Module 1: Collecting Field DataUsing Handheld GPS devices

Class Materials posted at:https://drive.google.com/a/nps.gov/?tab=mo#folders/0B03Sh0M9Jh3eNmh2blgxY1IxX3c

Module 1: Collecting Field DataUsing Handheld GPS Devices, cont.

Dave HammondIMR Fire & Aviation MgmtFire GIS Specialist303-969-2953dave_hammond@nps.gov

Skip EdelNIFCNat’l Spatial Fire Analyst303-969-2947skip_edel@nps.gov

Christina ‘Fern’ FernerconsultantGISS

christina_ferner@contractor.nps.gov

GPS Module Objectives

•Set-up a Garmin GPS receiver

•Review best practice for collecting tracks and waypoints

•Download data from GPS using DNR GPS

•View data using Google Earth

•Provide quality data to the SIT unit

GPS Set-Up

The receivers configurations are in Main Menu and Setup Menu

Access by pressing Menu – Menu

Then select Setup and press Enter

The setup items of primary interest include:

1- System 2- Units 3- Time

GPS Set-Up – System Menu

Use GPS with WAAS ‘Enabled’ in the US

About WAAS in US.

GPS Set-up - Datums

• Verify which datum & coordinate system are being used

• When receiving or providing coordinates, ALWAYS verify to which datum those coordinates are referenced

• When plotting coordinates from a map, reference the map legend to determine the datum to use.

• Manually enter coordinates into a GPS receiver in the same datum and format as the map

GPS Set-Up – Units Menu - Datum

WGS84 is the primary map datum used by the Global Positioning System

Position coordinates are converted ‘on the fly’ to the datum selected in the Units Menu

Choose your datum to match the datum used on incident maps

NAD83 is the GIS mapping standard but if old topo maps are being used, you may have to select NAD27 CONUS (Continental US)

GPS Set-Up – Units Menu – Position Format

Also in the Units Menu you can select the format of how you want the position coordinates to be displayed

Lat/Long:

Decimal Degrees

Degrees Decimal Minutes

Degrees Minutes Seconds

OR

UTM in which coordinates are reported as Easting and Northing values

Choose your position format to be compatible with incident maps

GPS Set-Up – Time Menu

Coordinated Universal Time UTC - Greenwich Mean Time GMT Offset:

Determining UTC Offset

HOW TO COLLECT DATA IN ARIZONA??

Is it Mountain Time Zone with DST turned off or is it Pacific Time Zone?

Collecting waypoints• Delete existing waypoints

Find/List – Menu – Delete – All – Yes

• Average waypoints for a count of 30• Name new waypoints

Naming waypoints

Rename waypoints when saving with a naming convention to better distinguish types of data being collected.

Waypoint Naming Suggestions (or come up with your own naming convention)

AS Accident Site MP Milepost

BR Bridge MV Medivac Site CA Camp OP Observation Point

DB Division Break PR Protected Resource

DP Drop Point RH Rehab Site

DL Dozer Line RJ Road Junction

FL Fire Line RS Radio Site

FO Fire Origin SA Staging Area

GT Gate SC Stream Crossing

HA Hazard SF Spot Fire HB Helibase ST Structure

HS Helispot SZ Safety Zone

IC ICP WS Water Source

IR Infrared Hotspot

Example: “DBXY” = X – Y Division Break

Collecting Tracks

• Delete/clear existing track logs• Uncheck Wrap When Full option• Set the appropriate Record Method

• If using Time, select appropriate interval based on the mode of travel

• Turn track log on/off to produce cleaner data• Save tracks to isolate smaller sections

Download data from GPS using DNR GPS

• Set projection• Connect GPS• Download data• Or load data

Saving GPS Data and giving to SIT Unit

•File – Save To – File •File – Save To – ArcGIS – File •Use Projected file type option•Select output shape•Use standard naming convention

–YYYYMMDD_IncidentName_IncidentNumber_

•See GSTOP document for file naming convention at: http://gis.nwcg.gov/(see p. 28 of Draft GSTOP document for suggested file naming component abbreviations)

Google Earth• Save data as KML• View in Google Earth

Wrap-Up

•Set-up a Garmin GPS receiver

•Review best practice for collecting tracks and waypoints

•Download data from GPS using DNR GPS

•View data using Google Earth

•Provide quality data to the SIT unit

•Questions?

Links for GPS & Training & Info

•BLM - ‘Using Garmin GPS Receivers:http://www.ntc.blm.gov/krc/viewresource.php?courseID=477&programAreaId=80

•GPS for Fire Management & ICS – 2011http://gis.nwcg.gov/training_gps.html