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Kathryn - thanks for the information that photographs can indeed be annotated using BGS-Sigma. However, given that the photograph has to be taken and then downloaded, and then brought into the sketch, and then annotated, this could equally well, with only slightly more inconvenience, be accomplished using e.g. Photodraw, or Inkscape or Irfanview, after returning from the field. In fact it may well be that I would gain more time in the field by transferring the annotation from my notebook to my computer at the end of the day rather than at the outcrop. (Also bear in mind that your notebook + sketches is your backup in the event you drive over your ruggedized tablet!) Even if BGSA-Sigma is free, in the context of cash strapped Universities, private individuals, and junior companies, we come back to the question of the investment cost of an ArcGIS 9.3 license + Access + ruggedized tablets w. GPS. (There is also the question of whether BGS-Sigma can be integrated with ArcGIS 9.2 or 10, or only 9.3?) In my case the cost of and access to ArcGIS 10 is not a problem - the University has a license, and I understand the problems of Topology and the ETWizards solution), and I assume that BGS-Sigma will work with an Asus notebook coupled with a bluetooth GPS. I would therefore be faced only with the cost of buying Access. This is unlikely however to be the case of a student!! On the other hand , I do not think a basic Garmin Etrex is beyond the extra-beer financial abilities of a student, and if you don't have and can't use Excel how did you get into a Science Program? Most students own a laptop of some kind, and while they may be loth to lug such around in the field, they could still be used at the end of day's roundup - assuming again that they are staying in some place habitable. This would provide minimal entry into mapping and GIS using computers. No computer - then you are left with ETrex and gridded airphotos - which isn't bad either. When your pockets deepen you will have the pleasure of evaluating a high end system and finally get to use BGS-Sigma or FieldMove. Hope this helps. Bill C. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Goodenough, Kathryn M." <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 11:18 AM Subject: Digital geological mapping > Dear all > I've enjoyed following this discussion and would like to comment on some > of what's been said. First, though I should declare my interest: I'm the > project leader for the BGS-SIGMA digital data collection project here at > the British Geological Survey, so I'm very definitely of the pro-digital > mapping view. I am also a field geologist who learnt to do field mapping > with pencil and paper, triangulation and pacing. > > As I've said on this list before, we do our mapping and field data > collection using the BGS-SIGMAmobile system on ruggedized tablet PCs with > integrated GPS. The software is a modified version of ArcGIS with Access > running in the background to collect the data. You can download the > BGS-SIGMAmobilesoftware for free from > http://www.bgs.ac.uk/science/3dmodelling/SigmaDownload.html but you will > need ArcGIS 9.3.1 and Access 2003 or 2007 licences in order to be able to > use it. > > Many people have pointed out the importance of being able to use a range > of remotely sensed data, satellite images, geophysical data - and to know > where you are relative to all of these datasets in the field. One of the > major advantages of an ArcGIS based mapping tool is that you can have any > digital layers that you want georeferenced in your project - you can > switch them on and off, and always know where you are on them because of > the integrated GPS. Working in some rather featureless desert in the > United Arab Emirates at the end of last year, I found that this made a > huge difference to the rate at which we could cover the ground. > > Another point that has come up in these discussions is the importance of > being able to sketch in the field. BGS-SIGMAmobile contains a dedicated > sketch tool which allows you to draw sketches with a stylus, much as you > would in a field notebook. One particular advantage is that you can take a > photo at the outcrop, download it immediately, bring it into your sketch, > and then annotate it. Thus I have to disagree with the earlier statement > that "drawings can be annotated while you are at the outcrop, photographs > cannot." > > Perhaps a real strong point of BGS-SIGMAmobile is that much of the data > collection is very similar to the analogue methods we all know so well. > Lines are drawn on the map using a stylus on the screen; structural data > are entered and immediately displayed on the map in their correct > position; free text is entered using a handwriting recognition tool; > sketches are drawn freehand. All field data are saved (immediately) in an > Access database, and are associated with a particular locality on the > map - and can be exported into a 'field notebook' in Word. What's more, if > you want to back up your data at any time, all you do is copy them to a > memory stick. A bit easier than trying to find a photocopier.... > > I accept that there are still some issues with digital mapping, mostly to > do with cost of hardware, software licences, and battery life (we used > BGS-SIGMAmobile when camping in the desert, charging batteries from the > vehicles; we haven't yet had to deal with charging from solar panels). And > the compass clinometer is still an absolutely vital piece of equipment. > But I would certainly never go back to paper. > > If anyone has any questions about BGS-SIGMAmobile, please don't hesitate > to get in touch. > Best wishes > Kathryn > > Dr Kathryn Goodenough > SIGMA Implementation Project Leader > British Geological Survey > > > -- > This message (and any attachments) is for the recipient only. NERC > is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the contents > of this email and any reply you make may be disclosed by NERC unless > it is exempt from release under the Act. 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