Welcome to this week's edition of POB eNews ...

My grandfather was one of the smartest people I ever knew. (I always called him Pop.)  Not that he had lots of formal education. He did not. Much of his learning came from observing, from thinking, and from experiencing life.  

Pop spent most of his life working a small farm with a bad leg. His leg was always wrapped in an ace bandage. Every night, he would unwrap his blue and black, swollen leg. But I never once heard him complain about it. It was what it was. (His leg was permanently wounded from standing in mustard-gas-poisoned water in the battlefield trenches of World War I France.) 

Yet, bum leg and all, he managed to put four children through college. Two of the four became doctors (one M.D. and one Ph.D.). The other two hold master's degrees. Pop knew the value of education. He valued learning. I was reminded of this recently when someone questioned how anyone could afford to travel to the ACSM conference. I'm sure Pop would ask how one can afford to not attend. 

No, I don't mean attend every meeting every year. But I do mean being active in your local society and attending when you can. I do mean taking enough pride in your profession that you keep up with what is going on. I do mean regularly updating your knowledge of the laws (statute and case law) that govern our profession.  

The best way I know to stay abreast of happenings in the profession is to go to these meetings. Sure, we have lots of fun seeing old friends and making new friends at the conventions. But that is just icing on the cake. Because when you strip away all the other stuff, the conventions always come back to one thing: learning. Not enough surveyors place a high value on learning. Some do. That is evidenced by the attendance at recent conventions. 

But I wish more people thought like Pop. He would understand why it is important to be involved--why it is important we don't do like one gentleman who once told me he had learned everything he ever needed to know when he was in college back in the 1960's.

I believe the future is bright for surveyors; but, it will be even brighter if we take a cue from Pop and learn to value learning.

Larry Phipps, president
Land Surveyor's Workshops

What type of RTK networks do you rely on most often?

• FREE is the key word. We primarily use state and regional networks that are available at no charge.
• A paid subscription-based service through an independent network.
• A manufacturer-supported stationary or mobile network. Whatever we can get, but we would use a subscription-based service if it were available in our area.
• None. We don't use RTK GPS.

Take a moment to vote at www.pobonline.com.  

Basic GIS Coordinates, Second Edition - by Jan Van Sickle

This text explains how GIS coordinates tie the real world to its electronic image in the computer. The progression of fundamental ideas of coordinate systems is outlined without overwhelming readers with supporting mathematics. Chapters cover building of a coordinate system, heights, two-coordinate systems, and the rectangular system. Datum realization, coordinate transformation, state plane coordinates, and UTM coordinates are some topics explained. Chapter review questions and answers are included. Van Sickle is a teacher of surveying and mapping.

Retail Price: $93.95  Follow this link to purchase.  

Visit AECstore.com to view all of our products for the surveying industry. 

The March issue is online!

This month, POB has a special section dedicated excusively to mapping.  Our cover story, Flying High, gives a bird's eye view of airborne LiDAR trends. Speaking of trends, Mark Meade's From the Ground Up takes readers through the advanced technology for mapping projects. Fly on over to Australia to see how digital imaging is being used to plan responsibly for the future in  A Green Vision. Then it's over to Arizona for the dirt on how survey technology is preserving the past in Mapping a Legacy.

Whether you prefer wind power or horsepower, both can be harnessed to drive your success in The Future Blows In and Opportunities on the Move. But don't stop there, we have much more, including the second installation of Ingrid Chapman's look at surveying in ancient Egypt, Positioned for Prominence. Plus, check out what industry experts  John Palatiello, Milton Denny and Jeff Lucas have to say this month.

Finally, if you're thinking about purchasing a total station, before making a decision, click to POB's annual  surveys for product specifications in a searchable, user-friendly online format.  

SURVEY CALCULATIONS TECHNICIAN   

The LANE Construction Corporation, headquartered in Cheshire, Conn., has a current opening for a Survey Calculations Technician, who will work in a team environment at our project in Alexandria, Va.     

We are looking for a Survey Calculations Technician proficient with Microstation and well-rounded experience with Land Development Desktop and Terramodel. The ideal candidate would have experience in calculations for support of survey layout work in Heavy Highway Construction.

Send resume to HR-VA@laneconstruct.com (attn: Survey Tech Position). EOE M/F/D/V 

Survey conducted at site of fatal accident
A professional survey at the Davison County, S.D., site of two 2008 auto wrecks--one a fatal crash--doesn't necessarily mean a new guardrail will be erected at the location.

In Florida, New Jobs, Same Old Swamp Cabbage
When he's not belting out Southern rock, musician Tim Smith spends his days surveying land for construction projects. But these days, the construction work has dropped off so much that he's making more money playing music than surveying land.

Southern Jefferson County surveyors reprimanded, fined
Two Southeast Texas surveyors have been reprimanded and assigned a $6,000 fee for filing incorrect elevation figures for two LaBelle-area homes.

To read the latest Surveying in the Headlines, click here.

Joke of the Week: New Company Procedures

Dear Employee:

As a result of the reduction of money budgeted for department areas, we are forced to cut down on our number of personnel.

Under this plan, older employees will be asked to take early retirement, thus permitting the retention of younger people who represent our future. Therefore, a program to phase out older personnel by the end of the current fiscal year, via retirement, will be placed into effect immediately.

This program will be known as SLAP (Sever Late-Aged Personnel). Employees who are SLAPPED will be given the opportunity to look for jobs outside the company. ...

Problem: Surveying Astronomy: Solar Observation for Azimuth
When working with an observation to the sun's center that was made to one of its limbs, a correction based on its semidiameter is used. Which statement correctly characterizes the variation in that correction?

(A) It will grow larger as the altitude of the sun increases.
(B) It will grow smaller as the altitude of the sun increases.
(C) It will frequently exceed 00°16½'.
(D) Both A and C are true.

Cool Link of the Week: Sight Lines: Live Conference Updates & Video
POB Editor Krisi Grahl posted live updates and video from her trip to the ACSM Conference in Salt Lake City and Trimble Dimensions in Las Vegas. Be sure to check out the fun footage from POB's chain throwing contest at ACSM. Then get back to business with Shannon Hixon, director of product marketing for Leica Geosystems, as he summarizes Ken Mooyman's keynote address at the ACSM conference.

Click to access the rest of this week's Fun & Games.