• GIS at the Biodiversity Center
• GIS/GPS Techniques for Field Work
• GPS Reporting Error
• Reference Datasets on UWGB "Ecodata" Drive
• Latest Satellite Predictions for the UWGB campus (.pdf)
• Useful Links for GPS Users

GIS/GPS Techniques for Field Work

GPS is often used to record the location of field observations. Many GPS units can communicate directly with personal computers, which facilitates transfer of GPS points to GIS data layers. The CACB uses a Garmin 12XL GPS and Garmin MapSource software for this purpose. The program is installed on the PC in LS207. The transfer procedure requires some familiarity with the GPS unit and with ArcView. The steps are outlined below:

• Connect the GPS unit to the computer's serial port
• Determine what data type is to be downloaded and configure the GPS unit
• Use the Mapsource software to view the contents of the GPS memory
• Export the contents of the GPS memory to a delimited text file
• Use Excel to rearrange and label the data columns in the text file
• Bring the edited text file into ArcView as an event theme
• Use ArcView editing tools to convert the GPS points to ArcView shapefiles

The map library included with the MapSource software may also be helpful for fieldwork. A topographic map of a study area can be uploaded to the GPS and used as a background for displaying location, speed and direction of travel."

Biodiversity Topics: Introduction . Plants . Animals . Mammals . Birds . Reptiles & Amphibians . Arthropods . Spiders . Insects

© 2001-2004 The Cofrin Center for Biodiversity and the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, All Rights Reserved
Last updated on January 12, 2006