Evolve or die

[Jims5543]

In the grand scheme of things, it is pretty impressive mathematicians calculated the center of the planet within 2-4 meters (6-12 feet) when you are dealing with a roughly 7,900 mile diameter planet. 

It actually seems silly to adjust the center. The problem is, I work in millimeters, adjusting our network 4-6 feet is HUGE to me.

What I am worried about it the NGS adjusting this, then we go back to an older job, say from 2020 in 2030 after the adjustment has been made, we will essentially have to resurvey it all over again, while the lot will be in the same place, the house on the lot, fences on the lot etc... The lot will still be in the same relationship to all the control points.

What I am worried is my GPS is going to tell me I am 4' in the wrong place in 2030 vs 2020.

With pilots, I do not think even 4 meters is going to ruin your day navigating.  Its all relative, the runway will still be in the same place, you probably will never notice this.

I will... That is what gives me stomach aches. How do you explain to a customer that their 10 year old survey has to be resurveyed in order to get it back on the correct coordinates.

I guess I could compare it to an old survey from before I was using GPS now brought up to date placing on GPS coordinates.   I don't really resurvey the entire property, I tag enough control points to rotate and align it with the GPS.

The only real problem I can think of is after this shift, all my old data will be useless unless we figure out a way to rotate and translate it onto the new coordinates.

Example, I have an old 2020 job I did on GPS and the crew needs to go back to stake a building on the lot, we just cannot go there and stake it on GPS, we need to go first and locate enough to move it onto the new datum, THEN we can calculate to stake the new building.   If we do not do that the building will be 4' in the wrong place.

That is what is making my head spin...

[cstudep]

Well look on the bright side, if I'm understanding it correctly, at least its a whole lot better than having to go back and tell people shits actually moved and now they dont own what they once were told they did.

You already have to deal with that enough I'm sure, imagine every property needing to be "adjusted". Oof.