Point of Beginning articles from May 2002

Point of Beginning archives from May 2002

Job satisfaction.(Editor's Note)
May 1, 2002... I like my job. Fancy that. And I know that many (I hope most) of you like your jobs. Yet company owners--especially in this turbulent environment--are still concerned with employee retention. Ignore recruitment for now; there's always time for...

Digital CADD standards.(Letters to the Editor)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... December 2001 I liked your article. You put into one article what I have been selling and implementing in my company for about a year now. We both have the same amount of engineering/CAD experience, and we also share the same point of view...

Editor's note.(Letters to the Editor)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... January 2002 It is my opinion that a land surveyor with 15 years of experience in all aspects of surveying is more regularly chosen by clients than the four-year degree surveyor with four years of experience. Over the 15 years of...

Forum for equal opportunity to disband.(The Latest News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Gail Oliver, current chair of the NSPS Forum for Equal Opportunity, announced that the Forum (formerly known as the Forum for Women in Surveying) would disband, citing the fact that women are now accepted in the mainstream of surveying. ...

MSPS celebrates 50th anniversary.(The Latest News)(Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors (MSPS) kicked off its 50th anniversary year this spring. As part of the annual conference this year, to continue annually, a traveling trophy was auctioned off at the MLS Foundation auction, a...

CORS coverage blankets 49 states plus much of Alaska.(The Latest News)(Continuously Operating Reference Station)
May 1, 2002... The new GPS base station established in Pine River, Minn., by the U.S. Department of Transportation makes it possible to determine positions immediately to within a few meters (yards) through the NDGPS (Nationwide Differential GPS) service...

NCSS seeks surveying degree for North Carolina.(The Latest News)(North Carolina Society of Surveyors)
May 1, 2002... August 11, 2001, was both the end of a long road and the beginning of a much longer highway for surveyors in North Carolina. On that day the NCSS Education Foundation Board of Directors accepted the request for funding a Bachelor's Degree in...

From Sokkia to FieldWorks[TM]: building a new entity from a familiar foundation.(FieldWorks)
May 1, 2002... The sale of the ten Sokkia Measuring System retail stores to the newly created FieldWorks company in April (see The Latest News, POB, April 2002) is complete. And now Sokkia has gone "Back to Basics" and FieldWorks has begun its endeavor to...

GPS fore the golf course: centimeter accuracy is par for the course.
May 1, 2002... With his distinctive yellow backpack and antenna, Darryl Sharp doesn't look like your normal golfer. When asked what he's doing on such illustrious courses as Pebble Beach Golf Links, TPC at Sawgrass or Poppy Hills Golf Course, he'll say he's...

Surveying little Egypt: a height modernization of the Memphis district by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
May 1, 2002... When a state-of-the-art surveying firm is asked to modernize an elevation system in the very heart of our nation, where does it turn? Since the area involved is the great Mississippi River and its drainage basins, perhaps the first place to...

The world isn't flat anymore! Now, work "in the round" with 3-D maps--digital topos--synched with a library of 200,000 aerial photos!
May 1, 2002... Introducing the next generation of Maptech's Terrain Navigator Pro Once, your world--and your work--was limited by the flatness of conventional paper maps. But our powerful new Terrain Navigator Pro liberates you. Teamed up with...

Tripod Data Systems Survey Pro for Pocket PC: an easy answer to a hardware decision.(In Review)
May 1, 2002... If you are looking for a small, lightweight data collector with a wonderful color display and powerful data collection software, but don't want to spend a whole lot of money, take a close look at TDS Survey Pro for Pocket PC (Tripod Data...

Slow period survival: it's all in the planning.
May 1, 2002... Every surveying and mapping business has slow periods. Whether those slow periods are the, result of economic downturns, seasonal slumps or other factors beyond the control of the surveyor or mapper, the key to surviving those slack periods...

The business of surveying: mind your own business!
May 1, 2002... When I attended my first surveying conference, I looked around and saw several different types of surveyors: the government surveyor, the engineering surveyor, the self-employed surveyor. It was the last type that I took interest in. They were...

A&A helps the environment through GIS.(Geographic information systems)(Anderson & Associates Inc.)
May 1, 2002... How does one preserve the environment while allowing for future economic development? Through the use of GIS, Anderson & Associates, a tri-state professional design services firm headquartered in Blacksburg, Va., helps to solve these...

A look at lasers: a preface to POB's 2002 laser survey.
May 1, 2002... Laser technology is, of course, used in several kinds of surveying equipment, including the laser-enabled total station (reflectorless) and the full-blown 3-D laser scanner. But the focus of this survey is on a particular use of laser beams in...

Geodetic surveying made plain. Private eye-man meets plain truth.
May 1, 2002... I clawed my way out of a deep sleep, a sleep filled with dreams of renegade units of distance: meters, U.S. survey feet, international feet, varas, chains, smokes... they had all joined forces to attack me and my fragile forces for truth. The...

What's the status of GLONASS?(The GPS Observer)
May 1, 2002... In the July 1996 issue of POB magazine, The GPS Observer column was "The Russian GLONASS Satellites." Many changes have taken place since that time, so let me bring you up to date. GLONASS--Then and Now The former Soviet Union...

Q&A.(GIAA Mailbag)
May 1, 2002... Q: When using my GPS RTK system in hilly terrain, I sometimes lose the "fixed" RTK solution and cannot continue. Do you have any suggestions, other than relocating my base station, to handle this type of situation? I use my own RTK base station...

Carlson Software Inc., Maysville, Ky., acquired all assets of Simplicity Systems Inc., East Grand Forks, Minn.(Turning Points)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Carlson Software Inc., Maysville, Ky., acquired all assets of Simplicity Systems Inc., East Grand Forks, Minn. Simplicity now operates as a division of Carlson and is based in Carlson's headquarters in Maysville. The Simplicity division of...

Sokkia Corporation, Olathe, Kan., sold its Sokkia Measuring Systems chain of retail stores in the United States to a group of entrepreneurs.(Turning Points)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Sokkia Corporation, Olathe, Kan., sold its Sokkia Measuring Systems chain of retail stores in the United States to a group of entrepreneurs. Sokkia Corporation's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Michael S. Adkins, General...

Trimble, Sunnyvale, Calif., and ESRI, Redlands, Calif., formed a strategic alliance to work on mobile GIS solutions.(Turning Points)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Trimble, Sunnyvale, Calif., and ESRI, Redlands, Calif., formed a strategic alliance to work on mobile GIS solutions. The alliance brings together Trimble's expertise in field-rugged handheld CPS technology and ESRI's market-leading GIS software...

Leica Geosystems' GIS & Mapping Division, Atlanta, Ga., announced its newest GPS/GIS product dealer in the United States, Midwest Architects & Engineers (A&E) Supply Inc., Richardson, Texas.(Turning Points)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Leica Geosystems' GIS & Mapping Division, Atlanta, Ga., announced its newest CPS/GIS product dealer in the United States, Midwest Architects & Engineers (A&E) Supply Inc., Richardson, Texas. A factory-authorized distributor for Leica...

Spalding DeDecker Associates Inc., Rochester Hills, Mich., added a Construction Engineering Department.(Turning Points)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Spalding DeDecker Associates Inc., Rochester Hills, Mich., added a Construction Engineering Department to its family of services.

Allen Osborne Associates Inc.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 401 Allen Osborne Associates Inc. announced KINECORS, a new system designed to take advantage of the free dual-frequency CORS station data. This system uses existing Rascal hardware and the latest version of TurboSurvey Software 2 GPS...

402 Krylon Industrial introduced Quik-Mark Inverted Marking Paints.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 402 Krylon Industrial introduced Quik-Mark Inverted Marking Paints. The paints feature a spray-through cap and non-clogging spray tip that make for fast, crisp, one-stroke markings on indoor and outdoor surfaces. (Krylon, Columbus, Ohio)

403 Arc Second Inc. released PocketCAD Viewer 4.0.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 403 Arc Second Inc. released PocketCAD Viewer 4.0. PocketCAD Viewer 4.0 views and redlines AutoCAD or MicroStation drawings in the field or on the manufacturing floor. New features include improved performance, increased file compression to...

404 Trimble introduced the Spectra Precision Laser HD360, a handheld measurement tool that is useful for measuring distances to hazardous and hard-to-reach locations.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 404 Trimble introduced the Spectra Precision Laser HD360, a handheld measurement tool that is useful for measuring distances to hazardous and hard-to-reach locations. The HD360 includes a data display screen and a six-button keypad. Using laser...

405 Also, Trimble introduced its first product offering from the recently announced alliance with ESRI for mobile GIS solutions, Trimble GPScorrect for ArcPad.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 405 Also, Trimble introduced its first product offering from the recently announced alliance with ESRI for mobile GIS solutions, Trimble GPScorrect for ArcPad. This software extension enables the seamless integration of Trimble's GPS Pathfinder...

406 Also, Trimble introduced new features in its TerraSync software.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 406 Also, Trimble introduced new features in its TerraSync software. TerraSync version 2.10 software now gives GIS professionals the convenience of using any Microsoft Windows or Windows CE device, including laptops, tablets, Pocket PCs and pen...

407 Also, Trimble introduced the GIS TSCe field device.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 407 Also, Trimble introduced the GIS TSCe field device. The TSCe is a rugged and powerful Windows CE device with a large, touch-screen display, 64 MB of RAM and a 200 MHZ processor. With a rechargeable battery providing 30 hours of continuous...

408 Laser Alignment by Leica Geosystems released its first new product, the RUGBY 100, an automatic self-leveling laser for general construction.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 408 Laser Alignment by Leica Geosystems released its first new product, the RUGBY 100, an automatic self-leveling laser for general construction. The RUGBY 100 automatically levels quickly and has a simple four-switch keypad that controls all...

409 Also, Laser Alignment launched the LB-900 Mini Beacon.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 409 Also, Laser Alignment launched the LB-900 Mini Beacon. A versatile interior and general construction laser, the LB-900 Mini Beacon makes alignment a one-person operation that provides automatic horizontal and vertical leveling plus...

410 Also, Laser Alignment released the Rod Eye Basic and the Rod Eye Mini.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 410 Also, Laser Alignment released the Rod Eye Basic and the Rod Eye Mini. The Rod Eye Basic features a front-panel LED display of red for high or low and green for on-grade, plus three distinct tones for each elevation reading. The Rod Eye...

411 Also, Laser Alignment introduced the Javelin and Javelin-S.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 411 Also, Laser Alignment introduced the Javelin and Javelin-S. The Javelin provides up to 20 percent grade in both the X and Y planes, and features a high-speed rotation for smooth and accurate blade control, cordless on-board battery pack and...

412 Leica Geosystems introduced Version 2.0 of the GIS DataPRO office software.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 412 Leica Geosystems introduced Version 2.0 of the GIS DataPRO office software. New features include support of point and line offsets including post-processing and editing; unlimited importing of field jobs in a project; interpolation of RINEX...

413 Also, Leica Geosystems introduced the Leica Advantage Support Program to provide industry-leading support tools for customers.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 413 Also, Leica Geosystems introduced the Leica Advantage Support Program to provide industry-leading support tools for customers. The new customer support program offers access to the tools users need to get optimum performance from Leica's...

414 Also, Leica Geosystems introduced Imagizer, a software suite that allows end users to read, roam and annotate data processed with geographic imaging software without actually having the software installed on their systems.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 414 Also, Leica Geosystems introduced IMAGIZER, a software suite that allows end users to read, roam and annotate data processed with geographic imaging software without actually having the software installed on their systems. The IMAGIZER...

415 Golden Software Inc. introduced Surfer 8, a contouring and 3D mapping package with the ability to create fully rendered 3D surfaces and overlay aerial photography, satellite imagery and other bitmaps on these 3D surfaces.(New & Notable)
May 1, 2002... 415 Golden Software Inc. introduced Surfer 8, a contouring and 3D mapping package with the ability to create fully rendered 3D surfaces and overlay aerial photography, satellite imagery and other bitmaps on these 3D surfaces. These features...

Surveying solutions.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Each month we present a 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 these...

Classic POB.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Griffith, Stephen O. AH-AH! Here it is.... According to The surveyor's Handbook... "In case of MAD Dogs, Temperamental Bulls, or angry, ARMED Neighbors, YOU, the lowly ROD-MAN, ARE TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE for the completion of ANY...

rpls.com connection: here are a few messages from a thread called "where are we going?".
May 1, 2002... Posted By David Breeding on 3/13/2002 at 6:39 PM What is the future of land surveying? While I am not new to the profession, I have only been at this since December 1986. An old-timer to some, but green to others. I had the great...