Point of Beginning articles from February 2008

Point of Beginning archives from February 2008

Conference coordination.(editor'spoints)
February 1, 2008... When I get to my computer and phone in the morning, my objective for the day is to meet POB's mission to provide superior information for surveying and mapping professionals to succeed in business. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At trade...

Monitoring the Mighty Mac: December 2007.(letters)
February 1, 2008... Editor's Note: Our December issue story on monitoring Michigan's Mackinac Bridge resulted in numerous letters to our office; readers enjoyed reading about the public-private partnerships that were coordinated to complete the complicated task of...

November 2007.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... I would like to respond to a couple of statements made by Mike Perreault in his letter in the November 2007 issue of POB. Mike cites the college degree required by some states as ing su b li p e as a major reason the profession is lacking the...

NOAA leads international effort to ensure GNSS accuracy.(newsline)
February 1, 2008... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is leading an international effort to pinpoint the locations of more than 40 global positioning satellites in Earth orbit. According to Casey Brennan, program analyst for NOAA's...

GISCI creates mentoring program.(newsline)
February 1, 2008... The GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) created a first-of-its-kind mentoring program to link students and young professionals with the more than 1,850 certified GIS professionals (GISPs). The program supports GISCI's mission to promote the GIS...

Optech partners with Google Lunar X PRIZE team.(newsline)
February 1, 2008... Last December, Optech Incorporated became a corporate partner with private commercial lunar enterprise Odyssey Moon Limited, the first official team of the Google Lunar X PRIZE competition. According to www.googlelunarxprize.org, the Google...

Trimble acquires Crain Enterprises Inc.(newsline)
February 1, 2008... On Jan. 10, 2008, Trimble announced that it acquired privately held Crain Enterprises Inc. of Mound City, Ill., in an all-cash transaction. Founded in 1945, Crain manufactures accessories for the geomatics, surveying, mapping and construction...

Calendar of events.(Calendar)
February 1, 2008... FEBRUARY 6-8 59th Annual Surveyors Institute Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors Wisconsin Dells, Wis. * 262/549-1533 hscwsls@aol.com * www.wsls.org 6-8 ...

Scanning on all levels: a surveying and environmental firm's inventory containing three 3D laser scanners creates a variety of project opportunities.
February 1, 2008... Tucson, Ariz.-based Darling Environmental and Surveying Ltd. (Darling) started out as many small businesses do: a venture of two professionals pursuing their careers, combining their skills and opening an office together. For Richard and Mary...

Points of light: a discussion about the LiDAR production process.
February 1, 2008... Many agree that aerial LiDAR is accepted as the most efficient and cost-effective means to create accurate digital elevation and terrain data. It has become the standard for flood mapping and many other applications requiring fast, accurate,...

[Positioned for success]: Western New York firm soars on airport expansion project with the help of GPS.
February 1, 2008... Greg Maziarz did not need to be convinced about the benefits GPS could have on his company. As chief surveyor for West Seneca, N.Y.-based UCC Constructors Inc. (UCC), he says his experience with a previous employer opened his eyes to GPS-based...

Directly invested: a direct-mail campaign helps an Ohio firm increase client awareness of its surveying capabilities.
February 1, 2008... Surveyors are involved in many different aspects of the built environment. They serve a wide variety of clients, from residential and commercial developers, landowners and attorneys to architects, engineers and public agencies. Keeping in touch...

GIS: Get Involved Surveyors! An analytical perspective on surveyors and GIS activities across the nation.
February 1, 2008... Many surveyors ask why they should get involved in GIS matters. Across the country, state and local government entities use Geographic Information Systems to hold inventory of land parcels, transportation networks and environmentally sensitive...

Company planning for the future, part 3.(thebusinessside)
February 1, 2008... After taking a break from this series of columns to bring you a special article on "Managing in Hard Times" in the December 2007 issue, we are returning to my four-part series on company planning. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The first...

LiDAR and photogrammetry.(fromthegroundup)
February 1, 2008... Not too long ago, a professional land surveyor whom I respect posed a very interesting question centering on the relationship between LiDAR and traditional photogrammetry: will LiDAR ever eliminate the need for aerial photography? The question...

Common mistakes of the surveyor.(traversingthelaw)
February 1, 2008... As I read through cases involving surveyors, I see common themes repeated over and over again that result in mistakes on the part of the surveyor. Some of these mistakes are systemic and a result of the way we go about the process of surveying....

National Museum of Surveying.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... The NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SURVEYING, Springfield, Ill., selected William Snyder as director. Snyder comes from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history and architecture from the...

Crain Enterprises Inc.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... TRIMBLE, Sunnyvale, Calif., acquired privately held CRAIN ENTERPRISES INC., Mound City, Ill., in an all-cash transaction. Crain is a leading manufacturer of accessories for the geomatics, surveying, mapping and construction industries. Steve...

Allen Precision Equipment (APE).(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... ALLEN PRECISION EQUIPMENT (APE), Atlanta, announced the appointment of Tracy Foran to outside sales manager. Foran has been with APE for six years as both an inside and outside sales representative. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Associate...

Optech Incorporated.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... OPTECH INCORPORATED, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, appointed Glenn Farrington as general manager of Airborne Survey Products. Farrington holds a M.Sc. from York University and has been with Optech for nine years in a variety of roles within the...

Woolpert Inc.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... WOOLPERT INC., Orlando, acquired ROCKETT & ASSOCIATES (formerly Blount Sikes & Associates), a civil engineering and surveying firm located in Winter Park, Fla. Associate editor Wendy Lyons compiles "Turning Points." Contact her at...

Woolpert.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... Also, WOOLPERT hired John L. Parker as a photogrammetry project manager in the firm's Denver office. Parker is primarily responsible for planning, monitoring and reporting specific projects. Parker joins Woolpert with 25 years of...

Woolpert.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... Additionally, WOOLPERT hired Kirk McClurkin, GISP, PLS-GISS, as an enterprise information management project director in the firm's Portsmouth office. McClurkin joins Woolpert with more than 18 years of experience in enterprise asset...

Pennoni Associates.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... PENNONI ASSOCIATES announced that Jeffrey A. Horneman, PLS, joined its Pittsburgh Civil/Site/Landscape Architecture Division as senior surveyor. Horneman works on land surveying, cartography, and real estate planning and consulting throughout...

Burgess & Niple Inc.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... BURGESS & NIPLE INC., Richmond, Va., acquired FOSTER & MILLER, P.C., an engineering and surveying firm also located in Richmond. F&M President Alvin Mistr became director and vice president of B&N's Richmond office. Associate editor Wendy...

Giffels-Webster Engineers.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... The board of directors of GIFFELS-WEBSTER ENGINEERS, Rochester, Mich., selected Loren Crandell as president and CEO. Crandell oversees the day-to-day management of GWE. He succeeds Keith Mayer, who remains with the firm as a principal and...

Spot Image Corp.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... Rodney Cope was named director of federal and civilian services for SPOT IMAGE CORP., Chantilly, Va. Cope is responsible for all federal and civilian accounts in the United States. Associate editor Wendy Lyons compiles "Turning Points."...

Bay Design Group.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... BAY DESIGN GROUP, Montpelier, Va., hired W. Ben Burton, PE, as senior engineer working out of the Northern Neck office in White Stone, Va., and Aaron C. Bowman, EIT, who works in the Middle Peninsula office in Gloucester, Va. Burton handles...

Outermost Land Survey Inc.(turningpoints)
February 1, 2008... OUTERMOST LAND SURVEY INC. relocated its office to 3904 Main St., Brewster, Mass. Associate editor Wendy Lyons compiles "Turning Points." Contact her at lyonsw@bnpmedia.com or 248/786-1620.

The National Spatial Reference System of 2007.(thegpsobserver)
February 1, 2008... As many readers know, the horizontal control stations in the NAD 83 system were readjusted and the results published in February 2007. It's a national readjustment; all readjustment stations are in the same coordinate system. The state...

Berntsen International Inc.(new&notable)
February 1, 2008... BERNTSEN INTERNATIONAL INC. introduced the Rothbucher System line of permanent precision survey markers. Rothbucher survey markers and control points are made of tough, UV-resistant materials and are intended for long-term, highly precise...

Carlson Software.(new&notable)
February 1, 2008... CARLSON SOFTWARE released CG-Survey 9 and CG-Survey 18. New features include VISTA and AutoCAD 2008 compatibility, deed reader, point manager, all new lot labeling routines, shrinkwrap, enhanced CG symbol editor and new polyline tools. In...

Topcon Positioning Systems.(new&notable)
February 1, 2008... TOPCON POSITIONING SYSTEMS announced a new internal CDMA cellular modem option for the GR-3 family of receivers. The CDMA option allows the use of signals from Verizon and Sprint. The new receiver kits are available with single- and dual-mode...

ESRI.(new&notable)
February 1, 2008... ESRI released ArcGIS Explorer 440. ArcGIS Explorer 440 includes more ways to customize maps, efficient methods of communicating information about features on custom maps and instantaneous navigation to target areas around the globe. Users can...

ESRI.(new&notable)
February 1, 2008... Also, ESRI enhanced the ArcGIS Explorer Resource Center where users can find content such as maps and layers. Two new tabs have been added to the Content section to make it easier to find results and tasks. The Community Showcase has been...

QCoherent Software.(new&notable)
February 1, 2008... QCOHERENT SOFTWARE released LP360 v1.5.1 and LP360 Classify v1.5.1. LP360 v1.5.1 provides ESRI ArcGIS users the ability to leverage enormous LiDAR point cloud data sets. New features in LP360 v1.5.1 include: accelerated export and conflation...

Allen Precision Equipment.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... Allen Precision Equipment was founded on the principle of enjoying an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. One of the benefits we've experienced from working this way is the wonderful relationships we have formed over the years with...

Easy Drive's RTK network.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... Now, Easy Drive's RTK network is central Texas' first and only Leica wide-area, high-accuracy, real-time GPS reference station network. Perform centimeter-accurate RTK surveys with one rover, eliminating a base station. Regardless of equipment...

Leica Geosystems.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... Leica Geosystems would like to introduce the newest member of the System 1200 family, TPS 1200+. With this new family member, Leica Geosystems has doubled the EDM accuracy, replaced the CCD camera with a CMOS sensor and extended the...

Berntsen survey products.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... Online Customization is our Specialty Customize all your rebar caps, concrete markers and washers on our website for what is the most secure, customer-friendly online shopping experience in the industry. Our 2008 catalog is now available...

Krylon.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... Krylon[R] Industrial Quik-Mark[TM] Inverted Marking Paints & Chalks Available with Glove Grip[TM] for Easy Application Krylon Products Group's comprehensive program of Krylon[R] Industrial Quik-Mark[TM] inverted marking paints and chalks...

Riegl.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... The 6 km Riegl Laser Profile Measuring System LPM-321 provides unprecedented flexibility for 3D long range profiling. The distance meter comprises state-of-the-art digital signal processing and echo waveform analysis, enabling precise distance...

SOKKIA.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... With the push of a button, the SOKKIA Mobile Reference Station supplies instant RTK support for field crews within its 5000 [km.sup.2] coverage area. With no electrical/internet hookups required, the Mobile Reference Station can be setup...

TDS.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... Spectra Precision FOCUS 10 is a series of servomotor-driven, reflectorless total stations allowing you to measure objects with or without a prism, increasing efficiency. The Robotic choice provides wireless communication between the rod and the...

Trimble[R] S8[TM] Total Station.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... The Trimble[R] S8 Total Station is Trimble's most advanced Autolock and Robotic total station. It's designed to deliver unsurpassed performance and productivity in land surveying and specialized engineering applications, such as monitoring and...

SOUTH.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... With the keen dedication in R&D in recent years, SOUTH enjoys the latest advancements such as improved GPS products, Reflectorless Total Station and laser instruments to add more new items to the product range. The No. 1 manufacturer of...

Topcon Positioning Systems.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... Topcon GR-3 now with CDMA cellular modem option A new internal CDMA cellular modem option for the GR-3 family of receivers has been announced by Topcon Positioning Systems. The CDMA option allows the use of signals from Verizon and Sprint,...

Magellan.(informationSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2008... Magellan is a leader in the consumer, survey and GIS, GNSS navigation and positioning markets. New 2008 product range for Survey & Construction will be showcased in March, for the 1st time, at ConExpo - Las Vegas. Discover there a full range of...

Surveying solutions.(funandgames)(Reprint)
February 1, 2008... 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...