Basic GIS Coordinates [Hardcover]

Jan Van Sickle (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415302161 | ISBN-13: 978-0415302166 | Publication Date: May 14, 2004 | Edition: 1

Computers tend to be very good at repetition and very bad at interpretation.
People, on the other hand, are poor at repetition, because we can get bored or distracted.
We are, however, excellent at interpretation, if we have the proper information. Basic GIS Coordinates is about providing some of the critical information needed to understand coordinate systems and effectively interpret GIS technology.

GIS is emerging in all facets of business and government at an incredible rate; GIS and mapping professionals must have a clear understanding of coordinate systems. Basic GIS Coordinates explains how coordinates tie the real world to its electronic image in the computer. It is about understanding how these systems work, and how they sometimes don't work. It examines how points that are expected to be in one location are in reality somewhere completely different, even when the computer has done everything exactly as it was told.

Basic GIS Coordinates explains the progression of ideas that are the foundation of coordinate systems without overwhelming you with supporting mathematics. It is a user-friendly study for those who need to apply GIS technology and resulting coordinates. From the basics of coordinate systems to specific practical examples, this book covers GIS coordinates without pages of complicated math; yet it is not oversimplified.

This volume analyzes state plane coordinates, UTM coordinates, and the rectangular system in a concise format. To help you apply the information, each chapter concludes with review questions and answers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: CRC Press; 1 edition (May 14, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415302161
• ISBN-13: 978-0415302166
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,434,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jan Van Sickle has more than forty-five years of experience in GIS, GPS, surveying, mapping and imagery. He began working with GPS in the early 1980s when he supervised control work using the Macrometer, the first commercial GPS receiver. He created and led the GIS department at Qwest Communications for the company's 25,000-mile worldwide fiber optic network. He also led the team that built the GIS for natural gas gathering in the Barnett Shale. He has led nationwide seminars based on his three books, GPS for Land Surveyors, Basic GIS Coordinates and Surveying Solved Problems. The latter book was serialized in the magazine POB. His latest book will be Geomatic Engineering for McGraw Hill. He led the team that collected, processed and reported control positions for more than 120 cities around the world for the ortho-rectification of satellite imagery now utilized in a global web utility. He managed the creation of the worldwide T&E sites for a major earth observation satellite which are used for frequent accuracy assessments. He created an imagery-based system of deriving road centerlines that meet the stringent Advanced Driver Assistance specifications and developed a method of forest inventory to help quantify that depleted resource in Armenia. He assisted the supervision of the first GPS survey of the Grand Canyon for the photogrammetric evaluation of sandbar erosion along the Colorado. He has done 3D mapping with terrestrial photogrammetry and LiDAR as well as Building Information Modeling. He was involved in the creation of a BIM of very prominent buildings in Washington DC. He was a member of the team of authors for the recently created Geospatial Technology Competency Model for the Department of Labor. He has recently conducted two days of training at the NAVCEN in Alexandria for the USCG. He has recently provided technical assistance in the reconstruction of the geodetic network of Nigeria. He has been a featured speaker at many conferences including MAPPS, GITA, the Institute of Navigation (ION) Annual Meeting and the ESRI UC where he delivered the keynote of the Imagery and Remote Sensing section. He is a Senior Lecturer at Penn State University. He was formerly on the board of RM-ASPRS and was the vice-chairman of GIS in the Rockies. Jan earned his Ph.D. in GIS engineering from the University of Colorado. He has been a licensed professional Land Surveyor for thirty-one years and is currently licensed in Colorado, California, Oregon, Texas and North Dakota

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Basic GIS Coordinates, July 16, 2004

By 

"normbrown410" (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Basic GIS Coordinates (Hardcover)

Well Jan has done it again! "Basic GIS Coordinates" should prove to be a much applauded and appreciated work not unlike his other books. Again he has explained and presented complex subjects in a simple down-to-earth manner. This book is great for gaining a basic understanding of geodesy without all of the "science". For the seasoned veteran it has value as well. There are some new illustrations that he has put in the book that give a different perspective for the veteran mapper as well as the neo-phyte. Cartographers, surveyors, educators and all others involved in "geo-mapping" should have a copy of this book at their fingertips. There is a great mix of history, mathematics and physical geodesy. Overall the book is extremely well organized and well written following a logical order. The illustrations are clear and easy to understand. Jan Van Sickle is a top-notch author and educator and his newest work "Basic GIS Coordinates" illustrates his knowledge, experience and commitment to professional education. I plan to recommend it to my own students.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars GOOD BOOK, October 3, 2008

By 

Horacio (El Paso, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Basic GIS Coordinates (Hardcover)

IS A GOOD BOOK THAT EXPLAINS GEODETIC COORDINATES, WHAT IS A PROJECTION, THE BASICS OF COORDINATES FOR SPCS AND A BRIEF UTM EXPLANATION.
IF YOU ARE AN ENGINEERING OR SURVEYOR STARTING TO WORK ON GPS THIS WILL HELP SPECIALLY IF YOU WORK WITH SPCS, NOT MUCH IF YOU DO WORK WITH UTM.