Above And Below (AAB) is a certified and insured utility locating company established in 2009 by James D. Nadeau, owner of Nadeau Land Surveys, a Portland, Maine firm that also specializes in floodplain management, GPS/GIS mapping,and professional land surveying.

Founded on the belief that utility locating and land surveying are symbiotic in their intent to transform the unknown into reliable data, we offer an innovative and unique integration of services, including identification and survey-grade mapping of underground infrastructure to meet the needs of clients of many different industries and professions.

With field equipment such as the Topcon Hyper II GPS, Radiodetection RD8000, MALA Ground Penetrating Radar, Radiodetection C.A.T. 4+, Pipehorn 100, Vivax-Metrotech VM-810, and various models of Schonstedt magnetic locators, we are able to be consultants from feasibility to final as-built plans.

We welcome designers, planners, architects, engineers, excavators, Realtors, code officers, town officials, and anyone else who could benefit from increased knowledge in utility locating and mapping to receive this newsletter. Our goal is to highlight issues that will help move the industry forward by raising awareness about local regulations, best practices, and the benefits of combining accurate utility location with GPS/GIS mapping. Please enjoy and feel free to forward to a friend!

Did you know?

The annual cost due to utility damage is in the billions of dollars and one of the leading causes of accidents and disruptions is inaccurate records and locating.

The untimely discovery of an unknown underground utility needing relocation is one of the major causes of delay during construction projects, often causing budget overruns.

Many utilities that once had a known location often have to be found again, especially when excavations cover up or remove the markings. One-call systems and current locating practices are clearly necessary and have contributed to increased public safety. Complimenting those systems with reliable database information, such as GIS and State Plane Coordinates, is a practical approach for long term safety.

Nationwide research has concluded that implementing such mapping technologies is the key to a more unified and efficient industry. Congress even tried to pass a bill (H.R. 4233) called the "Map It Once, Use it Many Times Act" that would add to the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), "information on underground infrastructure, including location, type, size, composition, and use of underground structures including tunnels and pipelines." Unfortunately, the bill died and was referred to a committee. Here at AAB, we grasp the important concept of collecting and storing accurate underground utility data for future use.

FCC Regulations for RTK GPS Equipment

As land surveyors, we use a variety of GPS equipment for our projects. A recent regulation of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) now requires that RTK GPS surveying equipment be registered and licensed. This was prompted by complaints of interference with voice communications that use the same radio frequencies as GPS data receivers. (Voice communications have priority over data communications.)

Most RTK GPS equipment operates under set frequencies between 450-470 MHz. The FCC licensing rules will require users to cooperate by taking precautions to minimize interference with voice repeater inputs (455-460 MHz and 465-470 MHz). Penalties will apply to those who do not comply with FCC Rules.

The majority of complaints of interference occurred with the following community voice repeater input frequencies: 469.500, 469.550, 469.600, 469.625, 469.650, 469.700, 469.725, and 469.750 MHz.

Many GPS companies have been working closely with the FCC to address these interference issues and want to help customers understand compliance. Contact your GPS provider for more information.