What's New
Iowa One Call Mapping Goes High Tech with GPS
Most Iowans getting ready to phone Iowa One Call prior to digging or excavating are likely thinking about the end result - having their underground utilities located and marked so they can dig safely. What they probably don't realize is that calling 1-800-292-8989 sets into motion a notification system, a series of behind-the-scenes events involving an intricate mapping database which can now be used with global positioning to make locating utilities even more efficient and accurate.
Call center operators at Iowa One Call use this database to determine which utilities have underground facilities in a proposed excavation area and then send a locate request to the utilities. The utilities are responsible for locating and marking their facilities.
"The entire Iowa One Call notification system is dependent upon the 'mapping database' that identifies the vast infrastructure of underground facilities maintained by Iowa One Call's 1,500 member companies," said Steve Halstead, Mapping Coordinator for Iowa One Call. "This requires constant updating because new developments are being built and underground facilities are being installed to serve the new homes and offices. We do this by utilizing very sophisticated, high tech tools involving global positioning systems (GPS) and digitized mapping systems."
With the advent of the GPS, Iowa One Call now has access to more accurate maps and these maps can be added to the mapping database much quicker. Professional excavators are beginning to utilize GPS receivers on locate notifications, enabling the Iowa One Call Center operators to quickly and easily identify the appropriate utility owners and notify them of the intended excavation.
Use of Global Positioning System (GPS)
GPS was originally created as a military application using satellites that are owned and operated by the U.S. government. GPS is now a worldwide navigation system formed from a constellation of 24 satellites and five ground monitoring stations. It is a sophisticated method of measuring and correcting the velocity and timing of radio signals in a digital code. To determine a location, a GPS receiver determines how far it is from the satellites by measuring how long it takes for radio signals to travel from the satellites to the receiver. Since we know how fast radio signals travel - about 186,000 miles per second - it is possible to figure out how far they've traveled. By receiving signals from three or more satellites, the location of a point on the surface of the earth can be determined with very high accuracy.
Many Iowa utility companies are hard at work using GPS to identify the location of their underground facilities. This is particularly true of newly installed facilities. This allows for a higher degree of accuracy and ultimately helps you avoid hazards or expensive damages to facilities as you excavate.
The Iowa One Call notification system was established in 1980 - with mandatory participation by utilities since 1993. In 2005 the Iowa One Call Center in Davenport handled nearly 418,000 calls and coordinated nearly 2.3 million location requests.
Iowans planning to excavate should contact Iowa One Call toll free at 1-800-292-8989. Calls should be made at least 48 hours in advance of excavation so that utilities can mark their underground facilities. The service is free to Iowans.
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For more information on items in this section contact Ann Foster, IAEC Director of Communications, at 515-727-8945 or e-mail: afoster@iowarec.org
Call center operators at Iowa One Call use this database to determine which utilities have underground facilities in a proposed excavation area and then send a locate request to the utilities. The utilities are responsible for locating and marking their facilities.
"The entire Iowa One Call notification system is dependent upon the 'mapping database' that identifies the vast infrastructure of underground facilities maintained by Iowa One Call's 1,500 member companies," said Steve Halstead, Mapping Coordinator for Iowa One Call. "This requires constant updating because new developments are being built and underground facilities are being installed to serve the new homes and offices. We do this by utilizing very sophisticated, high tech tools involving global positioning systems (GPS) and digitized mapping systems."
With the advent of the GPS, Iowa One Call now has access to more accurate maps and these maps can be added to the mapping database much quicker. Professional excavators are beginning to utilize GPS receivers on locate notifications, enabling the Iowa One Call Center operators to quickly and easily identify the appropriate utility owners and notify them of the intended excavation.
Use of Global Positioning System (GPS)
GPS was originally created as a military application using satellites that are owned and operated by the U.S. government. GPS is now a worldwide navigation system formed from a constellation of 24 satellites and five ground monitoring stations. It is a sophisticated method of measuring and correcting the velocity and timing of radio signals in a digital code. To determine a location, a GPS receiver determines how far it is from the satellites by measuring how long it takes for radio signals to travel from the satellites to the receiver. Since we know how fast radio signals travel - about 186,000 miles per second - it is possible to figure out how far they've traveled. By receiving signals from three or more satellites, the location of a point on the surface of the earth can be determined with very high accuracy.
Many Iowa utility companies are hard at work using GPS to identify the location of their underground facilities. This is particularly true of newly installed facilities. This allows for a higher degree of accuracy and ultimately helps you avoid hazards or expensive damages to facilities as you excavate.
The Iowa One Call notification system was established in 1980 - with mandatory participation by utilities since 1993. In 2005 the Iowa One Call Center in Davenport handled nearly 418,000 calls and coordinated nearly 2.3 million location requests.
Iowans planning to excavate should contact Iowa One Call toll free at 1-800-292-8989. Calls should be made at least 48 hours in advance of excavation so that utilities can mark their underground facilities. The service is free to Iowans.
__________________________________________
For more information on items in this section contact Ann Foster, IAEC Director of Communications, at 515-727-8945 or e-mail: afoster@iowarec.org
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