JOINING THE IGS Checklist For Becoming An IGS Station This procedure can be used for any GPS station, global, regional or local, and serves as a step-by-step guide of what should be done as well as the point of contact and help for each step. The procedure extends to Local Stations with the exception that the data do not (necessarily) have to be available on-line, and that IGS does not take any responsibility for completeness, correctness, nor for data processing. - Contact the Central Bureau concerning the intent to install the station, the schedule for implementation, and a statement of desire for the station to be considered as part of the IGS network. The proposed four character identifier should also be included for confirmation by the CB. (Mail a message to igscb@igscb.jpl.nasa.gov) - Central Bureau will reflect this on the schedule of future or proposed stations. - IGS standards should be followed in installing the station. - Once the station is installed and operational, a communication should be addressed to the CB indicating data availability. The CB will assist in the designation of the 4-character station identifier to prevent duplication. - If the new station is part of a network, the responsible Operational Center has to update the center description form (download /igscb/center/oper/'center'.ocn from igscb.jpl.nasa.gov, modify, send via e-mail to igscb@igscb.jpl.nasa.gov) - If the station is part of a new network, the new Operational Center has to create a center description form (download /igscb/center/oper/BLNKFORM.OCN from igscb.jpl.nasa.gov, modify, and send via e-mail to igscb@igscb.jpl.nasa.gov) - Create a station log (download /igscb/station/general/BLNKFORM.LOG from igscb.jpl.nasa.gov); many examples are available in /igscb/station/log. - This log form should be forwarded to the IERS with a request for a DOMES number; this is the numbering system that is used by the IERS to keep track of all stations in the terrestrial reference frame. At this time, these files are forwarded to Zuheir Altamimi at the IERS (altamimi@uranus.ign.fr). You will be assigned a DOMES number for the station and any other monument or reference marker located at the site. - These updated files should then be sent to the Central Bureau to be included into the CBIS. Files should be e-mailed to: igscb@igscb.jpl.nasa.gov - When the information is available on the CBIS an announcement should be prepared by the implementing agency for distribution through IGSMail. - Whenever there is an update or change to the information contained in the station log file, the current log file should be downloaded from the CBIS (/igscb/station/log) and modified by adding the new information and the modification date. This file should be sent back to the Central Bureau and again an announcement of the modification should be made through an IGSMail message. Data holdings can be viewed by accessing files at the CBIS, for example: /igscb/data/holding/glob0994.syn - Stations within the IGS station categories will be reviewed each year in terms of use and potential reclassification. MESSAGES TO THE IGS CENTRAL BUREAU Requests to be included in the IGS Mail service, or questions regarding IGS Mail or the CBIS, can be directed to: igscb@igscb.jpl.nasa.gov The Central Bureau can also be contacted via fax at 818-393-6686. ACCESSING THE CENTRAL BUREAU INFORMATION SYSTEM The IGS Central Bureau Information System (CBIS), accessible via Internet, provides necessary information to both IGS contributors and the public organizations and individuals who use IGS orbits and tracking data. Summarized global data holdings are updated daily in the information system, indicating the source and dates of observations and how to access them. Also available are IGS products, including accurate and highly reliable IGS GPS orbits, earth rotation parameters, tracking station coordinates and velocities, and satellite and receiver clock information. The CBIS is accessible through anonymous ftp at: igscb.jpl.nasa.gov (Internet address 128.149.70.171) in the directory /igscb. The files README.TXT, TREE.TXT and IGSCB.DIR in the main directory provide on-line help and current directory and file information. For World Wide Web users, the required URL is: http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/ Hypermedia client programs like Netscape, Lynx and NCSA Mosaic are available and allow for easy navigation and file retrieval.