Point of Beginning articles from December 2006

Point of Beginning archives from December 2006

Professional history.(guesteditor)(surveying history)
December 1, 2006... As land surveyors, we are often faced with the need to know something about the history of our profession, the instruments once used, the surveyors who once used them and certainly the history of the land we have been hired to survey. Yet how...

Letters: October 2006.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... After reading the letter from Chad Howard in the October 2006 POB, I thought that I would relate my experiences in this matter. I spent 35 years in the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) retracing highway right of way, so I...

Traversing the law: October 2006.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... The article by Mr. Lucas in the October issue was excellent. I know of several surveyors, attorneys and judges who could benefit from reading it. Barry Savage, PLS Florida

An end to the pin farm: September 2006.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... Where has Alabama been? Most Western states have had a corner record statute since beginning in 1967 to solve the problem just realized in this article. Paul N. Scherbel via E-mail Author Tim Barnes responds: Let me address...

BLM website incorporates survey plats.(newsline)
December 1, 2006... The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in an effort to make land records more accessible to the public, is adding survey plats and other data to its website. According to Michael Nedd, state director of the BLM-Eastern States (BLM-ES), "BLM is...

USGS and NASA select Landsat Data Continuity Mission science team.(newsline)
December 1, 2006... The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), announced on Oct. 16, 2006, that the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) science team has been selected. Since 1972, the Landsat...

ASPRS announces Provisional Certification program.(newsline)(The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) developed a Provisional Certification program in photogrammetry, remote sensing and GIS/LIS available to graduating students in the spatial sciences. The program provides...

Denver launches online geospatial network.(newsline)(Geospatial Industry Workforce Information System)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The city of Denver, Colo. launched the Geospatial Industry Workforce Information System (GIWIS) as the first online geospatial workforce information network in the United States. The GIWIS pilot project offers a website for finding jobs,...

India voices concern with Galileo.(newsline)(global navigation satellite system)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... In October, India voiced security concerns with its participation in Galileo, a global navigation satellite system being developed by the European Union (EU) and European Space Agency (ESA). India fears that its sensitive data might not be...

Calendar of events.(association of land surveyors)(Calendar)
December 1, 2006... DECEMBER There are no events this month. Happy Holidays! JANUARY 16-21 VAS 59th Annual Convention Virginia Association of Surveyors Williamsburg, Va. 804/262-1351 www.vasurveyors.org 17-19...

Global outreach: Munich hosts INTERGEO 2006.
December 1, 2006... This year INTERGEO returned to the south German city of Munich on Oct. 10-12, just after the close of the famed Oktoberfest. Although Oktoberfest was over, visitors could still see some traces of this hugely attended event. INTERGEO itself was...

Of mountains, mines and monuments: recovering original monuments in Colorado's mining territory.
December 1, 2006... Land mountainous. Good pine. Deep snow bank at head of creek. Impossible to run line further. These field notes, reported by Deputy U.S. Surveyor Benjamin M. Whittemore in 1873, describe the terrain above the Buckskin Joe mining...

A Capitol idea: surveying the history of North Carolina's State Capitol.
December 1, 2006... In 1744, nearly every promising community in North Carolina was vying to become the site of the state's capital. Among the cities contesting for the honor were New Bern, Edenton and Halifax. This fight continued for decades, forcing North...

Examining an antique: a historical look at the Goldsmith Chandlee compass.
December 1, 2006... Many of you have attended a surveyor's convention and looked at the historical survey equipment on display. Often, the historical items are missing essential parts and would be impossible to use on a survey today. Most pieces of historical...

Modeling the past: a historical sculpture commemorates the surveyor's influence on the future.(Company overview)
December 1, 2006... While passing through Fort Mill, S.C., I noticed an intriguing statue in the park beside one of the offices of Springs Global, a textile manufacturer originally founded as Fort Mill Manufacturing Company in 1887. In 1914, Leroy Springs assumed...

Advancing with machine control: using sophisticated software aids the design and data prep for machine control applications.
December 1, 2006... The right civil engineering application can be a powerful tool when tackling the surveying and design requirements of a complicated infrastructure project. But increasingly, civil engineering applications can be used to add value in another...

Scanning the Alaska Pipeline: monitoring an 800-mile oil pipeline with 3D scanning technology.(Cover story)
December 1, 2006... Visitors come to Alaska for many reasons: camping, wildlife, scenery. And more than 90,000 people from around the world come each year to tour the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, commonly known as TAPS. This 800-mile engineering marvel passes...

An automated measuring system aids a tunnel project in Michigan.(technologyprofile)
December 1, 2006... Tunnel excavation is difficult work, presenting inherent safety risks and other challenges, even for a relatively short tube. Schedules must be met and provisions must be made for the safety of underground workers, as well as protection of...

What are your tolerances?(tolerance measurement by construction surveyors)
December 1, 2006... At a recent seminar I conducted, I asked the participants a simple question, "What are your tolerances?" In attendance were land surveyors, construction surveyors, engineers and even an architect. The projects they worked on ranged from...

Technology clash.(thebusinessside)(old and modern surveying technology)
December 1, 2006... If you think that focusing on the clash between old and modern technology seems a little off the topic for this business-oriented column, stick with me for a few minutes. Hopefully, you will come to understand how technology plays a major...

Redux: the practice (and polemics) of water witching.(thetechnologybenchmark)(experiences with dowsing)
December 1, 2006... Can you believe that it has been a year since I first wrote about my experiences with dowsing? I received more responses from readers on the topic of dowsing than any other topic I have written about in seven years. The responses consisted...

Professional recognition.(capitolgains)(Column)
December 1, 2006... For more than 30 years, the surveying and mapping community has been seeking recognition of its professional status in procurement by the federal government. While the battle has long been fought in Congress and with government agencies, it is...

2006 web-exclusive CAD/Surveying Software Survey: POB rolls out its CAD/Surveying Software Survey in a searchable, user-friendly online format.
December 1, 2006... Continuing with our exciting releases of online product surveys, this month POB announces that its 2006 CAD/Surveying Software Survey is now exclusively available at www.pobonline.com. This new online format is searchable and comparable to aid...

Leica Geosystems.(turningpoints)(mergers)(Hexagon Measurement Technologies)(Mikrofyn A/S)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... LEICA GEOSYSTEMS, Norcross, Ga, and HEXAGON MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGIES, London, England, acquired MIKROFYN A/S, Odense, Denmark, a European supplier of machine automation and laser leveling and alignment equipment for building construction and...

Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS), Livermore, Calif., opened a new Topcon Technology Center (TTC) in Brisbane, Australia.(turningpoints)
December 1, 2006... TOPCON POSITIONING SYSTEMS (TPS), Livermore, Calif., opened a new Topcon Technology Center (TTC) in Brisbane, Australia. The center produces key software systems for the company's machine control and land surveying products. Software products...

Topcon Positioning Systems named Tony Hirayama, former executive vice president, as president and CEO of TPS-Australia and KEE Technologies.(turningpoints)
December 1, 2006... Additionally, TOPCON POSITIONING SYSTEMS named Tony Hirayama, former executive vice president, as president and CEO of TPS-Australia and KEE Technologies. Ray O'Connor, TPS president, CEO and new chairman of Topcon's holding company board, made...

Magellan.(turningpoints)
December 1, 2006... MAGELLAN, San Dimas, Calif., launched Magellan Professional, the new brand under which it will market its survey and GIS business. Magellan also launched the Magellan Professional website at www.pro.magellanGPS.com. The site features a new...

Geoshack.(turningpoints)(Shelby Hoffman and Jesus Flores appointed)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... GEOSHACK, Dallas, Texas, added Shelby Hoffman and Jesus Flores to the GeoShack Texas survey team. Hoffman joins GeoShack as survey business unit manager and has 11 years of land surveying experience. He is responsible for managing all aspects...

Kappa Mapping Inc.(turningpoints)(Bruce Berry - certified photogrammetrist)(Carol Quimby appointed as office manager and administrator)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... KAPPA MAPPING INC., Bangor, Maine, announced that Bruce Berry, production manager, is now a certified photogrammetrist. Berry has more than 30 years' experience in the surveying and mapping industry. KAPPA also welcomed Carol Quimby as office...

Mccoy Associates Inc.(turningpoints)
December 1, 2006... MCCOY ASSOCIATES INC., Akron, Ohio, announced Scott A. Pike, PE, as the branch manager in its Warren, Ohio office. Pike has more than 20 years of municipal engineering experience and is a registered professional engineer in Ohio.

Measurement Devices Ltd.(turningpoints)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... MEASUREMENT DEVICES LTD. (MDL), Aberdeen, Scotland, relocated its European, African and Asian sales and technical support office to York, England, and aims to employ up to 10 more production and sales staff before the end of the year. The...

Dyer, Riddle, Mills & Precourt Inc.(turningpoints)(facilities)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... DYER, RIDDLE, MILLS & PRECOURT INC. (DRMP), Orlando, Fla., opened a new office in Punta Gorda, Fla. to expand its geographic presence in southwest Florida. Two senior-level project managers, Steve Ford, PSM, and Steve Lockett, PE, lead the...

Wilsonmiller.(turningpoints)(Marc L. Berman, PSM; Paul F. Bernier and Stephen R. Csotty promoted)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... WILSONMILLER, Naples, Fla., named several new senior associates to its design and civil engineering firm. Marc L. Berman, PSM; Paul F. Bernier; Stephen R. Csotty; Richard E. Hogue; and Gavin Jones, PE, were promoted from Wilson Miller's Naples...

ESRI.(turningpoints)
December 1, 2006... ESRI, Redlands, Calif., and BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY CENTER AG (BTC), Oldenburg, Germany, agreed to jointly develop GIS-based utility solutions in Europe. With this cooperation, BTC moves forward to become an ESRI Technology and Services Competency...

Trimble.(new & notable)(Trimble Navigation Ltd.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... TRIMBLE introduced the R6 GPS system and Business Center Software as part of its connected survey site model. With GLONASS capability available through the R-Track technology Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) option, the Trimble R6 GPS...

Optech Incorporated released the Motion Compensation option for its ILRIS-3D laser scanner.(new & notable)
December 1, 2006... OPTECH INCORPORATED released the Motion Compensation option for its ILRIS-3D laser scanner. This option increases the scanner's functionality in difficult environments by enabling the connectivity of selected position and orientation systems to...

Optech Incorporated introduced the ALTM Gemini to its line of airborne laser terrain mappers.(new & notable)
December 1, 2006... Also, OPTECH INCORPORATED introduced the ALTM Gemini to its line of airborne laser terrain mappers. While maintaining the full performance characteristics of the ALTM 3100EA, the Gemini offers higher altitude operation at its peak repetition...

Leica Geosystems released the HDS6000 laser scanner and Cyclone SCAN v5.6.(new & notable)
December 1, 2006... LEICA GEOSYSTEMS released the HDS6000 laser scanner and Cyclone SCAN v5.6, the companion software for controlling the new scanner. The HDS6000 features several major advances compared to the Leica HDS4500 scanner: 50% greater range, based on...

Leica Geosystems announced the ADS40 2nd Generation Airborne Digital Sensor and the SH51 and SH52 sensor heads.(new & notable)
December 1, 2006... Additionally, LEICA GEOSYSTEMS announced the ADS40 2nd Generation Airborne Digital Sensor and the SH51 and SH52 sensor heads. The SH51 is equipped with new beamsplitter technology that provides panchromatic images for stereo viewing and the...

Leica Geosystems also launched the DISTO A8.(new & notable)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... LEICA GEOSYSTEMS also launched the DISTO A8. The DISTO A8 features a 3-fold digital zoom, a display with nine brightness settings and a tilt sensor to measure angles, actual horizontal distances and various indirect heights. New Power Range...

Victor O. Schinnerer & Company.(new & notable)
December 1, 2006... VICTOR O. SCHINNERER & COMPANY announced a new online application for land surveyors professional liability coverage. The new online format simplifies the application process and saves time for brokers and clients by processing and delivering...

Berntsen International Inc.(new & notable)
December 1, 2006... BERNTSEN INTERNATIONAL INC. introduced Live Chat, an online customer service feature available at www.berntsen.com. During normal business hours, a Berntsen representative is available online to answer customer questions, eliminating time spent...

Sitecomp Inc.(new & notable)(mapping and land development software)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... SITECOMP INC. released SiteComp Survey Version 6.0. New features of this survey, mapping and land development software include: full, 30-level undo and redo options; figure snaps to determine locations based on objects; line and curve tables;...

Strata Software.(new & notable)
December 1, 2006... STRATA SOFTWARE launched Pocket PenMap and PenMap GPS multi-platform surveying software systems. Pocket PenMap is a complete professional survey system that features color graphics and full feature coding and layering. PenMap GPS is a fully...

Qcoherent Software.(new & notable)
December 1, 2006... QCOHERENT SOFTWARE released LP360 version 1.3, the LiDAR extension for ArcGIS. LP360 employs a specially designed ArcMap data layer to access and draw LiDAR points directly from LAS files. It supports large quantities of point cloud data and...

Red Hen Systems Inc.(new & notable)
December 1, 2006... RED HEN SYSTEMS INC. released IsWhere for Google Earth, a utility that displays where GPS-tagged photos were taken. IsWhere works with any image that has GPS data stored in the image's EXIF header. The new utility allows users to quickly verify...

Intelisum Inc.(new & notable)(LD3Studio Software Suite Version 3.1)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... INTELISUM INC. (ISI) released LD3Studio Software Suite Version 3.1. ISI's technology fuses LiDAR XYZ position coordinates, digital imaging (RGB data) and geophysical information (GPS) to give "intelligence" to every pixel in the scene,...

California Survey & Drafting Supply.(informationshowcase)
December 1, 2006... www.csdsinc.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

FOIF.(informationshowcase)
December 1, 2006... FOIF is an integration of R & D, manufacturing, sales, logistics and after-sale service of surveying instruments. At present, FOIF has established eight series of products, including GPS receivers, total stations, electronic theodolites,...

Point.(informationshowcase)(Sokkia's Stratus is an integrated GPS system)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Sokkia's Stratus is an integrated GPS system that combines a 12-channel, L1 GPS receiver, antenna and batteries in one lightweight enclosure (1.75 lb with batteries). Single-button operation and LED display offer a full range of operational...

Carlson Software.(informationshowcase)
December 1, 2006... Carlson Roads 2007 is the result of combining the powerful road, sewer and pipe design features of SurvCADD with the Autodesk OEM graphics engine. Carlson Roads 2007 reads and writes standard AutoCAD drawings, and it is one of a few software...

MicroSurvey software.(informationshowcase)
December 1, 2006... At MicroSurvey, we strive to engineer technology that is designed to work the way people think. When designing FieldGenius 2007, the latest release of our innovative data collection software, instead of looking to our competitors and designing...

Sokkia.(informationshowcase)(SRX is a fully-robotic system)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Sokkia's SRX is a fully-robotic, fully-tracking and auto-pointing total station, with on-demand target reacquisition. With the latest technology, single-operator measuring is quick and accurate. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RED-tech EX...

Topcon.(informationshowcase)
December 1, 2006... How do you know there's not a better program that is much easier to use and more powerful than your current software? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TopSURV 6.04 will help you work faster and provide your data in ways that open new...

Trimble.(informationshowcase)
December 1, 2006... Trimble 5600 DR Total Station with the Latest in Trimble Controller Technology The Trimble 5600 total station takes the work out of conventional land surveying. The Trimble 5600, with its servo, autolock and robotic capabilities, enables...

Surveying solutions.(funandgames)
December 1, 2006... Each month we present a surveying problem from the second edition of 1001 Solved Surveying Fundamentals Problems by Jan Van Sickle, PLS. As in the following example, the answer will appear below the problem, in a shaded box. We hope you enjoy...

Vintage ads.(funandgames)
December 1, 2006... Courtesy of The Museum of Surveying. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]