Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 16:16:14 +0200 (SAST) From: Ludwig Combrinck Reply-To: Ludwig Combrinck To: IGSMAIL@igscb.jpl.nasa.gov cc: ludwig@hartrao.ac.za, miranda@tango.grdl.noaa.gov Subject: [IGSMAIL-2892]: Re: IGS Station specific issues and regional responsiblities In-Reply-To: <200006121837.LAA25788@dunsinane.jpl.nasa.gov> Message-ID: Sender: owner-igsmail Precedence: bulk ****************************************************************************** IGS Electronic Mail 19 Jun 07:16:58 PDT 2000 Message Number 2892 ****************************************************************************** Author: Ludwig Combrinck Subject: IGS stations Dear IGS Community In order to prepare our position paper, which will focus on station specific issues and regional operations we would like to receive some input from the IGS community at large. Please direct your replies to me directly (ludwig@hartrao.ac.za) and not to the IGSMAIL exploder. Please take a couple of minutes to reply, even if you are just a station host or operator, we need your input ! If you have some serious questions, concerns, qualms or ideas, take as long as you need... (1) How are you validating or monitoring: (a) station data integrity ? (b) data latency ? (c) receiver system integrity such as functioning UPS, lightning protection devices, cable and rf connector condition. (d) What sort of problems are you experiencing with data and equipment monitoring ? Do you have a wish list ? Questions you think should be addressed ? (2) Footprints are used to monitor station site integrity and to tie geodetic techniques and reference points. This gives a site the capability to determine and quantify sudden anomalies, evaluate site stability and monitor baselines between say VLBI, SLR and GPS reference points. (a) Do you or your institute have the necessary expertise and equipment to perform and maintain footprints ? (b) If not, would you be interested in having a footprint done for you by someone else, and are you willing to contribute towards the costs ? (c) What are your opinions regarding footprints ? Please feel free to speak your mind..... (3) GPS geodetic monuments have many variables which influence their durability, suitability and stability. Different types, design, location, construction material etc. are used. Some are more suitable for certain types of location, some are elaborate and expensive, some are made to be as durable and stable as possible, others are cheap and nasty from a stability perspective. (a) What is your opinion of your monument ? Tell us what you can about it. (b) Before installing a monument, you should (preferably) conduct a local geophysical survey, try to optimize the interface between the monument and solid clean bedrock, select a location with minimum multipathing and other (security, access etc.) problems. Not everyone is equipped or willing to go the long way. Do you think it would be worthwhile to have a 'Guide to Geodetic Monumentation and Installation", which would make things easier ? Are you willing to contribute to such a guide ? (4) Some regions (globally speaking) are sparsely populated with IGS stations. This creates several problems as far as a 'global' IGS network is concerned. (a) Do you have some 'older but still good' equipment which could be utilised somewhere ? Would you like to make some contribution to in another form to densify the IGS network ? How would you like to contribute ? (b) Do you see this as a regional responsibility and not a global responsibility ? Why ? (5) What other concerns/questions/suggestions do you have as far as station equipment, station and regional responsibilities as well as station specific issues are concerned ? Thanks in advance for all the replies, we are looking forward to reading them, Ludwig Combrinck and Marinda Chin +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ludwig Combrinck Programme Leader HartRAO Space Geodesy Programme PO BOX 443 Krugersdorp 1740 South Africa e-mail: ludwig@ludwig.hartrao.ac.za : ludwig@bootes.hartrao.ac.za Tel: +27 12 326-0742 Fax: +27 12 326-0756 IGS Regional Data Center for Africa URL: http:\\www.hartrao.ac.za\geodesy\geodesy_index.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++