NGS Workshop Program

NGS personnel conduct various workshops throughout the United States. In most cases, NGS personnel are invited and hosted by professional societies or federal, state, local or academic organizations. To see a calendar of scheduled workshops, click here.

If you would like to inquire about scheduling a workshop, click here to see if there is a State Advisor in your state. If so, he or she can assist you. If there is not a State Advisor in your state, or if you would like more information about the NGS Workshop program, please contact Erika Little, erika.little@noaa.gov, or 540-373-1243.

Workshop Name
Description
Presentation Links, if available
State Plane Coordinates and Datum Transformations
  • Length: can vary from 3 hours to 1 day
  • Audience:
  • Description: The development and use of State Plane Coordinate Systems, NAD 27 to NAD 83 transformation, and current NGS data products and software.
Fundamentals of the National Spatial Reference System
  • Length: 3-4 hours
  • Audience:
  • Description: This program discusses the foundational elements of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), including: Fundamental geodetic concepts of horizontal and vertical datums (NAD 83 and NAVD 88), reference ellipsoids and geoid models, coordinate systems such as State Plane and Universal Transverse Mercator Grid, and elements of the recently completed NAD 83 national readjustment. Also discussed is the realization of the datums in the form of GPS High Accuracy Reference Networks (HARNs) and Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) and associated utilities such as the On Line User Positioning Service (OPUS).
Digital Leveling
  • Length: Can range widely in duration depending upon whether hands-on time with the equipment is included, and whether Translev and Windesc programs are included. Generally 2-3 days.
  • Audience:
  • Description: This course generally includes:
    • Leveling Equipment and Setup
    • Collimation Check and Field Notes
    • Geodesy and Corrections for Leveling
    • Leveling Specifications
    • Resetting Bench Marks
    • Descriptions
    • Hands on training with equipment
    • WinDesc: Keying Descriptions
    • Data file downloading and management
    • Translev: Processing
GPS-Derived Heights - Part I: Development and Description of NGS Guidelines
  • Length: approximately 4 hours
  • Audience:
  • Description: Seminar on: heights and height systems and their relationships, development, description, and application of NGS GPS-derived ellipsoid height guidelines, and basic procedures for estimating GPS-derived orthometric heights.
GPS-Derived Heights - Part II: Planning and Evaluating a GPS Vertical Survey
  • Length: approximately 4 hours
  • Audience:
  • Description: Brief review of NGS GPS-derived ellipsoid height guidelines, development of a sample project following NGS' GPS- derived ellipsoid height guidelines, discussion of base line processing and analysis of repeat base line results, discussion of adjustment procedures and analysis of results, and procedures for estimating project GPS-derived orthometric heights.
Real Time Kinematic Positioning/Real Time Networks
  • Length:
  • Audience:
  • Description:
Best Methods for RT GNSS Positioning: A Field Guide
  • Length:
  • Audience:
  • Description:
NGS Real Time GNSS User Guidelines
  • Length:
  • Audience:
  • Description:
Redefinition of the U.S. Vertical Datum - Replacing NAVD88 (refine title)
  • Length:
  • Audience:
  • Description:
Calibration Base Lines
  • Length: 1 day
  • Audience:
  • Description: Workshop on evaluating the results obtained by electronic distance measuring instruments over a calibration base line, and ensuring the instrument will perform within the manufacturer's stated accuracy.
Using CORS and OPUS
  • Length: A half to full day
  • Audience:
  • Description: Workshop designed for persons who use Global Positioning System (GPS) data for post-processing applications. Topics include a description of CORS information and its various applications (positioning, GIS development, remote sensing, etc.), how to access CORS information, and how to use publicly available utilities for processing GPS data.

Developing an Accurate GIS/LIS

  • Length: half day or full day
  • Audience:
  • Description: Creating a Geographic Information System/Land Information System. Topics include essential geodetic concepts, coordinate systems, accuracy standards, and surveying methods.
Tidal and Geodetic Vertical Datums

 

  • Length: This program can be presented as a half day or full day seminar without hands-on computation of tidal datums or as a 2-day program with datum computations and analysis.
  • Audience:
  • Description: A program designed to provide an understanding of the relationship between tidal datums, the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) and the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD29). Topics include: Definitions of NAVD 88, NGVD 29 and the various tidal datums, tidal datum computation methods, improvement of the vertical component from GPS observations, interpolation between National Ocean Service (NOS) tidal stations, collecting tidal data relative to a local suite of bench marks, and the relationship to the latest national tidal datum epoch.
VDatum
  • Length: 2-4 hours
  • Audience:
  • Description:
side image