mobile mapping – suquamish tribe mobile mapping with gps and mapinfo (how we do it at suquamish)

Mobile Mapping – Suquamish Tribe

Mobile Mapping

with GPSand MapInfo(how we do it at Suquamish)


The Port Madison Indian Reservation:

About 7,800 acres located across Puget Sound from

Seattle.

The Port Madison Indian Reservationwas set aside as part of the Point Elliott

Treaty (1855) andenlarged by Executive Order in 1864.

900 Tribal members total, about half living on the reservation.

Total reservation population is about 7,000.

Point Elliott Treaty document, dated 4 Nov 1886


The Port Madison Indian Reservation

W a s h i n g t o nW a s h i n g t o nS t a t eS t a t e


The Port Madison Indian ReservationKitsap County, Washington


GIS: Geographic Information System

GPS: Global Positioning System


GPS is a useful tool to:

* build new data in the GIS- in real time with a laptop- with just the GPS, download to PC in office

* get the links needed to rubbersheet other imagery- scanned survey sheets- historical scanned maps

* obtain precise location data for other projects- BLM GCDB (post-processed ‘accurate’ GPS)

* real-time navigation- canoe journeys- fisheries on-the-water location work


If you already have a GPS, it costs you nothing (thank you, MapInfo Corp!)

Plug your GPS cable into your PC; in GPS setup, choose NMEA (any version), 9600 baud, then ON(each GPS will be slightly different; 9600 baud for smoother tracking, especially in a vehicle)

In MapInfo, Tools/Tool Manager, load the free Blue Marble Geotracker utility.


In GeoTracker, make your settings consistent with the GPS


Go to GPS/Live GPS Data and you should see yourself onscreen

Pretty amazing - and it’s free!


We use a table specifically created for the purpose of data collection with GPS,pre-built with fields in place to hold GPS data. You don’t have to do that, but it allowsyou to filter out lesser-quality GPS data, and ‘time-stamp’ your data (for legal use later).


Build new data in the GIS

- in real time with a laptop

Using MapInfo with BlueMarbleGeoTracker utility (free, includedwith MapInfo). Advantages:

* QC your data visually during collection

* Annotate features easily with full keyboard

* Your database/table is DONE by the time you take the truck out of 4WD

Mapping recently (and barely) opened logging roadsa.k.a. ‘driveby GIS’

Mobile Mapping – Suquamish Tribe(data collected using GPS with MapInfo and GeoTracker)


Documenting solid wasteInfractions using the‘driveby GPS’ method


How we used to do it, with a laptop, GPS, external amplifiedantenna, Differential Beacon Receiver (DBR) and12v battery, all spaghetti-wired together.

Now: laptop with Ashtech ProMark2 with WAAS(Hand-me-down P2-600 laptop works great with MapInfo Pro)


Laptops are fragile - one bad step and it’s gone(been there, done that)

Laptops are big and bulky(need a lapboard or somesuch, and it’s clunky)

Laptop batteries don’t last long enough(carry two - at $100-150 each)

Laptop displays are difficult to read in bright daylight

(a hood helps, but gets in the way)

Laptops are expensive(can find them for ~$700, TabletPC $1,800-2,500)

Fieldwork will damage the laptop over time(start with a used one with little residual value,and consider a three-year lifespan exceptional)


A Possible Next Step

Pocket PC’s look ideal

Smartphone best of all possible worlds? All in one

Genuinely ruggedized unit like a Trimble GeoXT or Recon is VERY expensive

OS seems also to be in flux (currently Windows Mobile 2003, soon updated)

Battery run-time and daylight screen readability are issues for all solutions.

GeoXT - about $3,000 Recon - about $6,000 Handheld - about $500(without GPS)

Laptop - about $800(without GPS)


You’ll need to add to your Pocket PC:

Memory - 1gb SD cards cost about $100, 2gb about $200 (very new)

Bluetooth GPS (more on that) ($200)

Software (also more on that)

OtterCase to protect the delicate little thing ($50)

or a drybag: ($30)


So let’s do some math:

Laptop: $800Software: $0 (use MapInfo and GeoTracker)Hood: $30Lapboard: $50 (optional)GPS: $200 (Bluetooth wireless SiRF3)USB/Bluetooth: $30 (for non-Bluetooth laptop)TOTAL: $1,110

SmartPhone/PDA $500 (most powerful one you can get)1gb SD card $100ArcPad software: $500GPS: $200 (Bluetooth wireless SiRF3)OtterCase(es): $70TOTAL: $1,370

Surprised?


GPS - many improvements!

Bluetooth - wireless connection so you can use the Pocket PCin it’s OtterBox ($50) and retain protection

Waterproof the GPS with its own OtterBox ($20)

Longer battery life these days (a full day plus on one charge)

and best of all

Much improved sensitivity for urban canyons and under trees(SiRF Star3 chipset devices)

Track up to 20 satellites simultaneously so you never lose your locationeven when you drop multiple satellites

All for about $200 - but no WAAS implementation yet (soon)


Software options and considerations:MapTech Outdoor Navigator - $20

http://www.maptech.com/products/outdoornavigator/index.cfm

free unlimited download of USGS quads and NOAA nautical chartsno easy data transfer ability, no ability to average points or filter for QC

So - not much for GIS functionality but great fun and great value


Software options and considerations:OziExplorer - $85 + $30 for PocketPC functionality = $115

www.oziexplorer.com

Geared for navigation,not GIS, but you cancollect points and routesand transfer them to GISvia comma-delimited andDXF formats. Worldfocused, so limited localprojections available. Can scan your own mapdata, reads USGS, NOAA,MrSID, other formats.

Enthusiastic developer,‘screw it together’ sort of feel, but lots of features.Shareware.


Software options and considerations:Fugawi - $100 including PocketPC functionalitywww.fugawi.com (as in, “where the fugawi?”)

Can export routes and points, but basically designed for navigation - not GISComes with a data DVD of streets, names, places … reads USGS and NOAAGood projection options - is GIS-aware, and can export SHP points/polylinesCan read ChartTIFF (use Tony Cooley’s WIN2TAB.MBX in MI) and ECW

Good choice for a hundred bucks, for light GIS data collection and vehicle nav.


Software options and considerations:TierraMapper - $100 from Geo-Information Solutions (Tucson, AZ)http://www.geoinfosol.com/PocketPC/TierraMapper/TierraMapper.html

Designed for GIS data collection in Pocket Access format, and includes atool for converting a MapInfo window to a TierraMapper-compatible file.

Economical pricing and MapInfocompatibility make TierraMapperworth considering.

However, no GPS controls to allow point averaging or PDOPmasking for QC.


Software options and considerations:GBM Mobile - $500+ from Exa-Min Technologies (Australia)

http://www.geobasemap.com/products/gbm_mobile.htm

Designed for use with MapInfo, strong in forms creation and managingdata return back into MapInfo, even with multiple field users of the same dataset.GPS integration built-in, but lacking control such as point averaging, PDOP mask.

For serious GIS field data collection,especially with multiple field crews, thiscould be a very worthwhile product due tothe data management controls.


Software options and considerations:ESRI ArcPad - $500 www.esri.com/arcpad

True GIS functionality, good control of GPS (average points, limit bad PDOP, etc.)Have to chop your data on the PC, then tranfer to PPC - uses SHP format.

If you’re doing real GIS work - this is probably your best choice.

Can query parcels in the field andupdate databases, etc.- real GIS


Software options and considerations:If you do go with ArcPad, you might consider MI2AP from Avantra Geosystems

Cost: about $500 http://www.avantra.com.au/mi2ap.htm

MI2AP works from within MapInfo and converts an entire MapInfo Workspace into an ArcPad compatible map. Unlike the Universal Translator, the resulting Shape

files retain their symbology (color, shape, symbol, etc.) reducing set up and configuration time significantly.

MI2AP also provides for the creation of ArcPad forms from within MapInfo Professional. Employing forms for PDA based data collection and display greatly

increases the efficiency of PDA based field data collection. When ArcPad v7 comes out in August, forms creation will be possible from the PC element rather than

having to purchase the $1,000 ESRI development tool to do it.

Mobile Mapping – Suquamish TribeGetting an accurate acreage for a local wildland fire by walking the perimeter with GPS


Questions?

mobile mapping – suquamish tribe mobile mapping with gps and mapinfo (how we do it at suquamish)

Documents

gps slide

suquamish slide

gps laptop

optional gps

gps setup

gps cable

geotracker slide

gpslive gps data