“Thank you for attending this year,” said President Jack Dangermond, ESRI, as he welcomed attendees at the 2009 ESRI International User Conference (ESRI UC). “Many things have taken place over the last year, and I’m particularly grateful you are here with us today. I know some of you came on your own money and traveled halfway around the world–I can’t say how much I appreciate that.”

What is wrong with quoting Columbus’ strange views on the shape of the earth on the opening page of a chapter entitled, “The World is a Pear”?
Those lines are from Columbus’ “Letter on his Third Voyage.” Even Davis isn’t using that as a description of the size and shape of the earth, just a cute vision from the often mistaken Columbus.

November 2009

International Symposium on GPS/GNSS 2009
4-6 November
Jeju, Korea
gnssws@gnss.or.kr
www.gnsskorea2009.org

NAV09
Maritime : 10 November, Southampton
Positioning & Location:12 Nov., Nottingham
Land : 19 November, Teddington
Timing : 20 November, Teddington
Air:25 Nov., london
www.rin.org.uk/news-events/events

WALIS International Form 2009
11-13 November
perth convention Exhibition Centre, Australia
www.Walis.wa.gov.au

INCA 2009
25-27 November
Kolkata, India
http://www.incaindia.org

ISPRS (Geospatial Data Cyber Infrastructure)
25-27 November
Hyderabad, India
http://www.incois.gov.in/isprs

GPS/IGNSS Symposium 2009
30 Nov – 1 Dec 2009
Tokyo, japan
www.gnss-pnt.org/symposium2009

Citizens demand performance, effi ciency, accountability…
As they expect better service.
And governments do respond.
E-government is one such strategy.
The UN monitors E-Government through regular global E-Government Surveys.

EU’s satellite system to fi ne-tune GPS
The European Union launched a free satellite navigation network that could help pilots, drivers and blind people by fi ne-tuning the accuracy of the US GPS to around 2 meters. The EGNOS system will use three satellites and 34 ground stations to narrow the horizontal accuracy of GPS from around 7 meters previously and improve its vertical accuracy to help pilots during landings. Farmers could also benefi t from improved precision for spraying fertilizers, and new applications could emerge on roads, such as automatic tolling and pay-per-use car insurance. The system was pioneered by the Commission, the European Space Agency and aviation safety authority Eurocontrol. www.reuters.com

JAXA and DLR co-operation
JAXA and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) signed a letter of intent concerning mutual cooperation for satellite disaster monitoring. Both parties confi rmed a mutual intention to use JAXA’s ALOS and DLR’s TerraSAR-X – both of which carry a SAR instrument – to improve response to disasters. They will exchange data as required on requests for emergency observations. They also agreed that will start collaborative research related to disaster monitoring. www.jaxa.jp

PCTEL GPS antennas in GAGAN
PCTEL will deploy its WAAS ground station GPS antennas in India’s GPS-Aided Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system. These antennas are currently deployed for the North American WAAS system and Japan’s MSAS. The land-based WAAS antennas enable highly precise navigation and tracking of aircraft and covers L1, L2, and L5 GPS frequencies.http://investor.pctel.com

Magellan RoadMate 1700
Magellan unveiled the new Magellan RoadMate 1700. It is designed to better meet the needs of consumers who are seeking larger-sized displays and easyto- use electronics. The 7-inch WVGA full-colour display provides 4 times the standard screen resolution for better readability and increased safety on the roads. www.magellangps.com

Leica ScanStation C10, builder total stations
Leica Geosystems announced the new Leica ScanStation C10, a laser scanner for as-built and topographic surveys. It provides users with a combination of greater versatility, reduced cost of ownership, and even higher productivity for scanning. With the Leica Builder, Leica has designed a tailored measuring tool for anybody on or around a construction site who needs a simple, intuitive yet innovative and powerful measuring tool. From simple tasks to professional all-day use, it offers a scalable product family that meets the needs for almost any construction job. www.leica-geosystems.com

286 cities in China will complete digital surveying and mapping to facilitate planning and management by the end of 2015, the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping said. The digital database will serve as the sole authoritative geographical information source for each city. All the databases will be nationally networked so governments at national, provincial and municipal levels can share information