Power levels and GPS receiver quality

Here’s one of the lessons you learn the hard way.   Sub-meter GPS receivers, like the popular SX Blue, keep an internal power source running so the computer can maintain clocks and other functions.  While personal computers do this as well, the drain is much more significant on the GPS receivers.  So, make sure you keep [...]

Great free software for calculating your GPS accuracy (DOP)!

In the last blog, I gave an introduction to dilution of precision or DOP and explained when you need to know it and when you don’t. This time, I want to show you a very cool, free program to calculate your DOP values throughout the day. All you need to know is your [...]

What in blazes is ‘dilution of precision’ (DOP) and why should I care?

GPS receivers are so cool because you turn them on, wait a few minutes, click a button, and bingo—there is your location. For most applications, you don’t even need to care how accurate the location is because either accuracy isn’t important to you or you are using maps where the scale is so large, [...]

The costs and benefits of using field computers and GPS receivers

Recently, I ran into an old professor of mine and we chatted about the use of computers in field geology. Both of us were trained using little more than compasses, 1:24,000 topographic maps and aerial photo interpretation. And we both agreed that students need to be trained in these methods. “So,” he [...]

Free GPS software for the rugged handheld PDA

When you buy a Garmin or a Magellan, you are getting a computer + GPS receiver + software. Ready to go! However, if you choose to use a rugged PDA and attach a GPS receiver, you will need some sort of software to read the data and / or store the data and [...]

Creating databases on a handheld field computer (PDA): Part 2…Monkey Mapper!

In an earlier blog, I discussed some options for building a database for a rugged handheld. If you have no interest in creating a program, but just want to buy a pre-configured database, quit reading. Otherwise, I will lay out an example of a program I created using Visual CE for a researcher [...]

Why is importing waypoints into mapping programs so hard?

One of the more frustrating tasks I deal with is figuring out how mapping programs import data. Most will allow for you to hook up a commercial GPS, like a Garmin, and work live or download saved waypoints. But what if you just wanted to bring in a set of known locations? [...]

Creating databases on a handheld field computer (PDA): Part 1

We all use databases daily. At a minimum, you are probably being added to a database somewhere everytime you get on the web. But I digress. In the field, we often want to store our information in databases. That is, we might have many features we want to record and each [...]

Easy GIS…for free!

I have a love / hate relationship with GIS (geographical information systems) software. I love what you can do with GIS and I hate that I am reduced to tears every time I try to use ArcGIS or its offshoots. Why is it so non-intuitive and difficult to use? As a professor, [...]