Step 2 – - Using a GPS find the geocaches near the location of your geocaching event.   You could use them in your event and/or make sure that you’re caches aren’t close to those already hidden.

• Register for a free basic membership at www.geoaching.com?
• Click “Hide & Seek a Cache.”
• Enter the postal code of your event
• choose any geocache from the list and click on its name.
• Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS device.
• Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache.

Step 3 —  While searching for the caches, also capture your geocaching event locations.  We suggest using a more accurate GPS device, like the Trimble Juno SC.

Step 4– Tranfer your points to a KML file and upload them to Google Maps and/or Google Earth.  We did this to check over our points and measure the approximate miles traveled between caches.  We don’t deem this step necessary, but it is still a lot of fun.

Transfer File into Google Maps

• Upload data from your GPS device into Pathfinder Office and save it as a KML file.
• Open Google Maps and log into your Google account.
• Go to “My Maps”
• “Create New Map”
• Import the KML file, make any editing changes, and click “Done.”

Transfer File into Google Earth

• Upload data from your GPS device into Pathfinder Office and save it as  a KML file.
• Open Google Earth
• Click “File”
• Click “Open”
• Find your saved KML file
• Click “Open”

Oh, That's Where He Hid It!

Step 5 — Purchase inexpensive containers.  We suggest purchasing small plastic paint containers (microcaches) for the event from Wal-Mart.  You can keep the paint in the container or clean them out and put other things in them.

Step 6 — The day before the event, take your points and hide the caches.  If you don’t know who is going to be apart of the event, try to avoid placing caches in dangerous/hazardous areas that could be harmful to others.  Follow along with your GPS device as if you were in the cache.  (We found a few issues with our locations that could have been avoided by following our GPS device more precisely.)

Step 7 –Email the geoacaching locations  map you created to the geocachers signed up for the event (You can also email links to the google maps you created).  Make sure each point is attributed correctly with at least the latitude and longitude, cache name, and any other comments or hints you would like to give the geocachers.  Don’t forget to include a meeting location and time in your email!

Step 8 –Create questions about each cache that could only be answered if the cache was found by the geocachers.  Print off enough for everyone in the event and make sure you bring pens/pencils for those who need them.  Also print off the latitude and longitude list of all the attributes in case the geocachers did not previously store the points from the email you sent them prior to the event.

Step 9 — Go over the rules and hand out all of the information.  Consider taking away points for people not back within a set time.  For our last event, each correctly answered cache question was worth 4 points but for any geocachers out past two hours, 1 point was reduced for each minute late.

Step 10 –Enjoy the event and make sure everyone gets back safely.  Go back and pick up the caches you placed.  If you plan on leaving the caches, fill out the online form on the geocaching website under “Hide & Seek A Cache” (you must be logged in).

Throughout the conference, during breaks, we’ll have live demos of the latest internet mapping apps, ArcGIS demos, and Trimble gear.

This year we feature our Field to Finish solution which makes collecting and managing utility infrastructure a breeze.

Also, ask us about our Enterprise GIS solutions using full data replication.

For more info on the conference, click HERE.  We’ll see you there.

This year GEO-Jobe is also showing off the latest Trimble gear, the Nikon Wi-Fi cameras that link wirelessly to the GeoXH, and the LaserTech TruPulse 360B which is a great bluetooth laser rangefinder.

Join us tomorrow for the Middle Tennessee GIS User Conference in Nashville.  That is sure to be a fun day as well.

On November 3rd, the East TN GIS Fall Conference will take place in Kingsport at the MeadowView Conference Center.

On November 18-19, the 8th annual MAGIC GIS Day conference will get underway.  More info here.

Finally, on November 20-21, Middle TN gets its chance to shine with the Middle TN GIS User Group conference.  You can learn more here.

So there you have it.  Get out an enjoy the beautiful state we live in.

Anyone can also now download, freely, the digital orthophotos from the Tennessee Basemapping program as well as the 2007 National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery in the MrSID file format on a per-county basis from the Tennessee Spatial Data Server.

Links Straight to the Data:
Click here for the Tennessee Basemap Orthophotos.
Click here for the NAIP imagery.

The computers and systems we use for GIS are exactly the same as those for all other applications in the agency and across the state. We store all our geospatial elements in the exact same database environment as all our inventory features. We have too many similarities to standard information technology to be considered outside of that management scope now. The growth has occurred for myself and other GIS professionals in learning and implementing the operational standards of a large IT department. We are held to a higher standard now in developing and managing our program. Every project must be introduced and adopted into the Information Systems Plan (ISP) before work can begin. Most of these projects will also require a rigorous cost-benefit analysis (also known as return on investment).

I’ve worked in IT for most of my career too and Kim’s comments ring true as GIS is becoming more mainstream, even in smaller jurisdictions. Even if you don’t have an official IT department or existing operational standards for your GIS to reside in, it still makes sense to take a look at the bigger IT picture as an organization moves forward tackling the ever changing world of technology. You will begin to see more buy in from other internal organizations, less duplication of effort and data, and significant cost savings.

Read the article HERE.

Richard Duncan and Cliff Hoeffner, with GEO-Jobe GIS, enjoyed planning and sponsoring the GEOcaching event at this year’s conference. Richard and Cliff both planned the event thoroughly while hiding the cache’s and donating GPS units loaded with Map Data of the downtown Chattanooga area. This year there were 3 teams, made up of 13 total TNGIC members, competing for “bragging rights” and Starbucks Gift Cards. The teams set out across downtown Chattanooga armed with GPS Units and a list of Waypoints representing the cache’s to be found. Once the cache was located, using GPS Units, the teams either had to describe the cache in great detail or retrieve their teams tokens and turn them in at the end of the event. The tokens were then used for scoring the teams and determining the winners. The results of the GEOcaching event are as follows:

First Place – Tie
NetGIS – Ann Howland, Katharine Bennett, Mike Street, David Light,
Jason Light, Randal Hale, & guest

TWRA – Tracy Jackson, Stacey McDaniel, Lynn Barrett

Second Place
Chattanooga WooHoos! – Michael Jones, Susan Finger, Art Finger

If anyone has any more pictures of the event, please send them to us. Thanks