Thanks Kay!
This is especially helpful because I was about to ask about using it for
aviation applications. Did you have it mounted on the aircraft's "dash"
(instrument panel)?
I'd be especially interested in how it was used for the faunal surveys, but
also if it was useful or potentially useful for aircraft instrument backup
and other avation applications.
I am hoping to set up a folding wing aircraft that can be hauled to the
sites in a trailer. If this company is not exploiting the aviation market,
is is missing a huge bet.
Thank you also for the links!
Where are you working?
WT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kay, Winston" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2013 7:33 PM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Recommendations for affordable Field PC Tablets?
I purchased a CL900 last year for use as a navigational aid during aerial
fauna surveys and am very happy with its performance so far. I was running
Oziexplorer <http://www.oziexplorer.com/> as a moving map application with a
Garmin Glo Bluetooth GPS <https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=109827>.
The CL900 handled low-level survey conditions in a GA8 Airvan
<http://www.gippsaero.com/products-services/ga8-airvan.aspx> well for up to
8 hours per day and 62 hours in total flying time. The unit was able to run
off its battery for a four-hour flight without a re-charge. Conditions were
unseasonably warm in the afternoon on some days with cockpit temperatures of
35-40° Celsius (95-104 °F). The only problem I had was the GPS unit shutting
down because it was getting too hot on the dash. Screen visibility was
mostly good even when using polarised sunglasses. There were occasions when
it was difficult to read the screen but the brightness could be adjusted,
screen orientation tweaked or sunglasses removed to improve the visibility.
GRASS GIS <http://grass.osgeo.org/> may be an option as mapping software for
Wayne and is open source.
Hope this helps.
Regards, Winston
_______________________________________
Dr Winston Kay
Department of Environment and Conservation
Locked Bag 104
Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983
Phone: +61 8 9442-0317
Fax: +61 8 9386-1578
email: [email protected]
________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of John Mickelson
Sent: Friday, 11 January 2013 8:32 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Recommendations for affordable Field PC Tablets?
There are a range of Windows based mapping applications, both fee-based as
well as free\open source, all of which should run fine on such a Windows 7
tablet PC.
From the "top of the line" (price wise) GIS software suite (ArcGIS and\or
ArcPad (which can be several hundred to several thousand, based on your
agencies license http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcpad) down to one of
my preferred free suites: MapWindow (http://www.mapwindow.org/).
All would let you: load and use USGS digital raster graphic (DRG) image
backgrounds and then create\update\edit vector-based point\line\polygon
features using your GPS locations. (since the USGS data are seldom actually
edited themselves). You would need an external GPS unit (of which there are
a wide range, including wireless blue-tooth connectable as well as cabled).
Pretty sure if you phoned the sales folks at whatever tablet vendor you were
considering, they would give you a range of (working) options.
I've run 6-8 versions of combinations of the above mentioned technologies
all on much older systems, so have little doubt the vast improvements over
the past 5+ years will provide a range of workable options. (though, again,
have not used the Motion CL900)
-j
John Mickelson
Geospatial and Ecological Services
501 Stage Rd.
Monroe, NY 10950-3217
(845) 893-4110
[email protected]
--- On Wed, 1/9/13, Wayne Tyson <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Wayne Tyson <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Recommendations for affordable Field PC Tablets?
To: [email protected]
Date: Wednesday, January 9, 2013, 7:53 PM
John and Ecolog:
Thanks, John--this is a big help. So much help, in fact, that I'm simply not
computer-savvy enough to understand all of the terminology. However, I found
the writing quite clear and competently done, a rare feature among
product-pitches. That alone impressed me greatly.
I hope that you and others will comment further, particularly those who have
used it.
Can anybody tell me if there are any mapping applications that will work on
the CL900? I want to be able to use USGS maps and be able to modify them in
the field via GPS.
Thanks,
WT
----- Original Message ----- From: "John Mickelson" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2013 1:01 PM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Recommendations for affordable Field PC Tablets?
Here's a side-by-side comparison of several units (including CL900...
which, just to say, I have no stake or interest in save for having looked
at and considered it).
http://ruggedpcreview.com/3_slates_motion_cl900_full.html
John Mickelson
Geospatial and Ecological Services
501 Stage Rd.
Monroe, NY 10950-3217
(845) 893-4110
[email protected]
--- On Wed, 1/9/13, Wayne Tyson <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Wayne Tyson <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Recommendations for affordable Field PC Tablets?
To: [email protected]
Date: Wednesday, January 9, 2013, 3:35 PM
"Reasonably rugged" also can hold a range of value. The cost of damage to
the project can, in reality, far exceed the cost of the right equipment. I
will certainly look into these, and would like to know how they compare,
say, to the Panasonic, "Tough Book" series.
Anybody have any info on such a comparison? Even if it's just based on
claims. Actual experience is best, however.
WT
----- Original Message ----- From: "John Mickelson" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2013 11:08 AM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Recommendations for affordable Field PC Tablets?
Yes, while the term "affordable" can hold a range of value, we were
impressed with the office visit that a rep from Motion Computing
presented, specifically looking at their CL900, which is ~2# and runs Win
7. Reasonably rugged (can be augmented with proper cases\enclosures) and
(as of last year) started at about $1k.
http://www.motioncomputing.com/products/tablet_pc_CL900.asp
John Mickelson
Geospatial and Ecological Services
501 Stage Rd.
Monroe, NY 10950-3217
(845) 893-4110
[email protected]
--- On Tue, 1/8/13, Jamie Sheahan <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Jamie Sheahan <[email protected]>
Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Recommendations for affordable Field PC Tablets?
To: [email protected]
Date: Tuesday, January 8, 2013, 5:41 PM
I am looking for recommendations from other field scientists for Tablet
devices that we can use in our water monitoring programs. There has been
an explosion of tablets on the market and We are in need of an AFFORDABLE
device that is rugged enough to be dropped occasionally, lightweight,
glare resistant, and useable while it in the rain or snow. We will use it
to record field measurements and also to download data off of monitoring
equipment and data loggers. For this reason, it needs to be able to run
Windows based software programs (from Campbell Scientific PC200 and Hydras
3LT). We will not have internet access while out at field sites. and we
aren't in need of the device to have GPS ability either. If you have
experience with using any tablets out in the field, please send your
suggestions and recommendations to [email protected].
Jamie Sheahan
Hydrologist
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
ph. 541.553.2028
[email protected]
-----
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