The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), is seeking public comments on the current and future user needs for the Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS).
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), is seeking public comments on the current and future user needs for the Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System (NDGPS).
A notice in today’s (Tuesday, April 16, 2013) Federal Register invites representatives of federal, state, and local agencies — as well as other interested members of the public — to express their thoughts regarding current and future usage of the NDGPS, the need to retain the NDGPS, the impact if NDGPS signals were not available, alternatives to the NDGPS, and alternative uses for the existing NDGPS infrastructure.
The NDGPS was designed to broadcast signals to improve the accuracy and integrity of GPS-derived positions for surface transportation, as well as other civil, commercial, scientific, and homeland security applications. The RITA/USCG analysis will be used to support future NDGPS investment decisions by the DHS and the DoT beyond fiscal year 2016.
The NDGPS design is based on the USCG’s DGPS maritime service that began initial operation in 1996 and transmits real-time differential corrections from the reference stations on a medium frequency maritime radiobeacon band of 285-325kHz. The system has faced efforts to close it down in the past.
Comments and related materials must be received by July 15, 2013. Information on how to submit these can be found in the Federal Register notice.
