Point of Beginning articles from May 2008

Point of Beginning archives from May 2008

Surveyors are cookin'. Years ago, I asked the administrator of our popular RPLS.com industry bulletin board to add a category titled "Hobbies, Sports and Recipes." I will admit thinking it was a bit funny.(editor'spoints)
May 1, 2008... It's not that such an "extracurricular" category wasn't warranted--numerous posts had proven it was--but to me, it was funny that surveyors had so many good recipes to share. Well, there are more than I thought. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Web site helps land surveyors recover stolen equipment.(newsline)
May 1, 2008... Trace.com, the online database of stolen goods used internationally by law enforcement, auction houses, second-hand retailers and the general public--including land surveyors--will be providing nationwide coverage in the United States this...

Calendar of events.(Calendar)
May 1, 2008... MAY 5-8 Canadian Hydrographic Conference & National Surveyor's Conference Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 250/655-7222 abcls@telus.net www.bclandsurveyors.bc.ca/announcements.html 8-10...

Erratum.(Correction notice)
May 1, 2008... Erratum: In the March column "Back to Basics: The one-minute, one-person peg test," Figures 4 and 5 on page 53 were reversed. We apologize for the error.

Going strong: program tweaks strengthen annual ACSM gathering.(conferenceRECAP)
May 1, 2008... Despite competition from successful state society conferences, a rise in manufacturer-hosted user gatherings and fewer governmental agencies footing the bill for employees' attendance, the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) along...

More of everything: SPAR 2008 welcomes increased attendance, vendors and technical seminars based on 3D data solutions.(conferenceRECAP)(Conference notes)
May 1, 2008... SPAR 2008, held March 3-5 in Houston, was the fifth annual conference dedicated to the primary topic of 3D laser scanning technology and applications. This year's highlights included mobile survey, LiDAR, dimensional control, asset management...

A new dimension: evolution of GITA conference integrates new survey track.(conferenceRECAP)(Geospatial Information & Technology Association)
May 1, 2008... This year's GITA event, newly rebranded the Geospatial Infrastructure Solutions Conference, was dedicated to geospatially solving a $1.6 trillion problem: the crumbling U.S. infrastructure. Keynote speaker, Tom Murphy, former mayor of...

Requiem for a schooner: scanning the DNA of a national treasure.
May 1, 2008... When I showed up at the waterfront in the shadow of the Space Needle one freezing November day in 2007, I was collared by an onlooker. "Thank God she's been saved!" he said. "We've been watching her go downhill for years. At last, somebody's...

Into the mainstream: advanced laser scanning instrument secures an Alberta firm's position in the 3D world.
May 1, 2008... When professional land surveyor and geomatics engineer Chris Tucker launched his company, Point Geomatics Ltd. of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, three years ago, he based it solely on emerging laser scanning technology, a technology that he says...

Whole lotta shakin' goin' on: monitoring transient deformation of Michigan's Mackinac Bridge reveals impact from wind, temperature and vehicle weight.
May 1, 2008... The December 2007 article "Monitoring the Mighty Mac" by Michael Olson, PE, discussed a pilot project on Michigan's Mackinac Bridge that demonstrated the utility of GPS technology for deformation monitoring. In this follow-up article, the data...

Professional paybacks: insight from POB's now-annual salary and benefits study.(Cover story)
May 1, 2008... In an effort to identify the most current salary levels and benefit trends for surveying and mapping professionals, this year POB partnered with Clear Seas Research to conduct a comprehensive, quantitative study, which POB will publish on an...

Satellite launches and orbits: on Feb. 15, 2008, an associated press article appeared in major newspapers across the country announcing that the Pentagon was going to fire a Navy missile to destroy a broken U.S. spy satellite before it re-entered the atmosphere. (1).(thegpsobserver)
May 1, 2008... The purpose of the mission, officials said, was to minimize the risk to humans from the satellite's toxic fuel. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Launched in December 2006, the spy satellite became uncontrollable almost immediately after it lost...

Deciding to lease or purchase: many surveyors have asked me if it is better to lease equipment or purchase new.(thebusinessside)
May 1, 2008... Not long ago, I began studying these options because my wife wanted a new vehicle. She had leased vehicles in the past, and when the lease period was up on her Honda, she decided to pay the residual amount due on the vehicle to become the...

Parlez-vous insurance? My husband has the same answer for a question I have learned to ask less and less through the years. I ask, "You know what I don't understand?" and before I get to the rest of my point, he interjects, "French".(insuranceforesight)
May 1, 2008... Similarly, insurance seems to be written in a foreign language for many. I hope the following "Insurance-to-English" guide helps you understand what you are paying for and helps you get the protection you need from this "foreign marketplace."...

Alabama's rural surveyor controversy: as I write this column, the Alabama Legislature is considering legislation that, if passed, would create a so-called "rural surveyor." (1).(traversingthelaw)(Column)
May 1, 2008... I usually don't dwell on any one state's laws or local issues, but this "rural surveyor" proposal has implications for all of us. Even if the legislation is killed during the current session (and I am hopeful that it will be), the fact that it...

Topcon Positioning Systems.(turningpoints)(promotion of Mike Strutt and Jim Hinson )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... TOPCON POSITIONING SYSTEMS promoted Mike Strutt to product manager of its product management team and Jim Hinson to professional services manager of the Professional Services Group (PSG). Strutt has served as professional services manager for...

Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging.(turningpoints)
May 1, 2008... LEICA GEOSYSTEMS GEOSPATIAL IMAGING, Norcross, Ga., changed its name to ERDAS INC. effective April 3, 2008.

Seco Manufacturing Co. Inc.(turningpoints)
May 1, 2008... SECO MANUFACTURING CO. INC., Redding, Calif., announced the merge of INCITE TECHNOLOGIES INC., Corona, Calif. SECO will be the exclusive manufacturer and worldwide distributor of all Incite prism assemblies. Peter Freer, Incite owner and CEO,...

Esri.(turningpoints)
May 1, 2008... ESRI, Redlands, Calif., hired Michael Kim to head its Technical Support Division. Kim's responsibilities as technical support director include management of support services operations. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Allen Precision Equipment.(turningpoints)
May 1, 2008... ALLEN PRECISION EQUIPMENT, Duluth, Ga., appointed Kert Parker to outside sales representative for Alabama. Parker has an extensive background in the construction industry and owned his own company for many years. Parker holds OSHA certification...

Bentley Systems Incorporated.(turningpoints)
May 1, 2008... BENTLEY SYSTEMS INCORPORATED, Exton, Pa., appointed Edward Mueller to chief marketing officer. Mueller develops and manages corporate and product marketing strategies and programs for Bentley's comprehensive portfolio of software and services....

R.A. Smith National.(turningpoints)
May 1, 2008... R.A. SMITH NATIONAL, Oshkosh, Wis., promoted Mark Reinsch from project surveyor to survey project manager. Reinsch has 12 years of experience in all aspects of field surveying. He is a registered land surveyor in the state of Wisconsin. ...

Woolpert Inc.(turningpoints)
May 1, 2008... WOOLPERT INC. hired Kevin Richardson, PLS, as a survey project manager in the firm's Charleston office. Richardson is primarily responsible for planning, field coordination, quality control and client management. He has 20 years of land...

Woolpert.(turningpoints)
May 1, 2008... Also, WOOLPERT hired Michael Twohig as a survey project director in the firm's Orlando office. Twohig joins Woolpert with 23 years of experience in all aspects of locating and mapping subsurface utilities and structures.

Ghiotto & Associates.(turningpoints)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... GHIOTTO & ASSOCIATES, Jacksonville, Fla., announced that P. Ross Ghiotto has joined the family's surveying and mapping firm. Ghiotto is responsible for field survey work and project management. He graduated in December 2007 from the University...

Giffels-Webster Engineers.(turningpoints)
May 1, 2008... GIFFELS-WEBSTER ENGINEERS, Rochester Hills, Mich., appointed Michael Darga as senior project manager. Darga manages the planning, design and construction of municipal projects. He has more than 20 years of engineering, administration, planning,...

Giffels-Webster.(turningpoints)
May 1, 2008... Also, GIFFELS-WEBSTER appointed Marlin Rubin as director of business development. Rubin leads Giffels-Webster in diversifying its client base and generating new business opportunities. He has more than 30 years of professional experience with a...

Ament Engineers & Architects.(turningpoints)
May 1, 2008... AMENT ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS opened a new office in Cary, Ill., and hired Chad Howard, PLS, as its office manager. Howard brings more than 13 years of experience in commercial, residential, industrial and infrastructure surveying.

Asprs.(turningpoints)(American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing appointed Robert Burtch )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... ASPRS named Robert Burtch as National Workshop Coordinator. Burtch is vice president of the Eastern Great Lakes Region of ASPRS. He served as secretary-treasurer from 1986 to 2002 and has been a ASPRS Certified Photogrammetrist Committee member...

Allen Precision Equipment.(informationshowcase)
May 1, 2008... The FOCUS 4 Total Station offers clear-to-view quality optics, smart design and superior components. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Acurate Distances and stable angles. Use the 7" FOCUS 4 in Prism mode to measure up to 16,400 ft (5000 m) to...

A true mobile GIS for everyone.(informationshowcase)
May 1, 2008... New Magellan MobileMapper 6 provides a complete set of all necessary features required by a mapping device for anyone who needs productive data collection and efficient asset management in the field. Unlike consumer-grade units, the low-cost...

Sokkia.(informationshowcase)
May 1, 2008... The new Sokkia Classic SET X total station is a rugged, high-performance total station incorporating the latest technology with traditional surveying functionality. An environmental protection rating of IP65 makes SET X the highest in its...

Hayes Instrument Company to launch 'HayesHelp.com tech-tips.'.(informationshowcase)
May 1, 2008... This E-newsletter provides pertinent, survey-related information delivered to subscribers' inboxes. You can view articles or join subscription at www.hayeshelp.com/tips [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This new service joins such great programs...

Sokkia GSR2700 ISX.(informationshowcase)
May 1, 2008... The SOKKIA GSR2700 ISX fully integrated high-performance GNSS System is the industry's first talking receiver and first to offer multiple Bluetooth connections. The cable-free system features the AdVance RTK GPS + GLONASS engine allowing...

Data collector rebate/trade-in.(informationshowcase)
May 1, 2008... Get a new TDS data collector now and save! Through June 30, 2008, trade-in your old data collector and receive a substantial rebate of up to $1,000 on the purchase of a new TDS Nomad or Ranger with Survey Pro software. The trade-in data...

Topcon new IS imaging station.(informationshowcase)
May 1, 2008... Topcon's IS Imaging Station is a robotic total station with integrated digital imaging featuring: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Dual camera array--One for wide-area visibility, the other a 30x scope view; * I-Scan--Intelligent Scan...

Assets secured with Trimble eProtect.(informationshowcase)
May 1, 2008... Instrument security in the field is a growing concern for surveyors around the world. With Trimble[R] eProtect[TM], surveyors can restrict access to high-end instruments by unauthorized users. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Secure,...

Climbing the value pyramid: over time, the process of making surveying measurements has become easier, and today, many people with no survey training are using surveying technology to perform measurement processes.(professionaltopography)
May 1, 2008... With technologies such as the EDM, GPS, RTK and even laser scanners and digital levels, many people are using surveying technology by learning which buttons to push to obtain certain results. And they are quickly becoming adept at using...

Topcon Positioning Systems.(new&notable)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... TOPCON POSITIONING SYSTEMS introduced the Topcon IS robotic total station with three unique features: I-Scan, I-Drive and I-Control. IntelligentScan automatically recognizes distinctive features within the image field of view, has a 20 pps scan...

Topcon.(new&notable)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Also, TOPCON introduced ImageMaster Modeler Software. ImageMaster allows creation of extremely accurate 3D models with minimum preparation, special knowledge or training. Using digital camera images, the software produces photogrammetric models...

Topcon.(new&notable)
May 1, 2008... Additionally, TOPCON introduced the Topcon GPT-3100W "multi-pulse" electronic distance meter (EDM). The GPT-3100W can take readings at 1,150 feet, has a more narrow relectorless beam (.8 inches x .4 inches at 164 feet) and is designed for...

Seco Manufacturing Company Inc.(new&notable)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... SECO MANUFACTURING COMPANY INC. introduced the Carbon Fiber Snap-Lock Rover Rod. The rod features a new one-piece design and telescopes and locks at 2 m, 1.8 m or 1.6 m heights. Locking points are marked on the inner rod. There are two locking...

Seco.(new&notable)
May 1, 2008... Also, SECO agreed to manufacture and market four RuxWorks products: PT-100 Truck Bed Transporter, PT-150 RTV Roll Cage Transporter, PT-300 Receiver Hitch Transporter and PT-400 ATV Transporter. The new products will join the lineup of SECO ATV...

Seco.(new&notable)
May 1, 2008... Additionally, SECO introduced a new spherical target for laser scanners. The durable matte white target is 6 inches in diameter and made of solid polyester. The target height is 150 mm. It features a small center groove for measuring the ground...

Sokkia.(new&notable)
May 1, 2008... SOKKIA introduced GSR NetLink software. GSR NetLink enables users to communicate RTK data between a GNSS receiver and reference networks via Windows Mobile 5 and 6 Pocket PC phone technology. GSR NetLink operates with either GSM or CDMA...

General CADD Products Inc.(new&notable)
May 1, 2008... GENERAL CADD PRODUCTS INC. released Surveyor 3D software. Specific features enable users to: automatically create points, symbols and line work from field data or any ASCII point file; create 3D surfaces and contours based on selected points,...

ERDAS Inc.(new&notable)
May 1, 2008... ERDAS INC. released ERDAS IMAGINE 9.2. New capabilities and enhanced features include: IMAGINE Subpixel Classification; swift and accurate image segmentation tools in IMAGINE Professional; and an improved surfacing tool that increases handling...

ERDAS.(new&notable)
May 1, 2008... Also, ERDAS announced Leica Photogrammetry Suite (LPS) 9.2. In this new version, Leica MosaicPro, a component of LPS, quickly mosaics and displays more rasters, providing enhanced and added tools to simplify processes. LPS 9.2 also...

RIDGID.(new&notable)
May 1, 2008... RIDGID introduced the RIDGID SeekTech SR-60 utility locator. The SR-60 locates underground infrastructure with a frequency range of 10 Hz to 490 kHz, tuned 1 Hz at a time, allowing utilization with any preset frequency transmitter. The locator...

Diamondback truck covers.(new&notable)
May 1, 2008... DIAMONDBACK TRUCK COVERS introduced the Surveyor's Package customized truck bed for use with DiamondBack side toolboxes and standard edition truck bed covers. The Surveyor's Package includes a range pole/hot stick holder on the toolboxes....

Applanix.(new&notable)
May 1, 2008... APPLANIX introduced LANDMark Marine mobile mapping solution, a videogrammetry and LiDAR imaging system for surface mapping suitable for operation on a marine vessel. LANDMark Marine is a turn-key, off-the-shelf asset mapping and video log...

Surveying solutions.(funandgames)(Reprint)
May 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...

Surveying shots.(funandgames)
May 1, 2008... County surveyor Grant L. Miller, of Nance County, Neb., loves to spend time working outdoors with his four children. "I sneak them with me as often as I can," he says. Pictured here is his 5-year-old son, Garrett, who is "doing one of his...