› Forums › Geocaching in Wisconsin › Help › Community service project for Milwaukee Skywarn Assoc
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Linus4Cache.
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12/18/2004 at 6:32 pm #1720158
I’m looking for some volunteers to help with a community service project on behalf of the Wisconsin Geocaching Association.
The project would be to ACCURATELY determine the lat/long of specific intersections in S/E Wisconsin and make a .loc or .gpx file of these locations. Expertgps/easygps would be used to merge these files into a single gps uploadable file.
The National Weather Service in Sullivan is has 20 counties in S/E Wisconsin which it is responsible for. On the radar scope, they’ve determined certain street locations which are used to display a city on their radar. When storm spotter in the field report severe weather, they are required to give their distance and direction from the established intersection for each location.
The goal of this project is to assist storm spotters in determining their exact location from the established reference points. Many storm spotters/chasers are using GPS in their vehicles to help them navigate. By having each citie’s reference point saved as waypoint, they would easily be able to do a “closest waypoint” search, and determine their exact distance and direction from the reference point. Currently, storm spotters need to look at a map and data file to figure out where the heck they are.
I’m looking to create an accurate data base which we can provide to the Milwaukee Area Skywarn Association, and the National Weather Service. This file may be posted on their websites so storm spotters can upload our file.
If one person were to do this, it would take many hours of work. I hoping we can gather a couple volunteers that are willing to help out. There are 20 counties, and each county has a bunch of cities. If we got enough people, we could each do one county and forward the info to me. I’ll compile the data into a single file.
Please visit this website for a full listing of the counties, city referency point, and an explanation of the reporting procedure. Milwaukee Area Skywarn
The process would not be very elaborate. It would quite easy for anyone using maping software. All you need to do is pull up the maps for a certain area, put your cross hairs on the established location, and read the coordinates. The coordinates could then be inputed into a file and emailed to me.
If you are willing to help, post here or send me an email. I would be nice to get at least 5 people to help. The more the better!
This would be nice service that we could provide the National Weather Service and Milwaukee Area Skywarn Association.
“There are two kinds of hunting: ordinary hunting and grouse hunting.”
-Aldo Leopold, A sand county AlmanacBrian
WGA President
Grousetales at wi-geocaching dot com
KC9GMW12/18/2004 at 9:19 pm #1740120If you want me to take a county or two just let me know Oh Magnificent One…
Wink!
~Bill
12/18/2004 at 10:17 pm #1740121Count me in for a county
Mark
12/19/2004 at 12:49 am #1740122I can do a county or 2 also using my Mapsource. Just let me know. email at [email protected]
TODD-Smokey
“Be safe and Keep on Searchin”12/19/2004 at 6:00 am #1740123I just turned in Washington County…
12/19/2004 at 5:47 pm #1740124working on Columbia Co… Anyone find Harmony Grove point on a map i need the coords. My mapsource doesnt have harmony grove at all..
TODD
“Be safe and Keep on Searchin”12/19/2004 at 5:54 pm #1740125anyone got a way to convert mapsource gbd files to a loc or gpx file?
I have file saved on mapsource. just looking for easy way to get it to easygps.
“Be safe and Keep on Searchin”12/19/2004 at 6:51 pm #1740126Thanks to those who have volunteered to help. We could still use a few more people to help speed things up. We could probably use about 5 more people to help.
I don’t use GSAK, but I think it will convert it to a .gpx file. For those using gps manufacturer maping software, you might be able to convert it with GSAK, or perhaps someone else can help.
Here is a list of the counties and who has volunteered to handle that county. I’ll keep it up to date so we know what is needed still. Bolded counties are those which need to be done still.
Columbia – Smokey & Teacher **completed**
Dane- Flushingrouse/Linus **completed
Dodge- GrouseTales **completed**
Fond du Lac- Should’ve bought Him The Tie **completed**
Green- Smokey & Teacher **completed**
Green Lake- GrouseTales **completed**
Iowa- Smokey & Teacher **completed**
Jefferson- Flushingrouse **completed**
Kenosha- MR Anderson **completed**
Lafayette- MR Anderson **completed**
Marquette- Grousetales **completed**
Milwaukee- Should’ve Bought Him The Tie **completed**
Ozaukee- GrouseTales **completed**
Racine- Smokey & Teacher **completed**
Rock- Linus **completed**
Sauk- Flushingrouse **completed**
Sheboygan- EnergySaver **completed
Washington – Flushingrouse **completed**
Walworth- AuntieNae – **completed**
Waukesha- GrouseTales **completed**[This message has been edited by GrouseTales (edited 12-23-2004).]
12/19/2004 at 6:56 pm #1740127quote:
Originally posted by MR Andersen:
Count me in for a countyMark
You name it mark. Maybe something in your neck of the woods. Racine and/or Kenosha?
12/19/2004 at 7:36 pm #1740128Sign me up for one…
Like one that nobody else wants.
12/19/2004 at 8:18 pm #1740129quote:
Originally posted by Buy_The_Tie:
Sign me up for one…Like one that nobody else wants.
How about Milwaukee?
12/19/2004 at 10:31 pm #1740130So far this is turning out to be easier then I thought. Right now I’m playing around with Garmin Mapsource. I hit “find”, type in the city, then it displays the city on the map. I move over to the designated location, select the “waypoint” tool, put crosshairs on the intersection and click. I then save the waypoint to the cities name and Shazam! Hopefully I can merge this into a .gpx file
12/20/2004 at 12:47 am #1740131Thats exactly what im doing. then saving the whole batch as the county name. Im still trying to figure out on how to transfer these to gpx or loc files. I only have easygps.
Todd
“Be safe and Keep on Searchin”12/20/2004 at 1:19 am #1740132I’m taking Jefferson Co. tonight…
12/20/2004 at 1:31 am #1740133quote:
Originally posted by smokey & the teacher:
Thats exactly what im doing. then saving the whole batch as the county name. Im still trying to figure out on how to transfer these to gpx or loc files. I only have easygps.Todd
Cool, I’m in the same boat. I’m labling mine: SpotterDodge, SpotterWaukesha, etc. I’ll figure out the .gpx conversion later.
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