Experimental Forest provided the site for the development of field test courses for Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver evaluation. A GPS geodetic survey in 1987 produced coordinates in the WGSB4 (NAD83) reference for the ground control network. The primary purpose of the test courses is the evaluation of GPS receivers for field location and navigation under the varying conditions encountered in resource management activities. Field demonstrations of portable GPS receivers (NAVCOR I - Rockwell International) began in 1986 and continued in 1987 (NAVCOR I and TANS - Trimble Navigation). A limited amount of testing and evaluation was completed. During the 1988 field season, two GPS developments occurred at the Lubrecht Facility. An introductory fie I d or i anted short course was presented to Forest Service personnel using the test courses for field exercises in GPS operations. Next, demonstrations of several instrument types were conducted and evaluations of the most promising were initiated. Preliminary results of these evaluations are presented.
Published in:	Proceedings of the International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1988) September 19 - 23, 1988 The Broadmoor Hotel Colorado Spring, CO
Pages:	503 - 509
Cite this article:	Gerlach, Frederick L., Jasumback, Anthony E., "Evaluation of GPS Instruments for Resource Management Applications," Proceedings of the International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1988), Colorado Spring, CO, September 1988, pp. 503-509.
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