Friday, October 31, 2014

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

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.

Monday, October 20, 2014

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.

Friday, October 17, 2014

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

http://www.multibriefs.com/briefs/nsps/curtsumner.jpg

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.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

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 

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

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.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

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. 

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

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.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Labor Department denies Congressional request to rescind Davis-Bacon rule on survey crews

The U.S. Department of Labor has turned down a request from three committee and subcommittee chairmen of the U.S. House of Representatives to reverse a March 2013 policy that expanded application of the Davis-Bacon Act, classifying members of survey crews as “laborers and mechanics”. NSPS Executive Director Curtis Sumner, government affairs consultant John Palatiello and lobbyist John “JB” Byrd met with Labor Department officials on September 30 to seek a revision and narrowing of the new policy.  Details of the meeting will be reported in a future edition of NSPS News & Views.

Friday, October 3, 2014

NSPS PAC Meets with House candidate Ken Buck (CO)





NSPS lobbyist John "JB" Byrd recently met with Ken Buck, a Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in an open seat in the 4th district of Colorado. Byrd discussed surveying issues, including UAVs and privacy.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Transformations: NGS Announces Joint Beta Release of GEOCON version 1.1 and GEOCON11 version 1.1



NGS is pleased to announce the joint Beta release of two related product updates:

GEOCON v1.1 and GEOCON11 v1.1, updates to the current (v1.0) versions of GEOCON and GEOCON11 which currently reside on the NGS web page.  GEOCON v1.1 allows users to transform their latitudes, longitudes, and ellipsoid heights between the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83["HARN"]) and NAD 83(NSRS2007).  GEOCON11 v1.1 performs a similar task between NAD 83(NSRS2007) and NAD 83(2011).
Following are the changes between v1.0 and v1.1: 

a) In addition to the FGCS standard format (bluebook), users may now opt for "free format" input and/or output 

b) The output "quality" file has been merged with the output "coordinate" file.  (4 output files have been reduced to 3) 

c) The "User Guide" and "Operating Instructions" have been merged into one document (3 supporting documents have been reduced to 2) 

d) Minor bug fixes 

Both updates have been released on the NGS Beta website for test and evaluation. NGS encourages users to try them and provide feedback so that the final product may be improved prior to release as official NGS products. 

GEOCON v1.1 tool on the NGS Beta site:
http://beta.ngs.noaa.gov/GEOCON/ 

GEOCON11 v1.1 on the NGS Beta site:
http://beta.ngs.noaa.gov/GEOCON11/

For more information, contact:
Dru Smith
Dru.Smith@noaa.gov 301-713-3222 x144