# Presentation: 253746

## Tools of the Trade 

**Notes:**
Introduction:
The concept of which tool to take to a fireline is quite valid.  Choosing a pulaski over a fire hose has implications in how it is used and utility.  In the same way, the GPS receiver, the software that allows communication between the GPS and the PC, and a particular GIS software, are all “tools” that allow you to work on an Incident effectively, if the job you are tasked to do has anything to do with mapping.
This presentation is the first one in a series of four parts that, we hope, will take you through the tools of the trade - the tools that allow you to map and assist in the mapping of a fire or disaster that is managed within the Incident Command Structure.
Part I, today’s topic, will begin with the GPS receiver - the object most like a tool, in that it fits in your hand.  Part II, or tomorrows presentation will focus on the particular niche of software available to communicate between the GPS and PC, since after all, GPS and computers both receive and transmit digital data. 
Part III, the presentation for Wednesday, will focus on the GIS software side of the equation - the engine that you will be making the maps from the field exercise.  
The last Presentation on Thursday will be the last of the series and we hope can serve as a guide through the Tarpits and Important Issues of this fascinating world of GPS and the making of maps. Part 2 - GPS Communication Software - DNR Garmin
Part 1- GPS - Garmin GPS III Plus

## GPS  - The Big Picture
Discuss GPS Accuracy
Review of GPS Receiver Types
Why the Garmin GPS III Plus?
Summary

- Discuss GPS Accuracy
- Review of GPS Receiver Types
- Why the Garmin GPS III Plus?
- Summary

**Tools of the Trade - Part I**

**Notes:**
Objectives of Part I

## GPS and Fire Applications

GPS and Navigation

GPS and Digital Data Collection

GPS and Burned Area Rehab (BAER)

**GPS and Navigation**
**GPS and Digital Data Collection**
**GPS and Burned Area Rehab (BAER)**

**GPS - The Big Picture**

## GPS - The Big Picture

- Depending on size of fire, GPS will play a critical role in...
- Marking location
- Updating fire perimeter
- Mapping fire effects
- Mapping resources at risk
- Data depicted in IAP next morning

## Fire Incident Plans Cycle

**Fire Incident Plans Cycle**

**Notes:**
Many of you are familiar with this chart (may be already plotted on a nearby wall).  This depicts a typical 24-hour Fire Incident Planning Cycle.  Although this cycle varies considerably among size of fires and how they change over time, it still can be used to depict how GPS Field Work fits into the general design.

Used by mostly FOBS and others, Data collection occurs in the daylight hours and are fed into a GIS after some sort of Data Transfer (digital or handwritten) and then passed into the GIS for IAP’s.  Depending on size of fires, this cycle may occur twice (IAP in afternoon and morning).

Transition:

GPS in this graphic is depicted as the first part of this cycle.  What GPS is used for this task relies on reviewing the main GPS Receiver Types and the qualities of Fire Mapping that will help target the appropriate receiver.

## Unique Aspects of Fire Mapping

**Notes:**
Reviewing What  is Unique about Fire Mapping will help us decide on the right GPS tool..

Scale:  Fires are big -  measured in acres and perimeter miles.  Other features mapped as points can be quite large (Dozers or Helicopter Landing Zones (LZ's)).

The mode of collection is often from a moving platform.

Mapping environments are of course variable, but often can be in the open and as a factor of mapping style may be even hundreds of feet above the ground.  This is great GPS satellite country!

Along with aerial mapping exercises, the GPS sky environment can often be quite user-friendly.  Collecting data from 1000 AGL is great conditions for GPS

Often need to deploy multiple units around a fire and risks of losing equipment is high.  Unit costs of GPS must be low.

Hey, you have to keep things simple for you fire-fighters!.  A simple, easy-to-use unit for navigation and mapping is critical.

## GPS - The Big Picture
Discuss GPS Accuracy
Review of GPS Receiver Types
Why the Garmin GPS III Plus?
Summary

- Discuss GPS Accuracy
- Review of GPS Receiver Types
- Why the Garmin GPS III Plus?
- Summary

**Overview**

**Notes:**
We have the big picture.

In order to proceed into the discussion on GPS Receiver Types, lets review GPS Accuracy.

## How Accurate is GPS?

***Dave Turner, UN/USA GNSS Workshop, April 2002**
- _[http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/SAP/act2002/gnss1/](http://www.peterson.af.mil/usspace/gps_support/)_
- presentations/session01/speaker01/

- Specifications from Dept. of Defense

**Notes:**
Just how accurate is GPS.  This graphic depicts stand-alone accuracy’s from the Department of Defense statistic that specifies a  conservative measure of a World Wide average.  This means areas in the Arctic may see less accuracy than those sitting on the equator.  Regardless, the removal of Selective Availability vastly improved the accuracy of autonomous GPS.

## Accuracy Comparisons

***David L. Wilson's GPS Accuracy Web Page**
- http://users.erols.com/dlwilson/gps.htm

**Notes:**
What the government says we should be getting in accuracy and what is being  “Reported for  Horizontal Accuracy’s is seen here.
This graph depicts typical modern consumer-grade GPS after a 48 hour occupation on a stationary point.

## GPS - The Big Picture
Discuss GPS Accuracy
Review of GPS Receiver Types
Why the Garmin GPS III Plus?
Summary

- Discuss GPS Accuracy
- Review of GPS Receiver Types
- Why the Garmin GPS III Plus?
- Summary

**Overview**

**Notes:**
Now lets review the main types of GPS receivers that are currently available.  Using a decision tree, we will present the GPS types that make for a high quality Incident Mapping tool.

## Review of GPS Receiver Types

**Notes:**
Consumer Grade GPS- Designed for the mass market of consumers who boat, hike, travel by automobile and want a GPS that allows for great navigation, basic mapping.

## Review of GPS Receiver Types

- Mapping/GIS Grade
- GIS Features and Attributes

**Notes:**

Mapping / GIS Grade Recievers - Designed for use in GIS applications that store mappable features and tag them with attributes.  These systems include GPS processing software for export to a GIS.  

The sad case of the Columbia space shuttle disaster is one Incident where this type of equipment and software can be utilized to bring both high accuracy mapping in various terrain, and cataloging debirs amonst 100’s of teams spread across 6 states. 

## Review of GPS Receiver Types

**Notes:**

Survey Grade: Designed for applications that require extremely high accuracy’s, like boundary determination, precisely controlled Networks and vertical control.

## Decision Factors for the Fire GPS Tool

- Accuracy
- Cost (hardware)
- Nerd Factor Scale
- Miscellaneous Factors
- Storage
- Strategy

**Notes:**
Here are the Decision Factors for the Fire GPS Tool.

Accuracy:  Often the first and last question asked of a receiver
Cost:   Cost of the hardware (receiver).  
Nerds:  How many nerds are required for using the tool in both the field and back in the office.
Miscellaneous Factors such as Storage capacity in data and the Field collection strategy behind the receiver.

## Survey Grade

- Accuracy: mm - decimeter
- Costs: forgettaboutit
- Nerd Factor:
- Storage: weeks worth of data
- Strategy: network adjustments
- Lots of equipment

**Notes:**
Other Names:  Geodetic Receivers or Carrier Phase based receivers.
Accuracy’s are in the extreme - including vertical.
Costs for equipment are very high
Takes a lot of nerds to make this system run efficiently.
Data Storage capacity is on the order of days
Strategy for collection would be in controlling a series of GPS machines in a network
Equipment needs are so high, that survey folks arrive on the scene using a Pickup truck for transport.

## Mapping/GIS Grade

**Mapping/GIS Grade**

- Accuracy: 1meter - 5meter
- Costs: $10,000 - $3,000
- Nerd Factor:
- Storage: days worth of data
- Strategy: GIS update
- Misc...:
- post-process             software

**Notes:**
Other names:  Mapping/GIS Receivers or Resource Grade Receivers.
Accuracy’s are in the 1 to 5 meter range
Costs for equipment and the software run on the order of 10 - 3K
Nerds:  The nerd requirement is 3.  These nerds are a reflection in the training and skill sets required to keep the GPS and GIS systems in tune with each other
Data Storage capacity is on the order of days
Strategy:  Designed to collect new information and update existing records in a GIS database.  This is feature and attribute driven.  These receiver generally are designed to produce better results in less GPS friendly environments.
Equipment needs here are on the order of backpacks and handheld dataloggers.  
These systems are coupled with post-processing software designed for export into GIS formats.

## Consumer Grade

- Accuracy: 3meter - 7meter
- Costs: $1500 - $150
- Nerd Factor:
- Storage: hours worth of data
- Strategy: waypoints, simple lines
- Misc....
- handheld, moving map display

**Notes:**
Other names:  Recreational Grade Receivers
Accuracy’s are in the 3 to 7 meter range.  The 3 meter range is with coupling of the autonomous GPS receiver with DGPS (radio or WAAS)
Costs are lowest in this category with prices ranging from $200 - $1500 for systems
Nerds:  Low nerd factor here.  
Data Storage capacity is on the order of hours.
Strategy:  Unlike the Mapping/GIS systems, the collection strategy targets waypoints, tracks (breadcrumb points) and routes (sets of linked waypoints).  IE: this is a navigation strategy. In order to implement GIS features like areas and lines, a third-party software/Hardware link like ArcPad is required.
Equipment needs here are on the order of a shirt pocket or wrist!  
These systems usually are nicely coupled with moving map displays.

## Consumer Grade GPS Wins!

- Reasonable accuracy for mapping large things
- Low receiver cost
- Low nerd scale
- Strategy set to enhance navigation capabilities
- Low attribution requirements

**Notes:**
For the following reasons then, we have decided on the Consumer Grade GPS receiver type for Fire mapping.

Reasonable accuracy
Low receiver costs
Low nerd scale
Enhanced navigation capabilities like moving maps
Requirements on fires generally tend to be specific to mapping things quickly with minimal attribute requirements.

## The Big Picture
Discuss GPS Accuracy
GPS by Receiver Types
Why the Garmin GPS III Plus?
Summary

- Discuss GPS Accuracy
- GPS by Receiver Types
- Why the Garmin GPS III Plus?
- Summary

**Overview**

## Consumer Grade GPS

- Consumer Grade Manufacturers
- Garmin
- Recognized World Leader
- High Support

- Garmin

- Magellan

- Lowrance

## Garmin GPS III Plus

- $299
- 12 Channel GPS Receiver
- 1.4 MB of Map memory*
- 20-30 hours of battery life

- *Purchase of MapSource TOPO CD + $99

**Notes:**
A Garmin bestseller since its introduction in 1999, the GPs receiver 
Costs  $299
1.4 MB of internal Map storage capacity
20-30 hours of battery life

## Garmin III Plus

- Unique Aspects
- Antenna (Quadrifilar Helix)
- Form factor for placement on a dash
- Averages waypoints

**Notes:**
Features specific to the Garmin III+ include:
A quadrifilar helix type of antenna.  This is probably the most important part of a GPS receiver.  This type of antenna allows swiveling for best access to the sky, and can detect satellites close to the horizon.  Options with this receiver also allow external antenna options making this model more versatile in aircraft and under canopy.
A readily used form factor that allows unit to be placed on flat surfaces for better visibility
Allows user to average waypoints for increased accuracy.

Other models in the Garmin line like the eTrex are not preferred.  Here are some examples why:
Patch antenna.
No time and date are passed down to the PC
No averaging capabilities
No external antennas

## Garmin III Plus Limitations

- Less accurate than other models
- Less map and track memory than other models
- Missing other features:
- Digital Compass
- Altimeter

**Notes:**
There are limitations to this receiver:
more modern units like the Garmin V, 76 and others can be more accurate due to WAAS capabilities.
The III+ also has less map memory (1.4mb) and track storage than the more modern units available today. 

## GPS and Fire 
Consumer grade GPS satisfies... 		
accuracy
costs
Garmin III Plus  - preferred model for this class

- Consumer grade GPS satisfies...
- accuracy
- costs
- Garmin III Plus  - preferred model for this class

**Summary**

**Notes:**
In Summary, 
We have seen how well GPS can assist in  Fire related mapping efforts in terms of collecting field data for use in the fire Plan cycle.
Of all the receiver types out there the Consumer Grade GPS receiver satisfies the mapping qualities often found on fires - this includes the mapping of fire perimeters and other large features.  Costs for the hardware are low, enabling purchase of many units.
Then I hope we showed that of the Consumer GPS units available, the Garmin III Plus is the preferred model of choice due to functions such as moving map capability, enhanced navigation and the ability to average waypoints.

Every GPS receiver has its good and poor qualities.  We hope during this course you will become familiar with these aspects of the Garmin III Plus receiver and in doing so, collect the highest quality data possible for fire mapping scenarios.  

## Use the Garmin III Plus
Use the Garmin III Plus often
Tomorrow - next in the series:
GPS Communication Software

- Use the Garmin III Plus often
- Tomorrow - next in the series:
- GPS Communication Software

**What’s in Store**