Subject: [SCIGN-0054] Update on USGS Progress Subject
From: Ken Hudnut, USGS - Pasadena
Date: 8 Mar 1995 16:08:20

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SCIGN Electronic Mail    Wed Mar  8 16:08:20 PST 1995      Message Number 0054
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Author: Ken Hudnut, USGS - Pasadena
Subject: Update on USGS Progress

Subject:  Update on USGS Progress - SCIGN Stations

As of yesterday, we finalized the award of contract agreement
on our purchase of GPS equipment for the USGS stations.

The equipment was purchased through a competitive Request for
Proposals (RFP).  The USGS sent out 18 solicitations on this RFP,
and received 5 proposals from offerors.  The contract was awarded to
Ashtech.  The price per GPS unit was $16,000.  Eight units (low-power
model Z-12's) were purchased, all for installation at continuously-
operating stations in the Los Angeles prototype Dense GPS Geodetic
Array (DGGA).

The competitive RFP process entailed a very thorough review of all
proposals offered.  This process was initiated last summer, as soon
as I had the USGS funding available.

The contract reference number is 1434-95-C-50103.  If you have
any questions, please call Rita Leach at the USGS in Menlo Park
at (415)329-4162.

Also as of yesterday, we finished site preparation work at other USGS
stations of the Los Angeles prototype DGGA.  The stations we just
finished work on are:  Mount Lee, Claremont, and Hollydale.  These
three sites are all ready for equipment to be installed now.

As soon as our equipment arrives, we will make a concentrated effort
to deploy the new stations during the month of April.  Depending on
the delivery date of our equipment, the installation work may extend
into May.

We have not been operating equipment at CHTP since the incident there
that motivated us to move that equipment to station BRAN.  Until
further notice, we will continue to operate our Turborogue receiver
at station BRAN.

We have been operating Ashtech Z-12 units that are on loan to Scripps
at stations HOLC, CHIL, and LONG.  These units will be replaced with
the new equipment, and the loaner units returned to Scripps.

Our intention is to establish a new site at the Rocketdyne lab that
will be used to replace site CHTP.  We have an excellent bedrock site
and are awaiting final permitting at their Santa Susana facility.  If
all goes well, we may have that site fully prepared by the end of
March.  When that site is ready, we will simultaneously operate it
and CHTP for approximately one or two months to establish a good
tie to the CHTP site.  Then, after we have a good tie from CHTP to
the new site at Rocketdyne, we will decommission and remove the CHTP
site.  We will attempt to negotiate with the landowner to leave the
pin in the ground for possible future re-occupations.

Once this tie is finished, one new receiver will be available
for an additional USGS site.  My preference is to find a site north
of Claremont in the San Gabriel range, since that is an empty area
in our present network coverage.  However, I think this suggestion
should be reviewed by the SCIGN group.  In the meantime, I will
continue with my preliminary reconnaissance in that vicinity.  Any
of you who know that area and have suggestions for a site there, please
let me know.  I am hoping to find a bedrock site where we can use a
'rock pin' type monument (or perhaps one like the Chilao monument).

From 3/13 through 3/24, approximately, a set of absolute gravity
measurements will be performed at selected sites of the LA network.
Roger Bilham suggested that the NSF equipment would be available;
Glenn Sasagawa and Daniel Winester will come out to make the
measurements.  The site selection will be done during their stay,
based on finding sites of the continuous GPS array that they feel
are most suitable for measurements.  In addition, a repeat measurement
at the G station at Kresge Lab is being considered.  Any other suggestions
are welcome, but these should be sent soon, and accompanied with
detailed to-reach instructions.  I will guide them to the USGS sites,
and I told Glenn that Andrea Donnellan should be the JPL contact for
the JPL sites.  This all came up rather quickly, hence the short notice.

Finally, Los Angeles County has final approvals to purchase equipment
for three additional sites that will be part of the LA array.  Two
of these continuously-operating stations will be on Pacoima Dam, and
the third will be north of it on a mountain at the LA Co. Fire Dept.
Fire Camp 9 facility (in an old building foundation that was poured
directly on good bedrock).  The USGS will prepare that site, and advise
LA Co. on installations of the 2 stations on the dam.  Probably these
additional 3 stations will be added to the array in May.  The USGS
will continue to advise and collaborate closely with LA County on
installing and maintaining these stations.  These stations will be
used by the County for monitoring the dam.

                    *-------------------------*
                    | Ken Hudnut              |
                    | U. S. Geological Survey |
                    | 525 South Wilson Ave.   |
                    | Pasadena, CA  91106     |
                    | O: (818)583-7232        |
                    | FAX:    583-7827        |
                    *-------------------------*

[Mailed From: Ken Hudnut <[email-masked]>]