Point of Beginning articles from February 2007

Point of Beginning archives from February 2007

The environmental surveyor. As surveyors, I presume that most of you are lovers of the land. As such, I assume that many of you are also environmentally conscious.(editor'spoints)
February 1, 2007... These traits have a direct correlation to the effect of the surveying practice on our land. In other words, what you do during your daily field practice either protects or endangers the land on which you work. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

The GPS observer: November 2006.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... Dr. Reilly: Thank you for the clear explanation of the difference between the NAD 83 and WGS84. I was having a hard time hearing these two datums used interchangeably. I'm glad your discussion came along. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Combating survey equipment theft: November 2006.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... We in the Chicago area have joined the ranks of surveyors being assaulted/robbed in conjunction with equipment thefts. One surveyor was run down by thieves while trying to stop a theft, leaving him in critical condition. The next day, a church...

The business side: December 2006.(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... Thanks so much for another insightful article on, what should be, a basic premise of land surveying. When I have gotten wrapped up in issues of precision of found monuments, I listen to the echo of a mentor's words: "Remember, a measurement is...

GNSS updates: GPS a new Lockheed Martin modernized global positioning system Block IIR-M satellite launched on Nov. 20, 2006 and was declared fully operational by the U.S. Air Force on Dec. 20, 2006.(newsline)
February 1, 2007... The satellite, called GPS IIR-16M, joins two other modernized Block IIR-M spacecrafts. A fourth Block IIR-M is at Cape Canaveral to support a future launch this year. GLONASS On Dec. 25, 2006, Russia launched three GLONASS-M model...

Calendarofevents.(Table)(Calendar)
February 1, 2007... FEBRUARY 1-2 NCSS 43rd Annual Convention North Carolina Society of Surveyors Myrtle Beach, S.C. www.ncsurveyors.com 6-10 ISPLS Annual Conference Idaho...

The common denominator: a prospering Florida contractor credits advanced technology for improving its reputation andextending its client list.
February 1, 2007... Development in the central-most part of Florida has been anything but stifled in recent years. The city of Ocala has been labeled as one of America's five "Best Places to Live" by Money magazine because of its mild three-season climate, scenic...

A more valuable point: Allen Nobles and associates prepares for the future of survey with civil information modeling.
February 1, 2007... Technology has always played a pivotal role in shaping the way surveying professionals collect, plot and present survey data. Recent convergence in survey and civil design software applications is enabling surveying and engineering...

The first handshake: how a Northern Ohio firm has enhanced business with a winning brochure.(KS Associates )(Company overview)
February 1, 2007... Try searching the Internet for the words "Marketing Professional Surveying" and see what you find. Chances are you will receive few, if any, results that lead to helpful information. Little has been written about marketing practices specific to...

The Quiet Boundary: dedicated voluntary committee continues search to re-establish Indiana-Michigan border.
February 1, 2007... Nearly 180 years after U.S. Deputy Surveyor Eleazer P. Kendrick placed mile post monuments on the Indiana-Michigan border, surveyors from both states are busily searching for the historic mile posts. Their investigations, done almost...

A stream of change: a review of the 2007 revisions now in effect for the FEMA Elevation Certificate.
February 1, 2007... The magnitude of flood damage from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (among others), as well as the sheer number of flood-prone buildings and flood insurance policies across the United States, are indicative of the great importance of floodplain...

Web-exclusive total station survey and advanced technologies: POB rolls out its total station survey in a searchable, user-friendly online format; manufacturers present advanced technologies offerings.
February 1, 2007... Total stations continue to be the most important component of the tools used by surveyors today. The demise of the total station that some predicted when GPS (and particularly RTK GPS) was first introduced, has not happened. If anything, total...

FOIF.(Advanced Total Station Technologies)
February 1, 2007... FOIF introduced a new total station that offers time-saving advantages to surveying and construction professionals. The new OTS6800 Series, featuring a 32-bit CPU, maximizes the speed and precision of distance measurement. Accuracy is [+ or -]...

Laser Technology Inc.(Advanced Total Station Technologies)
February 1, 2007... Laser Technology Inc. (LTI) manufactures and markets proprietary laser-based measuring instruments and a complete line of mapping accessories. LTI products are renowned for their compact and lightweight design as well as their long-range...

Leica Geosystems.(Advanced Total Station Technologies)
February 1, 2007... Leica SmartPole The SmartPole is the latest addition to the Leica System 1200 product family. It saves time in both the office and field. It is no longer necessary to first measure orientation points and only then detail points. Simply...

Nikon.(Advanced Total Station Technologies)
February 1, 2007... Nikon total stations deliver a versatile, easy-to-use platform. With 10 different instruments, all series offer both prism and prismless options. The 302 Series total stations have the longest battery life in the industry and are IPX6...

PENTAX.(Advanced Total Station Technologies)
February 1, 2007... Two new series of Pentax total stations will debut this year: the R-300DNX and R-800. The R-300DNX models have a built-in digital image camera and reflectorless, sheet and prism measuring. Angle accuracies are 2-, 3- and 5- inches. Internal...

Sokkia.(Advanced Total Station Technologies)
February 1, 2007... Sokkia's Cutting-Edge Wireless and Cable-Free Robotics Sokkia's Fully Tracking SRX featuring Bluetooth Wireless Technology and RED-tech EX The SRX is a fully robotic, fully tracking and auto-pointing robotic total station with...

SOUTH.(South Surveying & Mapping Instrument Co. Ltd)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... With years of keen dedication, South Surveying & Mapping Instrument Co. Ltd. has been ranked among top manufacturers in this field and become a widely recognizable brand name at China's national level. South Surveying Instrument Inc., the...

Spectra Precision.(Advanced Total Station Technologies)
February 1, 2007... The Spectra Precision FOCUS 10 series features servomotor-driven, reflectorless total stations that allow users to measure objects with or without a prism. Not only are four-speed servomotors easy to use, they also control horizontal and...

Topcon.(Advanced Total Station Technologies)
February 1, 2007... Smaller--Lighter--Faster--Longer. The Topcon GPT-9000 series of robotic total station is the latest, most advanced system on the market today that boasts a new modern design, faster motors, 2,000 m reflectorless range, and new X-TRAC prism...

Trimble.(Advanced Total Station Technologies)
February 1, 2007... The Trimble S6 Total Station features innovative technologies--MagDrive servo technology, MultiTrack technology and SurePoint accuracy assurance--that provide unequalled advantages to surveyors. Based on the principles of a magnetic drive,...

Spring planting. I know most POB readers are in the throes of winter. But as always, spring is not far away. Many farmers take the winter months to plan for the spring thaw, deciding on the types of crops to plant for a better harvest next fall.(thebusinessside)
February 1, 2007... The colonial surveyors did much the same thing. While waiting for the spring thaw, they made plans for the surveys they needed to complete in the coming spring, summer and fall. So this winter, when the phone is not ringing off the hook and...

Surveyors as trailblazers. In the history of the United States, there are many people who may be described as both surveyors and trailblazers.(professionaltopography)
February 1, 2007... They opened up new territories (or made it possible for them to be opened), identified new key political boundaries and settled disputes by redetermining the position of previously agreed-upon boundaries. Perhaps we forget today that, as...

Expert witness testimony. We're going to take a turn in our "traverse of the law" and deflect from boundaries and boundary law, which we have been exploring for the past year, to head toward the courtroom.(traversingthelaw)
February 1, 2007... It's good for land surveyors to be sued because it creates valuable lessons for the profession as a whole (although it is not good if you are the individual land surveyor being sued). It's much easier learning hard lessons from the mistakes of...

Basic coverage considerations. Accuracy is a watchword in the surveying profession. In this column, I will provide information to aid you in accurately purchasing and/or pursuing insurance for your surveying firm.(insuranceforesight)(Column)
February 1, 2007... Unfortunately, in today's society even the best surveyor can find him or herself involved in a lawsuit. Having insurance is one solid way to protect yourself. In my work, the question that arises most frequently--and is asked by those in the...

Wilsonmiller.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2007... WILSONMILLER, Tampa, Fla., appointed Gerald Chill as project manager and H. Tim Hinton as project surveyor to its North Tampa/Pasco office. Chill and Hinton previously worked with the Florida Department of Transportation and have both earned...

Hancock Associates.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2007... HANCOCK ASSOCIATES, Marlborough, Mass., promoted Carlos Frias, PLS, to manager of survey field operations and Mark Siegrist, PLS, to manager of survey office operations. Frias has 21 years of surveying experience and Siegrist has 26 years of...

McMahon Associates Inc.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2007... MCMAHON ASSOCIATES INC., Mechanicsburg, Pa., appointed Jeffrey S. Ebersole, PLS, as chief of survey to its survey department. Ebersole has been involved in land surveying since 1989 and is an active member of the Pennsylvania Society of Land...

Lochrane Engineering.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2007... William R. Dees, PSM, joined LOCHRANE ENGINEERING, Orlando, Fla., as project surveyor for the Survey Division-Gainesville operations. Dees has more than 22 years of experience in municipal and private development projects and is a recognized...

Coleman Engineering Company.(appointment of James Blondheim)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... COLEMAN ENGINEERING COMPANY, Iron Mountain, Mich., announced that James Blondheim joined the firm as a project surveyor in the surveying/engineering department. Blondheim is responsible for topographic surveys, DTMs, level runs, staking right...

Bay Design Group P.C.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2007... BAY DESIGN GROUP P.C., Richmond, Va., named Joe Faudale, PE, as principal. Faudale is responsible for land development projects in the Richmond office. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Schneider Corporation.(turningpoints)(relocation of branch office )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... THE SCHNEIDER CORPORATION, Indianapolis, relocated its Ames, Iowa branch office to Aspen Business Park. The new office is designed as a client services center and features expanded training facilities and an improved layout for future growth....

Digitalglobe.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2007... Steve Milton joined DIGITALGLOBE, Longmont, Colo., as vice president of Software and Systems. Milton leads DigitalGlobe's worldwide development of software systems, supporting the operations and distribution of geospatial content.

The American Association for Geodetic Surveying (AAGS).(turningpoints)
February 1, 2007... THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR GEODETIC SURVEYING (AAGS), honored Gregory A. Helmer, RLS, senior vice president at RBF Consulting of Irvine, Calif., as a fellow of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM). Helmer is a nationally...

Sokkia.(new & notable)(Sokkia Company Ltd. introduced GSR2700 ISX GPS unit)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... SOKKIA announced the GSR2700 ISX GPS unit. The GSR2700 features a fully integrated, triple-frequency, high-performance receiver with GPS plus Russian-based GLONASS satellite tracking capability. The receiver offers 72 universal channels for...

Leica Geosystems.(new and notable)(multiple pulses in air technology, tested)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... LEICA GEOSYSTEMS announced the MPiA (Multiple Pulses in Air) technology, a new patent-pending advanced laser system that measures distances at significantly higher rates than conventional time-of-flight measurement tools. MPiA technology has...

SECO Manufacturing Company Inc.(new & notable)
February 1, 2007... SECO MANUFACTURING COMPANY INC. introduced two new hook brackets that attach to the back of a Ranger 300/500, TSC2 or Recon controller. The bracket allows the controller to be easily attached to an instrument tripod. Each bracket kit includes...

Optech Incorporated.(new & notable)
February 1, 2007... OPTECH INCORPORATED announced that its ALTM Gemini now operates at 167 kHz laser pulse repetition frequency. ALTM Gemini retains all of the performance characteristics of the ALTM 3100EA, but offers a 62 percent increase in data coverage....

Berntsen International Inc.(new & notable)
February 1, 2007... BERNTSEN INTERNATIONAL INC. released a step-by-step instructional video for rod monument installation. The free, self-guided video details how to set the simplest to the most complex rod monuments. In the three-part video, the viewer chooses...

MapMart.(new & notable)
February 1, 2007... MAPMART announced its offering of the ESRI Business Analyst Online reporting and mapping service as part of its mapping and software products. As an ESRI Business Partner, MapMart provides demographic and business reports and maps for informed...

Blue Marble Geographics.(new & notable)
February 1, 2007... BLUE MARBLE GEOGRAPHICS announced that ER MAPPER licensed the GeoCalc 6.3 C++ software developer toolkit to enhance and expand its coordinate system definition and conversion support. GeoCalc 6.3 is the largest commercially available coordinate...

Safe Software.(new & notable)
February 1, 2007... SAFE SOFTWARE announced FME Feature Data Source for AUTODESK Map 3D, MapGuide Enterprise, MapGuide Open Source and MapGuide Studio. FME Feature Data Source gives Autodesk's geospatial product users a connection to dozens of FME-supported...

Sanborn.(new & notable)
February 1, 2007... SANBORN announced the Sanborn GEOBOOK Author software to simplify access to and the distribution of geographic data. The GEOBOOK Author framework provides a flexible, cost-effective solution that makes it easy to publish and distribute...

Oce.(new & notable)
February 1, 2007... OCE announced the new Oce TDS700 large format monochrome printer. The Oce TDS700 is a mid-volume system that quickly prints, copies and scans technical documents. The modular design of the Oce TDS700 contains thousands of different hardware and...

Spal USA.(new & notable)
February 1, 2007... SPAL USA released the WSS Remote Magnetic Alarm Sensor, allowing owners to build a custom security system. The WSS is a radio frequency transmitter that communicates with SPAL USA's AS-80 alarm system. When triggered, it sends a signal to the...

Kubit Gmbh.(PhoToPlan 4.0 launched)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... KUBIT GMBH launched PhoToPlan software version 4.0. PhoToPlan allows the rectification of digital or digitalized photos and scales directly in AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT. The rectification is carried out with reference values that are taken at the...

Allen precision equipment.(informationshowcase)
February 1, 2007... Introducing long-range BlueTooth Technology at a price anyone can afford [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.allenprecision.com * 1-800-241-6223

Seco.(informationshowcase)
February 1, 2007... www.surveying.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Sokkia.(informationshowcase)
February 1, 2007... The GSR2700 ISX is an advanced GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver from SOKKIA that delivers it all. It's fully integrated and features triple-frequency GPS + GLONASS tracking capability, improved RTK performance, seamless VRS...

Trimble.(informationshowcase)
February 1, 2007... The latest Technology & more magazine is available now. Packed with interesting and informative customer stories, articles and news on the latest innovative technologies in surveying, Technology & more is an excellent way to learn how...

Topcon.(informationshowcase)
February 1, 2007... Topcon Positioning Systems' new GTS-900A and GPT-9000A total station series offers the ultimate solution for demanding tasks on the jobsite. Designed as complete robotic systems, the units include Topcon's new FC-200 field controller and RC-3...

Surveying solutions.(surveying)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... 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)
February 1, 2007... Courtesy of The Museum of Surveying. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]