DeLorme Gears Up for Windpower 2009 Conference
in Chicago
 Several representatives from DeLorme will be attending and exhibiting at the Windpower 2009 conference at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center from Monday, May 4 to Thursday, May 7. Over the four days of the conference, we will be showcasing the latest version of XMap as well as the new Earthmate PN-40 GPS handheld receiver and other DeLorme products.
We are looking forward to meeting some of our old friends in the wind industry and introducing others to DeLorme mapping technology. If you plan to be at this event, we invite you to stop by booth 2011 for a chance to win a PN-40.
While you're in Chicago, don't forget to sign up for the XMap Training class. For more information, see below.
Reminder: XMap Professional Now Offers Shapefile Support
Starting at under $200, XMap Professional is now a viable alternative to a full-fledged GIS. Before the release of XMap 6.2 last month, access to ESRI shapefile data, the predominant GIS file format, was available only at either the Editor or Enterprise level of the software. Now this data can be imported directly into XMap Professional.
 Such was the case recently during a training program for employees of FiberNext, a fiber optic solutions provider headquartered in Bow, New Hampshire. Longtime users of XMap and Earthmate GPS technology, FiberNext had recently upgraded to XMap 6 and had hired some additional staff. Recognizing the need for training, they contacted DeLorme to arrange a class. During this two-day session, the process of efficient data collection was discussed and a strategy was developed to optimize the use of XMap for this purpose.
With this functionality, XMap Professional users can now:
- Download and import shapefiles from GIS data archives
- Customize the symbology of point, line, and polygon layers
- Access all of the available attributes for each map object
- Search for specific records using XMap's Attribute Search function
- Turn selected layers on or off to create custom maps
- Transfer GIS layers and aerial imagery to DeLorme's Earthmate PN-Series handheld GPS receivers
All editions of XMap are built on the solid foundation of DeLorme's award-winning maping platform and incorporate an array of valuable mapping tools, including efficient route planning and GPS navigation; 3-D terrain modeling; drawing and annotation tools; high-quality map printing; and much more.
For more information or to upgrade your version of XMap, visit xmap.com.
XMap at Work
Utilizing GPS and GIS Technology for Emergency Management
In recent years, there has been a surge in interest in a location-based technology among organizations and agencies that would previously have considered these tools to be beyond their means. The emergence of low-cost and Web-based mapping applications and the ubiquitous availability of worldwide satellite-enabled navigation have instilled a spatial mindset within a broad cross-section of the population. Software offerings such as DeLorme’s XMap and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers like the rugged Earthmate PN-40 are bringing this technology firmly down to earth.
The utilization of geographic intelligence has been particularly evident in the field of emergency management and response, where GPS technology has long played a critical role and where Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are now coming to the fore. Response agencies at the national, regional, and local levels are learning that the efficient management of data plays a critical role in all aspects of emergency management from mitigation to recovery.
Unlike many other situations where the benefits of GIS are measured in terms of increased efficiency, higher productivity, and, ultimately, dollars and cents, the benefit of this technology for emergency managers is that it saves lives. No matter what the situation—whether it is a major natural disaster, such as a hurricane or flood, or a local search and rescue operation, GIS can play a key role.
XMap Q & A - Will the Earthmate PN-40 Work with ESRI software?
When it was first released, the Earthmate PN-40 was designed to work exclusively with DeLorme software. Users of XMap and Topo USA could send maps to the device, collect waypoints and tracks on the PN-40, and exchange this data with the PC software. As the popularity of the PN-40 grew, due in large part to its durability, versatility, and capacity for displaying a wide variety of map types, questions such as the one asked in the title of this article, started to appear with increasing regularity in DeLorme’s email inboxes. It was decided, after consultation with ESRI representatives, that DeLorme would develop a tool to allow ESRI software users to work directly with the PN-40. What emerged from this effort is the Earthmate PN-40 Extension for ESRI software.
This straightforward tool offers two key functions:
- It allows maps to be captured in ESRI software and transferred to the device
- It offers the option to save downloaded tracks and waypoints along with any field-collected comments, in shapefile format
Tab Tip - Using the ImageReg Tab
Longtime users of XMap will know that ImageReg is not a new feature of the software. This useful and often overlooked tab has been included with XMap for many years and it continues to serve an invaluable role in the XMap suite. ImageReg is used to register or align digital images or scanned maps or photographs to an underlying base map. This process allows you to create a raster map layer from any image by applying geographic coordinates to the image file.
Two versions of the ImageReg tool are offered in XMap: A multi-point registration tool is available to users of either the Enterprise or Editor editions, while a simpler two-point registration function is included with XMap Professional. The registration process is the similar in either case.
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Where on Eartha
When deciding on the country and capital for each month’s Where on Eartha challenge, consideration is usually given to cities that possess some sort of unique and often recognizable geographic characteristic. In previous months, we have put forward such locations as Lisbon, with its vast natural harbor, and Panama City, situated near the southern terminus of its namesake canal.
Last month’s city also occupies a distinct natural site. Baku, also known by several alternative spellings, including Baky, Baki, and Baqy, in the country of Azerbaijan sits on the prominent Absheron Peninsula on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. The first correct, randomly selected response to March’s challenge belongs to Stephen Alden from Trylon Data Management in Lyme, NH. Steven will shortly be receiving a copy of XMap 6 Professional along with XMap USA Topographic Data and a USB GPS receiver.
If you want to be the in the running for April’s Where on Eartha Challenge, tell us the name of the capital city and country represented in the image below. Send your response to contest@delorme.com no later than May 15, 2009.
Online Registration now Available for XMap 6 Training at WINDPOWER 2009
Online registration is now available for the upcoming XMap training session to be held in conjunction with the American Wind Energy Association’s WINDPOWER 2009 Conference in Chicago. The primary focus of the class is the application of XMap for wind energy management. Specific topics will include:
- Basic functions of XMap
- Optimizing XMap for efficient file and data management
- Identifying sources of applicable data
- Using GPS with XMap
- Managing your GIS data
- Pringing high-quality maps
The class will be held in room W176c at the McCormick Place Convention Center from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm on Friday, May 8th. The class size is limited to 50 attendees, with space allotted on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees are encouraged to bring a laptop; sample files will be distributed at the beginning of the class.
For more information or to register, please visit www.delorme.com/training
Follow XMap on Twitter
Want to keep up with the latest XMap happenings? Why not follow the XMap team on Twitter? If you want to be the first to learn about the latest XMap news, product releases, and events, you can follow along at http://twitter.com/XMap_Team.
DeLorme Introduces
On-Demand Training
Over the last few years, many XMap users have participated in scheduled training classes either online or in a classroom situation. While this approach works well for groups, it is not an ideal solution for single users who simply need some quick answers to specific questions. For this type of user, DeLorme is pleased to offer on-demand training. So how does it work?
If a more structured training class is needed DeLorme continues to offer customized onsite or online classes for you and your colleagues.
We Want to Meet You!
Visit us at these upcoming events:
Maine Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference
Augusta, Maine
April 30 - May 1, 2009
Windpower 2009 Conference & Exhibition
May 4-7, 2009
Chicago, IL
Don't forget to sign up for the post-conference training class (see above). If you are interested, email training@delorme.com.
Stop by the DeLorme booth at any of these events and enter to win a drawing for a DeLorme product.
National Association of Search and Rescue
Little Rock, AR
May 28 - 30, 2009
GeoGathering
Estes Park, CO
June 8 - 9, 2009
ESRI User Conference
San Diego, CA
July 13 - 17, 2009
GITA Oil and Gas Conference
Houston, TX
September 13 - 17, 2009
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