Point of Beginning articles from June 2005

Point of Beginning archives from June 2005

Isn't it really about professionalism?(editor'spoints)(Editorial)
June 1, 2005... Ah, controversy. It either draws you in or pushes you away. Yet, controversial subjects often seem to have an element of profundity. For surveyors, the topic of educational requirements often has this effect. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To...

Future perspectives.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... Editor's Note: We have received almost 30 letters in response to the student editorial "Professionalism (or the lack thereof in surveying)" published in our March issue. We will continue to publish these responses in upcoming issues to continue...

FLAIR Act proposed to inventory federal lands.(newsline)
June 1, 2005... On March 17, 2005, Representative Chris Cannon of Utah introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives to create a comprehensive federal land inventory. Called the Federal Land Asset Inventory Reform or "FLAIR" Act, the bill, H.R....

New book on monuments to honor surveying.(newsline)
June 1, 2005... Berntsen International, Madison, Wis., announced that it will publish a book honoring the beauty and importance of survey monuments of all kinds, and is turning to the surveying community for help. Rhonda Rushing, president of Berntsen, said,...

FSU gets new digital photogrammetry and GIS lab.(newsline)(Ferris State University)(Geographic information systems)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... In April, a new photogrammetry and GIS laboratory was opened on the campus of Ferris State University (FSU) in Big Rapids, Mich. The John R. and Lynda D. Fenn Digital Photogrammetry and GIS Endowed Laboratory, which is located in the...

ASPRS launches ASPRS Foundation Inc.(newsline)(American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) launched the ASPRS Foundation Inc., an independently registered entity that will raise, invest and grant funds to the ASPRS Awards and Scholarships Program. This brings back to...

DOI and NASA honor achievements in remote sensing.(newsline)(Department of the Interior)(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) received the prestigious William T. Pecora Award in recognition of 34 years of continuous and dedicated service in enabling access to...

Calendar of events.(Illustration)(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... JUNE 2005 2-3 2005 MAPublisher Training Avenza Systems Inc. Houston, Texas 416/487-5116 www.avenza.com 16-18 2005 APLS Conference Arizona Professional Land Surveyors Prescott, Ariz. ...

Remembering ACSM 2005: a few snippets from the annual conference and technology exhibition in Las Vegas.
June 1, 2005... Luckily, not everything that "happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" as the slogan for Sin City now goes, and POB is happy to report on the 2005 American Congress on Surveying and Mapping Annual Conference and Technology Exhibition that took place...

Solving the GIS dilemma: an Alabama county adopts a model data sharing solution utilizing GIS.
June 1, 2005... As our nation becomes increasingly urbanized, the need for geographic mapping and asset management grows. Geographic information systems (GIS) have become essential tools for land and transportation planning, parcel identification, watershed...

Between the pages: a POB book review; A look into Designing Geodatabases: Case Studies in GIS Data Modeling by David Arctur and Michael Zeiler.
June 1, 2005... In 2001, ESRI introduced the geodatabase along with ArcGIS 8. The term "geodatabase" is the short form of geographic database and it is fundamentally the data model ArcGIS was developed around. The geodatabase represented the evolution of...

MobileMapper Pro by Thales Navigation Inc.: an all-in-one GPS data collection and processing system.(inreview)
June 1, 2005... MobileMapper Pro, the GIS data collector by Thales Navigation of Santa Clara, Calif., is a great leap forward in narrowing the performance gap between cost and quality in the GPS marketplace. The non-imposing appearance and rather diminutive...

From waste to glass: surveyors in Washington help maintain control at a highly sensitive nuclear treatment plant.(Cover Story)
June 1, 2005... It's a fascinating story. But the legacy is deadly. For nearly 50 years, the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington produced plutonium for the creation of nuclear weapons. Today, its toxic legacy remains--53 million gallons of radioactive...

Standards and specifications for surveying using Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS.(thegpsobserver)
June 1, 2005... If you were called upon to use static GPS methods to establish geodetic control that meets Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee (FGCS) standards, there is a document, about 50 pages in length for you to follow (1). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Property rights and the land surveyor, Part II.(traversingthelaw)
June 1, 2005... In the last installment (May 2005), we saw from the case of Olson v. Jude, 73 P.3d 809, (Mont. 2003), that the courts expect surveyors to understand three basic principles when it comes to the interpretation of deeds: [ILLUSTRATION...

2005 GIS software survey.(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... 2005 GIS Software Survey Program Name Autodesk Map 3D Autodesk Survey 2006 2006 Manufacturer/Distributor Autodes Inc. Autodesk Inc....

Apache Technologies Inc.(turningpoints)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... TRIMBLE, Sunnyvale, Calif., acquired privately held APACHE TECHNOLOGIES INC., Dayton, Ohio. Apache designs, manufactures and distributes professional laser products for construction leveling and alignment applications. Trimble expects the...

NIIRS10 Inc.(turningpoints)(Appointed Martin Flood as general manager )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... NIIRS10 INC., Huntsville, Ala., announced that Martin Flood has joined the company as general manager of the company's new Canadian office, located in Toronto, Ontario. Flood is responsible for the management and expansion of NIIRS10's Canadian...

RBF Consulting.(turningpoints)(Appointed John R. Duquette as a project surveyor)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... John R. Duquette, PLS, joined RBF CONSULTING, Temecula, Calif., as a project surveyor. He continues to expand a comprehensive surveying and mapping department, managing projects for public and private clients. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Woolpert Inc.(turningpoints)(Mountain Surveying and Mapping Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... WOOLPERT INC., Denver, Colo., acquired MOUNTAIN SURVEYING AND MAPPING INC. (MSM), a full-service surveying firm in Denver, Colo. MSM offers expertise in GPS, land and transportation surveying.

Woolpert promoted Gary Kuroski, PLS, to survey group manager in the Columbia, S.C. office.(turningpoints)(promoted Gary Kuroski to survey group manager )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Also, WOOLPERT promoted Gary Kuroski, PLS, to survey group manager in the Columbia, S.C. office. Kuroski has been with Woolpert for more than four years and has more than 17 years of experience in land surveying. He is responsible for contract...

Woolpert hired J. Michael Brown, PSM, as a project director in the photogrammetry group in the Orlando office.(turningpoints)(Appointed J. Michael Brown as a project director )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Also, WOOLPERT hired J. Michael Brown, PSM, as a project director in the photogrammetry group in the Orlando office. Brown has more than 23 years of experience in surveying and mapping, specializing in photogrammetry, surveying and GIS. He is...

Topcon introduced the new GPT-3000LW reflectorless total station.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... TOPCON introduced the new GPT-3000LW reflectorless total station. The GPT-3000LW combines long prismless measurements (up to 1200 m) with wireless Bluetooth communication. Topcon's dual-optical system allows for maximum measuring accuracy even...

Topcon announced the HiPer XT GPS system for land surveying and construction layout applications.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... Also, TOPCON announced the HiPer XT GPS system for land surveying and construction layout applications. This system features fully integrated receiver/antenna units with a Topcon Positioning Systems long-range UHF radio for up to four-mile...

Topcon now offers a GIS module for the latest version of TopSURV software.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... In addition, TOPCON now offers a GIS module for the latest version of TopSURV software. Operators using Topcon's survey-grade RTK GPS systems for conventional land survey tasks can now use the same equipment for GIS data collection. The...

Topcon announced the new FC-2000 field computer.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... Finally, TOPCON announced the new FC-2000 field computer. Its powerful 400 MHz Intel X-scale processor. Windows CE.NET operating system and built-in 128 MB RAM enable quick response to commands, speeding up field operations. The FC-2000,...

Carlson Software.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... CARLSON SOFTWARE announced Carlson SurvCADD 2006, the latest version of its flagship product. Carlson SurvCADD 2006 includes more than 100 new commands, 300 improved commands and two new modules, and works with AutoCAD 2006 and previous...

Prosurv LLC released Prosurv cEZ.NET for Windows Mobile 2003SE and Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PCs and other devices.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... PROSURV LLC released Prosurv cEZ.NET for Windows Mobile 2003SE and Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PCs and other devices. The all-new cEZ.NET is a complete data collection software package for use with total stations and digital levels. Prosurv...

Prosurv LLC released Pocket WorldCon 1.1, coordinate and latitude/longitude conversion software for the Pocket PC.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... Also, PROSURV LLC released Pocket WorldCon 1.1, coordinate and latitude/longitude conversion software for the Pocket PC. Pocket WorldCon allows users to convert between State Plane coordinates, UTM coordinates and latitude/longitude, and...

Prosurv LLC released Pocket Quads.NET 1.5, topo map software for the Pocket PC with feature search capabilities.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... In addition, PROSURV LLC released Pocket Quads.NET 1.5, topo map software for the Pocket PC with feature search capabilities. This new version allows users to search for statewide features using USGS GNIS (Geographic Names Information Systems)...

Seco Manufacturing Company Inc.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... SECO MANUFACTURING COMPANY INC. created a new Vehicle Interior Controller/Collector Bracket (part number 5199-5X) to hold all types of data collectors or controllers. Its easy-to-mount fixtures place the bracket on either the windshield or the...

SECO also introduced a new series of Kevlar prism poles and GPS rover rods.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... SECO also introduced a new series of Kevlar prism poles and GPS rover rods. Lightweight Kevlar is five times stronger than steel, yet is 43 percent lower in density than fiberglass, which makes it less likely to buckle or crush under pressure....

SECO introduced the new SECO Truck Door Mount (part number 5114-20-FLY) specifically for GPS or RTK poles.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... In addition, SECO introduced the new SECO Truck Door Mount (part number 5114-20-FLY) specifically for GPS or RTK poles. This setup is perfect for grade checking, topos, estimating and site preparation work. This new mount is easy to set up and...

Airborne 1 Corporation.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... AIRBORNE 1 CORPORATION released QT Modeler 4.0, the latest application in its suite of 3D LiDAR visualization software. The new version offers users an efficient tool for importing, viewing and analyzing LiDAR and Synthetic Aperature Radar...

BAE Systems.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... BAE SYSTEMS released COCET GXP v2.0, its end-to-end image analysis software. SOCET GXP v2.0 has new features that are geared towards a non-photogrammetry audience. The added functionality of SOCET GXP v2.0 streamlines workflow processes, making...

Glacier Computer.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... GLACIER COMPUTER announced that the Glacier GX 1000 A computer has been enhanced with a sunlight-readable LCD The GX 1000 A is a rugged PC-compatible industrial computer built for harsh environments, and it now features four specially developed...

TMS International.(new & notable)
June 1, 2005... TMS INTERNATIONAL released the TMSI Global LiDAR Market Report. This report brings together results of a major market survey on the growing number of LiDAR technologies, the survey service providers and the market demands and trends. Key topics...

Surveying solutions.(funandgames)
June 1, 2005... 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)
June 1, 2005... Courtesy of The Museum of Surveying. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]