Data data data...GIS is all about data.

http://www.shapefileconnection.com/

This is a great Mash-up called Shapefile Connection. The idea is to map locations of available GIS data using Google Map. It's a work in progress and if you can help add some push pins to the world with new data sources please contact the creator through the website.

Trimble's Terra Sync: Quick Tips

I created this field guide for those who don't go out in the field all that often and need a little help remembering how to collect data. I also created a smaller version and had it laminated...they turned out very cool.

Read this doc on Scribd: Terra Sync Quick Tips

Pathfinder Office Tip: Differintal Correction

This document is a guide on how to do differential correction using Pathfinder Office version 3.10. This is just the bullet points, no theory.

Read this doc on Scribd: Differential Correction Process

GPS Movie Part 2 : Principles

This is another cool little video on the principles of GPS. Check it out.

Free Data Sources

Here's a list of sites I have compiled over the years for free GIS data. Since I work in California a lot of this data is for the State of California. But there are other cool sits if you are willing to hunt a click a little.

Census Data:
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/tiger2006se/tgr2006se.html
http://data.geocomm.com/tiger/index.html
http://spatialnews.geocomm.com/education/tutorials/e00data/
Raster Data: US
http://seamless.usgs.gov/
http://www.geocomm.com/
http://data.geocomm.com/
http://terraserver-usa.com/default.aspx
California GIS Layers:
http://gis.ca.gov/
http://gis.ca.gov/data.epl
http://atlas.resources.ca.gov/imaps/atlas/app.asp
Digital Raster Graphics: Topo Index
http://archive.casil.ucdavis.edu/casil/maps/drg/index/
TOPOs
http://archive.casil.ucdavis.edu/casil/maps/drg/
IMAGES:
http://archive.casil.ucdavis.edu/casil/remote_sensing/doq/
Satellite:
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/datasets.html
GIS data hunting guide:
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/gis/web.html
http://gisdata.blogspot.com/
ESRI:
http://www.esri.com/data/index.html
http://www.esri.com/data/community_data/business/index.html
http://www.geographynetwork.com/data/downloadable.html
http://arcgisonline.esri.com/
Coastal Data
http://pacoos.coas.oregonstate.edu/
http://pacoos.coas.oregonstate.edu/esri.html
http://www.csc.noaa.gov/bins/data-standards.html
http://coastalmap.marine.usgs.gov/regional/contusa/westcoast/pacificcoast/gispubs.html
Volunteer Organizations
http://www.angeles.sierraclub.org/GIS/
http://www.scgis.org/

Datum Transformations

Ever wonder when you reproject from one datum to another what the Geographic Transformation codes represent? All my Questions where answered when I was given these maps.
ArcGIS Transformations

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Non-fiction Uncategorizable-Unca Projections

New Garmin GPS Units

I just learned that Garmin has a new series of GPS units called the "Colorado". I don't own one yet, but just from the website alone you can tell these are huge upgrades to their popular hand held models. If you always wanted to have color 3D topo maps on your Gramin unit, well these are it. Bigger color screen, yep, how about a click wheel like the iPod? They have that too. Check out the review listed below from GPS magazine.

http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2008/01/garmin_colorado_400t_review.php?page=1

DNR Garmin Field Guide

This is a field guide created for the Fire Department of Long Beach, CA. The goal was to create a quick reference guide to be use in the field. Their request was to make it "Firemen Proof" so the final product is a 4"x7" laminated pocket size flip book. It's water proof, tear resistant and they can even run it over with a fire truck. This guide includes a quick guide on how to use Garmin GPS 60CSx, download the points using DNR Garmin and then creating a KML file to be used in Google Earth.

Read this doc on Scribd: Garmin Field Guide

Teaching Geoscience with Visualizations

This is a great link to more videos on how GPS works and art to Geosciences. I can't even begin to tell you how well this website is put together. Bookmark this site!

If you dig deep into the site you will find visualizations on:

*The difference between geostationary satellites versus polar orbits satellites.
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualization/collections/GPS.html
*Tsunami Visualizations http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualization/collections/tsunami.html
*Hurricane Visualization
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualization/collections/hurricanes.html
*Glacier Physics:
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualization/collections/glacier_physics.html
*Weather and Climate:
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualization/collections/WeathClim.html
Here is their link to their entire collection:
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualization/collections.html

The Best Software for Garmin Download (and it free too!)

One of the best programs that allows you to download Garmin data to Arc Map or Google Earth is DNR Garmin. A free program developed and maintained by the Department of Natural Resources of Minnesota. I’ve tried many different programs and this is the best by far. This little video walks you through the steps (there no voice over as of yet).

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mis/gis/tools/arcview/extensions/DNRGarmin/DNRGarmin.html



After you have created the KML this video shows you how to load it up on Google Earth.

How Does the Sun Effect GPS?

This is an interesting article on how Sunspots can cause havoc with a GPS signal and everything else electronic.

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080104_sunspot.html

GPS Movie (Part 1)

Here's a movie created by Trimble. I love it because inside 5 minutes you get the Who, What ,Where and How of GPS.

GIS, GPS and Field Data Collection Extension Course

Happy New Year! On the weekend of February 9 and 10 at CSULB I will be teaching a GIS, GPS and Field Data Collection extension course. We will not be sitting in the classroom discussing theory, on the first day a Garmin unit is handed to each student. We go over how to set up the unit, navigate, collect GPS data and then download the data onto ArcMap and Google Earth. On day two we play with more sophisticated Trimble Units and Trimble's Pathfinder software. If interest check out the link below, more the merrier!

http://www.uces.csulb.edu/Extension/CourseSchedule/ProgramDescription.aspx?FieldID=82&TopicID=187&course_id=12966&course_version=1&menu_id=1