Exercise 6 - ArcPad Data Collection I

Introduction

In this exercise we set up the ArcPad devices for the next week when we will go out and collect point data for micro climates across the UWEC campus. Last week we set up a geodatabase with domains for collecting micro climate data. We set up the fields that we wanted to collect and tried out a test run for next week when we do it for real.

Study Area

Our area of interest is the UWEC campus as seen below (fig. 1). We will mostly stick to the open mall area in the middle. In the picture it is shown as a dirt field however now it is covered in snow. We will be collecting 20 points in the final data collection next week. This week we just took a few points to test the ArcPad application out.

Study Area of the UWEC campus (fig. 1)

Methods

ArcPad is a mobile version of ArcGIS that can be accessed out in the field using a Trimble device as seen below (fig. 2). The device application is a watered-down version of ArcGIS with many of the same features as the desktop version. We are able to access ArcGIS .mxd files the same way as on the desktop but we have to transfer them over to the device first.

Trimble ArcPad device (fig. 2)

First we need to take the geodatabase that we created last week and alter it to be able to be put on the ArcPad device. To do this I first pull up the file in ArcGIS on our desktop. I then access the extension ArcPad Data Manager. I then click Get Data for ArcMap and work through the ArcPad wizard in order to create a folder containing the .mxd file with both the feature class we created last week with all of the fields ready, as well as a basemap of the study area. Once we have the ArcPad folder ready we have to first make a copy of this folder just in case.

We then connected the ArcPad to the computer and pull up the Trimble folder within Windows Explorer. Next we find the folder within the Trimble that we wish to put our .mxd file in and simply copy and paste it in.

Now that we can access the .mxd file from our Trimble we are able to edit the feature class that we made in it last week. The feature class was a micro-climate point feature class with fields that included temperature, wind speed, wind direction, dew point, humidity, ground cover, wind chill and others. Once we were out in the field we started to collect points. To do this we first need to turn on the satellite receiver in order to get a GPS signal. Once we get a strong signal from surrounding satellites we can edit the point feature class. Once in the editing mode on the ArcPad we can just click the point feature class and collect a point. The window then comes up with the values that we wish to put in which include the fields that we set up in the geodatabase last week. To measure the micro-climate data we need a Kestrel meter as shown below (fig. 3). The Kestrel meter measures all kinds of climate data including temperature, wind speed, dew point and humidity.

Kestrel Meter for measuring micro-climate information (fig. 3)

I measured out the temperature at surface, the temperature at 2 meter height, humidity, wind speed and dew point with the Kestrel meter. The wind direction will be measured by a compass which we lacked this week but will have next week. The ground cover then was to be selected by a drop down menu that I created in domains last week. Once we collected enough points we went inside.

Now we can take the data off of the Trimble. To do this we simply copy and paste the folder from the Trimble back into the folder we took it out of. Next we go into ArcGIS and click Get Data from ArcPad in the ArcPad Data Manager Toolbar from before. The wizard then displays the points which we can then save as a feature class in a geodatabase on the computer.

Discussion

I had no problems with my Trimble however my partner need help getting his background basemap to show up on his Trimble. To fix that we simply took a lidar image and set the extent at the area of interest and that allowed us to put a background image on the Trimble so that we could see where we were when collecting out points.

The test run went very smoothly and next week we should be able to start collecting data without any problems or delays.

Conclusion

This test run was very important in ironing out any kinks or problems we could encounter when first go out into the field to collect data. Now however we have all of the data ready to go and should have no problems with the collection, feature class or geodatabase going in the exercise next week.

Sources
ArcPad photo and information from ESRI Online: Link
Kestrel Meter photo and information from KestrelMeters.com Link