GPS and Mapping software

[Berkshire]

I work for a small forest consulting business in New England and we are looking into updating/upgrading our GPS units and mapping software. We have been using a Magellan Meridian hand held GPS and an older version (about 10 years old) of Maptech Navigator Pro series topo maps. We've been able to make cruise maps, stand maps, map boundary lines, etc. with the topo as our base map. It would be nice if you can use the same program to be able to do these same things but also add in aerial photos as a layer or as the base map. Something that is a little more user friendly would be nice as well. It looks like the new version of Maptech Pro is able to do these things, but I'm wondering if any of you have used this program and what your thoughts are? Or if anyone has any other suggestions on a GPS/Mapping software that can interface together. Should we be looking at a GIS program? I know there are a lot of programs out there and some are quite expensive. Thanks for your input.
Jeff

[KBforester]

I think I've used a maptech program ages ago... you can definitely do better for little or no cost.

Try Quantum GIS for an introductory GIS system. Its free! Really, no strings. Compared to other systems its a little slow. Make sure to download the users manual too, especially if you've never used a GIS system before. It uses your standard .shp files, or almost any file type you can think of. It doesn't have a photo "Service" like some mapping programs do, but if you have a photo on file you can use it. I don't know about Massachusetts, but Maine provides free GIS photos as well as any other GIS information you could possibly think of.

http://qgis.org/

[BlaBla]

I have to echo the QGIS suggestion. After posting here a couple years ago for an ArcGIS alternative, this has become my go-to option for consulting work where I don't have access to ArcGIS products. QGIS can take a bit to learn, but does a lot of the simple tasks in a more user-friendly way than ArcMap.

NRCS provides a good source of aerials, topos, and soils data:  http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/

[woodtroll]

I have played a little with qgis. It does a lot but I did not get the free version to keep a projection.

What GPS units are you using? are you familiar with DNRGarmin and now DNRGPS ? These programs helps move data to and from a GPS. They can export your data to different formats. A handy one is kml file type to put points on google earth.

Have you researched Arc Explorer? It is a web based gis program that is free (for basic) from Esri.

There use to be a few more out there, you just needed to look.

[SwampDonkey]

I use Maptitude from Caliper in Mass. and a Trimble GEOXM with ArcPad. Load the GIS right onto the GPS unit with an aerial photo and off you go. Used it for 6 years and have traversed several hundred acres a year for thinning. Garmin might be cheap, but to much converting and farting around for me. Plus you don't get "NAD83 NB Double Stereographic" on a Garmin. But with Trimble, Arcpad, and Maptitude you do. Maptitude is 1/3 the cost of ArcMap and does more out of the box. If you want a free GIS get fGIS from forestpal I think. Just Google fGIS and I'm sure it will come up. And use DNR Garmin for the transfer from/to the Garmin.

For my Trimble, I get local base corrections from the government base stations for free.

I used topo points and this aerial in the same projection within Maptitude to see if there was a significant difference in surface area vs map area on a thinning block. I think it was less than 3 %. And the relief is actually exaggerated in this image.



ArcPad with cruise points in yellow.



Tree locations (red oak,butternut).



Trimble Pathfinder

[woodtroll]

Is fgis still supported? I thought it has been replaced with a pay version. I guess the point is there are cheep ways to do it you just may need to research what will work for you.

[SwampDonkey]

The free version isn't supported but functional anyway. If your going to use Garmin exclusively than your only apt to need the bare basics. I even used it a lot to edit shapefiles because the old version of Maptitude I have does not do shapefiles without converting first (newer versions use shapefiles as they are). Garmin is limited in the file formats you can get into the GPS, while a Trimble with Arcpad or Terrasync has way more formats they support. Plus your not limited to WGS84 in the GPS. A Trimble is also about like a laptop in your hands and Windows based, internet, Wireless, blue tooth. So you can even beam files from mine to yours and go off in separate directions.

[Berkshire]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you all. This is some great usable information, I really appreciate this.

For the handheld GPS we are using a Magellen Meridian mostly and sometimes a Garmin Vista HCx.

Since GIS is pretty new to me and there is a lot to it I feel I'm going to have a large learning curve. I did check out QGIS and have played around with it a little bit along with going onto the state of MA GIS website to see about downloading some files to help me out but was overwhelmed with how much info is on there. Is it possible to get a topo file and use that as a layer, as well as an aerial photo layer, and just a blank layer that I could draw on to scale and have all of these layers interact to produce some maps? Any info is helpfull. Thanks again for all of your help.

[KBforester]

Well I just visited the Mass site... not very user friendly at all... Kind of like Massachusetts in general. I tried to download some files to show you an example... and the contours downloaded fine... but the photos are too large, they won't let you download them. It looks like you can buy a DVD with photos for $60.

But to answer your question, yes, you can do just what you described, assuming you have a copy of the photo file. The QGIS part is easy, your Mass GIS website, not so much.

[SwampDonkey]

That's unfortunate. Here in NB I can retrieve real time property maps, contours, roads, streams, topology, and aerial photos (MrSID,TIFF). I also have the option to use an online GIS webserver, all free of charge. I also can correct GPS data for free, other than the fact you buy the Trimble software.

I just loaded up some layers to my GPS for a block of thinning I will be marking out.

Even the state of Michigan has  most of the same stuff all free. I used it to prepare for my trip to the 2010 pig roast and then on up to Jeff's woodlot. I just printed the maps off on paper.

[dgdrls]

http://www.cmtinc.com/

These folks make a nice product, can't beat their data collector/GPS units
and
"Feature Data Import: ASCII, Shape file, DXF
PC-GPS allows you to supplement (import) your GPS maps with Feature data from a variety of data sources: ArcView® Shape files, AutoCAD® DXF files, ASCII and other PC-GPS Job files.

Once your map is complete, the Feature data can be exported into several different GIS and database formats (ESRI Shape file, DXF, ASCII, MS ODBC, Intergraph Microstation).   Simply select the export format from the pull-down Data Source box and then click on the export icon. "

Best DGDrls

[SwampDonkey]

Yes, I believe they were the first to offer a handheld field GPS collector. I have not seen them here because DNR and most forest companies went Trimble.

[woodtroll]

You can get both photo and topo data from the http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/

Hit start, navigate to your county. Then "order" the map data you need. I would recommend orthos most recent date, usgs topo (seemless) and soil info.
This would be your base data. You should be able to create a shape file and draw your boundaries on them as a new layer.
You may want to contact your counties for plat layers with estimated property lines. This may not be free.
Give your self some time for down load, the photos will be a gig or so.
This is just one way.
Look up DNRGPS, for a very functional program to move data on and off your GPS's.

There is a lot of stuff here. QGIS can do alot but it may limit you on conversions. That is when all your maps line up regardless of their coordinate system.
Have you looked into Arc Explorer?