For those who have been waiting, patiently or not, for a Carlson update that will allow you to create a Geoid 2012 file for your Carlson SurvCE collector – here is the update from Carlson.

Join us on Monday, May 7th when Jeremy and I will be presenting this part-field and part-office training with SurvCE.

Topics for the day will include:

• Set up and configuration of SurvCE with your equipment
• Managing data files and import/export options between the field and the office
• Field collection for boundary, features and topo including GIS collection
• Working with the Map Menu to import and export .dwg, .dgn, .mxd and shapefiles
• Stakeout techniques
• Overview of Field to Finish

Register Here

SurvCE and Field to Finish Training Announcement

With a post to their blog last night, Bruce Carlson announced that Carlson SurvPC data collection software (Windows version of SurvCE) can now view and write directly to the Esri .mxd and Bentley Microstation.dgn file formats. This is pretty exciting stuff for both survey field crews and those who wish to design-on-the-fly from the field.

Read more here

Many of you saw Carlson’s new Supervisor+ GPS tablet at our workshops last November and December but it’s just now being officially rolled out…

Come by our booth at the NC and SC Surveyor’s Conventions in the next couple weeks and give it a test drive.

Read the specifications here

We are finally able to announce our end of year workshops for 2011. With the weather problems we encountered last year we decided to hold the events in the western end of North Carolina in November and toward the coast in December.

The cost to attend each event is $99 and lunch is included. See below for early bird registration details for each event. NC Licensed Surveyors and Engineers will receive 8 PDH credits and all attendees will receive a certificate confirming their attendance. We will have door prizes, software giveaways and special software or hardware pricing that is available the day of the show only.

We will be in Statesville on Tuesday, November 15^th and Asheville on Thursday November 17^th. Early bird registration is $89 through September 30^th.

We will be in Wilmington on Tuesday, December 13^th and Raleigh on Thursday December 15^th. Early bird registration is $89 through October 31^st.

You will be able to choose the sessions you wish to attend. This year’s sessions include:

• GIS from A to Z and Responding to GIS-related RFPs
  presented by Janet Jackson (GIS Janet) of Intersect
• Overview of Carlson Takeoff & Preparing Machine Control Data
  presented by Todd Carlson of Carlson Software
• Intro to SurvNet & Least Squares
  presented by Donnie Stallings, the original developer of the product
• CAD Standards Roundtable & Discussion
  presented by Jennifer DiBona, That CAD Girl
• CAD Tips & Tricks and hints for sharing data with others
  presented by Jennifer DiBona, That CAD Girl
• Overview of Carlson Software 2012 (Survey, Civil, Hydro, GIS, Point Clouds)
  presented by Scott Griffin of Carlson Software
• Field to Finish with Carlson Survey & SurvCE and the Surveyor+ GPS System
  presented by Butch Herter of Carlson Software and Jeremy Taylor
• Preview of future Carlson hardware
  presented by Butch Herter of Carlson Software and Jeremy Taylor
• Road Design and Site Design with Carlson Civil & Hydrology
  presented by Scott Griffin of Carlson Software

Note that all classes are not scheduled at all events and locations. See each workshop announcement for specifics. Seats are limited so register online, call 919.417.8351 or email us to register.

Starting in April 2011 we will be hosting a “Technology Breakfast” for current and/or prospective Carlson Software and hardware customers.

These events will be held on the 3^rd and 4^th Friday of each month and will start at 7:30am. Once a month we will meet at the Cracker Barrel at I-40 in Garner, North Carolina. Other events will be held in various locations in North and South Carolina.

Each breakfast and meeting will last for 1-2 hours and will provide an opportunity for us to demonstrate the future direction of Carlson data collection and field hardware. After breakfast, we will retreat to the parking lot for the field demonstration. Some events will also have a classroom component in a conference room at a neighboring hotel.

Technology Breakfasts will be free of charge but pre-registration is required. Call us at 919.417.8351 or email [email protected]. There is a limit of 10 people at each meeting.

The full list and details for Technology Breakfast meetings can be found here.

Keep checking our training page for more details about the new hardware or software to be presented at each event and for additional meetings planned for Asheville, Morehead City, Hickory and Wilmington, North Carolina.

I’m happy to announce that Jeremy Taylor, PLS of Taylor Land Consultants has agreed to start helping me out with Carlson Software, data collector, GPS and other hardware sales. I asked him if he’d mind pitching his voice higher as he answered the phone:

Having never been a practicing land surveyor, I have not been able to promote or discuss Carlson’s stable of data collection software or hardware as well as I’d like. I have hoped to find someone who knew the products well and could present them well, but was not a salesman. I think Jeremy will be the perfect fit.

He is very well-known and just as well-respected here in the Raleigh NC area and, I believe, will be a great resource for all of us. Like me, Jeremy is a fan of Carlson’s offerings but is more concerned with providing the right solution for our customers rather than simply trying to sell the latest and greatest piece of equipment. Please take a moment to read Jeremy’s Bio here.

If you have questions on SurvCE, Carlson Survey, data collectors or GPS equipment, please feel free to contact Jeremy at (919) 335-3444 or email him at [email protected]. Going forward I think you can expect to see more of a focus on these products including special pricing and field demonstrations.

Looking for Carlson Software manuals? Prior to the 2010 release, Carlson included printed manuals with your purchase and, in addition, the manuals have always been available to print for yourself from the Help files.

With the 2010 release, Carlson “opened” a storefront on the self-publishing site called Lulu.com. You can order 2009 and 2010 Carlson Software manuals here http://stores.lulu.com/carlsonsw.

Carlson Software recently asked Felicia and me to present webinars on topics we have particular interest in or specialize in. 

Felicia’s webinar on BIM, GIS and Carlson Software can be viewed here: BIM, GIS and Carlson Software Webinar

My webinar on CAD Standards can be viewed here: CAD Standards for Carlson Software with AutoCAD or IntelliCAD