Jelf

Thanks for the kind words. Unfortunately I do not know of any reasonable way to add that contour data to Google Earth. Also, I suggest a bit of caution when using online parcel data. All the online parcel data likely traces back to county GIS systems. Some of that parcel line data is quite good, some is terrible and most is somewhere in between. I have often compared survey data for a specific parcel to GIS parcel lines and I can see the differences.

I am a software developer working with online maps and location technology. Earlier this year I became interested in what happens when someone with a cell phone calls 911. In particular I wanted to know the details of how the 911 dispatcher learns the *location* of the caller. What kind of digital magic happens behind the scenes? Much of what I learned came from reviewing documents on the FCC’s website. On one hand I learned that the FCC requires a wireless carrier handling a 911 call to produce coordinates for the caller’s location. Sounds good, right? On the other hand I learned that many carriers have exempted themselves from this requirement over large portions of the area they serve. I also learned that the coordinate accuracy most of us easily get on our smartphones (or handheld GPS) is often 10 times more accurate - or more - than the coordinates produced by the wireless carrier handling a 911 call. Recently I finished a report that shares what I learned. That report consists of: 1. A list of tips for calling 911 with a cell phone. 2. Background information so you understand the big picture. 3. Detailed information to support each tip. For those wishing to dig into the source material for themselves, the report includes links to various documents on the FCC website. I posted a copy of this report on my server at https://mappingsupport.com/p/sar/call-911-with-a-cell-phone.pdf Here are the tips. I am happy to answer questions. --- Tip #1 --- If you need to call 911 and your cell phone shows ‘no service’, then you should call 911 anyway and let it ring 45-60 seconds before hanging up. --- Tip #2 --- You should give the 911 dispatcher your location by providing (1) a street address, or (2) a verbal description the dispatcher understands, or (3) your latitude longitude coordinates expressed as decimal degrees. --- Tip #3 --- FindMeSAR is a browser app that was developed as a public service specifically to provide an easy and ‘no cost’ way for anyone with a smartphone to display their coordinates and accuracy value while their phone is either online or offline. This is not a commercial product of any kind. It is a volunteer project just to try and help people when they need help. --- Tip #4 --- When you call 911 with a cell phone the wireless carrier handling the call might not produce *any* coordinates for your location. --- Tip #5 --- Even if the wireless carrier handling your 911 call does produce coordinates for your location, the coordinates you can obtain from your smartphone are either (1) more accurate or (2) a lot more accurate than the coordinates produced by the wireless carrier. --- Tip #6 --- If (1) your phone is not within range of a cell tower and (2) your phone does not have a current copy of the satellite ‘assistance’ data, then it will take 15 to 20 minutes before your phone will produce coordinates for your location. --- Tip #7 --- No one is monitoring the wireless carriers to see whether or not they are in compliance with the standards and requirements that the FCC has adopted regarding wireless calls to 911 and coordinate data for the caller’s location. --- Tip #8 --- If you have an android phone then to get the most accurate coordinates set the location mode (or method) to “GPS only”. --- Tip #9 --- If you have an Android phone then there is a free and easy way to find out if your phone can produce more accurate coordinates by using data from both the USA satellites (GPS) and the Russian satellites (GLONASS). --- Tip #10 --- Phones that have no service plan at all can still (1) call 911 and (2) run an app that displays coordinates and accuracy on the phone’s screen. --- Tip #11 --- If at all possible, make a voice call to 911 instead of texting. --- Tip #12 --- If you do text to 911, then the dispatcher is most likely not going to have *any* location data for you unless you include it in your text. --- Tip #13 --- After you contact 911 take steps to make your phone’s battery last as long as possible. Joseph

In case it helps anyone, here is an online map that can display topo lines on top of the Google aerial. The map is centered on part of the Hickock Brook Multiple Use Area. https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=41.499192,-74.884057&z=16&t=h,USA_contour_lines The map is displayed by Gmap4. I am the developer of this enhanced Google map viewer. This project is a public service and part of my way to "pay it forward". Gmap4 can be used for any non-commercial purpose. To toggle the topo lines on/off click the basemap button (next to the Menu button) and then look under the "Overlay" heading. For more info, please see the Gmap4 homepage: https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html

This is good advice. As part of my business I often am looking at both a land survey and a county GIS map for the same property. It is common(!) for the two maps to show different shapes for the same property. Sure, sometimes the difference is small. But often the difference is significant. When there is a difference, the survey map shows the correct shape and the GIS map is wrong. If you have a chip with parcel lines, guess what? That is just a copy of county GIS data.

Over the years I have bought surveys for several parcels that I have owned. I always pay a bit more and have the surveyor place a metal "T" post at each corner and also place a "T" post every 300 feet or so along each property line. This is always money well spent since the rebar they pound into the ground has a way of getting 'lost' after it is covered with leaves/branches/grass/brush/etc.

Over the years I have purchased a number of surveys. In my experience the standard practice has been pins at the corners. If you want anything in addition, you have to pay for it. I almost always paid a bit more and had the surveyor place a 6 ft tall 'T' post (1) next to each corner pin and (2) every 300 or so feet along each property line. This was money well spent since it prevents the expensive corner pins from getting 'lost' after they are covered with grass/brush/leaves/etc. Surveyors typically do not produce GPS coordinates for the corners. Many surveyors have not even bought survey-grade GPS gear. It is rather spendy stuff. The best accuracy you can typically get with any kind of consumer-grade GPS gizmo is 15 feet. Keep in mind that a hand held GPS does not work by magic. You need to know some stuff in order to get the best accuracy. Finally, for anyone interested in using a cell phone GPS or dedicated GPS to locate existing survey stakes and approximate property lines, I have posted a number of tips at: Cell phone: http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/pdf-cell-phone-find-property-lines.pdf GPS: http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/pdf_tips_for_using_a_gps.pdf Joseph

Here is an update on my ongoing project to produce online maps that show public land and other recreation information. All of the maps in this project display data that is hosted on GIS servers. Think of these servers as having two kinds of data. One kind of data can display symbols and boundary lines on the map. My first post in this thread talked about that kind of data. The other kind of information a GIS server has is attribute data. This consists of fields of information about the symbols and boundary lines that can be displayed on the map. Gmap4 now has the ability to display all the attribute data when you click on a GIS feature you see on the map. You can try it out on this map which shows different kinds of public land in New York State. Click the "About this map" link in the upper left corner (1) to see the map legends and (2) to learn how to turn other GIS overlay layers on and see their attribute data. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=42.712210,-75.940933&z=7&t=h,State_recreation_land&q=http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map/state/NY/NY_trail_public_land.txt Here is another example using a new map I added to this project. This map shows all the current USA weather watches and warnings. If you click on any of the colored areas then a popup appears that displays the attribute data. The attribute data includes links to weather service pages that have all the details for the spot you clicked. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.282795,-97.250977&z=5&t=h,Weather_watch_warning&q=http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map/USA/USA_weather.txt The homepage for this mapping project is: http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map.html As time allows, I will be posting map links for additional states. So if I have not got to your state yet, eventually it will get added. Finally, every attribute popup always has a link titled “GIS server directory”. This link takes you straight to the GIS server that includes the data layer that is presently displaying attribute values on the map. A new Help page (http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/help_files/gmap4_gis_help.html) walks you through (1) understanding the key information the GIS server directory provides and (2) how to use that information to build your own custom Gmap4 links to display the GIS data that *you* want to see. Joseph, the Gmap4 guy

Thanks for the kind words. 1. Bing maps No. Gmap4 is based on Google maps. But try the basemap labeled “New York latest aerial”. The resolution varies in different parts of the state. Some of the aerials were taken at “leaf off” which is real nice since you can see the ground under deciduous trees and pick out trails, rock walls and other stuff that cannot be seen on a “leaf on” aerial. 2. Private property Yes. If you have coordinate data for anything (stands, signs, property lines, etc) then Gmap4 can display that data. If you have that data in a GPX file, then put your file online (Google Sites provides free hosting) and make a Gmap4 link to display your file. Gmap4 can also display KML files and a delimited file format I designed. The following map for some property I own in Michigan. To change the scale (lower right) from meters to feet, click right on the scale. This map uses a simple delimited text file that I made. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?t=s&label=on&q=http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/demo_maps/parcel_close_to_river.txt The text file displayed by the above map looks like this: line=on 44.561808,-85.132073 44.561750,-85.129102 44.558248,-85.129102 44.558248,-85.132073 44.561808,-85.132073 line=off 44.558904,-85.129594^Stand 44.559257,-85.130660^Game trails If you go to the Gmap4 homepage and click the ‘Help’ tab then you will see links to some pdf files with documentation. One file walks you through the delimited file format and shows you how to make custom lines, specify symbols for waypoints, make fancy labels and more. The Gmap4 homepage has a FAQ, examples and Quick Start info. (The Quick Start info is on the 'Help' page.) Homepage: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html But here are two important points. 1. Take a few minutes and learn how to get the most accurate coordinates from your GPS device (mobile or dedicated). I look at a lot of outdoor related forums and almost no one is talking about this. GPS accuracy varies during the day. If you want to collect the most accurate coordinates possible then you need to first visit one of the websites that predicts when the constellation of GPS satellites will be favorable. Also, if your GPS device can see the Russian GLONASS satellites then you need to make certain that your device has a current almanac for those satellites. 2. You need the best coordinates you can get for the property lines. While many counties have an online GIS, usually they do not give you coordinates. Also, the accuracy of the property lines you see on a GIS varies from county to county and also often varies from area to area within a county. If you can locate the property corners yourself and collect the most accurate GPS coordinates that your device can gather, then you can use that data to make a delimited text file that you can display with Gmap4. If you need help getting approximate corner coordinates for a property, then please take a look at my other project: http://www.propertylinemaps.com Finally, here are two articles I wrote to help people that want to use GPS technology to locate approximate property lines or ‘lost’ survey markers. Smartphone or other mobile device: http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/pdf_smartphone_find_property_lines.pdf Dedicated GPS: http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/pdf_tips_for_using_a_gps.pdf Joseph

The following map link displays boundaries for the NY Wildlife Management Units. This map will always be up-to-date since the data comes straight from a GIS (Geographical Information System) server operated by the state. You can also turn various other GIS overlay layers on/off and change the stacking order. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=42.616023,-76.060753&z=7&t=m,Wildlife_management_unit&q=http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map/state/NY/NY_trail_public_land.txt To display the list of basemaps and GIS overlay layers, click the button (upper right corner) that is showing the name of the current basemap. Click the overlay layers to turn them on/off. The first layer you turn on will be #1 and at the bottom of the stack. The last layer you turn on will have the highest number and be at the top of the stack. Be patient. Some GIS overlay layers might take a short time to appear on your screen depending on how busy the server is when you ask it for data. If you open this map with a smartphone or tablet, then you will automatically see a touch-friendly interface. If you are hunting on any of the public land shown on the map and there is cell service, then you can: Open the above link with your smartphone Do Menu ==> My location The map will center at your position and display a symbol that will follow you just like a dedicated GPS unit. This will help you stay on the public land. To see high resolution topo maps, zoom in a bunch and then change the basemap to “t4 Topo High”. To see the map legends, click the "About this map" link in the upper left corner then scroll down a bit for links to the map legends. The "About" page also has a link to tips for using the map. You can search, change the coordinate format, display a UTM grid and a lot more. If you want to get the most out of the map please take a few moments to read the “Tips”. They are written in plain English since I never did learn how to write computer babble-speak. The overlay layer titled “Point of interest” includes different symbols for campgrounds, picnic areas, etc. This layer also has a lot of other information and will take a short time to appear on your screen. These symbols are easiest to see if you change the basemap to “All white basemap”. Yes, the map works offline but you have to give it some help. Please see this pdf file: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/help_files/gmap4_offline.pdf The map is displayed by Gmap4 which is an enhanced Google map viewer. Full disclosure time: I am the developer of the Gmap4 browser app. It is used by people that enjoy all kinds of outdoor recreation. Here is the recipe for making your own custom Gmap4 map link: 1. Pick the basemap you want 2. Turn on the GIS layers you want. Remember, the layers are stacked from bottom to top as you turn them on. 3. Adjust the panning and zooming 4. Click Menu ==> Link to this map The link that is displayed will reproduce the map you see on your screen. This map is part of a project I am doing to make Gmap4 links that show GIS recreation information at both the federal and state level. Here is the homepage for this project where you will find links to the other maps that have already been produced and the next state that will be processed. http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map.html Joseph, the Gmap4 guy

I have posted here before about Gmap4 which is an enhanced Google map viewer that I developed. Up until this summer I believed that Gmap4 would not work if your mobile browser was offline. I was wrong. If you follow a few simple instructions, many (but not all) of the Gmap4 features will work just fine on a smartphone, tablet or other mobile device when you are offline. Among other things, when you are offline you can: * Look at high resolution topo maps (t4 Topo High) * Look at Google aerials * Look at other basemaps * Look at GIS overlays * Turn on the geolocation feature (Menu ==> My location) and see the map become centered where you are standing * Move and watch the location symbol follow you and the map automatically move as needed * Touch the location symbol and see your coordinates in the current coordinate format * Change the coordinate format * Turn on/off a UTM grid * Turn on/off a USNG grid Yes, you can do all of the above while the browser in your smartphone or tablet is offline. Now let’s pop the hood and see how this works. Any map you see with Gmap4 consists of a bunch of small image files called “tiles” that are stitched together to cover your screen. When you look at a map while you are online, a copy of each image file is saved in the browser’s cache. If you keep the browser tab open that has the Gmap4 map, then you can then go offline and still pan the map over the area for which there are map tiles in the browser’s cache. If you pan too far, the screen will be white. To read plain English instructions that I guarantee you will understand (I don’t know how to write computer babble-speak) please visit the Gmap4 Help page and download the pdf file “How To Use Gmap4 Offline”. Help page: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_help.html From the Help page you can also find the FAQ, examples, a Quick Start guide (also on the Help page) and more. Gmap4 default map: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php Joseph, the Gmap4 guy

The ability to see topo lines on aerials got such nice reviews that this feature is now built right into the program. From now on you do not need any special Gmap4 link to use this feature. For more info please see the “What’s new” page: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_whats_new.html Joseph, the Gmap4 guy

I launched Gmap4 in 2009 on http://www.nwhikers.net where I post as Joey. That is one of the forums that allow Gmap4 to run in an iframe. This lets people include a 'live' map in the body of their post on the forum. Since *many* forum posts talk about a place, why not show a map of that place? For example: http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8007725 Forums like this one are also welcome to let Gmap4 be used in this manner. In order to maintain site security typically the admin would create a whitelist of apps that are allowed to run in an iframe in the body of a post. Joseph

Thanks for the kind words. @growalot - That "use at your own risk" lingo is on the maps for two reasons. 1. There is no socially acceptable cure for stupidity. 2. There are way too many overly aggressive attorneys in the world. Joseph, the Gmap4 guy

In case anyone finds it useful, here is how you can display topographic lines on top of an aerial. The following link starts Gmap4 (I am the developer) and if you zoom in until the scale in the lower left says 500 ft then you will see topo lines on the Google aerial for anywhere in the U.S. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.640824,-83.571710&z=5&t=h,Topography_lines&rest=http://services.nationalmap.gov/ArcGIS/rest/services/USGSImageryTopoLarge/MapServer?name=Topography_lines&layers=34,35&transparent=true To start zooming in to your area of interest, try Menu ==> Search to get close and then zoom/pan. To manually zoom, use your mouse wheel or the sliding control near the upper left corner of the map. To turn the topo lines on/off, click the button in the upper right corner of the map then scroll down to the Overlay section and click "topography_lines". The topo line data comes from a GIS (Geographical Information Service) server run by the feds. That GIS data displays the topo lines on top of any basemap. The Gmap4 homepage has a FAQ, examples, quick start info (in the Help file) and more to quickly get you up to speed. Gmap4 default map: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php (does not include GIS topo line overlay) Gmap4 homepage: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html Joseph, the Gmap4 guy Redmond, WA

The following link starts Gmap4 (enhanced Google map viewer) and shows the detailed boundary for land owned by the federal government. This includes national forest land, Bureau of Land Management holdings and other land. This map opens centered at the Finger Lakes National Forest but can display data for all of the USA. Gmap4 is free for non-commercial use. If you find it helpful please consider making a donation via the Gmap4 homepage. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=42.503472,-76.78942&z=12&t=h,Public_land&markers=||||title=<b><a%20href='http://wildfire.cr.usgs.gov/arcgis/services/geomac_dyn/MapServer/WMSServer?request=GetLegendGraphic&version=1.3.0&format=image/png&layer=1'%20target='_blank'>Legend</a></b>&wms=http://wildfire.cr.usgs.gov/ArcGIS/services/geomac_dyn/MapServer/WMSServer?name=Public_land&layers=1&transparent=true Oopsie - If you click the “Legend” link then you will see that part of the names are chopped off. I reported this goof to the right office weeks ago. Obviously they have not fixed it. To find your own favorite spot you can pan and zoom the map. Or try Menu ==> Search. To see high resolution topographic maps, zoom in so the scale in the lower left says 1 mile. Then open the ‘map type’ menu (button in upper right) and select “t4 Topo High.” For Alaska topos, select “t6 Topo USA ESRI” (medium resolution topos). To make your own custom Gmap4 link, first make the map look the way you want it to look on your screen by panning, zooming and selecting a basemap. Then click Menu ==> Link to this map. The link that is displayed will reproduce the map that you see on your screen. When a Gmap4 link is opened by the browser on a smartphone or other mobile device it automatically displays a touch-friendly interface. If you can get online than you can use Gmap4. However it does not have any offline capability. If you are outside with a smartphone or other mobile device and you are online, then you can touch Menu ==> “My location” and the map will center itself where you are standing. In addition to searching and geolocation, the Menu button also lets you draw on the map, get the current magnetic declination and more. If you rightclick the map then you will see coordinates (in various forms) for the spot clicked and can also get draggable directions. Here is a peek under the hood about how this federal boundary line map works. I launched Gmap4 in 2009 as a general purpose file viewing tool. It can display KML, KMZ, GPX and TPO files. It can also display Google MyPlaces maps and a delimited file format. However, the data for the federal boundary line map is not in a file. Instead that data is on a GIS server. Gmap4 is now also a general purpose GIS viewer. Federal, state and local governments have a vast amount of data on GIS servers and Gmap4 can now display much of that data simply by adding some parameters to the Gmap4 link. To the best of my knowledge, Gmap4 is the first general purpose GIS viewer that is based on the Google Map API (Application Program Interface). This is an example of “web GIS”. The Gmap4 homepage has a FAQ, examples, quick start info (in the Help file) and more to quickly get you up to speed. Homepage: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html Documentation (not computer-speak!) and examples for the GIS viewing feature: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_gis-viewer.html Default map (no parameters in the link): http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php Joseph, the Gmap4 guy