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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Raphael,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Welcome to the world of land and easement
management in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Hudson</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Valley</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>! It’s
nice to have another GIS/GPS user in the community and as I’m sure you’ve
already noticed, we’ve all leaned a lot from each others
experiences. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I think that when purchasing the Trimble GeoXT,
you will generally be happy no matter what software and peripherals you also
get, but I’ll share with you a few lessons we learned along the way.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><b><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
Arial;font-weight:bold'>Software:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> We use ArcPad
instead of TerraSync. We made this decision because like most GIS
users, we have ArcGIS desktop software and wanted the transition from
field to office to be as painless as possible. So far we are happy
with this decision. Keep in mind that if you are buying the GPS from
an authorized Trimble dealer, they will most likely sell TerraSync (a
Trimble product) as superior to ArcPad, but this may or may not be the
case. I have heard good things about both. An advantage to
ArcPad that we have encountered is that some 3<sup>rd</sup> party
extensions (i.e. The Nature Conservancy’s invasive weeds management
database, called ‘WIMS’) are both free and available to other
land trusts, but will only work on ArcPad.<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><b><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
Arial;font-weight:bold'>Differential Correction for Maximum Accuracy:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> We
made the decision to go with Beacon receiver to get real-time differential
correction instead of post processing. Looking back, I would have
gone the other way around for two reasons: 1. We don’t need the high
accuracy in real-time, but only when we’re doing our mapping in the
office. Although I’ve never used it, I think using the GPS
Analyst extension on your desktop for post-processing would be less
painful than lugging the Beacon receiver all day. The results will
be the same either way, and the cost is not much different ($1800 for
Beacon receiver vs. $2000 for GPS Analyst). 2. Although this doesn’t
happen often, occasionally we lose the Coast Guard beacon signal that provides
us the real-time accuracy. With post-processing, this won’t
happen. <o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><b><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
Arial;font-weight:bold'>Antenna Reliability:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> When
we were sold our GeoXT, the salesman told us that tree cover in the Summer
would not really effect our ability to get clear satellite signals.
This was absolutely NOT the case. Actually, we even had a hard time
getting signals in the winter in heavily wooded areas. This was very
discouraging at times, so we bit the bullet and bought an external antenna
(called a Hurricane antenna) and the results have been amazing.
Weather and vegetation cover are <i><span style='font-style:italic'>never</span></i>
an issue anymore. The only thing that blocks the signal now is the
land itself (mountains, valleys, etc.) This antenna did come at a
cost though: $900 including the mounting backpack. <o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><b><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
Arial;font-weight:bold'>Signal Reliability:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> As you may
know already, there are occasionally windows of time when the satellite
coverage in a given location is not sufficient to provide the desired
accuracy. As Russian and European satellites are integrated into our
GPS system, this is becoming less of a problem but it still can
occur. Our Trimble salesmen never told us about this, but Trimble
has a free software program, available for download, that predicts when
these ‘blackouts’ will occur and can graph them for you.
We now always use this before going into the field to make sure we’re
in the clear. You can download the Trimble planning software at: <a
href="http://www.trimble.com/planningsoftware_ts.asp">http://www.trimble.com/planningsoftware_ts.asp</a>.
Pleas keep in mind that when using this software, you will need to include
and regularly (once a week?) update an ephemeris file that has all of the
satellite information. Trimble also maintains this file and makes it
available at: <a href="http://www.trimble.com/gpsdataresources.shtml">http://www.trimble.com/gpsdataresources.shtml</a>
.<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I hope this information helps in some way
but it not <i><span style='font-style:italic'>too</span></i> much
information! Please feel free to call if you have other questions.
And….good luck!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Josh <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
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face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
hvcatskillcewg-bounces@lists.ltanet.org
[mailto:hvcatskillcewg-bounces@lists.ltanet.org] <b><span style='font-weight:
bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Raphael Notin<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Monday, November 19, 2007
6:16 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b>
hvcatskillcewg@lists.ltanet.org<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [Hvcatskillcewg] Terra
sync vs ArcPad</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Greetings,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>I am starting a stewardship position with Winnakee Land Trust. I am
currently gathering some information concerning equipment as we are looking
into acquiring a GPS unit. I would appreciate some advices concerning GIS
software. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>We are about
to buy a Trimble GeoXT with a Geo-Beacon receiver. But to go with it, Trimble
recommends the Terra sync Pro Pathfinder office software while ESRI pushes me
toward ArcPad within their Geo-collector Submeter package. The price difference
is not very significant; I am most interested in the functionality and ease to
use. (FYI, we use ArcGis 9).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>What
would you recommend for easement monitoring? <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Do these
two options actually provide the same services?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>I would
welcome any other comments on this equipment.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Thank you
for your help.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Raphael
Notin<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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