Alan,
Great post. I think that progressing with this type of exciting digital
technology whilst carrying a healthy scepticism (and a map, compass and
notebook as backup) is the way to go for fieldwork.

As an aside, my best purchase for traditional Scottish fieldwork was one
of those divers notebooks (plastic paper) that would work with a pencil
even when totally submerged. I have also seen people use the same paper
for maps, reducing the need for peering through plastic bags that steam
up and leak. Also progress through technology I guess.

Tim



-----Original Message-----
From: Tectonics & structural geology discussion list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alan Gibbs
Sent: 20 July 2005 10:26
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: digital mapping

 Hi Phil,

Coming from the generation where we felt it character forming to use
plane tables, and detailed compass work, mostly in the driving rain, I
do have a genuine concern that letting the machine take the strain will
reduce our ability to spot nonsense when it inevitably happens. 

However, apart from that and the grumpy old man's knee jerk about loss
of moral fibre I'm all for anything that makes life easier and allows
more time to do what you are actually meant to be doing in the field
which is looking at the rocks and trying to think about what they mean.

However there are some caveats that come from some recent field
experience in the FSSU on a minerals project last year. The present
generation of kit still has some serious flaws. Hooking up all the bits
you need , gps, digital compass/clino, pc, camera etc is in practice a
bit of a nightmare and it is all very susceptible to battery life, wires
going in the right places,pin snot being bent etc, and anything that
goes wrong, which it does in field conditions, turns it instantaneously
into a whole pile of shit, and you are then scrabbling in the rucksack
or the back of the Lada for the real stuff -so you do end up carrying
two sets of kit. (not quite as easy as nipping back to the car and
hostel in Durness and being able to do a quick lunch time pub break
too).  
Another key problem, which is rarely a problem in Scotland(!) is that
the screens are difficult to read in bright sunshine, particularly on
battery power for the pc/pda bit of the kit. 

Otherwise fantastic that it is a reality at long last and the ability to
take stuff like the analytical software into the field(2DMove, 4DVista ,
MapInfo in my case)  to reference the data base, play analytical games
on the move, plot stereo and do scat analysis as you traverse is
stunning and is a real productivity tool in that you can qc your field
work to determine if you actual have caught the data/information that
you need to problem solve.

So draw backs: screens, battery reliabilty, general techno/wire/stuff/
spaghetti, need to carry back up stuff, and robustness in real
conditions, dust, rain, bumping around in field vehicle.
It is not field fixable when it fails. 
Does take some explaining in field areas where they still have uniformed
guys stood around with rifles guarding strategic road junctions and
stopping people photographing goats crossing plank bridges. 


Positively:
It actually works really well when it does, and is not too heavy to lug
around, Changes field/office work flow to give more, better, data if
used imaginatively It's a great productivity enhancement tool 

But for heavens sake don't forget that the field note book with drawings
and your log really is vital as it makes you pay attention to what you
are seeing and thinking. Do remember that there are a lot of students -
and professionals out there who have stopped taking notes as they
believe that xeroxing a paper, or down loading a pdf automatically
transfers knowledge and understanding into their heads without having to
actually bother to read it. 


alan




Dr Alan Gibbs
Director
Midland Valley Exploration
14 Park Circus
Glasgow
G3 6AX
tel: 44 (0) 141 332 2681
fax; 44 (0) 141 332 6792

-----Original Message-----
From: Tectonics & structural geology discussion list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Phil Clegg
Sent: 20 July 2005 09:52
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: digital mapping

Dear all,
I'm canvassing peoples opinions/views regarding digital mapping. I'd
like to more clearly understand what the issues are. In particular:
If you're reluctant/resistant to try digital mapping i.e. collecting
geological field data using a GPS connected to a PDA/tablet PC why?
Is it a cost issue? a lack of knowledge about the systems? don't trust
the technology? What?
If you have experienced digital mapping what were the pros and cons
compared with 'normal' mapping?

I'm sure it would be an interesting topic for group discussion- However
I don't wish to fill peoples inboxes with stuff they're not interested
in particularly when many are off doing fieldwork or on holiday.
People can reply to me direct if they wish and I'll put together a
selection of views.

Cheers
Phill

--
Dr Phillip Clegg
Reactivation Research Group
Department of Earth Sciences
University of Durham
DH1 3LE
UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1913342338 (Direct)
     +44 (0) 1913342300 (Central)
Fax: +44 (0) 1913342301

Web http://www.dur.ac.uk/react.res/RRG_web/