under open skies...
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The GIS mapping solutions newsletter from KOREC SUMMER 2009
KOREC Launches Trimble Juno SC is just one of three new mapping products
Farmers can be eXtra sure with Trimble Trimble’s GeoXT, ProXT and ProXRT instruments have just received TUV* certification under the EU Agricultural Directive Commission Regulation 796/04, Article 30.
Yuma Tablet Nomad G Series
Juno SC
It’s been a busy few months for Trimble and KOREC with the launch of three new Mapping GPS products. For all three of these new products, ‘Connectivity’ is the key ensuring that field workers can keep in touch and cut down on unnecessary trips to the office. For full details on these systems, please visit the Products A-Z section at www.korecgroup.com
New - Juno SC The new Trimble Juno SC is already proving popular with a wider range of KOREC customers with orders ranging from single users to 100 plus units. Inside this issue of Sub-dio we will be catching up with two very different users of this versatile entry level system.
Before January 2005, under the previous Common Agricultural Policy, farmers received subsidies according to how much they produced. In June 2003, new rules were established under which farmers can claim a direct income support payment that is no longer linked to production but instead requires the accurate measuring of the size of land parcels under consideration for payments. A measurement tolerance of a 1.5m maximum buffer is required by the directive, well within the 0.4m for which the Trimble instruments have been awarded certification – extra piece of mind for any farmers selecting these Trimble solutions. * TÜV certification involves rigorous testing of the applications for which a product is designed. This certification is a mark of quality and assurance, underlining that use of these Trimble products for the mapping of agricultural parcel areas meets EU standards.
Durable and lightweight, the Juno SC offers photo capture, cellular data transmission and high yield GPS positioning at 2 to 5 metre accuracy making it the perfect solution for costeffectively equipping an entire workforce. The Juno SC’s integrated cellular modem for high-speed internet connectivity is ideal for field workers to access emails or download maps without the need to visit the office. The unit also enables connections to networks and other devices with its integrated Bluetooth and wireless LAN capabilities. Like the new Nomad G, it is the perfect tool for applications where positional accuracy is less important, and high productivity is essential. Key features of this full integrated solution include a 3.5G cellular modem, high-sensitivity GPS receiver, 3 megapixel camera, long life battery for all-day use and wide range of PDA features.
TUV Certification
Mapping Sales up 30%
The Juno - see inside for more details on who is using this versatile handheld
Measured Solutions Construction | Surveying | Mapping
We are delighted to announce that following an excellent first quarter, sales of mapping products are up 30% on the same period last year. No surprises on our best-sellers, the GeoXT continues to be the tool of choice for anyone seeking a sub-metre hand-held whilst competitive pricing on the new Juno Series is bringing in some exciting new application areas and high volume sales.
SUMMER 2009
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Juno Applications: Fire Hydrant Survey An Irish Fire Authority has swapped old paper based data collection methods for a new Trimble Juno to increase the quality and accuracy of the information it gathers and stores on the county’s fire hydrants. Within Westmeath there are two fire authorities, Westmeath Fire Authority (operating three brigades; Mullingar, Castlepollard and Kilbeggan), and Athlone Fire Authority operating a single brigade in Athlone itself. The two Fire Authorities respond to around 1300 calls per year in the county, attending various incidents including chimney fires, house fires and road traffic incidents. As part of a Pre-Fire Plan, Joe Cassidy (Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Westmeath) and Paul McLoughlin (Full-time Station Officer in Mullingar) are responsible for recording and maintaining the county’s fire hydrant data. Joe Cassidy explains, “As part of our Pre-Fire Plan we are currently identifying the location of all hydrants in the county with a view to creating a database of information for each hydrant with critical data such as type, flow, and water pressure – all vital information for our action plan. Previously we were capturing these details on a paper hard copy but this limited the amount of descriptive information we could record and made working on wet and windy days extremely difficult.”
Fighting Fly-tipping in Ireland PURE (Protecting Uplands & Rural Environments, www.pureproject.ie), a pilot project funded by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the first of its kind in Ireland, has equipped its driver with a Trimble Juno with FastMap Mobile software on-board. Lightweight and compact enough to fit into the driver’s pocket, the Juno’s 2-5m accuracy is ideal for recording the position of the dumped rubbish. Details of the dumping incident can then be recorded on the spot using FastMap Mobile’s drop down menus.
The Trimble Juno consistently delivers Westmeath and Athlone Fire Authorities a real-time accuracy of up to 2m which is more than adequate for locating the hydrants. This was backed up by a clear 3.5 inch display screen and an extended battery life of 6 hours. Westmeath and Athlone Fire Authorities also selected FastMap Mobile data collection software to run on-board their Juno. This enabled them to record a wide range of attribute information and use pre-defined fields with auto-entry and pick lists to eliminate missed information and typos. Once all the data has been collected and downloaded to the designated computer in Fire Authority HQ, the whole council will then be able to access the populated map and view the number and recorded information for each hydrant. This will make it possible for the Water Services to check hydrant conditions and clean them out as required. Joe concludes that the main benefit for Westmeath and Athlone Fire Authorities is having a live GPS feed with mapping and pre-gathered hydrant information in a single, user friendly unit. “Access to this sort of information, live in the field, enables us to form an effective plan faster than previously. Additionally the ability to quickly locate a hydrant at an incident, and then in the scenario where we have several hydrants close by, be able to access information on each one regarding pressure and water flow, is invaluable in an emergency situation.”
The Juno’s 2-5m accuracy is ideal
PURE Project Leader, Ian Davis explains, “Each report or complaint received is investigated by the relevant Local Authority. We then send out our dedicated truck which ensures a swift removal of the material from the landscape. Last year we carried out around 700 collections and that means that the driver had to fill out an equal number of A4 sheets which were then transcribed by me back at the office and entered into our database. As well as being time consuming and awkward in wet weather, this method wasn’t providing enough detailed information for us to build up an exact picture of what was happening where. Previously each incident used to take the driver several minutes to record, now he’s taking just 20 seconds! The new system means that we now have a precise position for dumped rubbish rather than just a description of the area it was dropped in. It also means that we can interrogate our FastMap GIS back in the office and determine who is responsible for the dumping, from householders (domestic rubbish-single bag etc.) to unauthorised waste collectors (multiple bags, furniture, etc.) and builders (construction and demolition, etc.) In frequently targeted areas we can then identify areas for the deployment of covert CCTV equipment.”
For an excellent presentation on the Juno, please visit: Declan Cahill, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer with the Trimble Juno and inset, mounted on the windscreen
www.trimble.com/junosc_multimedia.asp
Measured Solutions Construction | Surveying | Mapping
SUMMER 2009
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KOREC Launches continued... Trimble Nomad G Series Engineered for superior performance in harsh environments, these rugged GPS hand-helds feature a huge 6 GB of Flash storage, 128 MB of RAM, a powerful 806 MHz processor, Wireless LAN and Bluetooth technology wireless connectivity, SecureDigital (SD) slot for removable cards, and a 3.5 inch VGA display. Ideal for field data collection and inspection activities, additonal options include cellular modem, digital camera, laser bar code scanner, and CompactFlash expansion. They are also equipped with an integrated WAAS capable GPS receiver that delivers reliable 2 to 5 meter accuracy in low multipath environments. Designed for productive data collection in difficult GPS conditions, such as under forest canopy or near tall buildings, the Trimble Nomad G series is ideally suited to applications, such as forestry mapping or environmental management, where accuracy may be less important but high productivity is essential.
The Yuma tablet is expandable via two USB 2.0 slots and has a seven-inch sunlightreadable WSVGA colour touch screen ideal for a host of mapping and form-based applications. As with other Trimble rugged mobile computers, the Yuma meets stringent MIL-STD810F military standards for drops, vibration and humidity. Its IP67 rating means it's impervious to dust and water and it operates in temperatures from -30 to 60°C. Approximately the size of a hardback book (5.5 inches high x 9 inches wide x 2 inches in width), it weighs only 2.6 pounds. It also provides instant access to the Internet via expansion ports or a third-party cellular modem or satellite phone.
New Software FastMap Mobile
Key features: • High-performance all-in-one integrated GPS device • 6 GB built-in storage as standard • Ultra-rugged form factor • Integrated cellular modem option • Integrated digital camera and barcode scanner options • Comes with a range of GIS field software solutions
The new version of Trimble FastMAP Mobile, Version 8, is now available and will be available to all supported customers over the next few weeks (see back page for details). The release of Trimble’s FastMap Mobile 8 brings many exciting new features, as well as a host of improvements to the underlying GPS engine, iLink.
• Option to wirelessly transmit sketches and photos back to WorkFlow Live • Easy customisation of pre-defined data collection forms • Integration with new FastMap Live website www.trimble.com/FastMapLive which includes device tracking, incident reporting and daily progress monitoring • Ability to specify more than one feature as an 'incident' type ('incident' features are transmitted back to the FastMap Server as soon as they are recorded) • Improved user feedback, when using live services • Improved ‘On-Demand’ mapping capabilities from GetMapping and other sources If you have any queries on the Trimble FastMap family of software, Trimble are now hosting a website area dedicated to these products. Visit http://www.trimble.com/mgis_trimbleprofessional-services.shtml for all the latest news and information.
New Hardware R8 GNSS For mapping users seeking cm accuracy, Trimble have just released a new version of the R8 GPS receiver. Already a favourite with those in the Utilities sector when combined with FastMap Tablet or FastMap Mobile data collection software, this latest version of the R8 can track a wide range of satellite signals, including GPS L2C and L5 and GLONASS L1/L2 signals.
Trimble Yuma Tablet Winner of a US Industry Award FastMap Mobile version 8
Newly available from KOREC, the Yuma Tablet is an all-in-one outdoor computing solution that can transport a user's office absolutely anywhere from a forest to a boardroom! Durable and reliable, it runs the Windows Vista Business operating system. Standard features include integrated WiFi connectivity, GPS and two geotag-enabled cameras.
Measured Solutions Construction | Surveying | Mapping
FastMap Mobile version 8
Key Features: • ‘Navigate to…’ – Enables easy, and extremely precise, navigation to a given location • Improved photo and sketch integration allowing multiple photos and sketches to be added to a record
Trimble is committed to its plan to have Galileo-compatible products available for customers in advance of Galileo system availability. Therefore this new Trimble R8 GNSS is capable of tracking the experimental Galileo GIOVE-A and GIOVE-B test satellites for signal evaluation and test purposes.
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SUMMER 2009
Spotlight On... Geo Referencing your Images How many pictures have you taken on your digital camera, diligently stored them and then forgotten where they were taken? Or you can’t find the exact image you are after without browsing through them all? The perfect solution could be a GPS enabled camera which can capture and store GPS position and GIS attribute data about the image. Once captured, all this data can be easily imported into your GIS or even ‘parcelled’ and wirelessly sent back to the office direct from the field. A GPS camera can provide: ● Visual confirmation of status and condition of assets and resources ● Photo evidence of job sites and incidents ● Verification of completed inspections and work completed to specification KOREC offers two solutions depending on your application, the Ricoh 500SE GPS Camera with FotoFlow PC Software or the new Trimble Juno SC hand-held GPS with a choice of on-board software including FastMap Mobile, ESRI ArcPad or Symology. Our recommendation: If your main priority is taking lots of good quality images with a GPS position and very basic attribute information, the Ricoh 500SE will prove a cost-effective option. If you are predominantly collecting GIS data which includes pictures, the new Trimble Juno SC offers excellent all round functionality and some useful extras. Case Studies ● Ed Rowsell, Conservation Officer at Chichester Harbour Conservancy explains how they are using their Ricoh camera. “Although we now use the GPS camera for a 101 purposes, our initial requirement for geo-referenced imagery arose from an extensive programme of habitat monitoring through fixed point photography. Previously a handheld GPS, map, pad/pen, a standard digital camera and a great deal of post survey data input were required for the same purpose. The Ricoh 500SE camera has revolutionised the programme and significantly reduced survey and post-survey workload. We considered a range of options but went with the Ricoh, based on its high resolution imagery, rugged construction and above all, as an integrated point and shoot solution.” ● A council in Ireland is currently using a Ricoh GPS camera with FastMap FotoFlow software to capture the location of damages to roads within the county, created by heavy trucks and machinery working on capital road projects. These locations and photos are then handed over to the contractor at scheduled intervals to provide them with evidence of road damage and potentially dangerous pot holes. The contractor is then liable to correct these damaged locations within a time frame to maintain safe road conditions.
Measured Solutions Construction | Surveying | Mapping
Ricoh 500SE GPS Camera
Ricoh 500SE GPS Camera
Trimble Juno SC
Image Quality
8 MP
3 MP
Flash / Video
Yes / Yes
No / Yes
Battery Life
All day
All day
Built in Modem for wireless data transfer
No
Yes
Geo-code images
Yes
Not directly
Recording additional information
Downloading information Extras
Up to 5 attributes from pre-defined selection lists Copy pictures to PC
Needs FotoFlow PC Software for downloading
Top Selling Point
Excellent Image Quality
Cost
£1000+ vat (Includes FotoFlow software)
Trimble Juno SC
Unlimited attribute information and free text Use FastMap software for a single click download Requires on-board software
Full PDA functionality and built in cellular modem £2,800+vat (Includes FastMap Mobile Data Collection software)
SUMMER 2009
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Application Report 1,000,000 gullies cleaned per annum - Innovative use of Trimble mapping system helps FM Conway top one million mark
Recording positional and attribute information outside The Royal Pavilion, Brighton
FM Conway, a leading multi-disciplined construction company, has used its innovative application of GPS mapping technology to help seal another council contract, which means the company will now be cleaning over one million gullies per annum across the country. Specialising in the maintenance of highway and surface water drainage systems, FM Conway’s Cleansing Division has adapted its KOREC mapping systems to provide ‘added value’ to potential customers and help win new contracts such as this. Tristan Miles, FM Conway’s Director of Cleansing explains, “We’ve been looking for a solution for plotting gullies for a number of years. When we won a cleansing contract for West Sussex County Council with our client contractors May Gurney, it was on the basis that we had a GPS mapping solution in place. West Sussex Council worked closely with us to come up with a method that would enable them to proactively manage their gullies through the accurate plotting of their location and recording of specific attribute information. Over a period of time they could then build up a history of each asset enabling them to prioritise where work was needed most to increase drainage capacity and at the same time reduce unnecessary cleaning in other areas and consequently, unnecessary costs.” FM Conway trialled a number of systems before contacting KOREC and opting for a Trimble GeoXT sub-metre GPS handheld
Measured Solutions Construction | Surveying | Mapping
with FastMap Mobile software on board. Tristan continues, “We now have 20 GeoXTs and their large internal memory makes them the perfect platform for us to load an entire county’s OS MasterMap data onto. We can achieve sub-metre accuracy positioning of the gullies but importantly also have the option to plot manually, directly onto the map, if there is a car parked over the gully or in the rare occurrence that we can’t get a signal. FastMap Mobile software allows us to move the positions of gullies on the map if they have previously been mapped incorrectly whilst the continuous movement of the on board maps means that our drivers can also use them as a navigational aid. Our drivers love the fact that they are rugged and that the FastMap software is so straightforward. A pre-defined database means that they record information from dropdown lists, covering everything from data, time, silt levels, defects etc. and there is little room for error. Although we did have a few teething problems initially, they were quickly rectified by KOREC and after the first couple of weeks we’ve barely received another driver query”
because we get to see it before it’s sent to the client. This means we get the job done right first time. The success of our first project with West Sussex Council has really opened up new opportunities for us and our ability to offer clients this positional and attribute information as an extra service has helped us win further contracts across the Country. This increase in business means that our Cleansing Division now carries out just over one million gully cleans every year!
Back at the FM Conway office, data is downloaded into FastMap Office, checked for errors by their skilled GIS technicians and then forwarded to clients as a SHAPE file that can be dropped straight into their GIS for immediate use. Tristan concludes, “We now have much closer control of the data that we collect
FM Conway’s Peter Thompson records a gully position with the GeoXT
SUMMER 2009
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Training and Support KOREC is constantly pushing the benefits of a trained workforce – increased productivity, streamlined work processes and the ability to maximise hardware and software. That’s why Spring has seen two of our Mapping Support Team undergoing an intensive 2 week training programme with Trimble in Germany.
Contact us... For further information on any of the products or services mentioned in Sub-dio, please contact your nearest Mapping Representative or visit: www.korecgroup.com
Our aim is to be constantly improving the service, training and support we provide and are committed to keeping our team fully versed in the technology we offer.
GIS Mapping Solutions Consultants Richard Gauchwin (North) richard.gauchwin@korecgroup.com T: 07786 118436
FastMap software registration changes The release of the new Trimble Application Licencer is an important development that brings a number of benefits to new and upgrading users of all Trimble FastMap software, including FastMap Mobile v8. Product licencing and activation can now be performed by the user. It is hassle-free and effective immediately!
Martyn Palmer (South) martyn.palmer@korecgroup.com T: 07721 919912
Don’t forget...our 2009 Training Schedule is available The Trimble Application Licencer is on-line at www.korecgroup.com automatically installed along with your Trimble FastMap Software. After installing your new or updated Trimble FastMap Software, simply ensure that you are online and then enter the POP (Proof Of Purchase) number that you received by email. The Trimble Application Licencer will take care of the rest, automatically licencing your software.
KOREC News Mapping the world’s rarest trees Four years ago, in a very early issue of Sub-dio, we did a feature on Bedgebury Pinetum and curator Chris Reynold’s project to move away from pen and paper records of each individual tree to data collected with GPS. Having just upgraded his previous system to a GeoXT 2008 edition, we caught up with Chris following a recent expedition to China and Vietnam where he tested out his new Geo for future overseas expeditions. Working in partnership with Fauna and Flora International, Chris and his colleagues arrived in China in October 2008 to share knowledge and develop conservation strategies for some of the world’s rarest trees and also to locate one in particular, Thuja sutchuenensis. First described in 1899 from specimens collected by the French botanist Farges, it had not been seen since, despite many searches, and for almost 100 years was presumed to be extinct due to over-cutting for its valuable scented wood. A small number of specimens were however rediscovered in 1999, growing on very steep ridges near Wan Yuan in Sichuan Province. Chris, equipped with his GeoXT, his colleagues and a guide, embarked upon a gruelling 10km hike followed by a very steep climb that saw them slashing their way through vegetation and climbing treacherous slopes. Thuja sutchuenensis was finally located and Chris and his colleagues became the first non-Chinese to see the tree for over 100 years. Using the GeoXT to record its exact position (location top secret) Chris reflected that although the Geo weighs just 0.8kg, the severity of the climb meant that a lighter Trimble unit might have been a better choice and that perhaps sub-metre accuracy was a bit of an overkill to record the position of a tree so rare, there was only one there!
Chris with his GeoXT in Vietnam
Measured Solutions Construction | Surveying | Mapping
The Team then went on to Vietnam and used the GeoXT to map out a conservation area of 300 Xanthocyparis vietnamensis, a freshly discovered conifer, and locate the very rare Calocedrus rupestris.
Brock Ryder (Ireland and N.Ireland) brock.ryder@korecgroup.com T: 00 353 863 837070
Events Once again KOREC will be running its popular GPS Tech events this Autumn. During the last week of September and the first week of October we will be visiting: Edinburgh Leeds Oxford Southampton Events will offer presentations. advice, and demos on the latest GIS mapping products and software. Full details will shortly appear at www.korecgroup.com
Stop Press! KOREC’s ‘Innovation’ wins substantial National Grid order