Since the publication of the bestselling second edition of The Global Positioning System and GIS, the use of GPS as an input for GIS has evolved from a supporting analysis tool to become an essential part of real-time management tools in wide-ranging fields. Continued technological advances and decreased costs have altered the GPS vendor landscape significantly and opened the door to an array of receiver and software options.

Retaining the in-depth description that made the previous edition so popular, The Global Positioning System and ArcGIS, Third Edition has expanded its coverage to review the capabilities and features common to most receivers. While it emphasizes Trimble and Magellan hardware and Trimble TerraSync and ESRI ArcPad software to capture data, the text's broadened coverage makes it useful with virtually any hardware/software packages, so readers will be able to collect GPS data and install it in ArcGIS--regardless of the data capture mechanism.

Covering the latest developments in this emerging field, the third edition has been updated to include:

• New information on automated data collection
• Updates to the conversion of GPS data into GIS form with ArcGIS Desktop (v. 9.3) as well as ESRI software
• An examination of differential correction and improvements in accuracy of collected data
• Additional emphasis on ArcMap and Pathfinder Office
• Illustrations using ArcMap to combine GPS data with other data sets including raster DRGs, DOQs, DEMs, and various vector data sets

Using a top-down approach, each chapter begins with a theoretical overview followed by self-study exercises and projects that provide step-by-step guidance on applying the concepts using GPS hardware or a PC. The text includes a CD-ROM with GPS data sets for exercises in Trimble SSF and ESRI shapefile formats, plus other valuable learning resources.

Solutions manual available upon qualified course adoption