Volunteering for the USGS

[Teegate]

All,

I just mailed out the forms to assist federal employees working for the USGS making Quad Maps. I had to choose one Quad (I chose Atsion, Brookville, Chatsworth, Oswego Lake, Woodmansie, Jenkins, and Indian Mills ) and they will send me predetermined places to go and check GPS coordinates at. I send them back the info and they correct the maps so that the next releases are more accurate. This is my opportunity to correct many of the mistakes that are on the quad maps we use everyday in the pines and get so frustrated at.

I am not sure if I can send them info without them asking, but I will soon find out. By next week I should have my assignment. If a quad is taken I get my next choice, but I purposely did not make a first, second, or third choice. I just wrote them all down. They even gave me a little test where I had to put the GPS coordinates of the SE corner of the Quad on the paperwork.

I will be sent the quad map and aerial maps for free, so it should be interesting to see what the aerial maps are like. Maybe it will be as big as the quad, and maybe it will be more recent photo's than available on Terraserver. We shall see.

So when I get my assignment I will tell you how things go. It should be an interesting fall and winter.

Guy

 

[Ben Ruset]

All,

I just mailed out the forms to assist federal employees working for the USGS making Quad Maps. I had to choose one Quad (I chose Atsion, Brookville, Chatsworth, Oswego Lake, Woodmansie, Jenkins, and Indian Mills ) and they will send me predetermined places to go and check GPS coordinates at. I send them back the info and they correct the maps so that the next releases are more accurate. This is my opportunity to correct many of the mistakes that are on the quad maps we use everyday in the pines and get so frustrated at.

I am not sure if I can send them info without them asking, but I will soon find out. By next week I should have my assignment. If a quad is taken I get my next choice, but I purposely did not make a first, second, or third choice. I just wrote them all down. They even gave me a little test where I had to put the GPS coordinates of the SE corner of the Quad on the paperwork.

I will be sent the quad map and aerial maps for free, so it should be interesting to see what the aerial maps are like. Maybe it will be as big as the quad, and maybe it will be more recent photo's than available on Terraserver. We shall see.

So when I get my assignment I will tell you how things go. It should be an interesting fall and winter.

Guy

Maybe I will do this for the quads local to me. Where do you sign up?

 

[Teegate]

Maybe I will do this for the quads local to me. Where do you sign up?

I will email

Guy

 

[BEHR655]

If you need any help just let me know.

Steve

 

[Teegate]

If you need any help just let me know.

Steve

You will be in the first group who I will ask. And even if I do not need help you can join in with me if it seems like it will be interesting enough. Hopefully it will be.

Guy

 

[Teegate]

I have been officially accepted, and have received my temporary identification tag. I was awarded the Chatsworth Quad, and will be receiving my assignment in a few weeks.

What is interesting for you map lovers is I was supplied with a chart that shows every symbol used on topo maps and what they mean. If I get a minute I will scan it up if anyone is interested.

Just a quick look and I see that Pioneer Smelting needs to be removed.

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

What is interesting for you map lovers is I was supplied with a chart that shows every symbol used on topo maps and what they mean. If I get a minute I will scan it up if anyone is interested.
Guy

I'm interested Guy..................

 

[Teegate]

I'm interested Guy..................

I have to scan it in three parts, so I will do it over the weekend. The wife is sleeping or I would do it now. Then again.............


Guy

 

[wis bang]

I'd like to see that. I remember some from scouts but that was a long time ago. Most of the Topo's I used were for parts of the poconos & a group of lakes in ontario...Canadian topo's were well done too.

 

[Teegate]

Here are the topo symbols. There are three pages and I have scanned each one at 100% and 150%. So choose the ones you want to download.

Page 1

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/toposymbols/page1_100.jpg

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/toposymbols/page1_150.jpg


Page 2


http://www.njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/toposymbols/page2_100.jpg

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/toposymbols/page2_150.jpg


Page3


http://www.njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/toposymbols/page3_100.jpg

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/toposymbols/page3_150.jpg


Guy

 

[BEHR655]

I didn't remember until I saw these but I already have that sheet. I think I got it at Franklin Maps when I bought some topos there.

Steve

 

[manumuskin]

Guy,
I updated the dividing creek quad for earth science corps for two years till i finished it.Is this what your doing,updating the chatsworth quad?
Al

 

[Teegate]

Guy,
I updated the dividing creek quad for earth science corps for two years till i finished it.Is this what your doing,updating the chatsworth quad?
Al

Yes, but they are now mostly interested in the GPS coordinates of Post Offices, Schools, City Hall, etc. I have to go to all of the places they want me to, get a reading and tell them which corner of the building it was taken on. The Chatsworth quad will be easy, and then I will move on.

Guy

 

[manumuskin]

Hope no one takes you as a terrorist.I was approached by a guy who thought I was casing out the neighbors house for a robbery when I was annotating laurel lake.soon as I explained my position he was very interested but at first it looked as if he wanted to scrap.turns out he was a corrections officer so he just had a law enforcement mentality.
Al

 

[Teegate]

Hope no one takes you as a terrorist.I was approached by a guy who thought I was casing out the neighbors house for a robbery when I was annotating laurel lake.soon as I explained my position he was very interested but at first it looked as if he wanted to scrap.turns out he was a corrections officer so he just had a law enforcement mentality.
Al

I have an official looking badge so that should help. It says the Department of Interior on it, and USGS, along with my name.

Guy

 

[Teegate]

All,

I will have to get confirmation on this, but I am assuming that the USGS does not want the little black dot(s) that represent a dwelling on the Chatsworth quad if there in actuality is not a dwelling present. So if I mention lets say for example that Friendship no longer has dwellings there, these dots will be removed.

One member I talked to seems to think that they should stay on the maps even if the dwellings are not there.

So what is your opinion? Should they stay on the map for "old time" sake, or be removed to accurately reflect the fact that there is no dwelling present?


Guy

 

[Boyd]

I think some of the topo maps indicate "ruins" in various spots. Would that be more appropriate? Otherwise I vote to remove any structures which no longer exist.

 

[Teegate]

You read my mind. BobM has a map that we used near Whiting that said "ruins" which seems appropriate.

Guy

 

[BEHR655]

I think "ruins" is a good idea.

Steve

 

[wis bang]

I think that it should depend on the significance of the spot. If the place has a 'history' it should be preserved w/ the designation 'ruins' but that should not be done for insignificant cellar holes. You'll need to exercise some judgement. Any place designated on a topo will become a destination for future persons exploring the past of the area. Once marked on the map it could be there for a long time.