NSPS Radio Hour — Dec. 29, 11 a.m. EDT

On behalf of NSPS, our sponsors, and Americas Web Radio, host Curt Sumner extends his sincere appreciation to all who listen (and provide ideas/feedback) to the NSPS Radio Hour.  It is your support that makes it possible for the show to have continued for four years.

To close out the 2014 NSPS Radio Hour agenda, host Curt Sumner and NSPS Insurance Program consultant Lisa Isom will continue their ongoing dialog regarding insurance coverage issues related to Professional Surveyors, their companies, and their employees.

If you are unable to listen to the show when it is being broadcast, listen to the archive of the show at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/ACSM.php. Archives for each show are typically available for listening within a few days after the show airs.

During the show, listen for the "key question" and be the first to email the correct answer to quikstakescontest@americaswebradio.com to win a $50 gift certificate from our sponsor, Parker Davis Quik Stakes. No purchase is required to receive the gift certificate. Winners limited to once every three months. 

NSPS PAC meets with Rep.-Elect Pete Aguilar (D-CA)

On December 17, NSPS lobbyist John "JB" Byrd met with incoming House Freshman Pete Aguilar (D-CA). Elected in 2010 as Mayor of Redlands, California, Rep.-Elect Aguilar has a track record of making investments to strengthen the local economy, including a major initiative to repair local streets and roads, and starting a loan program to help small businesses grow and create jobs. NSPS looks forward to working with this House freshman.

2015 Surveying and Mapping Conference

NSPS has received a lot of feedback on four major points: (1) there is a need for NSPS to resume a national surveying and mapping conference, (2) there is too much of a proliferation of conferences in the geospatial community (3) a national conference should compliment, not compete with or duplicate, continuing education provided by state surveying societies, and (4) there is a need for a exhibit hall opportunity that crosses disciplines and is not tied to a specific company.

I am pleased to announce that NSPS, in cooperation with MAPPS, the national association of private sector geospatial firms, ) will host “Collaboration: The Map to the Future” - A national surveying and mapping conference.  This special event will be April 13-16 at the Hilton Hotel in Crystal City (Arlington), VA.
The overall conference will serve as an umbrella to include plenary sessions, an exhibit hall, and social/networking activities designed to create synergy among the many vertical segments (technical disciplines, applications, and sectors) of the surveying, mapping and geospatial community.  It will also feature a “conference within a conference” format in which participating organizations will hold their own meetings and conference sessions.

For NSPS members, the conference will feature our student competition, meetings of NSPS committees and our governing body, and, on Wednesday, April 15, NSPS members, together with MAPPS, will be on Capitol Hill visiting some 200 Congressmen and Senators advancing a common agenda of legislative issues that serve the public and engage the surveying and mapping community.

Also on the program will be symposia by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Geospatial Management Office (GMO) of the Department of Homeland Security.
In the coming days, we will be launching a special website, surveyingandmapping.net,  that will be the forum for information, registration and other details on the conference.  We will let you know when that site is operational.

This conference will bring together all sectors, stakeholders, constituents, and levels of government in the surveying, mapping, and geospatial field.  It will be a forum for a discussion of issues and policies, sharing of information and provision of education, and collaboration on data acquisition, processing, applications and the employment of new and emerging technology, as well as new markets.

The conference will be “vendor-neutral”.  It will focus on collaboration between government and the private sector, as well as among various governmental entities at all levels, and the introduction of new technology (GPS, GNSS, LIDAR, BIM, Mobile Mapping, Cloud Computing, UAVs, etc.) to facilitate those collaborations.

The Hilton-Crystal City Hotel is conveniently located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.  It is within walking distance of the Metro system and is near Ronald Reagan National Airport.  This will enable easy local transfers from the airport (or Amtrak station in Alexandria, VA or Union Station in Washington) and will provide for easy access to Capitol Hill for members’ Congressional visits.
Mark your calendar and plan to attend this exciting event.  We will keep you informed as more details are unveiled.

Sincerely,

Curtis W. Sumner LS

NSPS Executive Director

Attention Professional Surveyors and Survey Technicians: Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Again Seeks help from NSPS Members

NSPS Executive Director Curt Sumner has recently been approached by the Skill Assessment Team of O*NET to again assist in a U.S. Department of Labor effort to identify occupation experts who can help to insure that occupation descriptions listed in the O*NET database are current and accurate. The two categories for which descriptions are being updated are Surveyor and Surveying Technician.

Volunteer participants identified by NSPS should have five (5) or more years of experience, or supervisory/training experience, in the respective categories for which they will provide input. Participants will be asked to complete O*NET questionnaires. The O*NET team has specifically asked that NSPS seek out current Surveying Technicians as part of the group that reviews the technician category.

Anyone interested in participating, or has staff they believe can contribute, should contact Curt at curtis.sumner@nsps.us.com. There is likely to be a time lag between the time a person volunteers and when they are contacted by O*NET.

GEOLEARN FACULTY WILLIAM HENNING PROF LS ADDS SEVEN NEW GNSS COURSES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact:  Joseph V.R. Paiva, PhD, PS, PE  Principal, GeoLearn LLC  816-225-7163  joepaiva@geo-learn.com GEOLEARN FACULTY WILLIAM  HENNING PROF LS ADDS SEVEN NEW GNSS COURSES Noted Retired NGS Expert Makes RTK and Heights with GNSS Real Dec 11, 2014 - Kansas City, MO - GeoLearn, a company focused on serving the geospatial industry with online learning and continuing education credits, is proud to announce that nationally recognized geospatial expert Bill Henning's seven new GNSS courses have been added to the GeoLearn course catalog. Bill Henning is a professional land surveyor who was instrumental in developing RTK guidelines for surveyors at the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). Here he expands on the basics of positioning with RTK and adds a special three-course series on heighting with GNSS.   Bill's four courses on RTK dissect how GNSS works, covering the physics and surveying implications of what affects the signals from space, benefits and costs of single base versus real time networks, and best field methods to maximize a surveyor's effectiveness with RTK. His heighting series (three courses) cover the interrelationships between gravity and heights, use of the NGS hybrid geoid model and height modernization procedures, and use of the NGS 58 and 59 guidelines and real-time precision. "I've tried to incorporate the very latest in the science and practical knowledge that many have developed at NGS in collaboration with public and private partners on the subject of effective RTK use and heighting with GNSS," said Henning. "We were so pleased when Bill agreed to teach this series of courses," said Joe Paiva, CEO of GeoLearn. "Bill is a national treasure to surveyors and we are pleased to be able to extend his legacy to the public beyond his tenure with NGS."   About GeoLearn GeoLearn, LLC is an online education company, based in the Kansas City metropolitan area that serves professionals and technicians in the surveying, mapping, GIS and related communities with interactive online video courses. As of now, GeoLearn has over 45 courses online in its growing catalog. GeoLearn also provides a complete range of custom video production services for business training, news, publicity, promotion and education purposes. Call: 1-877-225-0317 or visit www.Geo-Learn.com.                          # # #  © Copyright 2014 GeoLearn LLC. All rights reserved.

Memorial fund established for family of young Oklahoma surveyor

On November 24, 2014 John David Crockett was operating a surveying instrument on the side of a residential street in North Tulsa, OK when he was struck by a SUV, resulting in his death on November 25. He was laid to rest on December 2, 2014.

Police say the SUV's driver lost control and drove onto the grass, hitting Crockett and his equipment. "We had safety cones set up down here at the back sight point, and we had cones on our occupy point. That's where he was," said Danny Hawley, a coworker. After hitting the man, the woman driving the SUV continued on, hit a parked car, then left the scene and went to a family member’s house. Police say family convinced her to return.

John has two young daughters, 8 & 6 years old. His employer, Sisemore Weisz & Associates has established the John David Crockett Memorial Fund for his daughters, and asks that anyone wishing to make a contribution to this account please make their check payable to "Cianna and Kyra Crockett" at RCB Bank. Donations can be delivered to any branch location, or mailed to RCB Bank, 5000 West Kenosha St, Broken Arrow, OK 74012. Donations can also be delivered to Sisemore Weisz & Associates, 6111 E. 32nd Place Tulsa, OK 74135 for deposit in the fund account.

On behalf of surveyors nationwide, NSPS extends it sincere sympathy to John’s family, coworkers, and friends. “He was one of us”, said NSPS Executive Curt Sumner, "we are a small, but close-knit professional community. When we lose any of our fellow surveyors we are saddened, but when we lose one so young we are heartbroken for both his personal, and professional, families." 

NSPS Radio Hour — Dec. 8, 11 a.m. EDT

Curtis Sumner,
NSPS Executive Director

The results of the November, 2014 national elections will significantly change the composition of the U.S. Senate, and fortified the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Will this have a positive impact on getting things accomplished to benefit the economy, and the country? Join NSPS Government Affairs Consultant John Palatiello as he discusses the issue with host Curt Sumner.

If you are unable to listen to the show when it is being broadcast, listen to the archive of the show at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/ACSM.php. Archives for each show are typically available for listening within a few days after the show airs.

During the show, listen for the "key question" and be the first to email the correct answer to quikstakescontest@americaswebradio.com to win a $50 gift certificate from our sponsor, Parker Davis Quik Stakes. No purchase is required to receive the gift certificate. Winners limited to once every three months.

ALTA/ACSM Questions

Thanks to all who have commented on the series of questions that have been posted about the ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey Requirements. From time to time, we receive requests for access to the entire series of questions. Access can be achieved through the link, http://multibriefs.com/briefs/NSPS/ and in the search box type in ALTA. NSPS also plans to provide this link directly from our soon to be completed new website. 

Mason & Dixon’s Original Instrument Being Restored

Mason & Dixon’s Original Instrument Being Restored

The most historically-significant surveying instrument in America ― Mason & Dixon’s astronomical transit, used on the 5-year colonial survey of Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania following the French & Indian War ― is being restored to its full original condition.

A masterpiece of science and technology by English instrument-maker John Bird in 1760, all that remains today of Mason & Dixon’s ‘Transit and Equal Altitude Instrument’, are its deteriorated telescope, trunnions, and striding level. The instrument was last used in the field by David Rittenhouse and Andrew Ellicott in western Pennsylvania in 1784.

At least $25,000 must be raised from private sources to cover the cost for this restoration. A non-profit NPS support group, “The Friends of Independence National Historical Park,” has been trying since September to raise the money. They seek fully tax-deductible private donations from individuals and organizations.   Visit www.nsps.us.com for the donation form.

Several professional organizations have made substantial donations, among them Surveyors Historical Society (SHS,) the District of Columbia Association of Land Surveyors (DCALS,) and the Maryland Society of Professional Engineers (MSPE.) Contributions have been coming in from surveyors all across the country, but the goal is far from met.

Once completed, the beautifully-restored instrument will become part of the main public display at Independence Hall. Each donor’s name will be inscribed in a large leather book to be entitled, “A Gift to the Nation”, which will be permanently displayed with the transit.

ALTA/ACSM Question

ALTA/ACSM Question

Question:

Has there been any discussion about the liability issues associated with surveyor’s adding a “List or Table” on the face of survey listing the encroachments, but in doing so failing to list an encroachment in the table which is been shown on the survey?

Our firm’s position on this is that a “List or Table” stating the encroachments is NOT a part of the standards, and we have thus far been refusing requests to add such a table. The requests are coming from lender’s counsel on nearly every survey.

Answer:

I agree 100% with your position.

If pushed really hard, I will provide a table of “possible” encroachments, but I will add a note that an encroachment is a legal condition, not a matter of survey and, as a result, there may be other possible encroachments affecting the property that are not listed. 

For the attorney who wants to argue, I tell them that the definition of an encroachment  is an “illegal trespass” – neither word of which is part of the practice of surveying – and I have no intention of getting in trouble for practicing law. That usually quiets them.

This is one of those liability issues that I would love to address in the standards, but the consensus is – correctly so – that these are practice issues, not something for the standards.

NSPS attends summit on P3 highway projects

NSPS attends summit on P3 highway projects

NSPS lobbyist John "JB" Byrd recently attended a public-private partnership (P3) summit co-hosted by the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) and the law firm of Smith Curry & Hancock LLP. Other participants included the Associated General Contractors (AGC) and American Subcontractors Association (ASA). P3s provide opportunities for surveyors, as well as for private sector investment, assets and resources. Remarks on lending and surety options for P3s was provided by Ann Marie Mehlum, the Associate Administrator of Capital Access of the Small Business Administration (SBA), pictured here with Mr. Byrd. 

NSPS Congratulates 2014 Scholarship Program Winners

NSPS Congratulates 2014 Scholarship Program Winners

Each year the NSPS Foundation administers the National Society of Professional Surveyors/American Association for Geodetic Surveying scholarship program which includes 13 scholarships in a number of categories. The scholarship are provided by a variety of sponsors.

The 2014 winners are:

Matthew Boozer (PSU/Wilkes-Barre) – Nettie Dracup Memorial Scholarship

Theodore Frear (PSU/Wilkes-Barre) – AAGS Joseph F. Dracup Scholarship

Jacob Heck (Ohio State Univ.) – AAGS Graduate Fellowship

Anne Howell (University of Maine/Orono) – Schonstedt Scholarship in Surveying

Beau Immel (CSU-Fresno) – Berntsen International Scholarship in Surveying Technology

Juliana Jefferson (University of Nevada-Reno) – Cady McDonnell Memorial Scholarship

 Cade LaLonde (Ferris State University) – Schonstedt Scholarship in Surveying

 Tyrone LaRue (East Tennessee State University) – Nettie Dracup Memorial Scholarship

Stephanie Mazerolle (University of Maine/Orono) – Lowell H. and Dorothy Loving Undergraduate Scholarship

Megan Miller (Purdue University) – NSPS Scholarship

 Heather Nicholson (PSU/Wilkes-Barre) – Berntsen International Scholarship in Surveying

 Carlton Riddle (North Carolina A&T State University) – Fellows Scholarship

 Abiye Williams (Towson University, Community College of Baltimore) – NSPS Board of Governors Scholarship

ENR endorses NSPS-supported reform legislation

ENR, a major construction and engineering-related news magazine, has endorsed design-build and reverse auction legislation that NSPS is supporting in Congress. NSPS is part of a broad coalition of construction and professional services groups seeking these reforms when the Senate takes up the National Defense Authorization Act in the post-election, lame duck session.

200 Million CORS Data Files Served!

Users of the NGS-managed Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) network passed a notable milestone at the end of October, downloading the 200 millionth GPS data file from the network. These data enable users to determine centimeter-level positions consistent to the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS)—the coordinate system that defines latitude, longitude, height, scale, gravity, and orientation for the Nation. Via the CORS network, users are able to simultaneously process their own GPS data with data from the network to support three-dimensional positioning, meteorology, space weather, and geophysical applications.

NGS dates back to 1807 when Thomas Jefferson signed legislation to establish the Survey of the Coast. The same basic techniques based on line-of-sight observations were used in geodetic surveying until GPS revolutionized the industry. This 200 millionth milestone exemplifies how NGS is steeped in tradition, while meeting the needs of its customers with accuracy and efficiency today and into the future.  

For more information, contact: Joe.Evjen@noaa.gov

NSPS and ALTA representatives met November 5

NSPS and ALTA representatives met November 5 at ALTA’s downtown District of Columbia offices to discuss the status of the ongoing review of the ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey standards, and strategies for coordinating with Federal agencies regarding the appropriate use of the standards on projects for which they provide funding.

Pictured are: Kelly Lyn Romeo, ALTA Vice President; Curt Sumner, NSPS Executive Director; Michelle Korsmo, ALTA Chief Executive Officer; Gary Kent, NSPS ALTA/ACSM Committee Chair, and Joint ALTA/NSPS Committee Chair; Steve Gottheim, ALTA Legislative & Regulatory Counsel.  Also attending the meeting was NSPS Government Affairs consultant John Palatiello (not pictured)

ALTA/ACSM Question

Question:

I have a question that’s been bugging me, especially lately.  I have been getting Table A’s recently from some clients who are checking off items 20a and 20b.  I have been doing ALTA’s for years, but only recently have I been getting these items checked off.

I have spoken to several of my colleagues about it, particularly about 20b.  I get a different take on what needs to be done from everyone I talk to.

Can you tell me what your thoughts are regarding 20b?  I cannot get my head around what the limits of this might be, where do you stop?  And what is meant by the term “monument?”  I wonder if Lenders & Attorneys really understand what this means?

For reference, Table A, Item 20 reads as follows:

(a) Locate improvements within any offsite easements or servitudes benefitting the surveyed property that are disclosed in the Record Documents provided to the surveyor and that are observed in the process of conducting the survey (client to obtain necessary permissions). 

(b) Monuments placed (or a reference monument or witness to the corner) at all major corners of any offsite easements or servitudes benefitting the surveyed property and disclosed in Record Documents provided to the surveyor (client to obtain necessary permissions).

Response:

First and foremost it is important to remember that whether, and to what extent, any initially requested Table A items are to be addressed is to be negotiated between the responsible party (person/entity purchasing the survey) and the surveyor. The responsible party may very well be influenced by others (title company/attorney/etc.) regarding whether or not a particular Table A item is in fact desired/needed. Whether or not “lenders & attorneys really understand what is intended” by Table A items is a hard question to answer. It seems that often Table A items are initially requested, but dropped once the magnitude of the effort/cost to provide them is understood.

A key phrase here is “record documents provided to the surveyor”. This means that the surveyor is not required to exhaustively search out such documents during record research to collect boundary determination evidence.

20(a) is intended to basically treat (survey) off-site easements as if they were a fee parcel - locating improvements therein like fences, drives, observed evidence of utilities, etc.  But only within off-site easements that have been identified in documents provided to the surveyor.

20 (b) deals with setting a physical marker (iron pin/stake/etc., whatever is negotiated) at the major corners/break points along any easement/servitude that is “disclosed in the Record Documents”. A reason Item 20 (b) may be desired is to find out the physical limits of the easement or servitude.

The “client to obtain necessary permissions” phrase of course means the responsible party is to obtain permission (preferably written permission) from the owner for the surveyor to enter the offsite property upon which an easement or servitude lies.

NSPS PAC announces candidate support in November 4 election

The NSPS Political Action Committee (NSPS PAC) has distributed over $22,000 in support of 29 candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives for the November 4 election. The NSPS PAC distributed to 5 Senatorial re-election campaigns, 1 Senatorial candidate, 21 House Representative re-election campaigns, and 2 candidates for the House.

The NSPS PAC disbursements include:

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS)

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK)

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

Senate Candidate Thom Tillis (R-NC)

Rep. Don Young (R-AK)

Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)

Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)

Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID)

Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN)

Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS)

Rep. Vance McAllister (R-LA)

Rep. John Delaney (D-MD)

Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD)

Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI)

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI)

Rep. John Kline (R-MN)

Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO)

Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY)

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)

Rep. Pat Meehan (R-PA)

Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC)

Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC)

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT)

Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV)

House Candidate Donald Norcross (D-NJ)

House Candidate David Rouzer (R-NC)

NSPS Young Surveyors Network

We would like to introduce the NSPS Young Surveyors Network to you!

 

The NSPS Young Surveyors Network is just getting its feet on the ground and we appreciate the fact that you are interested in helping, supporting and just being a part of it. We are excited to see what we can accomplish together and the benefits we will bring to the surveying profession and our future.

 

The NSPS Young Surveyors Network is modeled after the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Young Surveyors Network. Our aim is to establish a national network of Young Surveyors within NSPS and its affiliate organizations.

 

The FIG Young Surveyors Network was started by a working group created in 2006 at the Munich FIG Congress. The reason that this working group was started in the first place was to bring more young surveyors into the network in FIG and because of the age structure within the surveying community. In 2009, the working group was upgraded to a Young Surveyors Network and has been building ever since. A main focus of the group has been on networking and getting to know more people. This helps to expand our personal network, professional network and continues to entice people to be involved in the movement as we believe this is a strong motivator for many.

 

The NSPS Young Surveyors are defined by surveyors aged 35 years or under, students of surveying or those surveyors within 10 years of graduating from a Bachelor or Master’s Degree. Every surveyor is welcome to join to the group; however the focus is to provide support for those individuals that meet the definition.

 

Our first meeting was held in San Diego on April 14th and 15th, 2014. We had over 20 participants and were very encouraged by the ideas, comments and visions we were able to discuss. During these 2 days, we established our Mission, Vision and Organizational structure. We realize that these will change and evolve over time, but you have to start somewhere.

 

Young Surveyors Tool Kit Click Here

 

Stay Connected to the NSPS Young Surveyors Group!!!

 

Facebook: facebook.com/groups/NSPSYS

Twitter: @NSPSYoung

LinkedIn: NSPS Young Surveyors

NSPS Coordinator: Amanda.Askren@gmail.com

NSPS Liasion: Frank.Lenik@leicaus.com

 

Stay Connected to the FIG Young Surveyors Group!!!

 

FIG Young Surveyors Homepage: http://fig.net/ys/index.htm

Facebook:  FIG Young Surveyors

Twitter: @FIG_Young

LinkedIn: FIG Young Surveyors Network

Email: fig.youngsurveyors@gmail.com

NSPS Radio Hour — Nov. 3, 11 a.m. EDT

NSPS Radio Hour — Nov. 3, 11 a.m. EDT

When Mike Brown participated in the NSPS Trig-Star program in 1998 as a high school student, it convinced him to switch his career focus from engineering to surveying. He is now a Professional Surveyor who is licensed in multiple states. Join Mike as he talks with host Curt Sumner about his journey.

If you are unable to listen to the show when it is being broadcast, listen to the archive of the show at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/ACSM.php. Archives for each show are typically available for listening within a few days after the show airs.

During the show, listen for the "key question" and be the first to email the correct answer to quikstakescontest@americaswebradio.com to win a $50 gift certificate from our sponsor, Parker Davis Quik Stakes. No purchase is required to receive the gift certificate. Winners limited to once every three months.

GAO says U.S. DOT can improve tracking of highway spending

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported on the Highway Trust Fund, finding that in fiscal year 2013, operating administrations within the Department of Transportation (DOT) collected and reported some information on the types of activities and administrative expenses funded from the Highway Trust Fund, but did so with varying levels of detail. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) obligated about $41 billion in fiscal year 2013, most of which ($39 billion) was apportioned to states through the federal-aid highway program. FHWA tracks federal-aid highway program obligations in its Fiscal Management Information System (FMIS) for individual project segments or contracts. This process allows FHWA to collect and report information on the types of activities (such as obligations for the construction of new roads or bridges) funded with Highway Trust Fund monies. Ultimately, GAO recommended that U.S. DOT improve transparency and provide Congress and the public greater visibility into the types of highway activities funded with Highway Trust Fund monies, and that the Secretary of Transportation should direct the FHWA Administrator to explore the costs, feasibility, and options for collecting and publicly reporting consistent aggregate project-level spending data.

NSPS Radio Hour — Oct. 20, 11 a.m. EDT

NSPS Past President Bob Dahn will join host Curt Sumner for a discussion about the “Innocent Surveying Mistake” that made national headlines earlier this year related to the placement of a $1.9 million home on the wrong property in Rhode Island. However, it wasn’t a mistake made by a surveyor.

Listen to learn the facts.

If you are unable to listen to the show when it is being broadcast, listen to the archive of the show at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/ACSM.php. Archives for each show are typically available for listening within a few days after the show airs.

During the show, listen for the "key question" and be the first to email the correct answer to quikstakescontest@americaswebradio.com to win a $50 gift certificate from our sponsor, Parker Davis Quik Stakes. No purchase is required to receive the gift certificate. Winners limited to once every three months.

NGS Releases Video Explaining Difference between “Precision” and “Accuracy” in Geodetic Surveying

The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) has just released a new (approximately two-minute) video focusing on the importance of both precision and accuracy in geodetic surveying and the difference between the two terms. Produced as a collaborative effort between NGS and The COMET^® Program, the video is designed for surveying professionals, planners, policy-makers, and others who use mapping products.

This resource is hosted on COMET's YouTube Channel. COMET is a world-wide leader in support of education and training for the environmental sciences. The video emphasizes that the accuracy of survey measurements should always be verified by relating measurements to a known reference system, such as the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS) in the United States. NGS defines, maintains, and provides access to the NSRS, the consistent coordinate system that defines latitude, longitude, height, scale, gravity, and orientation throughout the United States and is designed to meet our nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs.

Watch the video today on YouTube.

For more information, contact: Brett.Howe@noaa.gov 

Congressman to speak to NSPS Leadership

Curt Sumner with Congressman Kevin Yoder

NSPS is pleased to announce that Congressman Kevin Yoder (R-KS) will speak at its Board of Governors meeting on Thursday, October 23. Rep. Yoder represents Overland Park, KS, the site of the NSPS Fall Meetings which are being held in conjunction with the Kansas Society of Land Surveyors & Missouri Society of Professional Surveyors Bi-State Joint Conference. Rep. Yoder was a leader on legislation that sought to prevent  GPS spectrum from interference that would have resulted from a system proposed by Lightsquared, and has pushed for improving the Real Property Profile, the General Services Administration’s inventory of land and buildings owned by the Federal Government. Rep. Yoder will speak at 8:30 am at the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center. Yoder is pictured here in a recent meeting with NSPS Executive Director Curt Sumner.

NSPS Radio Hour — Oct. 13, 11 a.m. EDT

News & Views reader may be among those who receive a monthly newsletter entitled "Welcome to the Flood Zone." Professional Surveyor Jim Nadeau began the newsletter a few years ago with the intent to "guide, assist, and educate all interested parties in regards to flood zone issues." Join Jim and host Curt Sumner for a discussion about the newsletter, and about Jim's perspectives on the surveying profession.

If you are unable to listen to the show when it is being broadcast, listen to the archive of the show at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/ACSM.php. Archives for each show are typically available for listening within a few days after the show airs.

During the show, listen for the "key question" and be the first to email the correct answer to quikstakescontest@americaswebradio.com to win a $50 gift certificate from our sponsor, Parker Davis Quik Stakes. No purchase is required to receive the gift certificate. Winners limited to once every three months. 

USGS continues delay in 3DEP partnerships

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) continues to delay the due date for proposals in response to a broad agency announcement (BAA) first issued on July 18 seeking proposals from partners for data collection activities in support of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP).  USGS most recently announced that the due date for stage 1 pre-proposals was extended to Friday, October 10, 2014 and the due date for stage 2 proposals was extended to Friday, November 21, 2014. Another extension is expected. USGS has posted information on 3DEP and its benefit to individual states.  NSPS supports 3DEP and has been advocating for funding in Congress.