Point of Beginning articles from July 2006

Point of Beginning archives from July 2006

Shining examples.(editor'spoints)(Editorial)
July 1, 2006... With increased concern about the profession's future, many conversations begin and end with gloom, worry and fear. What will the fate of surveying be? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What type of reputation will it have? Who will carry on the...

Editor's note: May 2006.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... I enjoyed your Editor's Points. How true this is. In the 50-plus years that I have been involved with surveying, and since I more or less semi-retired nine years ago, it is surprising how one has to dig out of [one's] mind things [one hasn't]...

The acquisition decision: May 2006.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... The cost/benefit analysis presented for Scenario 1 in the article "The Acquisition Decision" is deeply flawed. In the first place, no explanation is given for the unlikely decision to use straight-line depreciation in the cash-purchase...

Point of view: May 2006.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... I read your article on POB Online. Great article--could not agree with you more. I am 35, went to college and received my B.S. in surveying. My old boss told me back in 1991 that if I ever wanted to make a decent living in this profession, I...

USGS and NOAA center marks 50 years.(newsline)
July 1, 2006... On May 23, 1956, a research center and observatory opened at Corbin, Va., to continuously monitor the Earth's magnetic field. It was charged by Congress "to enhance geomagnetic field studies and monitoring programs in support of scientific,...

BLM hosts technology open houses.(newsline)
July 1, 2006... On May 2-4, 2006, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) held a series of open houses at the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood, Colo., to teach the public and members of other agencies how to utilize online BLM applications to their fullest...

NGS enhances OPUS with graphic option.(newsline)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) enhanced its Online Positioning User Service (OPUS, available at www.ngs.noaa.gov/OPUS) with an additional graphic option showing recent solutions. OPUS is an NGS service that processes user-submitted GPS data...

Launch date set for GPS IIR-M2 satellite.(newsline)
July 1, 2006... The launch date for the second modernized GPS satellite has been set for Sept. 14, 2006, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The GPS IIR-M2 satellite will be launched by a Boeing Delta 2 rocket. The first modernized GPS satellite...

Calendar of events.(newsline)(Calendar)
July 1, 2006... JULY 12 Leica HDS Seminar Series: Introduction to Leica ScanStation Leica Geosystems Charleston, W.V. 800/367-9453 ext. 1538 www.leica-geosystems.com 15 SAMSOG Annual Meeting Surveyors and...

Finding a niche in wine country: in Northern California, a surveying and mapping firm serves the needs of the local vineyards.
July 1, 2006... Resting within the 1,050,000 acres of Northern California's Sonoma County are 58,665 acres of vineyard lands, home to 191 wineries and more than 1,100 grape growers. One of these passionate grape growers is Ray Carlson, PLS, president and...

Double the power: melding LiDAR and photogrammetric methods provides accurate data sets for small- and large-scale mapping.
July 1, 2006... LiDAR, the technology that determines distance to an object or surface using laser pulses while collecting mass point clouds, has gained in popularity over the years. Clients, however, continue to have concerns about the technique and ask...

Mapping: the surveyor's basic function.(professionaltopography)
July 1, 2006... Are surveyors mappers? Are mappers surveyors? Ask a group of surveying and mapping professionals and you are likely to get a variety of answers, such as: "Heck, mappers aren't surveyors." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "All surveyors make...

Digital sensor applications.(fromthegroundup)
July 1, 2006... My last column ("Digital camera technology," May 2006) focused on the impressive capabilities and explosive growth of today's high-end digital mapping cameras. Without question, digital sensors have and are changing the way imagery is acquired...

How to make a boundary determination that will win in court.(traversingthelaw)
July 1, 2006... This article to intended to be a culmination of the last year's articles on boundary surveys, private property rights, and the surveyor's liabilities and responsibilities with regard to both. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Since the case law...

Dangers of offshore surveying and mapping.(legislativemeasures)
July 1, 2006... When you think of outsourcing geospatial work, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Is it hiring a person or firm in the United States to handle a job that you yourself would normally do? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Or is it sending...

2006-2007 GEO locator.(Cover story)
July 1, 2006... MANUFACTURERS ALPHABETICAL LISTINGS ADVANCED BATTERY SYSTEMS, INC. 516 Bedford St. E. Bridgewater, MA 02333 (508) 378-2284 Fax: (508) 378-2279 www.advanced-battery.com Melissa McCrevan, Sales Batteries and...

Conference 2007.
July 1, 2006... NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) May 6-9 * Washington, D.C. American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) In conjunction with National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS),...

Introducing product information with ease: POB now offers its product surveys in a searchable, user-friendly, regularly updated web format; laser rangefinder survey kicks off rollout.
July 1, 2006... In 2004, POB published an inaugural laser rangefinder product survey in our April issue, complete with the participating manufacturers' specs for their products' aiming/display/measurement and software and advanced measurements features,...

Topcon Positioning Systems.(turningpoints)
July 1, 2006... TOPCON POSITIONING SYSTEMS (TPS), Livermore, Calif., named Barbara McInerney as GIS product marketing manager. McInerney has more than 12 years' experience working in both the public and private sectors of the GIS industry. [ILLUSTRATION...

Surveying and Mapping Inc.(turningpoints)
July 1, 2006... SURVEYING AND MAPPING INC. (SAM INC.), Austin, Texas, announced that Coleen Johnson, RPLS, joined the firm as senior surveyor/project manager in the Austin office. Johnson brings more than 20 years of experience in the surveying field; she is...

The Schneider Corporation.(turningpoints)
July 1, 2006... THE SCHNEIDER CORPORATION, Indianapolis, Ind., acquired JOHN KOHL & COMPANY PC, a 40-year-old land surveying firm based in Nashville, Tenn.

C & S Engineers Inc.(turningpoints)
July 1, 2006... C & S ENGINEERS INC., Syracuse, N.Y., acquired HOLLIS ENGINEERING INC., Orlando, Fla. Hollis Engineering has more than 20 years' experience in land development consulting, site/civil engineering and surveying across Florida and will complement...

Design Professionals Inc.(turningpoints)
July 1, 2006... DESIGN PROFESSIONALS INC., South Windsor, Conn., promoted Galen B. Semprebon, PE, from director of engineering to principal, executive vice president and chief operating officer. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Greenhorne & O'Mara Inc.(turningpoints)(Greenhorne and O'Mara Inc. has appointed Brian L. Wood as division manager of surveys)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... GREENHORNE & O'MARA INC. (G & O), Laurel, Md., appointed Brian L. Wood, PLS, as division manager of surveys. Wood is responsible for coordinating federal surveying work company-wide, and all surveying operations at the headquarters office,...

Leica Geosystems introduced the Leica ScanStation.(new & notable)
July 1, 2006... LEICA GEOSYSTEMS introduced the Leica ScanStation, a laser scanner with total station features, including full field-of view (FOV), survey-grade dual-axis tilt compensation for traversing and resectioning, survey-grade accuracy for each...

Leica Geosystems announced Leica Cyclone v5.5 as companion software for operating the Leica ScanStation.(new & notable)
July 1, 2006... Also, LEICA GEOSYSTEMS announced Leica Cyclone v5.5 as companion software for operating the Leica ScanStation. New features in Cyclone-SCAN and Cyclone-REGISTER modules pace the survey-grade, dual-axis level compensation capability of the new...

Leica Geosystems released Leica GPS Spider V2.1.0 software for control and monitoring of reference stations and networks.(new & notable)
July 1, 2006... In addition, LEICA GEOSYSTEMS released Leica GPS Spider V2.1.0 software for control and monitoring of reference stations and networks. Enhancements in the latest version include improved data processing for network RTK and new display screens...

Thales introduced Z-Max.Net.(new & notable)(Thales S.A.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... THALES introduced Z-Max.Net, a GPS receiver system that can function in RTK or post-processing modes, as a base or rover, and also in a VRS or FKP network. For RTK data collection, Z-Max.Net offers two-second initialization and extended...

Thales now offers differential corrections for the MobileMapper CE via NTRIP and direct IP.(new & notable)
July 1, 2006... Also, THALES now offers differential corrections for the MobileMapper CE via NTRIP and direct IP. Current owners of MobileMapper CE can update their software to Version 1.5 for free at ftp.thalesnavigation.com. The MobileMapper CE handheld GPS...

SECO Manufacturing Company Inc. introduced the SECO Quick-Release Prism Pole Bipod.(new & notable)
July 1, 2006... SECO MANUFACTURING COMPANY INC. introduced the SECO Quick-Release Prism Pole Bipod (#5211-01-XXX), which features "direct drive" release handles. While holding the handles, the user can drive the leg points into the ground and then quickly...

Airborne 1 released LiDAR XLR8R 3.0.(new & notable)
July 1, 2006... AIRBORNE 1 released LiDAR XLR8R 3.0, the upgrade to the 2.0 beta version. The product of a key partnership with Canadian software developer, Ambercore Software Inc., Version 3.0 of the LiDAR data management, analysis and visualization tool...

Bentley Systems Incorporated released the commercial version of MicroStation V8 XM Edition.(new & notable)
July 1, 2006... BENTLEY SYSTEMS INCORPORATED released the commercial version of MicroStation V8 XM Edition. Its powerful innovations include: reference enhancements (which allow users to attach a PDF reference to a design file, to dynamically manipulate...

A B Consulting released LI Contour Version 7.(new & notable)
July 1, 2006... A B CONSULTING released LI Contour Version 7, a program for contour mapping and 3D surface model analysis, and LI Contour V+ Version 7, which adds surface-to-surface volumetric calculations. New features include: increased point capacity,...

Two Technologies now offers handheld computers with a MaxStream JETT Wave Radio option.(new & notable)
July 1, 2006... TWO TECHNOLOGIES now offers handheld computers with a MAXSTREAM JETT Wave Radio option. By taking advantage of the JETT Pack peripheral connection system, the 900 MHz spread spectrum JETT Wave Radio can be added to many of Two Technologies'...

Bluebeam Software launched the Bluebeam Conversion Server v 2.0.(new & notable)
July 1, 2006... BLUEBEAM SOFTWARE launched the Bluebeam Conversion Server v 2.0, which offers users access to new tools for seamless and automatic conversion of CAD and Windows files to PDF and 10 other file formats. Bluebeam's new watched folder interface...

Surveying solutions.(funandgames)
July 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 beside the problem, in a shaded box. We hope you enjoy...

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