How to get your unit:

The 100 CMT MC-GPS units that were generously donated by Corvallis Microtechnology in 2001 are currently being distributed to Conservancy field offices that have the need and capacity to use them. These needs were identified in a GPS Needs Assessment Survey conducted in March 2001. If you are expecting a unit, and have not yet received it, you should contact your Regional or Divisional GIS Manager to arrange for shipment and discuss training options. If you have trouble obtaining your unit, contact the Enterprise GIS Program.

How to get training:

Unless you are very familiar with GPS usage, we strongly recommend that you arrange to receive training in these units prior to receiving them. The MC-GPS is a professional grade receiver and has a great deal of functionality (and buttons), which may be intimidating to new users. The PC-GPS software is also extremely feature-rich. So, training is necessary in order to take full advantage of this donation. Training will be provided to groups and individuals at various times and places over the coming months.

The Trainers:

The well-equipped fellows pictured above are the Conservancy's "official" CMT GPS Trainers. On November 5-6, 2001 they received training in the use of the donated MC-GPS receivers and PC-GPS software at CMT's headquarters in Corvallis, Oregon, which is where this photo was taken. They are generously available to train and support staff in the use of these systems. They will be arranging group and individual instruction at various locations over the coming months. Group training will be posted on this page and in the Events listing on this website. You may also contact any of them to identify a scheduled course or arrange for individual or small group instruction at your site. Contact the Enterprise GIS Program if you have trouble obtaining training.

Click on the map below to find out who and where the trainers are. We hope to add additional trainers to the team as more staff become skilled with the units.

The Training Course:

You should set aside two days for this fairly intensive training course. . It involves indoor lectures and exercises as well as field work. A very large but excellent Powerpoint presentation developed for the course by CMT can be downloaded from the TNC section of the GIS FTP site (requires FTP password).

Accessories:

There are a number of accessories available for the MC-GPS that will make your use of the equipment in the field easier and more effective. Fortunately, CMT is generously giving TNC a 20% discount on all accessories. We especially recommend purchasing a nylon carrying case and a spare GPS battery to extend your field time. If you need to install the PC-GPS software on multiple PCs, you may also want to purchase additional licenses or hardware keys, since each license is limited to a single concurrent user. Call CMT directly with questions about accessories and upgrades.