Assignment 12: Building An ArcPad Project and Deployment To The Field

Deployment of ArcPad to the field conducted on: April 29th, 2013

Introduction

With how many times we have been at the Priory, we have become quite familiar with the features and terrain.  This was quite evident during the final navigation exercise at the Priory, where most people never used their GPS except to set the waypoints for the markers they went to.  This exercise is an effort to begin a database with as much information as possible about the location, to assist with the restoration of the area.  We were provided a list of topics that could be examined, though we were suppose to limit the amount of overlap between groups in order to collect as much data as possible.  While providing us with experience, the data we collect can also be used in the future to create maps of the recently acquired Priory.  For this final exercise, we used Trimble Juno GPS units, loaded with ArcPad 10 software (Figure 1).

Figure 1: The Trimble Juno 3B GPS unit.

Study Area

For this exercise the study area was the same as all of our field navigation exercises, the Priory (Figure 2).  The Priory is a 112-acre hilly and mostly wooded plot just to the south of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  It was acquired by University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire in 2011.

Figure 2: This map shows the study area found south of I-94 by Eau Claire, WI.

Methods

My group, again consisting of Beatriz and Joel, decided to map the trail markers and bench locations.  Before heading to the Priory, it was necessary to create a geodatabase, complete with feature classes that had domains.  Establishing domains is important when collecting data, as it can restrict entries to just a few options.  With domains created and applied to a feature class, when you are adding data points in the field, ArcPad will provide a drop down list of the available attributes.  If a range was specified for numeric values, then it will not allow you to enter values outside of that range.

With this in mind, my group began examining ways in which we could use domains to ensure integrity in our data on markers and benches.  For benches, we wanted to look at the condition, azimuth, proximity to the trail, and whether or not it was in a viewpoint.  For the markers, we decided to look at the color, shape, and medium. Figures 3 through 7 show the domains we created, their properties, and their coded values (if any).

Figure 3: This is the azimuth domain, which tells the
direction the bench is facing, and is limited to a value
between 0 and 360.

Figure 4: The condition domain describes the condition
of the bench, uses coded values, therefore limiting
the selections to Good (1), Fair (2), Poor (3), and Other (4).

Figure 6: The proximity domain is used to specify the
distance a bench is from the trail.

Figure 5:  The medium condition states what the sign is made from.  Since we were uncertain as to what all of the signs were, we came up with metal, flag, wood, and other.  It turned out most of the markers are metal, with the exception of trailheads.

Figure 7: The within viewpoint domain is a simple coded value of
yes (y) or no (n), used to specify if there is a particularly good view
from this bench.

With the feature classes and domains created in ArcCatalog, the remaining preparations were applying the domains to the respective feature classes, and then transferring the geodatabase to the GPS unit.  The domains were easily applied using the Assign Domain to Field tool.  In order to make the data ready for ArcPad, we had to enable the ArcPad Data Manager extension and toolbar, then merely click the Get Data for ArcPad button and follow the wizard.  Once the data was ready, I connected the Juno GPS and copied the files over.

Discussion

Once the ArcPad project was loaded onto the Juno GPS, the rest was fairly simple, though rather repetitive.  When we arrived at the Priory, we were immediately allowed to go and complete the tasks we planned.  My group immediately headed for the first trailhead that we were aware of.  Initially we started collecting each point together, with everyone filling in all the same information for the markers and benches.  After doing this for about 20 minutes, we realized that this was not an effective use of our time.  So, we came up with two options, either head of in different directions and collect everything we find (which would potentially lead to overlapping data, which would have to be sorted through) or we could split the work into three parts.  Up to this point, we only had four different items: triangle markers, benches, big circle markers, and small circle markers.  We decided to split it into three tasks.  Joel collected the triangle markers, Beatriz collected the benches, and I collected both sizes of circles.

Since we did not have a domain for the size of the marker, I used the notes field to tell when a circle was small; if it was large I left it.  In our efforts to collect all the data we could, and not knowing how many markers and benches their were, we were quickly separated.  At one point in the trip we came to a split in the path and had to choose which direction to go.  So, when the trail came back to the top of the open hill by the Children's Center, I navigated the same trail back down to the split, and took the other path.  I eventually met up with Joel, and we finished the last part of the trail.

With the data collected, we returned to campus and uploaded the data to our respective geodatabases.  Since merely copying all of the data over would result in some repeated data points due to us initially each collecting all of the data,  I used Select by Attribute to select all of circle markers, and exported them as a feature class to our group geodatabase.  I was then able to create the maps depicted in Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 8: Map of only the circle markers that I collected.

Figure 9: Map of everything collected by the group.

Conclusion


This exercise was pretty straight forward, but was still a great experience.  Being able to prepare a geodatabase for deployment in the field with ArcPad has many uses.  Not only was this experience using additional software, but the preparation requires you to start thinking about what issues you might encounter in the field, something that is very difficult to think about and accomplish successfully without actual experience.  Despite having been to the location three times, we hadn't been paying attention to the markers, what they were made of, and the conditions they were, so we had some limitations.  We had to design the geodatabase to not only work with what we knew, but to anticipate other issues that may arise.

Assignment 11: High Altitude Balloon Launch (HABL)

HABL Launch conducted on April 26^th, 2013.

Introduction

After two months of waiting for the proper weather, it was finally time to conduct our high altitude balloon launch (HABL). This year, winter weather decided to stick around a little longer than usual, and Friday, April 26^th was the first nice, warm day, with temperature reaching 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite having classes only on Mondays for three hours, our professor forewarned us to keep an eye on our email because he would email us the night before the launch, but he was expecting it to be Friday.

Method

The HABL consisted of three main parts. First was the large helium balloon, which allowed the camera to reach high altitude and take the video. Using 550 cord, the balloon was attached to both the parachute and the camera rig. Below the balloon was the parachute, which would be deployed when the atmospheric pressure reduced enough to allow the balloon to expand and eventually burst, thereby releasing the vertical tension on the parachute. The final part was the camera rig, which was just a styrofoam bait box, with a hole cut for the Flip Cam lens to be placed in for video recording. Also in the camera rig was a GPS locator, insulation, and several hand warmers to keep the box warm enough for the camera to continue operating. The FAA also requires that a strobe light be attached, so we attached one to the outside of the rig.

Figure 1: Our class heading to the campus mall area to release the balloon.
You can see the parachute connected to balloon.

We launched the balloon from the center of the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire campus mall, shortly after 10:00 AM. Our professor was suppose to be able to see where the rig was via the GPS locator with either his iPhone or computer, however, for some reason he didn't receive the first update until almost 30min after the balloon was launched. Fortunately, about an hour and a half after the launch our professor finally received a signal from it, 78 miles to the east (Figure 2). When he asked for volunteers to go on the recovery mission with him, I volunteered along with fellow classmate Beatriz Viseau.

Figure 2: The is a map where the balloon was released (green) and where it landed (red).
Due to the some strong winds, it was pushed about 78 miles to the East/Southeast.

After stopping at the professors house to pick up some gear, we drove for about 1.5 hours to the expected owners house. The occupants turned out to be the owners of the land where the GPS signal was emanating from and were kind enough to give us permission to retrieve it. After about a one mile walk and navigating an extremely muddy field, our professor spotted the rig and parachute about 25 feet up in a tree (Figure 2). We had left the climbing gear in the truck, so our professor went back to retrieve it. When he returned, he began climbing the tree. Since the rig was stuck on the outer edge of a branch, we sent up a saw to our professor so he could cut the branch down (Figure 3). After about thirty minutes of sawing, our professor was exhausted, and the branch finally snapped, lowering our rig to the ground (Figure 4). There was much rejoicing (Figure 5).

Figure 2: Photo taken from the ground, looking up.  The rig was at least 25 feet up.

Figure 3: Professor Hupy grabbing the saw that we hoisted up to him.

Figure 4: The tree limb that was sawed off.  I attempted throw the rope into a higher
limb so we could hoist up a hatchet which would have made our professors effort a little easier,
but unfortunately he had it cut before I was able to get the rope high enough.

Figure 5: Professor Hupy holding the retrieved rig after cutting the branch and climbing back down.

With the rig successfully retrieved, we packed our things and made our way back to Eau Claire.

Discussion/Conclusion

The following images are single frames from the video. Unfortunately, the Flip Cam had a 1 hour limit on video recording time, resulting in only part of the descent being filmed. The Go Pro was the most desirable, and will likely be the camera used in the future, but it was not obtainable for this event.

The following stillshots extracted from the video show some of the amazing footage that was obtained.  Unfortunately, as the rig gained altitude, condensation began forming on the camera.  In future launches, the condensation buildup may be able to be reduced by placing rice in the rig as well.  Even with the condensation, the footage was still amazing.

Figure 5: Stillshot of the video as it follows the Chippewa River.

Figure 6: Stillshot as the balloon continues to gain altitude.

Figure 7: Some intense upper atmospheric winds allowed the camera to catch
glimpses of the curvature of the Earth.

Figure 8: Another glimpse of Earth's curvature.

Figure 9: The tops of some clouds were caught as well.

Despite having seen many images similar to these, most of them being higher quality and not having a giant circular blur in the center, it was still extremely satisfying and inspiring to be a part of this exercise.  I look forward to doing this sort of project on my own in the future.