Topics:

1. Least Squares Network Adjustment Using Trimble Business Center (TBC) - by Nathan Xiques

This course is intended to be a hands-on, practical guide to performing a least squares network adjustment of various survey data types in a single project using Trimble Business Center. We strongly encourage each person to bring their own personal laptop with a current subscription to Trimble Business Center. (click here for a 30-day free trial) Before the seminar, we will email various data sets to you so you can work through the process with the instructor. In addition to TBC, each participant will need Microsoft Excel, if you want to follow along with everything. No PowerPoint slides will be used.

Data sets included in the final network adjustment will consist of:

• NGS CORS
• North Carolina RTN/VRS GNSS observations
• GNSS static observations
• GNSS RTK observations
• Total station observations.

Throughout the process reports will be generated with TBC including:

• A minimally constrained network adjustment report
• A fully constrained network adjustment report
• Final point derivation report.

Said reports will serve as the basis for completing the following North Carolina certifications:

• 21 NCAC 56 .1605 CLASSIFICATION OF VERTICAL CONTROL SURVEYS
• 21 NCAC 56 .1607 GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS SURVEYS

2.  Ethics - by Tim Bowes, PLS
This session will meet the updates stated in 21 NCAC 56.1703, necessitating land surveyors in North Carolina to acquire 1 Professional Development Hour (PDH) each year in the Ethics for Land Surveying.

3. GS 47-30 Overview (Standards of Practice) - by Steve Amos, PLS
This session will meet the updates stated in 21 NCAC 56.1703, necessitating land surveyors in North Carolina to acquire 1 Professional Development Hour (PDH) each year in the Standards of Practice for Land Surveying.

4. Project Setup and Q&A With Carlson - by Steve Amos, PLS

We will utilize publicly available data to dial in your project setup and field calculations to save time in field reconnaissance. We will also discuss how to use other public data to perform QA on your field data to minimize errors. 

Instructors: 

Nathan Xiques, PLS: Nathan is the founder of Blackthorn Geomatics in Monroe, NC. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Henderson State University in Mathematics, a Master of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Arkansas and an Associate of Science degree in Land Surveying from the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. 

Tim Bowes, PLS: Tim earned his AAS Degree in Agriculture from NC State in 1984 and Surveying Certificate from Wake Technical Community College in 1988. He became a PLS in NC in 1990 and is a graduate of the Otis A. Jones Institute. In 1999. Tim co-founded BBM Associates, Inc. as a Surveying, Engineering, and Land Planning Business in the Raleigh area, where he was a Principal and Survey Operations Manager until BBM merged with VHB Engineering in 2016. He joined WithersRavenel, Inc. in 2021, where he currently serves as a Senior Delivery Officer. 

Steve Amos, PLS, CFS: Steve is a North Carolina Professional Land Surveyor with more than 25 years of comprehensive land surveying experience, including 15 years managing Geomatics operations on a number of significant surveying projects across the state. His experience extends to survey staff management, survey compliance programs, and survey quality control in both the private and public sector markets. His specialties include overseeing survey operations, including ALTA, boundary, topographic, route, as-built, and construction surveys throughout North Carolina. He is also experienced in SUE and UAV surveys. Steve is a licensed Remote Pilot – sUAS Airman with the Federal Aviation Administration and is a Certified Floodplain Surveyor. He has served on the Gaston County Park and Recreation Advisory Board for over a decade. Outside of work, Steve enjoys spending time with his family, serving his community with his church, and being a Kansas City Barbecue Society Certified Master Judge. He has participated in over 80 contests in 11 states.