National Geodetic Survey (NGS)—NOAAs National Geodetic Survey (NGS) defines and manages a national coordinate system. This network, the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), provides he foundation for transportation and communication; mapping and charting; and a multitude of scientific and engineering applications. Committed to making transportation and navigation safer, NGS conducts aerial photography surveys near airports in the United States and its possessions to position obstructions and aids to air travel. NGS also maps the coastal regions of the United States and provides data tor navigational charts. NGS develops federal standards for geodetic surveys and helps to coordinate surveying methods. NGS State Geodetic Advisors are stationed in several states to work with local communities to expand surveying capabilities.

National Horizontal Control Network—The horizontal component of the National Spatial Reference System. The network comprises more than 270,000 control monuments located throughout the United States. The stations in the network are classified by purpose and order of accuracy. See also National Spatial Reference System (NSRS).

National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA)—An organization whose goals include the communication between users and manufacturers of marine navigation and communication technology, as well as the education of users in the proper use of such technology. N MF.A has been instrumental in developing interfacing standards for marine electronic devices which have been applied to GPS receivers.

National Spatial Reference System (NSRS)—A network of hundreds of thousands of bench marks and horizontal control monuments in the United States. The National Geodetic Survey coordinates the establishment of new control points and the maintenance of existing points. The NSRS supports surveying, engineering, and scientific applications.

National Tidal Datum Control Network—Those tide stations of the U.S. National Ocean Service which provide the basic tidal datums for coastal boundaries and for chart datums of the United States.

National Tidal Datum Epoch—See Epoch, National Tidal Datum.

National Vertical Control Network—The vertical component of the National Spatial Reference System. network comprises more than 600,000 bench marks located throughout the United States. The network stations are classified by purpose and order of accuracy. See also National Spatial Reference System (NSRS).

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Source: NSPS “Definitions of Surveying and Related Terms“, used with permission.

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