Point of Beginning articles from January 2007

Point of Beginning archives from January 2007

Realistic approaches. It's January, so like most magazine editors, my topic this month will be on resolutions for the new year. I do, however, realize that most of us won't a.) make them; or b.) fulfill them.(editor'spoints)
January 1, 2007... We all have great intentions to commit to solving problems, attacking challenges and improving ourselves in various ways. But what are the chances that our goals on paper or in mind will pan out? Let's be realistic. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Traversing the law October 2006.(letters)
January 1, 2007... I just read your interesting article in POB. There's one little tidbit you might be interested in. There may have been many center quarter corners set at midpoint on the east-west section center line. The 1856 Instructions to Deputy Surveyors...

Worldwide events showcase eighth annual GIS Day. On Nov. 15,2006, more than 84 countries participated in events to commemorate the eighth annual GIS Day.(newsline)
January 1, 2007... As part of the National Geographic Society's Geography Awareness Week, GIS Day offers GIS users an opportunity to inform people about the applications of geographic information system technology in an international forum. For the seventh...

Calendar of events.(surveying equipment companies)(Calendar)
January 1, 2007... JANUARY 16-21 VAS 59th Annual Convention Virginia Association of Surveyors Inc. Williamsburg, Va. 804/262-1351 www.vasurveyors.org/events 17-19 ISPLS...

Trimble Dimensions 2006: Trimble develops the connected site at user conference.(Trimble Construction and Engineering)(Conference news)
January 1, 2007... The Mirage hotel in Las Vegas set the stage for members of the surveying, construction and engineering professions to come together at Trimble Dimensions 2006. With an increase in attendance of 60 percent from last year, more than 2,000...

AU at 14: agents of change; a recap of the 14th annual Autodesk University user conference.(Conference news)
January 1, 2007... The 14th annual Autodesk University (AU) user conference returned to Las Vegas from Nov. 26 to Dec. 1, 2006, and was themed around the concept of "Agents of Change." The event was hosted at the Venetian Hotel Resort and Casino, and attendance...

Positioning your future: perspectives for a successful year ahead.
January 1, 2007... With the start of another new year, numerous surveyors resolve to improve their businesses and professional stature. At the same time, some things indicative of the surveyor will not change. Surveyors will always be "basically honest people...

Z-Max.Net by Magellan: a surveying system configured for a variety of conditions.(Z-Max.Net surveying system)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... In his latest novel "Thirteen Moons," Charles Frazier writes about the tools and farm implements of the early 19th century being "so simple their names rarely contained more than three or four letters. Plow, axe, hoe, adze, froe, maul." ...

A way to grow: surveyors weigh in on machine control as a new business opportunity.
January 1, 2007... Machine guidance and control technology continues to be a topic of great debate among land surveyors; some view its advent as an opportunity, some as a threat. The pocket of progressive surveyors who have used the technology report productivity...

Berntsen: Berntsen continues mission to help surveyors make their mark on the world.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... Berntsen International Inc. made several large-scale contributions to surveyors in 2006 in alignment with its mission to help surveyors make their mark on the world. The company produced an important new book on surveying and survey monuments,...

CNA and V.O. Schinnerer & Company: surveying the landscape for the long term.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... You're not in the liability business--you're in the surveying business. This is exactly why you should consider the Professional Liability Program for Land Surveyors from Schinnerer and CNA. We offer an integrated and comprehensive policy that...

GeoShack.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... Total Solutions GeoShack is one of the largest survey instrument and GPS distributors in the United States and Canada serving the survey, construction and agriculture markets. We provide our customers with a "total solution" of quality...

Hayes Instrument Company.(2007 editorial spotlight)(Company overview)
January 1, 2007... Truly an American success story, Hayes Instrument Company has grown over the past 30 years from a traveling salesman to one of the largest, most respected dealers of survey products in the industry. Working out of his garage and pickup truck,...

Leica Geosystems: Leica Geosystems showcases machine automation technology at Open House.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... Leica Geosystems' second annual Machine Automation Open House took place Oct. 17-18, 2006 on a farm outside Kansas City, Kan. More than 80 customers and dealers attended. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Through a partnership with the local John...

Leica Geosystems HDS: Leica Geosystems announces next-generation ultra high-speed laser scanner.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... Leica Geosystems has announced the introduction of the new Leica HDS6000, an ultra high-speed phase-based laser scanner featuring major "next-generation" advances that increase versatility, portability and productivity of laser scanning for...

Magellan.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... Magellan is leading the integration of GPS survey and GIS technologies with the recent introduction of its ProMark 3, the first GPS survey solution in the industry to offer both centimeter accuracy in post-processing and GIS capabilities in one...

Measurement Devices Ltd. (MDL): LaserAce 300--going the distance for fast accurate measurement.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... FAST, accurate distance measurement is crucial to a growing number of commercial activities that support the rigorous demands of 21st century commerce. Manual technologies and paper records are now superseded by sophisticated, easy-to-use...

Precision surveying solutions.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... Genesis Precision Surveying Solutions was founded in 2006 and is owned solely by surveyors and engineers. John Evers, like most surveyors, was disappointed when the HP48GX went out of production. When he heard that no company was...

Riegl USA.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... The terrestrial laser scanner system RIEGL LMS-Z390 consists of a highly accurate and fast 3D scanner, associated operating and processing software RiScan PRO, and a calibrated and definitely orientated Nikon or Canon high-resolution digital...

Schonstedt: Schonstedt breaks new ground in 2006.(2007 editorial spotlight)(Schonstedt Instrument Co.)
January 1, 2007... Schonstedt Instruments Company Inc. of Kearneysville, W.Va., has been the acknowledged leader in underground locating for several decades, but the company is not resting on its market share laurels. In 2006, Schonstedt not only hit record...

Silver Shield: do we measure up to the expectations of our raving fans? You be the judge ...(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... There are few products that enjoy the fanatic customer loyalty of Mercedes Benz, Harley-Davidson... or Silver Shield. Today, the company counts hundreds of thousands of end users in its ranks of raving fans. More than 90 percent of the people...

Sokkia Corporation: rugged, reliable and innovative.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... Sokkia provides turn-key solutions for surveyors worldwide. For more than 85 years, Sokkia's complete line of surveying instruments, GPS products and accessories have provided its customers with quality found nowhere else. Sokkia backs its...

Subsurface Instruments Inc.; SubSurface Instruments' outstanding performance and service: lifetime warranty on the "ML & PPML" magnetic locators, three-year warranty on pipe & cable locators, and five-year warranty on water leak detectors.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... SubSurface Instruments "FIRSTS": * FIRST to introduce a LIFETIME WARRANTY on magnetic locators in early 2003, which we made retroactive to the first units of 1998... unprecedented! It doesn't matter WHAT a company's warranty claims are if...

Summit Commercial Finance: how to evaluate your leasing company for your business to succeed.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... You need the right tool for the job. Without the right equipment your business is ineffective and unable to successfully compete with your competition. So how do you choose a leasing company? The following four questions will help you evaluate...

Thacker HercuLoc.(2007 editorial spotlight)(Thacker Manufacturing, Inc)
January 1, 2007... "I saw your ad in POB, but had no idea the HercuLoc was built like this." This is a quote from a surveyor, and we hear it often. The HercuLoc Secure Bed Cover is unlike anything you have ever seen on the bed of a pickup. While...

Topcon: GR-3 GNSS receiver changes the face of the industry.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... Topcon Positioning System's GR-3 GNSS receiver is: (pick one) A) Revolutionary B) One of a kind C) Leader of the pack If you picked A, B or C--you are correct! The world's first all-inclusive RTK GNSS receiver for all...

Trimble; let the games begin: Trimble introduces the Trimble Survey Team Loyalty Program.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... Do you use Trimble surveying solutions? Do you want to learn more about them? Do you want to come into contact with other dedicated Trimble surveyors and network with industry peers? If so, the Trimble Survey Team wants you! [ILLUSTRATION...

Tripod Data Systems: TDS celebrates 20 years.(2007 editorial spotlight)(Tripod Data Systems)(Company overview)
January 1, 2007... As TDS celebrates 20 years in business, here's a look back at TDS, pop culture and sports history. 1987 * Tripod Data Systems established in Corvallis, Ore. * Indianapolis 500: Al Unser Sr. fourth time victory * First-class...

Allen Precision; ARTNet: the experts in total networking solutions!(2007 editorial spotlight)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... * Improve Productivity * Improve Efficiency * Reduce Errors * Reduce Cost Allen Precision's success results from taking time listening to customers' needs and realizing that the sale is only the beginning of the relationship....

Carlson Software.(2007 editorial spotlight)
January 1, 2007... Scheduled for release in early 2007, Carlson SurvCE Version 2.0 has a new look and feel! Carlson SurvCE 2.0 can now compute volumes between two surfaces, one surface and an elevation or simple stockpile volumes. Surfaces can be defined by...

Mistakes and errors from the field, Part III. Two years ago, I wrote an article on mistakes and errors from the field and vowed to write follow-up articles on the subject. This is the third article in my series. The first article (POB February 2005) discussed mistakes and errors that occur in communicating, distance measuring, angle turning and leveling.(backtobasics)(Column)
January 1, 2007... The second article (POB January 2006) discussed a few common mistakes and errors that occur when using lasers or GPS, or when calibrating equipment. In this article, I will focus on mistakes and errors related specifically to the prism pole....

It's all about understanding. Everybody knows that when you take on a task, particularly a task in your line of work, you should understand what you are attempting to do. We gain much of this understanding through education.(thegpsobserver)
January 1, 2007... Although the background material that I present at first glance might give the impression that this is not an article on surveying, bear with me. This is an interesting topic, and it is of vital importance to the profession. [ILLUSTRATION...

Adjudication of boundaries. This month we are going to take a slight detour from the ordinary fare to provide a point of clarification requested by a reader.(traversingthelaw)
January 1, 2007... The reader's question has several different aspects to it but it all boils down to the same issue, and that is whether I am advocating the position that the land surveyor should recognize boundaries that have, as he noted, "transitioned from...

National readjustment of NAD83. The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) is responsible for the maintenance of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS). One of the NGS goals under the NSRS is to maintain a network of control stations that is suitable in terms of accuracy for all the work that professional surveyors do.(fromthegroundup)
January 1, 2007... Perhaps this is something that is easy to take for granted, but it is critically important in our profession. Significant changes have taken place over the last 20 years that have driven the demand for accuracy substantially higher. Better...

Meridian Project Systems Inc.(turningpoints)
January 1, 2007... TRIMBLE, Sunnyvale, Calif., acquired Meridian Project Systems Inc. of Folsom, Calif. Meridian Systems provides enterprise project management and lifecycle software for optimizing the plan, build and operate lifecycle for real estate,...

XYZ Solutions Inc.(turningpoints)
January 1, 2007... Additionally, TRIMBLE acquired XYZ Solutions Inc. of Alpharetta, Ga. XYZ Solutions provides real-time, interactive 3D intelligence software to manage the spatial aspects of a construction project. XYZ Solutions will be reported within Trimble's...

Tripod Data Systems (TDS).(turningpoints)
January 1, 2007... TRIPOD DATA SYSTEMS (TDS), Corvallis, Ore., announced the distribution of Pacific Crest Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS radio kits, accessories and replacement parts. Pacific Crest products are available through the TDS dealer network in the...

Cuoco & Cormier Engineering Associates Inc.(turningpoints)
January 1, 2007... CUOCO & CORMIER ENGINEERING ASSOCIATES INC., Nashua, N.H., promoted Dennis C. Pollock to vice president of operations. Pollock is responsible for all company operations and client services and works closely with President Robert Cormier....

Airborne 1 Corporation.(turningpoints)
January 1, 2007... AIRBORNE 1 CORPORATION, El Segundo, Calif., named Ted Lanes as the new CFO. Lanes has 10 years of CFO experience in both the private and public sector.

James W. Sewall Company.(turningpoints)
January 1, 2007... JAMES W. SEWALL COMPANY, Old Town, Maine, announced that Rick Martens joined the firm as GIS project manager. Martens has more than eight years of technical and managerial experience on GIS consulting and data conversion projects for municipal...

The Board of the Kansas Society of Land Surveyors.(turningpoints)
January 1, 2007... THE BOARD OF THE KANSAS SOCIETY OF LAND SURVEYORS presented the Land Surveying Excellence Award to Murray Rhodes of BHC RHODES civil engineering and surveying firm. Rhodes has shown leadership on the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions...

V3 Companies of Illinois Ltd.(turningpoints)
January 1, 2007... George Vukelich joined V3 COMPANIES OF ILLINOIS LTD., Woodridge, Ill., as vice president and director of business development. Vukelich has more than 17 years of experience in the transportation industry. Prior to joining V3, Vukelich led a...

PBS & J.(turningpoints)
January 1, 2007... Major General L. Dean Fox, USAF (ret.) joined PBS & J, Orlando, Fla., as senior vice president and national business sector manager for the firm's Federal Strategic Programs Division in its National Facilities Practice. Gen. Fox served as Air...

Allen Precision Equipment.(turningpoints)(ALLEN PRECISION EQUIPMENT)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... ALLEN PRECISION EQUIPMENT, Duluth, Ga., appointed Wendy Watson as vice president of networking solutions to head the GNSS Reference Network business, ARTNet LLC. Watson has more than 20 years of experience in GPS development and manufacturing...

Seco Manufacturing Company Inc.(new & notable)
January 1, 2007... SECO MANUFACTURING COMPANY INC. introduced an NGS-approved stainless steel monument adapter. The adjustable tilt monument adapter has a 3.20-in diameter and an overall height of 3.036 in. It includes a removable brass 5/8-11 male stud that is...

Seco.(new & notable)(Quick-Release Prism Pole Bipod)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Also, SECO introduced the Quick-Release Prism Pole Bipod. The new bipod features quick-release handles to drive the leg points into the ground and level the circular vial on the pole. It contains one clamp head with a stainless steel clamp...

Traverse PC Inc.(new & notable)
January 1, 2007... TRAVERSE PC INC. released TPC Desktop V9.5. V9.5 adds support for AutoCAD 2007, Microsoft NET 2005, Pacsoft, DCA R10 and Magellan Z-Max. It includes spell check, slope analysis, ALTA/ACSM 2005 Minimum Standards and plat checking. The plat...

CSI's Hemisphere GPS Division.(new & notable)
January 1, 2007... CSI'S HEMISPHERE GPS DIVISION introduced the Crescent R100 Series DGPS Receiver. The R100 Series features a 12 channel L1 GPS receiver with code and phase measurements; reliable DGPS positioning under 60 cm with an output rate of up to 20 times...

Prosurv LLC.(new & notable)
January 1, 2007... PROSURV LLC released Pocket Quads U.S. Regional and State Editions, with topographic maps for an entire region or state pre-loaded on 4GB SD cards. Pocket Quads U.S. Regional Editions are available as Western, Central or Eastern United States...

Intergraph Corporation.(new & notable)
January 1, 2007... INTERGRAPH CORPORATION announced ImageStation PixelQue, featuring finishing tools needed in orthophoto production for image inspection, quality control, image enhancement and image editing. By delivering these tools within a single application,...

PCI Geomatics and Ambercore Software Inc.(new & notable)
January 1, 2007... PCI GEOMATICS and AMBERCORE SOFTWARE INC. announced Geomatica LidarEngine, a high performance data management, analysis and visualization tool for LiDAR data. Geomatica LidarEngine features easy-to-use workflows and algorithms that can process...

Faro Technologies Inc.(new & notable)
January 1, 2007... FARO TECHNOLOGIES INC. released version 4.0 of its 3D laser scanning software packages for FARO Scene, FARO Scout, FARO Scout LT and FARO Record. The software packages are used for viewing, administrating, calibrating, filtering and managing...

Optech Incorporated.(new & notable)
January 1, 2007... OPTECH INCORPORATED released DASHMap, the latest data processing software development for Optech's Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper (ALTM) product line. DASHMap features an accelerated data acquisition-to-processing ratio, a simplified user...

Bentley Systems Incorporated.(new & notable)(Bentley OnSite introduced)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... BENTLEY SYSTEMS INCORPORATED released Bentley OnSite, its latest stakeout and inspection solution. Bentley OnSite empowers field crews to: do away with reverse-engineering in the office; directly access the right information in the field; keep...

Terrago Technologies.(new & notable)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... TERRAGO TECHNOLOGIES released MAP2PDF for GeoTIFF. MAP2PDF allows users to convert GeoTIFF files directly to GeoPDF files. GeoPDF files are then viewable with Adobe Reader and include enhanced mapping functionality. MAP2PDF optimizes the GeoPDF...

Surveying solutions.(funandgames)
January 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)
January 1, 2007... Courtesy of The Museum of Surveying. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]