GPS in the woods

[Dan F]

Anyone here use a GPS unit in heavily wooded areas on a regular basis?

I know (anecdotally)(I didn't spell that right, did I?) that a few years ago a signal was hard to recieve under heavy canopy. Has this improved? If so, what manufacturers put out the best unit? Anyone know how the new Motorola Nextel phones with GPS capability work in the woods?

We may have a job in the near future in a wooded area in which a GPS unit may be helpful. Didn't know how many of you used one and how they worked, so I'm asking.

Also, how do you guys (and gals?) go about clearing a skidder trail for logging? I've seen the result, just haven't seen it done.....

TIA!!!!


Dan

 

[JimL]

Its different every time you clear skid trails.
On my 1100 acres of mine, i did it with a dozer and made roads, i wanted access to my property..

 

[SilverBlue]

Er... was that GPS or JPS ? Cause JPS usually get's lost and we have to send out a search team

 

[geofore]

GPS

This is a question a surveyor could answer better, they have better GPS equipment, and it does cost more for better. Last year I went around with the surveyor and his GPS was less than a year old, no problems. General public gets one version and industry gets a much better one, but they pay more and are licensed to have the equipment.

 

[caryr]

 

[Dan F]

I don't want to get into too much detail, but the reason I'm asking is because we may be involved in building a fairly extensive trail system in the near future. It would be nice to be able to use the GPS during all phases of construction, but especially during planning/layout.

Do they work any better after the leaves fall?


Dan

 

[caryr]

 

[Dan F]

You (and maybe others?) may have misunderstood, in a minor fashion.

The trails that need to be built will be recreation trails. I asked about skidder trails, 'cause except for the final surface, the two will probably be constructed in a similiar fashion.

We aren't planning on using the GPS exclusively to layout the trails though. What we intend on doing is flagging the trails and using the GPS to mark "points of interest" that the trail should pass through/by, as well as marking where holes will need to be filled, bridges need to be built, etc, etc, etc.....

I think it will be a LOT easier to tell someone at coordinates XXX, YYY, fill the hole with #2 gravel, and on the map point to approximately where it is. Should save a lot of guesswork once construction of the trails has begun.

 

[ORclimber]

I had a summer job with the Washington DNR and helped lay out some roads. We'd take measurements with a tape, compass, and clinometers and put it into the GIS program which would print out a map. If the GPS is accurate enough it sure would be easier, eliminating the tape and compass. Back in the early 90's the GPS signals were still scrambled enough(so they couldn't be used to guide a missile against us) that they weren't practical.

 

[jokers]

Hi Dan,

I`ve got a couple of Garmins, a GPS 3+ and a Rino that seem to work as well as any consumer models. They are both 12 channel units which seems to help with getting a fix and locking on when the leaves are on, I don`t think that you will have a problem. The Rino has a lower learning curve and is also made better for knocking around in the elements. The 3+ will take a better auxiliary antenna.

Russ

 

[Weatherby]

Ive done a good amount of GPS work, and I always use the external antenna available for most consumer grade GPS units. Ive mostly used a Garmin 12, and with the external antenna, you dont have much of a problem picking up satellites.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Does this help?

http://www.safnet.org/archive/702_howtogps.cfm

Tom

 

[Robh]

I too use the Garmin gpsIII+ in the woods for the past 3 years and i can only rember 1 time that i lost signal. Heavy tree cover with down poor on top of it i lost signal down in a deep ravine, hope this helps......Rob

 

[Hemlock]

Not sure if anyone has commented on this particular system yet but heavy construction contractors in the NW (Seattle area) run everything off GPS. The new technology is pricey but it descrambles the satellite signals by picking them up in a known location and using that data to locate the other GPS unit in the field. This equipment is accurate to .001 as far as I can tell. All you have to do is clear a path to the sky at a known point, set up your dish and there is a backpack unit with a grade staff that will process data to make plans back the office or use the plans to tell you exactly where you need to be. They often mount the recievers to dozers, excavators, compactors, etc. to maintain grade, set boundaries, roads and calculate yardage and progress. Caterpillar pioneered the equipment part but I think Lowrance and a few others sell the instruments. Any engineering consultant can hook you up. Hope this helps.

 

[tony marks]

course u could just hire an old local to tell u where u at all the time.. he also would be able to take u to the areas where u can pick up a jug and leave the money under an old log or somethin.. just a thot..