On the Determination of NTM and UTM Positions from Post Processing of Static DGPS Observations on the Nigeria Minna Datum

The direct determination of NTM and UTM plane rectangular coordinates from post processing of static DGPS/GNSS observations on the Nigeria Minna datum using post processing software is feasible if the rectangular NTM or UTM coordinates of the control/base station are known, and the belt or zone in which the observations were acquired is accurately identified and the identified belt or zone parameters correctly applied during data processing. But most users of these post processing software process these observations in NTM rectangular coordinates and subsequently convert the NTM grid coordinates to UTM grid positions which are not always correct. Consequently, this paper presents detailed procedures and feasibility of obtaining directly NTM or UTM coordinates from post processing of DGPS observations on the Nigeria Minna datum using the appropriate belt or zone parameters and post processing software that accompanied the DGPS/GNSS receivers. The procedures and feasibility of obtaining these coordinates in the two systems from the processing of the observations have been demonstrated with Compass post processing software