Leica Geo Office Combined

October 2010
Creating a Geoid Field File
Summary A Geoid is the equipotential surface of he Earth’s gravity field which best fits, in a least squares
sense, global mean sea level. The Geoid Field File enables the user to utilize a Geoid Model
that is appropriate for the mapping are under consideration.

With a Geoid Model attached to a Coordinate System the user can compute Geoid Separations
of the points in a project. If Geoid Separations are available it enables the user to switch
between viewing Ellipsoidal and Orthometric heights. The relationship between these two
heights is given by:

Ellipsoidal Height (h) = Orthometric Height (H) + Geoid Separation (N)

This quick guide will go through the procedure of properly creating a Geoid Field File (.GEM) in
LGO. The first method will be from a Center and Radius, and the second method will be
through the extents of an area to be covered by the field file.

Once the geoid field file (.gem) is created this quick guide will illustrate the uploading of the
Geoid Field File onto the CS10/15 through two methods:
1) data card inserted directly into the computer
2) ‘My Device’ with the field controller directly connected to the computer via active sync

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Creating a Geoid Field File

Notes Geoid Models are always an approximation of the actual Geoid. In terms of accuracy,
they may vary considerably and in particular global models should be used with care.
If the accuracy of the Geoid Model is not known it might be safer to use local control
points with Orthometric heights and apply a transformation to approximate the local
Geoid.

Creating It is assumed that the user has already created a Geoid Model in LGO. Without a Geoid
Geoid Field Model, the user will be unable to create a Geoid Field File.
File

Procedure: From the Tools drop down box in LGO, select Create Geoid Field File
Center and
Radius

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Creating a Geoid Field File
Procedure:
Center and
Radius

Using a mapping tool like Google Earth is a good visual aid to estimate the central location and
the radius of which the Geoid Field File is to cover.

The Geoid Field File uses a portion of a Geoid model to create the file. Select the Geoid Model,
the ‘Centre & radius’ radio button and pick the interpolation method to be used. Use the
determined geodetic coordinates for the center as well as the radius of the covered area. Make
sure you are using a West longitude for North America. Select the spacing for this area and
select save to generate the .GEM file.

Points to In choosing a Geoid Model, be aware of the reference ellipsoid. When attaching the .gem file to
consider a coordinate system, the reference ellipsoid must be the same. In choosing an interpolation
method, remember that Geoid 99 and 03 both use a bi-quadratic interpolation whilst Geoid 09
uses a spline interpolation. Regarding spacing and radius. The minimum spacing of
interpolation is 1000 m. The normal spacing for larger areas is 2000 m. Use a minimalist in
spacing, keeping a watch on the size of the file that will be created.

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Leica Geo Office Combined
Creating a Geoid Field File

Saving You will next need to save the .GEM file to a location on your local or network drive.
created file

Procedure: The Extents option would be more suitable for creating Geoid Field Files of larger areas.
Extents

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Creating a Geoid Field File

Procedure: With using the Extents option, the southwest corner and the northeast corner of the coverage
Extents rectangle is needed. Please make sure you are using a West longitude for North America. As
stated earlier, for larger areas, the spacing should reflect as such.

Saving Geoid
Field File As mentioned previously, the file can be saved to any location on the local computer or network
drive.

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Creating a Geoid Field File

Procedure: In the directory of the Geoid Field File (.gem), copy the created file.
Loading
Geoid Field
File onto Viva
CS 10/15

Methods of Method 1: With the SD card or CF card that is to be used in the CS controller inserted directly
into the computer, copy the .GEM file to the \Data\GPS\Geoid on the memory card.
loading Geoid
Field Files Method 2: With an ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center connection, explore to the
field controller and copy the .Gem file onto \Data\GPS\Geoid folder on the SD card or CF card
being used in the CS controller.

Transfer Gem
file onto CS With the gem file in the correct folder and at the main menu of Smartworx, press 4 (User) > 4
(Tools & utilities..)
Controller

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CS 10/15 and GS 10/15
Creating a Geoid Field File
Transfer Gem
file onto CS Press 1 (Transfer user objects)
In the transfer objects screen select the Geoid field file from the pull down, specify what
Controller medium the Geoid field file is stored and transfer the file to the internal memory.

With the required fields populated, the name of the Geoid field file will be available in the Geoid
Field file pull-down. Select the correct file and press F1 (OK).

Once copied, the instrument will displayed that it the transfer was successful.

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