Field Activity #12: GPS Navigation

Introduction:

This is the final blog post for this field methods course and what is a better way to end a great class than to navigate the woods with a GPS while shooting each other with paintball guns? This exercise combined the skills and tools that we have used in previous labs for one final blowout. The weather in Eau Claire, WI has been somewhat difficult to track lately since there is so much variation with this spring season. This activity was put off for two weeks before we could finally accomplish it. Much like we did in the previous post, we went out to the Priory once more to navigate, however this time our goal was make it through all three courses which contains 15 points. We were issued a Trimble Juno GPS device which is a very powerful tool for navigating since it can sync your .mxd files with actual GPS coordinates and make a new shapefile on the spot. For instance, we created a tracklog for this project which showed our general movement across the Priory. Each team was then given paintball guns which were used to make the stakes a little higher while testing our ability to navigate under pressure.

Methods:

In order to make ourselves prepared for this event there was some modeling that had to be done in ArcMap. Each group was given permission from Professor Hupy to upload the points shapefile to our original maps, which was then added to show the precise location of each flag in the priory. Professor Hupy also had each of us add a shapefile that contained polygon features where paintball guns were strictly forbidden since the children's center was also on the property. Finally, we were asked to create a desired path or plan of attack to reach every flag on the map. Each group was assigned a different point as a starting point. Our group decided to take a path less traveled and decided to double back on our route in order to avoid other teams.

Other preparations also had to be made before the activity could actually begin. A few students met with Professor Hupy before class to fill the NO2 and CO2 tanks for the paintball guns. These same students then went out to the Priory earlier in order to test all of the equipment in order to ensure that it was all in working condition.

Image 1: The image above shows Professor Hupy (orange), Jeremy Huhnstock (camo) and Jacob Burandt (maroon) all workings to set up the paintball equipment.

The actual event was finally ready to be done after all of tasks from above were completed. The class met out at the Priory again so as to not waste time that could be used for navigation. Many of us wore longer clothes this time around and some people even wore camouflage for the paintball portion of the event. Each group assigned one person to handle the GPS until while walking through the woods. Our group chose April Leistikow to handle the GPS because she was the least excited about shooting people with the paintball guns, however she also did her fair share of damage to other teams.

Results:

It seemed like finding each flag went much faster this time around, but at times the GPS would freak out and realize that we weren't where it thought that we were. For instance, at one point we were out by the pine grove and had been walking for a while toward one of the flags, but then the GPS changed and showed us having walked past the flag a while ago. Technical errors in the field should be anticipated so the best practice is to be patient with the devices and always carry the basics with you (map and compass).

Image 2: The map above was created to show our desired path compared to the actual track that we took. The yellow line represents the path that our group intended on taking while the green/blue dots represent our actual GPS tracklog from the activity. Each yellow point is one of the flags. We began at the northernmost point.

Discussion:

Some issues that were encountered while out in the field involved the paintball equipment along with the GPS unit. When running through the woods and trying not to get shot the protective masks often fog up which makes it very hard to see. This problem was easily overcome by removing the mask and wiping it clean. Another paintball issue revolved around the guns chopping balls when they were shooting quickly. Essentially the paintballs were expanding slightly and exploding within the barrel. This was fixed by shooting slower.

On a more technical note, the GPS unit ran very smoothly for our group minus a few hitches. As I described above, every once and a while the GPS would have to recalculate where we were compared to the point which would set us back slightly. Other than that there really weren't any issues with the GPS device.

Conclusion:

Working with the same group that I have worked with all semester on this final project was a blast. I really couldn't have asked for better people to have as a team. We learned how to use the Trimble Juno device all throughout the semester and any of us really could have held the device and managed it as we trekked through the woods. This lab was a fun and unique way of tying all of the other skills that we developed from the semester together into a final product. Not only did this lab make us use a geodatabase that we had created earlier in the semester, but also add onto it to make it more robust. We also used our navigation skills that we were taught early on as well. Through teamwork and perseverance, our group was able to conquer the Priory and this semester.

Field Activity #11: Traditional Navigation using a map and compass

Introduction:

The exercise this week was geared towards utilizing the compass skills that we previously learned in another activity. In order to familiarize ourselves with the compass and how to connect it with a map each group had to revisit their blogs on how to orient. This navigation exercise took place at the Priory, which is owned by the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. The Environmental Adventure Center placed an orienteering course on the large property in order to teach students how to use a compass in the woods. Each group was given one of the three different courses to navigate with each having five points of interest that should be traveled to. There were approximately two groups per course.

Image 1: The image here shows April Leistikow's metal booklet that contained our maps, punch card and notebook. This was a great tool in the woods because a flat writing surface is hard to come by.

Study Area:

As was stated above, the orienteering course took place at the priory which is located on the southern portion of Eau Claire. The Priory is also located just south of Interstate 94. Image 1 below shows a map of where the Priory is located compared to major roads and the general campus. The micro-topography of the region shows a region covered in pines and oak trees that also have a significant amount of buckthorn. There are also ridges and hills that span the property and make it fun to traverse. The Priory also acts as residence hall for students and also houses the children's center.

Image 2: The image above was taken from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire's Priory website. The map shows where major properties are located that the university owns and their relative location in Eau Claire.

Methods:

Our class met out at the Priory to begin our orienteering challenge so as to not waste time congregating in the classroom. This allowed for more time in the field and picture gathering. Each group was tasked with providing their own maps for this project that we created during a previous activity. Each person had to create two different maps: one showing a grid in meters and the other in decimal degrees. We were then provided with a compass and the list of each point with its respective meter or decimal degree location on the map.

Image 3: The image above shows Blake Johnson (red striped shirt) and myself orienting our path of travel together in the woods. I had the runner job so it was paramount that I knew where I was heading. 

Each group begin this activity by plotting the points from each course on their maps. This helped to give us an idea of where each point would be and also helped in the orienteering process of finding the azimuth of each point. Each course had its own starting position which had to be reached by in order to gain the first azimuth. Each team member had their own job when it came to the actual team orientation. The jobs included the runner, the compass holder and the pace counter. The compass holder begins by finding the azimuth to each then telling the runner to go in the direction of the desired location. The runner would run to a specific location that the compass person tells them to reach. The pace counter then paces out to the runner and gets a general idea of how far they have been traveling. Finally, as each team member comes upon the spot then the whole process begins again. Once a group comes upon one of the flags, then they would use the punch to mark on their card that they made it to the specified flag.

Image 4: The image above shows one of the flags that had the puncher on it. Each flag was orange and white and suspended nearly 5 feet into the air from a tree. Some were much easier than others to find.

Results:

Each navigation flag had its own recognizable punch for whichever one you were at. They are all numbered so as to differentiate between the courses as well since some of them converge near one another.

Image 5: Here is the final checklist after the activity. Blake Johnson (red) and myself can be seen as happy campers after getting scratched up out in the woods for a few hours.

Discussion:

Our group had a tough time finding the initial starting point because it wasn't actually marked by anything other than being a trashcan. We wasted a good ten minutes trying to find a starting point when it was literally the trash cans. After we figured out the starting location we really didn't run into any other problems. The main issue with the activity was that none of us knew what to expect in the woods so some of us wore shorts which was a bad idea. Between thorn bushes, broken branches, barbed wire and buckthorn many of us cut our legs and arms up pretty good. Wearing a light long sleeve layer would be highly suggested.

Conclusion:

In conclusion this activity was a blast! It was tough to make our way through some of the thicker brush, but trying to find each point was a good time. My group had a positive attitude and was able to joke around during the activity while still staying on task. Knowing how to use a compass and map in the woods is an invaluable tool for an backpacker, hiker or hunter. Learning how to use these proven tools over the technology, which will almost always fail you in the field, is important for any true sportsman.

Field Activity #10: Balloon Mapping of the Sports Complex

Introduction:

This activity's goal was to use a helium balloon with a 5 foot diameter to capture aerial imagery which could be used for mapping. This process is desirable as a form of unmanned aerial systems because it is cheap and easy to rig up for yourself. This process is very similar to the kite that was used in a previous activity, except that the balloon had less variation due to the fact that the wind was less of a factor for its movement than the kite. The imagery was collected at the Eau Claire Sports Complex which is very close to Bollinger fields. In order to get a finished and seamless product from the balloon's images they must be mosaicked together, georeferenced to the real world and orthorectified between differing programs. Many UAS have been looked at and used throughout the semester, but this may be the best yet for quality.

Methods:

The process of setting up for this is very easy. Before the activity can be replicated there are some basic needs in order to ensure the success of the mission. The equipment needed for this activity includes a balloon, helium tank, zip ties, reel and string, and a picavet rig which helps to hold up the camera and orient it over the earth's surface. The initial phase starts by filling the balloon with helium so that it can float. Once the balloon was filled the zip ties were used to seal the balloon so that it didn't release any helium. The string was also tied to the base of the balloon at this time.

Image 1: Here I can been seen inflating the helium balloon and preparing it for flight over the Eau Claire Sports Complex.

Image 2: The image above shows Blake, Nate and Professor Hupy rigging the picavet device to the string. Blake is holding the reel that has the string wrapped around it as well. The balloon was nearly ready for flight at this point.

The next step in the balloon imagery process is to connect the picavet rig to the string. The rig carries two cameras and a GPS device which is used to tie the images to a specific GPS location. The cameras that were attached were a Canon SX260 and a Canon Elf. The picavet was then lifted into the air to 500 feet. We, as  a class, then walked around the field holding the balloon which was continuously taking images.

Image 3: The image here shows the picavet rig being attached to the string by Professor Hupy. The image shows both cameras and the GPS unit.

Image 4: The image above shows the picavet attached to the string of the ballloon being rained to 500 feet. The rig was just over 30 feet in the air when this image was taken.

To ensure image quality the class agreed upon a route which zig zagged across the fields. This would create less overlap, and cover a broader area for image collection. We walked for nearly 200 feet then hung a 90 degree turn which lasted another 200 feet where another 90 degree turn was made. The cameras each took quite a few pictures. The Elf took 352 pictures while the SX260 took 494. Once the images were collected the hard part ensued.

Photoscan:

The instructions below were provided by my classmate Drew Briski who put a lot of time into trying to figure out how to use the software.

1. Open PhotoScan
2. On the Tab list click Workflow
3. Click Add Photos (only use the photos you want, if to many are used (~200) the process will take hours to complete)
4. Add the photos you want to stitch together
5. Once the photos are added go back to the Workflow tab and click Align Photos. This creates a Point Cloud, which is similar to LiDAR data.
6. After the photos are aligned in the Workflow tab, click Build Mesh. This creates a Triangular Integrated Network (TIN) from the Point Cloud.
7. After the TIN is created from the mesh, under Workflow click Create the Texture. Nothing will happen or appear different until you turn on the texture. 
8. Under the Tabs there will be a bunch of icons, some of them will be turned on all ready, but look for the one called Texture. Click on it to turn it on.
9. If you want you can turn off the blue squares by clicking on the Camera icon.
10. In order to export the image to use it in other programs; Under File, click Export Orthophoto.  You can save it as a JPEG/TIFF/PNG. It's best to save it as a TIFF.
11. With the photo exported as a TIFF, open ArcMap and bring in the TIFF photo and bring a satellite photo of Eau Claire or use the World Imagery base map.
12. You will only need to Georeference the photos if the images you are using were not Geotagged. Open the Geoprocessing Tool-set.
13. Click on the Viewer icon.  The button with the magnifying glass on.  This will open a separate viewer with the unreferenced TIFF in.
14. Click Add Control Points. The control points will help move the photo to where it is suppose to be.
15. With the control points click somewhere on the orthophoto, then click on the satellite image in ArcMap where the point in the unreferenced TIFF should be.  Keep adding control points until the photo is referenced.  The edges of the image will be distorted.  Don't spend too much time adding control points there.
16. The next step is to save the georeferenced image. Click on Georeferencing in the toolbar. Then click Rectify from the drop down menu.  You can save it wherever you need it.
17. The next step is to embed the GPX track log into the images.  For this the programGeosetter was used. 

Geosetter:

1. First you will need to open the images that you will want to use. The photos will go into the viewer box on the left side of the screen. Look at all the photos and make sure there are not any blue markers on them. If they have black/grey they have lat/long attached to them.
2. You will click the button with 2 on.  this allows you to select the trackfile that you want to embed in the images.
3. A window will open. Click Synchronize with Data File. Input the GPX track log.

Image 5: The image here shows the initial steps of the Geosetter software.

Image 6: The image provided here shows the user how to save the images in the Geosetter software.

Results:

Image 7: The image here shows the final results from using Photoscan and Geosetter. The final product is also georeferenced and can be used in ArcMap as imagery. 

Discussion:

Prior to beginning this exercise Professor Hupy forgot one of the camera's SD cards which holds the key to saving the image that the camera takes. Professor Hupy and another student then went back to the campus to grab the SD card. If this occurred in an actual workplace then the missed time could have cost money which could have cost the team its job. Mission planning as a group is key for success.

Some image didn't come out very well because picavet rig was swinging quite a bit due to the gusting of the wind. Good images were collected though and used in the creation of the final product which can be seen in image 7 above.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, a balloon is a cost effective way to use UAS. While it may be one of the cheapest ways to collect data, it has its pitfalls as well. For example, when the picavet was swaying it took terrible pictures which caused some bad imagery to be made from those photos. More mission planning as a class could have been done and should be done in the recreation of this project to ensure more time in the field taking more images. Much like all UAS the balloon as its ups and downs, but is overall a great tool for someone on a budget.

Field Activity #9: Surveying the Campus Mall

Introduction:

In one of the previous exercises (4) each group conducted a survey of a portion of campus using a distance and azimuth survey method. This method of surveying is good for on the spot or cheaper surveying, but a total station is a much better tool for more accurate readings. Another perk of the total station is the fact that it gies a z value, or elevation data. The aim of this exercise is to utilize the total station's equipment to survey the campus mall. The campus mall is around a hectare in area. The survey was done from east to west and then from north to south. The topography of the region shows an area of a small hill starting in the northeast corner and rolling to the opposite. The image in the results section of this post shows the final product.

Study Area:

Each group set up the total station in the same general area. There was an orange circle spray painted into the grass on the mall where we were meant to survey. The campus mall is located in a central area between the following locations: McIntyre Library, Davies Center, Phillips, Schneider, and Schofield. The goal of this project was to obtain surface data using the total station. The field that was survey contains large slabs of granite blocks for seating, an outdoor amphitheater, Little Niagara river, and the green space.

Image1: The image above shows our field methods class on the campus mall learning how to use the Topcon total station. Professor Joe Hupy can be seen in the orange jacket and our GISP, Martin Goettl, in the green polo. Here Professor Hupy 

Methods:

In order to gain an accurate total station reading there are many steps that must be followed. This process all begins with setting up the tripod. The tripod is essential for getting a level base reading. It is paramount that the tripod has a wide base with equal spaces between each of its three legs. Each leg should also be firmly planted into the ground to give further support. If you must survey on an uneven surface then the tripod's legs can actually be adjusted in length. If the tripod moves at all during the survey then there is a potential for every point after that to be inaccurate.

Image 2: Here is an image of Blake Johnson and April Leistikow setting up the total station. The tripod is set up with a wide base of support and each leg is firmly pressed into the ground. As you can see, the total station is also put onto the tripod at this time. 

The next step in the process of putting the total station together is to actually put the device on top of the tripod. The total station is attached to the tripod by a bolt on the top of the tripod. The station should be placed on top of the bolt and firmly screwed onto the device. Some adjustments will then have to be made in order to level out the total station. There are levels on the total station which help to level the tripod, then the actual device as well. This can be done by adjusting the black knobs at the base of the station.

Image 3: The above image shows Blake Johnson adjusting the total station so that it is level. The black knobs at the base of the device, which is at the bottom of the photo, are used to level it out.The total station is nearly ready to be booted up for data collection.

Once the total station is finally stationed on the tripod and leveled out the device is nearly ready for data collection. The final step before data collection and process of collecting itself can be found in the section bellow.

Data Collection:

The information below was provided by Professor Hupy to help guide us in our efforts to set up the total station by ourselves. In order to best relay the way in which we were able to make the total station work the directions for the assignment are presented here.

1. Set up Blue Tooth

a)   Turn on the total station (TSS)

b)   Turn on the station Bluetooth. This is done within the menu area, and within the parameters portion.

c)   At this point, you will not see a Bluetooth symbol appear on the TSS. This will appear after you set up the TopSurv Job.

     2.  Set up TopSurv Job

a)   Set up TopSurv: Open up TopSurv (if no short cut appears find the EXE in the Flash Disk by clicking on My Device from the home screen, then flash disk, and then TTS folder)

b)   If TopSurv has icons instead of menus click the Topcon Icon in the upper left corner and Switch Menus

c)   Inside TTS - Make a new job

                            i.        The open job menu will appear

                           ii.        To make a new job click new

                          iii.        To type in a name click on the space and a keypad will open up

                          iv.        Click next choose My RT DGPS for GPS + Config and My Reflector less for TS config.

                           v.        Set the projection accordingly. If you are planning to enter the coordinates in manually from a different GPS unit you need to choose the same projection as the coordinates that you have from the other unit.

                         vi.        You may also need to change the datum (ex if you are using UTM Zone 15N NAD 83).

                        vii.        Do NOT check grid to ground

                       viii.        Set the Geoid to the first one that is in the list. Click next

                         ix.        In the units menu set your distance units to meters and choose whatever else you want for temp etc.

                          x.        Coordinate type will be Grid, coordinate order should be Easting, Northing, Elevation Height and leave the rest.

                         xi.        Turn on alarms if you wish.

                        xii.        Finish

d)   The blue tooth manager will appear. Select the GPT (TSS) then choose select. It should connect to the GPT. The blue tooth light on the GMS-2 should be blue indicating that it is connected.

e)   You may need to go to the Job Menu, and go to Observation mode. Select Total Station. You could select GPS if you were using the GPS+ a LAZER.

f)    If a window pops up asking you for codes. Type in the following codes for

                   1. The key value should read 2951612344

                   2. TS: 142601006

                   3. GIS: 142601214

    3.  Collect GPS points with the GMS2 in TopSurv*

a)   From the Job menu, go to Obs mode

            i. Check GPS+

b)   Then go to collect menu, and collect features

c)   The point will auto label OCC1 – keep tract of this as you will need the name again

d)   Place the GMS2-s over the laser point for the OCC. and click start. The GMS2 will begin logging points.

e)   If the GMS-2 will not log points, click on the settings button and the top and choose solution type DGPS, Auto. You can also set the number of positions to be averaged. This can also be set from the job configuration menu.

f)    Once you have collected enough points for a position for the OCC you can click accept.

If you wish to also record the location of the Back Sight at this time you can follow the same procedure.

   4.  To begin the OCC/BS setup

a)   Go back to the job menu, observation mode, and choose Total Station. Then proceed with Step 8 (skip step 7)

   5.  If you have X, Y coordinates from a different GPS unit and you wish to add the OCC/BS points in manually then:

a)   From the edit menu go to points.

b)   Click on Add

c)   Then click on New

d)   Name your point accordingly (ex. OCC1). Type in the coordinates you obtained from the GPS unit. These MUST be in the same coordinate system AND Datum as the settings from the GPS unit.

e)   Click finish.

f)    Repeat for the BS

    6.  Set the Occupy Point (OCC) and Back Sight (BS).

a)   Go to the Col menu, choose OCC/BS setup

b)   If OCC/BS does not appear in the menu check the File menu, Observation Mode and be sure it is set to Total Station.

c)   In the BS setup tab, in OCC spot click, on the drop down menu to the far right and choose from list the point for the OCC (either that you collected with the GMS2 step 6 or added manually step

d)   Choose the point where the TSS is located – the OCC point you entered in the previous steps

e)   Then set the height of the instrument by measuring the to the mark on the TSS from the ground up

f)    Then set the height of the prism from the rod

g)   If you wish to enter the BS point from the list

                                        i.    Then be sure the button next to the pointing figure says BS Point, if it says BS   Azimuth click the button and it will change to BS point.

h)   Use the pull down menu to find the BS GPS point (same way you did with OCC). Select that point.

i)    Then sight the TSS to the BS. You do not need the prism on the BS you just need to have the TSS sighted in the exact direction of the BS.

                                        i.    FYI if you want to put the prism on the BS – no harm will be done

                                       ii.    FYI if measure dist to BS is checked then the prism must be at the BS and the TSS will shoot the BS.

j)    Once the TSS is sighted to the direction of the BS then click HC set. The BS Azimuth will then be set to zero even though it is not north. This is OK because the software/TSS automatically does the calculations. This is so everything is relative to the angle between those two points.

k)   If you wish to use BS Azimuth

                                        i.    Orient the total station in the EXACT direction of the BS and enter in the angle from north for the BS. You can use a compass or laser find to measure this angle. The follow step j above.

    7.  Collect Data

a)   Go to the Col menu and choose observations.

b)   Then click measure once the TSS is sighted to the prism. Continue to do this and make sure that the point’s id numbers are increasing.

c)   If you wish to verify the data, go to edit and list and look at the points you collected. You can also view these points on the map tab

d)   Continue collecting data.

e)   Be sure that if you change the height of the rod you must enter the new height of the rod into the collection screen for each point. 

    8.  To move Total Station

a)   If you need to move the TSS then you will need to move it to the BS and go back to step 6 (setting the OCC and BS) and change the OCC to the BS and set a new BS

    9.  Exported collected points to a shapefile from TopSurv

a)   Go to the job menu, export, to file

b)   Choose points

c)   If you export as Shapefile format (this will only be the points, not E, N, Z)

d)   If you wish to have a file with E, N, Z and any codes or comments choose Topcon TXT file.

e)   You will need to open the text file and eliminate the Header Info and the extra breaks. Delete the highlighted info from the example.

f)    Transfer the file to your computer using Active Sync. Make sure you export this information to your user folder, and make sure the information reflects your group name.

Results:

Once all of the points were imported to the computer they were transferred to an .mxd file for further interpolation. As can be seen in the image below, a surface model was created to show the z (elevation) value. Our group utilized the Kriging method of interpolation to show the elevation of the campus mall. The color scheme emphasizes higher elevation with reds and lower elevation with blues.

Image 4: The image above shows the spatial interpolation method known as Kriging. The red areas represent regions of higher elevation which blow represents areas of lower. Each point on the map represents a region where data was collected for the total station.

Discussion:

The goal of this exercise was to learn how to use the Topcon total station. During the survey our group traded jobs so that every person could get a chance to use each tool. Prior to actually starting the survey our group talked about how many meters that we wanted each point to be apart from one another. We came to the consensus that 10 meters would be the best option because it wouldn't take too long and  yet still gave us a good idea of the topography.

Some problems were addressed during our survey and finally data importation. The first anomaly that was encountered was that the device turned itself off, but when we turned it back on it still allowed us to continue with the survey without any foreseeable problems. Many groups encountered the issue of losing the blutooth connection, however we never encountered that issue. Finally, when we tried to import our data onto the computer as a text file it said that there was only one point available even though the device plainly said that there were over 100. With the help of GISP Martin Goettl we were able to overcome this issue and plot the points for interpreation and symbolization.

Conclusion:

When all was said and done this project was a blast! It was a headache to get our data uploaded, but the process of taking the points was actually fun. By taking turns with each tool and teaching each other how to use each part we were able to gain a better understanding of how to perform a survey properly. If time permitted, a better survey could have been done which would have made more variation on the Kriging interpolation method. Our group ran like a well oiled machine during the activity even though it was tough to get everyone together for the actual survey.

Field Activity #8: Microclimate

Introduction:

This activity directly corresponds with the previous one which was setting up the geodatabase that would be used to take microclimate data. In the previous lab we pre-planned our actions for the microclimate collection. There were several factors that we all had to create for the purpose of normalized collection. The list below shows the areas of recorded values. Groups of two were then deployed for the collection of the values. My partner was Carolyn McLeish and our region of campus was around the lower campus residence halls. This can be seen in image 1 below. Other groups took data on upper campus and around the river. The goal of the data collection is to identify microclimates on our campus. Through the analysis of these microclimates it appears that climates can be very different over very small distances.

Recorded Values:
-Time
-Group
-Temperature
-Dew Point
-Relative Humidity
-Wind speed & direction
-Snow Depth
-Other groups had additional

Image 1: The above image shows the points that were collected in the field using the Juno 3D device. The Juno allows the user to use ArcPad to update  tables into points on a map syncing it with GPS coordinates.

Methods:

Several methods were used for collecting the microclimate data. The entire process was completed by walking through a specific section of the campus and taking readings. A ruler was used to measure snow depth while a Kestrel meter was used to find all of the other values. All of the values that were collected appear above under the recorded values section.

Deployment of Data:

In order to deploy the data into the Juno 3D device, the ArcPad Data Manager extension must be turned on. This allows for the adding and editing of data from the Juno to the ArcMap software. The Juno device must be plugged into the desktop in order to complete the next portion of the activity. The geodatabase that contains all of the data must be opened in order to to transfer it and its feature classes to the device. The ArcPad Data Manager then runs the user through the Wizard process which essentially creates the storage within the device. Once the wizard is finished the deployment folder will be created. We made a copy of that folder to ensure integrity if the data gets messed up in the field.

Image 2: The picture here shows the Juno 3D device. It is created by Trimble, who makes many of the most advanced handheld GPS units. The one that we used was very user friendly and had a touch screen.

Collection of Data:

To begin collecting data the Juno devices ArcPad software must be activated. Once ArcPad is running add the image and geodatabase that was uploaded to the device. Once these are added editing can ensue by adding points to the map.The data is then collected with the device in the image above. The Juno device simply collects satellites then all that the user has to do is click on the map in order to tie the point. Once the point is tied the values pop up in the table which allows for the input of values in to each section. As each point is added to the map they show up on the actual graphic.

Downloading Data:

After all of the data was collected it needed to be imported back to Arc. This process is done by connecting the Juno device to the desktop computer via the transfer cable. The ArcPad manager tab should be opened once ArcMap is open. Once the data is transferred as the .mxd file it should appear into the viewer as an editable map.

Results:

The maps below show the results from the collection of data as a class. Each map shows a different type of data that was collected and symbolized to show variation across the map.

Image 3: The above image shows the dew point values across campus. The highest dew point temperatures were located near the river front across from campus.

Image 4: This image shows the humidity of the air by percentage for each location. The highest humidities were near the new Davies center according to the map above.

Image 5: The map above shows the snow depth in inches on our campus. The greatest depth of snow on the campus was along the river across from campus.

Image 6: The above image shows the temperature gradient across campus. The blue represents cooler temperatures while red and yellow represents warmer temperatures. Once again, the temperatures were higher on the Haas side of campus.

Image 7: The image above was by far the hardest to create. It took me a long time to figure out how to get the arrows to point in the azimuth direction, but it ended up working. In the symbology tab there is an advanced button which allows the user to rotate points via different categories.

Discussion:

This activity was very difficult to accomplish due to the extreme temperature and high winds. In order to get all of the data we often had to have our hands out of our gloves to switch from option to option on the Kestral unit. The area of the campus mall that my group completed was contained within several buildings and the hill that leads to upper campus, so the wind readings that we got varied quite a bit in direction due to a swirling affect caused by the confined space. The most frustrating portion of this lab occurred with handling the Juno GPS device though because at the beginning of the exercise it wasn't getting any satellites, so we did our best to eyeball the points until Professor Hupy came out to help us. There was a technical connection issue within the device where the satellites were turned off. After the device was acquiring satellites the rest of the project ran very smoothly.

Conclusion:

This activity was aggravating at times, but when all was said and done the ending products were phenomenal. The maps that were made did a great job of symbolizing each of the different categories that were collected. The ability to learn how to use the Juno device was also invaluable because it is such a robust tool that allows for GPS interaction and .mxd creation from the handheld device. The Juno device will be used again in this course and is a great tool to understand in general.