Mappers Blog: Some perspectives of a mapping project

The most demanding mapping project I ever made is about to end. Here I share some perspectives.

fig.1. Planning tool. I spared the easy and isolated parts of the map for the last. Stepped from demanding with old map (1-2) to difficult with old map (3) to demanding without old map(4) to run-in (5-6). Going towards winter, the idea was to do all demanding stuff before it got to cold.

fig.2. DRAMA! :-)

fig.3. A basemap ...

fig.4. ... and the fieldnote.

fig.5. My orienteering friends marked many of the really important features they wanted to have on the new map. :-)

fig.6. Rain was a no go with my actual setup.

fig.7. Disclaimer (not serious!). But yes I really tried to keep the map as general as possible in spite working in the "laser-age"

fig.8. Black spots and red spots show places with bad laser coverage. After a while you realize that it is always where it comes to steep rock formations. Obviously the Swedish authority uses similar building removal algorithms as the swiss do.

fig.9. Did I publish that before? My final setup was about 40g for the base plate plus 40g for the compass.

fig.10. Some comparisons with the old map by Vidas Armalis: before ...

fig.11. ... and after.

fig.12. Before ...

fig.13 ... and after.

fig.14. Before ...

fig. 15. ... and after.

fig.16. Before ...

fig. 17. ... and after.

fig.18. Excerpt of my moving pattern. Pattern density depended primarily on the object density and the visibility.

fig.19. And here the entire moving pattern.

fig.20. The longest contour line 14km

fig.21. The time it takes to digitize per km2 for different parts of the map. The crucial factors are the object density and the field note quality (the amount of additional interpretation while drawing).

fig.22. The total time per km2 for different parts of the map. The heaviest parts take up to 130 hours per km2, then there is normal for about 100 hours per km2 and easy for around 40 hours per km2. Main factors here are the visibility, the relief and the object density.

fig.23. Mapping is about searching for objects in the forest. Besides what I call Easter eggs (big stones in the nowhere, where you though this area is about to be done) there is different kinds of waste (former camp-sites, disposed cars, bicycle dress and helmets, sewing machines, buckets, buckets, buckets, fridges a.s.o.), berries and mushrooms to be found. This chair a Höganäs Chair No.1, was pretty special because it is the same model I use for my long-term project portraying the offspring of my grand-parents.

Mappers Blog: Svartviksskogen basemap

fig.1. Basemap for mapping Svartviksskogen.

1. Contours: Black contours according to the maps equidistance, green: band for the contour, red: for formlines. Made with OL Laser.
2. Vegetation height: White: forest, green: up to 5m, yellow: upp to 80cm. Made with OL Laser.
3. Regions with bad signal density. 
4. Communal vector data of roads and buildings
5. North lines
6. Crosshairs for proper positioning of the field notes scan

Mappers Blog: Svartvikskogen Setup

Some differences to the Uaul Grond Setup...

1: Base Plate
I left my plexiglas for the air-light "kanalplast" which here in Sweden can be found at every crossing. Then I went down to the A5-format. All in all this got the weight down to 20gramm. I have a hard time now to remember the days I had problems with my left shoulder. :-)

2:Base Map
Well, we are in Sweden which in regard to the laser-data is about three steps in front of Switzerland (Step1: extremly low costs (f.ex. Haninge Municipality: 100CHF for 460km2), Step2: data in the .las format (all responses, no intransparent modifications), Step3: OL-Laser to make the best out of Step2). So now I work with a colored base map, combining the height of the vegetation layer with contour lines every 0.7m (maps equidistance=3.5m), regular mesh, magn.north lines etc.

3:Pencils
Inspired by Beni Deppeler i finally managed to paint my pencils with acrylic colors according to the leads color.

4:Compass
After having lost one compass and having nearly lost two more, this compass now is connected to the wristband with a shoestring.

5:GPS
Now I even carry a gps-logger with me, but only for documentation purposes (I-gotU GT120 USB).