Equipment provided by Trimble Navigation Limited and training by National Geodetic Survey employee volunteers allow Springbrook students to use GPS technology to create highly accurate maps of the school grounds. Students walking around the school grounds collect data from one receiver that monitors variations in the GPS signal. A second receiver is then used to correct its calculations for better accuracy.
Computer software is collect and correct the data to create a highly accurate map of the area.
Edward Carlson from the National Geodetic Survey explains the workings of the GPS system to Springbrook students. Students use the Trimble Pathfinder hand-held data logger to locate physical points of reference around Springbrook's campus. Technology students establishing positions using Trimble GPS equipment. Sitting over a NGS survey marker the Trimble reference receiver collects data from satellites traveling 11,000 miles overhead. This is the same data as collected by the students with their hand-held data logger.