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surveying published in a newspaper is What do I do with the proclamation? conversions from current vertical
to contact a local reporter and let them If you are able to schedule a signing datums to the North American-
know that you have a good lead on a ceremony, you’ll want to arrange to have Pacific Geopotential Datum of 2022
community interest story. If that fails to several surveyors present. Promote the day (NAPGD2022) and will be integrated
attract their attention offer to write one and time of the ceremony on community into the NGS Coordinate Conversion
yourself and submit it to the paper. State calendars and in local news publications. and Transformation Tool (NCAT).
societies, society chapters and even private You’ll also want to make sure a photographer • Update Passive Control Status: mark
firms have written or sponsored articles is present to commemorate the event so you recoveries and shared solutions provide
or public service announcements which can include a photo with any news releases NGS and other users of the NSRS
serve as advertising for the surveying and post them on your website. with insight into the health of the
profession and their businesses. passive control network and updated
Modified from an article by Frank National Geodetic Survey:
1 information for project planning.
Lenik, PLS (2016) GPS on BenchMarks
• Tie your local control stations to
One of the simplest ways to participate NGS has extended the December 31, the NSRS
is to request a proclamation from your 2022 cut-off date for GPS on Bench
local government. Below, NSPS shares a Mark submissions! The new cut-off date • RTN Check Stations – Get updated
guide on how to request a proclamation to submit GPS on Bench Mark data for coordinates on marks in your area for
and what to do with it. use in the 2022 Transformation Tool is field checks of RTN rovers to ensure
now September, 30, 2023. consistency with NSRS coordinates
NSPS Guide to Requesting National Get your community prepared for the NGS has created a prioritized list of
Surveyors Week Proclamations modernized National Spatial Reference survey marks (found at https://geodesy.

What is a proclamation? System by participating in NGS’s crowd- noaa.gov/GPSonBM/files/) where new
A Proclamation is a public or official sourced data collection program called data would be most beneficial. Anyone
announcement of an important matter. GPS on BenchMarks (GPSonBM). can participate by searching for, finding,
and reporting back about the condition
Why should I request a proclamation For the last 200 years, the Nation’s of the marks on the list. Those with
for National Surveyors Week? foundational mapping infrastructure access to survey grade GPS equipment
A proclamation is a great way to announce has relied on hundreds of thousands of can help further by collecting GPS data
the dates and purpose of National survey marks set in the ground across on these marks and sharing it with NGS.
Surveyors Week. It’s effective in bringing the country. In 2007, NGS embarked
public recognition to the surveying on a decades-long endeavor to update Recover, Observe, Report
profession and the vital services surveyors the mapping infrastructure to take full Regardless of your objective, GPS on
provide regarding the advancement and advantage of modern technology and BM will always include three important
betterment of human welfare. dramatically improve the accuracy of steps: recover, observe, and report.
height measurements. To fully realize
How do I request a proclamation? Recover: Use GPSonBM web map to
Contact the state and local government the billions of dollars in benefits that identify priority marks in your area,
offices from which you would like to will come through moving to the or the NGS Data Explorer to look up
request a proclamation to determine modernized NSRS, Federal, State, and the description of existing benchmarks.
the process for each. Use the samples local governments and private sector Follow the instructions on the Recover
provided in this guide to complete and firms will need to prepare and adapt page to find bench marks of interest.
submit the request. their procedures and workflows. The
GPSonBM program harnesses the Observe: Follow instructions on the
How long will it take to process my power of partnerships across the country Observe page and record field notes,
request and receive a proclamation? to move us all along the path toward take digital photos, and collect GPS
Most state and local governments need at realizing the benefits of the modernized observations for the benchmark you visit.
least 3-4 weeks to complete the request. NSRS. Benefits of participation include:
Report: Use the online Mark Recovery
What do I do once I’ve submitted • Automatic generation of 2020.0 Form to submit your recovery notes and
the request? Reference Epoch Coordinates (REC) photos and Share the OPUS Solutions
Make sure you follow-up to confirm upon release of modernized NSRS from your GPS observations.
receipt of your request and find out how and eventual generation and release of
long it will take to complete it, how you Survey Epoch Coordinates For more information, visit https://
will be notified, and if you can schedule a geodesy.noaa.gov/GPSonBM/.
signing ceremony. • Local improvements to the 2022
Transformation Tool, which will enable

EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 59 • NO 1/ 2023 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 13