Surveying setup. Too much choice?

[Island Lescure]

Right, I've been meaning to get into surveying slowly after finishing the lvl4 last year. Time has passed and I have done 2 simple surveys in low usage areas. I did a simple table with height, condition, recommendations, times frame etc... This included a google map with the trees numbered according to the table. Now, next week, I have to do a tree condition report, including risk, at 4 schools. This is an entirely different affair! I am not afraid of the evaluation of the trees part, I want to make a proper report with trees plotted on a proper map. There is also the legal aspect... I have been looking at what the previous posts on equipment and software available for this are. Conclusion; I have no idea where to go.

I understand that:

1:I need to buy a digital OS map to plot the trees on. What scale?

2:I need some sort of GPS device or preferably something that works on a smartphone/tablet, my iphone4 to start with, to mark the location of each tree. This should also be able to accept inputs, such as height, from me per tree.

3:I need to be able to export that info onto excel and some other GIS software/autocad to display it.

 

What I have found/heard of:

1:OS maps:

http://www.centremapslive.co.uk/page/home

Dash4it - The Map Superstore - Ordnance Survey Specialist

 

2:GPS software (needs to be able to export it to excel and Autocad related programs):

iOS app GIS Kit

PDF Maps for iphone

EpiCollect.net

Arbortrail

OTISS | A new approach to Tree Survey and Estate Management software.OTISS | A new approach to Tree Survey and Estate Management software.

 

3:Program that accepts data, displays it and can export it to Autocad:

Arbortrack - Tree Management Software

Keysoft Landscape - KeyTREE

Arborcad

Pear Technology

Woodplan?

QGIS

Autocad

 

I think that is about it... My question here is not, are there more(?), but rather what combination is a good start? I do not know Cad. I am happy to learn programs but what I don't want to do is to learn 10 programs and then realize that I only needed to learn 1. Please give me your insight, correct me where I am wrong etc...

 

Much appreciated,

 

Island

[Adam M]

Get pear to do all of that. Phone them up and have a chat with them. They are very friendly and helpful. You'll pay a fair whack initially and then there is a subscription fee each year for each module you use. If you are doing pure surveying and nothing else, you'll be rocking.

[10 Bears]

There are easier options then the bespoke solutions. I would advise using a simple excel spreadsheet in order to record your data (this could of course be on paper, but better in your tablet or PDA), then to analyse it using an SQL approach in MS Access.

 

You can write your own queries in SQL and MS Access will essentially produce your analysis and report at the push of a single button once you have set it up. This will take a little time to get right of course, but worth it in the end. Try learning from [ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Access-2013-Missing-Manual-Manuals/dp/1449357415/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422966281&sr=1-7&keywords=microsoft+access+2013]Access 2013: The Missing Manual (Missing Manuals): Amazon.co.uk: Matthew MacDonald: 9781449357412: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41pWVJY2-DL.@@AMEPARAM@@41pWVJY2-DL[/ame] - I used an earlier version that was very good.

 

What you will be able to do is record your tree data in the excel spreadsheet, upload that to the Access, run your queries, and your report is finished in less then 5 minutes.

 

Regarding the cartography, as I have recommended on other threads - QGIS.

[tree79]

Get pear to do all of that. Phone them up and have a chat with them. They are very friendly and helpful. You'll pay a fair whack initially and then there is a subscription fee each year for each module you use. If you are doing pure surveying and nothing else, you'll be rocking.

 

Thought with pear once your purchased it, there was no subscription fee

[Island Lescure]

Get pear to do all of that. Phone them up and have a chat with them. They are very friendly and helpful. You'll pay a fair whack initially and then there is a subscription fee each year for each module you use. If you are doing pure surveying and nothing else, you'll be rocking.

 

Not really going full into surveying as yet so kind of on the fence about very pricey packages at the moment. Definitely going that route if the other ways seem too complicated.

[Island Lescure]

There are easier options then the bespoke solutions. I would advise using a simple excel spreadsheet in order to record your data (this could of course be on paper, but better in your tablet or PDA), then to analyse it using an SQL approach in MS Access.

 

You can write your own queries in SQL and MS Access will essentially produce your analysis and report at the push of a single button once you have set it up. This will take a little time to get right of course, but worth it in the end. Try learning from Access 2013: The Missing Manual (Missing Manuals): Amazon.co.uk: Matthew MacDonald: 9781449357412: Books - I used an earlier version that was very good.

 

What you will be able to do is record your tree data in the excel spreadsheet, upload that to the Access, run your queries, and your report is finished in less then 5 minutes.

 

Regarding the cartography, as I have recommended on other threads - QGIS.

 

Would this require inputting gps coordinates for the trees in the excel sheet or could I not use a program that picks it up based on where I am? Sorry if it sounds stupid, just trying to piece it together. Cheers

[10 Bears]

Sorry IL - for some reason I did not get a notice for your question, better late and all that.

 

As for geo-locating trees it all depends on what you want to spend, or what equipment/programs you have access to. There are a few options ranging from a manual approach to an integrated GPS solution - but again its all about the money. There are obviously the bespoke GIS solutions that require GPS enabled data loggers, GPS mobile software, GIS desktop software etc. which I could advise on - but I don't think this is what you really need to get started with surveying.

 

One simple and cheap option is to plot out your site maps in QGIS (before you get to site), take a clipboard and plot them straight onto your prepared map eg T1, T2, T3 etc. to relate to your data sheet. You can then digitise this when you get back to the office, so when you have a resurvey in a years time, you can simply print out the map with the tree locations already on it. This may sound a little basic - but it gets you started and you will be as accurate as some of the cheaper GPS units out there i.e. accurate to a metre or so - with your work do you really need to be any more accurate then that?

 

If you have a tablet without GPS - but will handle excel, just use this to fill in your data sheet as I said earlier. It saves a little office time if you fill out forms in the field. I can do this on my mobile with MS Office Mobile, but also have a GPS/PDA that handles data entry for me.

 

You mention using GPS, presumably to get 'under canopy' tree locations - but to be honest without a big investment in lots of kit you will find this difficult to achieve with any accuracy, so again a pen and paper approach for mapping may actually be the thing to use here. As for putting the digitised map in a report, once it is output as a PDF or JPEG, no-one will be able to tell that you collected the data in the field with a pen and paper rather then with a GPS unit. You can always sketch out high risk areas/zones on your map and add them in to your QGIS map too. This will all output looking very professionally done.

 

I could go on, but I hope you are getting the idea that investing in GIS is not always needed. Either way, get back to me again if you want more information on this.

Edited April 9, 2015 by 10 Bears

[tree79]

is ms office mobile a free app?

[10 Bears]

Not sure - I recently upgraded my desktop software and it came as a free add-in with that. It gives me all the usual, near fully featured, MS word, excel, powerpoint etc.

 

Its quite handy to be honest...

[10 Bears]

Actually it might be - look at this:

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.office.officehub&hl=en_GB

 

Sorry no idea about iOS as I am a droid...