GPS Steering Committee Meeting 2005 Notes
April 20, 2005
Phoenix, AZ

Contents:

• Meeting Notes
• Appendix—Meeting Agenda

2005 Steering Commitee Meeting Notes

Attendees:

• Chuck Dull (WO)
• Carl Sumpter (R2)
• Rich McCullough (FIA-NE station)
• Ron Hackett (FIA-NE station)
• Carol Waite (R9)
• Tony Bachman (R1)
• Kerri Mich (R3)
• Dick Karsky (MTDC)
• Andy Trent (MTDC)
• Guner Gardenhire (EDS)
• Brian McGinnis (Trimble)

Dick Karsky—Lead meeting off with the following items:

• Because Bill Belton, current GPS Steering Committee Chairman—WO, has had difficulty in the past attending the meetings due to travel restrictions, suggested that the Chairman position be rotating and be held by field personnel. Carl Sumpter agreed to be the Steering Committee Chairman for the following 2 years.
  
  
• Discussed need to get more people involved with meeting. Maybe should include more GIS folks, land/surveyors, and have a separate/dedicated meeting from conference so more can attend, make it a priority for regional GPS coordinators to be present, keep Bill Belton involved.
  
  
• PDA's—important for T&D to evaluate and recommend PDA and GPS receiver solutions for quality data.

Chuck Dull—Gave a presentation discussing items concerning the WO

• Enjoys working with this GPS group and believes work MTDC is conducting is very beneficial to the Forest Service.
  
  
• Formation of a group called the Resource Information office (RIO)
  
  
• Chief Information Office needs to name a new leader
  
  
• Centennial Monuments very well received at WO
  
  
• OHV implementation with the need to map all OHV access points and roads
  
  
• Need to look at committee charter for regional representatives and get new people involved.

Dick Karsky—updated the Technical Approval process current status

• Working on getting a blanket approval for certain GPS receivers
  
  
• Do not need TA if receiver is on GSA
  
  
• There is no standard for PDR's or PDA's yet

Carl Sumpter—discussed site license document

• Allows for software/firmware upgrades from Trimble at a bulk discount rate
  
  
• Does not apply to hardware

Carl Sumpter—discussed GPS Analyst software

• Can be used to evaluate any GPS receiver or import data from any receiver that logs NEMA data
  
  
• Needs to be used with a laptop or desktop unless ArcPad is used

Guner Gardenhire—discussed technical support agreement with Electronic Data Solutions

• Agreement is to provide tech support to all USFS personnel for Trimble products
  
  
• Receiving about 31 calls per month (agreement for up to 60)
  
  
• Web site: www.geoposition.com
  
  
• Email: support@geoposition.com

Brian McGinnis —discussed new products from Trimble

• New GeoBeacon to released in Sept to replace BOB—bluetooth capable.
  
  
• Pro XT GPS receiver—provides sub-meter accuracy, bluetooth capable, $2,495 minus 10% GSA discount
  
  
• Pro XH GPS receiver—provides sub-foot accuracy, bluetooth capable, cost $3,495 minus 10% GSA discount
  
  
• Compact Flash GPS receiver for Recon.
  
  
• Website—http://www.trimble.com/partners.shtml, select Federal. (username: federal, password: feduser2004) White papers on site have info on different products.

Andy Trent—discussed new developments with the National GPS website

• changed pages to meet Forest Service corporate structure
  
  
• updated website to meet accessibility rules
  
  
• added new material to the "What's New" and Reports sections
  
  
• There are several "broken" links that still need to be fixed
  
  
• Need to update Regional GPS coordinator list
  
  
• Add instructional section with links
  
  
• Anyone who would like to see items on web page please drop Andy a note.
  
  
• USFS GPS Site is: www.fs.fed.us/database/gps

Dick Karsky—Gave MTDC Program Overview

• Discussed need to finish Forest Service GPS overview power point—add R&D, FHP, Aerial Spraying and tie-into Chief's 4 threats. Possibly add narrative and make into CD or DVD.
  
  
• National Monuments discussion
  
  
• MTDC continued evaluating various GPS receivers in different canopy structures
  
  
• Overview of multi-agency GPS in Challenging Environments Team and progress

Roundtable Discussion from Regional Reps

• Carl Sumpter—Training going on in region, installed Black Hills CORS system, need GPS Steering Group to sell the GPS story
  
  
• Rich McCullough—has need for 50 to 150 GPS units for FIA work, working on Juniper/Allegro system and software and technical approval TA approval has been the major roadblock.
  
  
• Ron Hackett—discussed how the Juniper/Allegro system will reduce the number of GPS units required
  
  
• Carol Waite—GSTC provided train-the-trainer training, there is a need for GPS to GIS training, discussed the Michigan CORS network
  
  
• Keri—discussed need for a GPS equipment repository or cache to share equipment so equipment does not sit idle on one person desk when it could be used elsewhere, would like to see data dictionaries on the GPS website, can provide information for basic GPS operations instructions to posted on website.

Dick Karsky/Carl Sumpter—Final Thoughts

• There is a need for adding new members or fresh faces to the group and get more involved
  
  
• Need to tell GPS "story" to resource areas and how beneficial the work is.

Appendix