Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)1 Federal Railroad Administration Len Allen Program Manager Federal Railroad Administration Presented to: Civil GPS Service Interface Committee May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)2 Overview u Current Status u Applications u What is needed for completion u High Accuracy NDGPS

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)3 Differential GPS (DGPS) Reference Station.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)4 Current NDGPS Coverage Approximately 92% of the lower 48 states have single coverage and 65% have dual coverage. Approximately 92% of the lower 48 states have single coverage and 65% have dual coverage.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)5 NDGPS Reference Station Equipment Fully redundant equipment for improved operational availability 99.7% for single coverage % for dual coverage

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)6 International Standard u NDGPS is designed to an international, non-proprietary standard n Compliant with RTCM SC-104 and ITU-R M.823 n Increases market for manufacturers n Enhances Global interoperability u Signal is free to all users u 50 other countries operate compatible systems u Resulting in a seamless international navigation system

NDGPS Success Through Teamwork Army Corps of Engineers Department Of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration Federal Railroad Administration Department Of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Federal Highway Administration Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)8 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS) Applications

Five Categories of NDGPS Applications 1. Original Code-Based NDGPS Applications meters Navigation, Precision Farming, Positive Train Control, Dredging, Buoy Positioning, Resource Management & GIS 2. Real-Time High Accuracy NDGPS Apps centimeters Real-time Automated Surveying of Roads, Railroads & Harbors; Highway Lane Keeping; Machinery Control; & Auto-Docking of Ships 3. Post-Processing NDGPS Applications centimeters Very Accurate Surveying, Mapping, & Hydrography 4. Stationary Scientific NDGPS Applications millimeters Plate Tectonics Monitoring & Earthquake Prediction 5. Weather Forecasting Application Water Vapor Info 1. Original Code-Based NDGPS Applications meters Navigation, Precision Farming, Positive Train Control, Dredging, Buoy Positioning, Resource Management & GIS 2. Real-Time High Accuracy NDGPS Apps centimeters Real-time Automated Surveying of Roads, Railroads & Harbors; Highway Lane Keeping; Machinery Control; & Auto-Docking of Ships 3. Post-Processing NDGPS Applications centimeters Very Accurate Surveying, Mapping, & Hydrography 4. Stationary Scientific NDGPS Applications millimeters Plate Tectonics Monitoring & Earthquake Prediction 5. Weather Forecasting Application Water Vapor Info Categories of ApplicationsProvides

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)10 l Provides Situational Awareness l Prevents accidents, saving over $60 million per year l Reduces fuel consumption by better pacing trains l Increases rail line capacity through closer train spacing, thus reducing the need for additional capital investment in plant and equipment. l Independent estimates indicate that NDGPS used in a full PTC system will save the railroads and shippers between 2 to 4 billion dollars per year. NDGPS Use in Positive Train Control

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)11 NDGPS Use on Track Geometry and R&D Test Cars u NDGPS is currently used on: n T-2000 Track Geometry Inspection Car n T-18 GRMS Car n T-16 R & D Car n Data tagged with Latitude, Longitude and Height

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)12 High Accuracy NDGPS Use in Automated Rail Survey System u Automated Rail Survey System consists of: n High Accuracy NDGPS n GPS Heading Sensor n Gyro n Three Camera Image Capture System n Computer u Current Accuracy n Track 0.21 meters n Wayside 1.4 meters

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)13 Coast Guard Applications Aids to Navigation u Aids to Navigation The Coast Guard created DGPS, in the mid 1980’s, as a means to position buoys much more efficiently. In fact, the Coast Guard can position buoys in about one- third the time, using NDGPS compared to the time needed using the old sexton based system, resulting is significant savings in ship and crew time. This new Juniper class buoy tender was designed with an autopilot system that uses NDGPS to navigate to an exact location and holds that location while the crew drops the buoy.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)14 Coast Guard Applications Maritime Navigation Safety Maritime Navigation Safety u The Coast Guard also operates NDGPS to provide the accuracy, integrity and availability needed to meet the harbor entrance and approach requirements of the international Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) treaty. u NDGPS is used by small recreational boat, fishing boats and large ships.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)15 Coast Guard Applications NDGPS Enables Other Navigation Safety Systems u The accurate NDGPS position of all ships in a harbor are displayed on Vessel Traffic System. u NDGPS provides the most accurate position and speed information to Automated Identification Systems (AIS). AIS displays these accurate positions on the radars of all other ships in the harbor and the VTS center, resulting in situational awareness. u NDGPS enabled Autopilots keep ships in the channel regardless of the visibility or condition of the ships operator.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)16 Army Corps of Engineers NDGPS Applications Multibeam Hydrographic Surveying Hydrographic Surveying SB AdamsII (Norfolk District)

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)17 Army Corps of Engineers NDGPS in Dredging Army Corps of Engineers needs 2 meter accuracy to position their dredging ships.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)18 NDGPS use in Surveying GPS has revolutionized the surveying industry. NDGPS provides survey grade accuracy when used in post processing applications.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)19 Precision Agriculture u NDGPS is used to: n Map Soil quality n Reduce use of pesticides and fertilizers n Monitor crop yield NDGPS used in Precision Farming saves $5 to $14 per acre Resulting in 3 to 5 billion dollars per year in savings

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)20 Hydrographic Surveys and Aerial Mapping NDGPS is used in Hydrographic Surveying and Aerial Mapping

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)21 NOAA’s Forecast Systems Lab Uses NDGPS to continuously Measure Water Vapor NDGPS Site in Whitney, NE Water vapor is the most important component of weather and the least observed. NDGPS reference stations continuously measure the water vapor in the atmosphere above the reference station, thus greatly improving short term weather forecasts.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)22 University NAVSTAR Consortium (UNAVCO) u UNAVCO is a non-profit organization that promotes high-precision geodetic & strain techniques using GPS. u Funded by NSF and NASA. u Uses dual-frequency GPS receivers to measure Plate Rigidity, Plate Movement, Plate Deformation, Plate Boundary Zones to the millimeter level u NDGPS program has installed high stability antenna mounts & choke ring antennas at several sites to meet UNAVCO needs.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)23 What is Needed to Complete the System u Complete 30 more reference stations in the contiguous 48 states n 17 of these sites are in various stages of site acquisition and construction u Build 15 reference stations in Alaska n Two sites are currently being acquired u Build one reference station in Puerto Rico n The site acquisition process has begun u Add the High Accuracy NDGPS signal to all reference stations u Add backup generators and satellite communications to sites that don’t currently have it n Findings as a result of Hurricane Katrina n Some of the original Coast Guard sites have battery backup that is inadequate – batteries last 1 day, generators last 7 days w/o refueling n Satellite communications from the control centers to the sites for backup control and monitoring

GPS (10-16 meters) NDGPS (1 to 3 meters) HA-NDGPS Dynamic (0.1 meters) High Accuracy NDGPS

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)25 Broadcast Site Configuration TRANSMITTER DIPLEXER REFERENCE STATION DATA FORMATTER FORMATTER MODULATOR TRANSMITTER NDGPS HIGH ACCURACY NDGPS NDGPS & HA NDGPS TO ANTENNA OBSERVABLES CORRECTIONS Rack Mount PC DSP/Analog Card

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)26 Data Formatter And Modulator

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)27 Diplexer Permits the Broadcast of Two Signals on One Antenna Three of Five Sections Single Panel

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)28 High Accuracy NDGPS centimeters at 150 miles on a dynamic platform (boat).

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)29 Accuracy Converges to About 2 cm in this Static Positioning Test after about 30 minutes

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)30 International High Accuracy Differential GNSS Standards u If you are interested, there will be a meeting on Wednesday morning on development of International High Accuracy Differential GNSS from 9:00AM to 12:00PM.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)31 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System Len Allen Program Manager Federal Railroad Administration Len Allen Program Manager Federal Railroad Administration

May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)32 Backup Slides

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS) foot Beacon Antenna Reference & Integrity Antennas Two sets of each Converted GWEN to NDGPS Appleton, WA DGPS Equipment Shelter There is a similar shelter for the 25KW generator

Expanding the Coast Guard’s DGPS into the Nationwide DGPS Expanding the Coast Guard’s DGPS into the Nationwide DGPS Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System

Acceptance of the international standard is leading to a seamless worldwide service. Acceptance of the international standard is leading to a seamless worldwide service.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)36 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Uses of NDGPS Facility Mapping (Site Plans & GIS) Training Range Plans Airfield obstruction mapping Training range mapping/location Utility Location & As-Builts Environmental Mapping Flood Control Projects Floodplain Mapping Soil/Geology Classification Maps Cultural/Economic Classifications Land Utilization Mapping Wetland/Vegetation Delineation Geotoxic Data Mapping/Modeling Emergency Operations Personnel location Facility location Facility location Real Estate General Location Maps Navigation Projects Dredge Control: Horizontal position Horizontal position Disposal area monitoring Disposal area monitoring Hydrographic Survey Control: Project condition Project condition Measurement & payment Measurement & payment General Vessel Navigation Shoreline Mapping Hydraulic & Hydrology Studies Horizontal reference Geotechnical Investigations Boring location (horizontal) Construction Material placement (horizontal) Material placement (horizontal) HTRW Site Control & Mapping Geotoxic Data Mapping/Modeling

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)37 U.S. Department of Agriculture The USDA Service Center Agencies (NRCS, FSA, RD) have spent $8M & purchased over 6,000 NDGPS receivers. There is still a requirement for an additional NDGPS receivers. In order to meet the technical assistance requirements of the new farm bill, USDA NRCS is signing up 5500 Technical Service Providers who will also use NDGPS to provide assistance to USDA customers. Currently, Farmers, Ranchers, Land Managers, AG Service Providers, Ag researchers, and AG manufactures are using NDGPS. That number of AG sector NDGPS users is expected to grow exponentially.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)38 Agriculture Safety of Life Issues Fire fighters use NDGPS for navigation and to inform Fire Command of their position.

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)39

Federal Railroad Administration May 7, 2006 Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS)40 Executive Steering Council Reconvenes to Address Funding Problem u Despite the enormous benefits and significant level of partnership among federal and state agencies, the program still lacks adequate funding. u The Secretary of Transportation reconvened the Interagency NDGPS Executive Steering Council, consisting of senior management from several departments – DOT, DHS, DOI, DOC, USDA, USCG, ACOE, NWS, BOC & OMB – to address the funding shortfall and to consider whether or not to implement High Accuracy NDGPS.