Nationwide DGPS Status Report (DEC 2007)

The Nationwide Differential GPS (NDGPS) expansion project has been placed on hold pending congressional review of future project funding. The interim sponsor is the Research Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) under the Department of Transportation (DOT). To date, the US Coast Guard monitors and controls 38 operational NDGPS sites that belong to the DOT.

The Coast Guard is a key member of the seven-agency partnership for the Department of Transportation’s NDGPS expansion initiative. The Coast Guard brings its expertise in building, operating and maintaining DGPS sites to the partnership. The other members of the project are the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Highway Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, and most recently appointed sponsor for the project is RITA.

Major NDGPS projects for 2007 & into 2008 include:

1. Continuing the evaluation and expansion the high accuracy NDGPS concept.

Hawk Run, PA, Hagerstown, MD, and the Topeka, KS NDGPS sites are equipped to broadcast code and carrier phase observables under a test scenario. Testing is expected to continue for the immediate future to support ongoing system development. Further information on the high accuracy initiative can be obtained on the U.S. Coast Guard’s Navigation Center homepage, and at the Turner Fairbanks Highway Research Center's web site

2. The preparations needed prior to construction of a proposed site include an Environmental Assessment (EA), a Formal Site Survey (SV), an Installation Design Package (IDP), and a Lease or Property Use Agreement. The following sites were approved by the Policy Implementation Team to achieve Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in CONUS, but have not been approved for final construction. Permission for full construction of these sites is on hold pending a DOT decision to continue the NDGPS project.