DGPS in Nautical Charting Operations; A Review of the 1992 Field Season at the Coast and Geodetic Survey

Jefrey A. Ferguson

Abstract:	The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NO-), specifically the Coast & Geodetic Survey (C&GS), is responsible for conducting hydrographic and bathymetric surveys of the United States domestic waters. The 1992 field season is the first season where Differential GPS (DGPS) was used in llproductionll of hydrographic and bathymetric charting operations. CXGS expected to perform approximately 9 charting projects this field season using DGPS as the primary survey positioning system. Survey vessels, ranging from 22-foot boats to 230-foot ships, conducted a wide variety of survey operations. Survey activities varied from nearshore, daylight operations to 24-hour, offshore operations at the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), 200 nautical miles offshore. Project areas included, but were not limited to, the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Michigan, Buzzards Bay (Massachusetts), and Cook Inlet (Alaska). DGPS services used to perform the surveys varied from United States Coast Guard prototype services (some installed in a cooperative effort with C&GS) to portable DGPS systems established by C&GS survey units. This paper will summarize these nautical charting projects with attention to, 1) the survey specifications and procedures used to conduct these surveys, 2) DGPS implementation problems, their sources, and the solutions, 3) recommendations and warnings to other groups contemplating use of DGPS, and 4) effectiveness of the different DGPS services.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 5th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1992) September 16 - 18, 1992 Albuquerque, NM
Pages:	635 - 645
Cite this article:	Ferguson, Jefrey A., "DGPS in Nautical Charting Operations; A Review of the 1992 Field Season at the Coast and Geodetic Survey," Proceedings of the 5th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1992), Albuquerque, NM, September 1992, pp. 635-645.
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