The DeLorme Professional Newsletter – Summer Edition
If you’re worried that you missed a month of this venerable publication, fear not. This is a combined July/August edition; let’s call it a bumper summer special. Read on to find out about a new free data offering for XMap users, an intro to an XMap reseller in the Pacific Northwest, a rare missive from DeLorme’s Professional Sales Director about his experience at the ESRI User Conference, and, of course, a chance for you to test your geographic knowledge and maybe win a copy of XMap with a GPS receiver in the latest Where on Eartha challenge.
DeLorme Releases Free NGS Benchmark Data for XMap
DeLorme is pleased to announce the availability of NGS (National Geodetic Survey) benchmark data for XMap. These OpenSpace files, organized by state, can be downloaded for free and are compatible with all versions of XMap 5 or newer.
 A benchmark is a geographic point whose coordinates and/or elevation has been measured and recorded to a high level of accuracy. Benchmarks are used by surveyors, engineers, map makers, and other professionals who need a highly accurate positional reference for their work. Recently, locating benchmarks has also become a popular pastime for the geocaching community.
Each benchmark or geodetic control station has a precise latitude/longitude used for horizontal control or a precise orthometric height used for vertical control or both a horizontal and vertical control.
The XMap data is comprised of individual OpenSpace layers created for all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, based on data downloaded from the NGS benchmark archive files. Recent benchmark additions can be downloaded directly from the NGS website and appended to the appropriate XMap OpenSpace layer using the Import… Append function of XMap GIS Editor or XMap GIS Enterprise.
Notes from the Director
In mid July, Geoffrey Ives, DeLorme’s Director of Professional Sales, flew to San Diego for the 2009 ESRI User Conference along with a number of key DeLorme staff members. DeLorme’s attendance at this event was significant for many reasons, not the least of which was the fact that DeLorme had recently become an ESRI Business Partner. The following was written by Geoffrey shortly after his return.
What I Learned at DeLorme’s First ESRI User Conference
A few weeks ago, DeLorme Publishing Company, Inc., a new ESRI Business Partner, exhibited at the 2009 ESRI User Conference in San Diego. For DeLorme, the conference was a great success and provided the DeLorme professional sales group with hundreds of sales leads for the DeLorme World Base Map data and the Earthmate PN-40 handheld GPS receiver. But, clearly, there was more to the conference than just a list of sales opportunities.
 We were told that attendance at the conference was down from previous years. That may be or may not be true, but from my perspective (our booth was swamped), the level of attendance— in light of the economic downturn—seemed indicative of the growing acceptance of GIS into mainstream government and business processes. I’m talking low-level, basement of the rural town hall where you register your car, acceptance here.
DeLorme has exhibited at eight national conferences this year and at all of them, with the single exception of the American Wind Energy Association conference in Chicago, attendance was significantly off. And they have all been peppered with job seekers and struggling job holders seeking a better life, which means attendees are less interested in stuff to buy and more interested in jobs and new time-saving processes. The ESRI User Conference was no exception.
In the current economic climate, most of us are stretching our daily job parameters to absorb additional tasks and responsibilities. Across the nation, ten percent of us have lost our jobs. Those of us fortunate enough to retain a job suffer from the need to fill the process vacuums left by the now unemployed or re-employed. It forces us all to rethink our relationship with work; to reassess our futures, our company objectives, our careers, our family’s security, and the trade shows we attend.
Reseller Spotlight
This month, we continue our reseller spotlight feature by looking at a recent addition to DeLorme’s VAR (Value Added Reseller) network. Data Directions, based in Eugene, Oregon, not only offers a full range of DeLorme’s software and hardware but also provides a wealth of expertise in the application of location technology for natural resources professionals.
Tony Cooley, Data Directions Principal, who recently received his Geographic Information Systems Professional certification by meeting the standards for ethical conduct and professional practice as established by the GIS Certification Institute, shares some information about his company.
Data Directions has been providing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology for forestry and natural resources management applications since 1992. Clients are located throughout the Pacific Northwest and manage anywhere from a few thousand to more than a million acres of resources. The solutions provided are tailored to meet the individual client’s needs and often intermix a variety of software and hardware products. The XMap GIS product line works well as a cost effective, feature-rich solution for the smaller clients and with the addition of the PN-Series GPS units, XMap also fits in well as a component of larger, enterprise-level GIS implementations.
XMap Q&A—What are the main differences between XMap and Topo USA, and will XMap offer any additional functionality when used with my PN-40 GPS Receiver?
Since the introduction of the PN-Series GPS receivers over two years ago, DeLorme’s customer service representatives have helped countless customers determine which of these two software titles best suits their needs. Long-time subscribers to the DeLorme Professional Newsletter may recall that we addressed this same issue in a late 2007 edition; however, as the question is still being posed, it is worth revisiting this topic.
To begin, let us quote from the 2007 article:
“Both XMap 5.2 and Topo USA can be used to transfer maps and data to and from the PN-20, however there are key differences between these two software packages that reflect the intended use for each product.
Topo USA was developed as a recreational mapping software product and it excels for such applications as hiking, biking, hunting and off-road navigation. Combined with the PN-20 it offers a powerful set of tools for planning and undertaking virtually any backcountry adventure.
XMap, which includes all of the features and functions of Topo USA, was designed to specifically meet the needs of the professional user and it achieves this by offering several mechanisms for integrating third party data into the software.”
While the XMap and Topo USA have been significantly upgraded since 2007, the fundamental distinctions remain the same. Topo USA is intended for recreational use and XMap has been designed for professional applications.
Both products contain the same core mapping functionality and include many of the same features and functions including routing, drawing and annotation, 3-D terrain modeling and much more. Because there are such similarities and common functionality, the upgrade path is a painless one for Topo USA users who want to take their mapping to the next level.
For most users, XMap Professional—the entry level edition of the suite—is a perfect stepping stone from recreational mapping to more advanced spatial technology. So what data does XMap Professional support that is not compatible with Topo USA?
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Offer Expires August 31, 2009.
Where on Eartha
Back in June, the roving red pushpin of the Where on Eartha challenge found itself implanted in an island nation’s coastal capital. Without too many other geographic clues, a surprisingly high percentage of you were able to discern the country of Cuba with Havana as its capital.
Because her name was the first drawn at random from those whose responses were correct, Rebecca Troyer, GIS Specialist with Energen Resources in Birmingham, AL, will be receiving a copy of XMap Professional with the latest USA Topographic base map data and a USB GPS receiver.
This month, our inimitable pushpin journeys to another capital city in a coastal location. Think you know where it is? Why not send your response to contest@delorme.com and don’t forget to let us know both the city and country in question. One lucky respondent will walk away with the same XMap bundle won by Rebecca. To be eligible, your entry must be received before August 31, 2009.
Data Sources for XMap
Continuing our series on some of the best online sources of data for XMap, this month we pay a visit to the US Department of Agriculture’s Data Gateway site, an excellent one-stop-shopping site for imagery and other types of spatial information. Obviously the primary focus of the USDA is agriculture so the most of the available datasets relate to natural resources.
On the site’s home page, look for the Get Data link towards the top of the screen. This opens up a map window with several simple and intuitive navigation tools that allow you to zoom and focus on a particular area. Next, use the Define Order Area tool to outline the area within which you are interested in downloading data. This action automatically triggers a query that generates a list of all available data, including ortho-imagery datasets that cover the area.
To order the data, click the Continue button, define the required data format, enter your personal information, including email address, and finally confirm your order. Within a short period of time, you will receive an email with a link to download your data.
For XMap users looking for compatible data, the USDA site is a great place to start. It provides a variety of useful datasets, offers a customizable and easy-to-use geographic selection process and, best of all, it is free.
Online Registration for XMap Training in Houston
To coincide with the 2009 GITA Oil and Gas Conference in Houston, TX, DeLorme is pleased offer an opportunity for anyone in the area to attend an onsite XMap training class.
Scheduled for Thursday September 17th from 8:00 am-1:30 pm, the class will be held at the Marriott Westchase.
Because there will be a wide range of ability levels among those attending, it is likely that a certain amount of time will be spent discussing some of the core functionality of the software before we look at more specific GIS applications. The following is a rough outline of what will be covered:
- The basic functions of XMap
- Optimizing XMap for efficient file and data management
- Developing and managing GIS layers using XMap
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Using GPS with XMap
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Printing high-quality maps
The class size will be limited to 40 attendees with space allotted on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost of the class is $100 per person although full-time students can attend for free. Those who plan to attend are encouraged to bring a laptop; sample files will be distributed at the beginning of the class.
For more information, email training@delorme.com or to register, visit www.delorme.com/training/houston
We Want to Meet You!
Visit us at these upcoming events:
GITA Oil and Gas Conference
September 13 - 17, 2009
Houston, TX
Supercomm 2009
October 21 - 22, 2009
Chicago, IL
Stop by the DeLorme booth at any of these events and enter to win a drawing for a DeLorme product.
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