Interfereence

I heard a short blurb about a "space storm" causing problems with GPS yesterday. Did anyone else hear it? More details? I can't seem to find anything.

Geocaching

I have check out a few Geocache's the past few days. It is sort of a hobby that extends my work a bit. Unfortunately, I did not find them even though I was very close.

New Global Mapper

The newest version of Global Mapper has added a feature to get USGS aerials at no cost.

Mapping and Garmin

My "inexpensive" mapping GPS is a Garmin 76CX. I find the accuracy to be reasonable for my needs. You can use the Garmin's software to convert to shp files, or use DNR Garmin Developed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. DNR Garmin is hand little free program.

Affordible Handheld

I attended Farmworks training this week. For about $250 you can get software to make your PDA into a credible GPS. You might also need a receiver. A bluetooth receiver for under $100 is a good alternative.

Good Article

Here is a good article on affordible GIS. Very good basic information.

http://www.keckwood.com/files/GIS/GaurisaGPS.pdf

What to keep track of?

I should have a guest writer for today. I can imagine the location and condition of Utility lines would be at the top of my list. The location of trouble spots would be useful to illustrate where capital improvements might be needed. Some municipalities track locations of crime to make decisions about where to concentrate enforcement efforts. Street type and condition, sidewalk type and condition, etc would be useful to keep track of. Parks and park facilities would seem to have potential for record keeping. I am sure that elected and appointed officials can think of many more things to keep track of than I can.