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new age

ceta — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 08:17:18 GMT

New Age of Building Materials Becoming

Common Place in Homes

There's a new breed of building products that are changing the face of the building industry. They're called engineered building materials, and as conventional building materials become more expensive and harder to get, more homebuilders are using these new materials.

One class of these products that is becoming widely used is "engineered" wood. Wood that once laid on the mill floor and was thrown away is now part of a new age of building materials.
But are engineered wood products weaker or inferior to solid pieces of lumber ? No, they are designed by licensed structural engineers to do their job well, and have withstood rigorous testing at national labs. The advantages of engineered wood are better performance for the cost, a reduced use of natural resources, and less waste on the job site.
One of the most common uses of engineered wood are roof and floor trusses. The builder gives the house plans to a licensed engineer at the truss mill who designs a configuration of wood members and special metal fasteners that safely bear the load of the building.
A major environmental benefit is that short pieces of small dimension lumber can be used in a truss. This spares the trees in old growth forests-the source of the longest spans of lumber.
Engineered studs are another wood product gaining acceptance among builders and homeowners. These studs are made of short pieces of wood that have finger-like joints cut in each end that are glued together end to end. Wood that was once considered too short to be used for structural purposes, and often just went to the landfill, is now made into finger-jointed studs. Engineered studs are strong, straight and less likely to warp after installation like many solid lumber studs.
If your builder, architect, or designer is specifying engineered products in your home, it means he or she is using smart and proven building technology that is cost-effective. And by incorporating engineered materials into your home, the builder is using a material that may have once gone to waste, and is protecting resources-such as old growth forests-that can never be replaced.

cool material

ceta — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 22:37:18 GMT

COOL MATERIAL : ALKEMI

Don’t you hate it when you’ve got a huge pile of aluminum shavings lying around after a big project and think, “What a waste! I should really do something with this glistening pile of metal!” Well, the folks at Renewed Materials had the same brilliant thought, and created a solid surfacing material called Alkemi. By binding aluminum scrap with resin, they have produced a striking alternative to the typical surfacing products on the market. Best of all, its exotic look doesn’t come at an exotic price; it’s comparable to the lower-priced levels of Corian and granite.

Like most solid surfacing materials, it can be custom shaped, sanded, buffed, and joined to fit a variety of applications. What gives Alkemi its particular appeal is what’s inside: a minimum of 60% post-industrial scrap aluminum. Once bonded with polymeric eco-friendly resins, the aluminum scraps create a hard, strong surface, suitable for countertops, tables, sinks, or tiles.

The reflective property of the suspended aluminum creates two visually compelling patterns. The first is where the scrap is completely incased in the colored resin. The second is where the material has been honed or cut and another thin layer of resin poured over the top. A variety of colors are available, attributable to integrally colored resins and/or colored aluminum scraps.

They also have some interesting, but less visually stimulating opaque versions in black and white. But we’re willing to look past that, because these come in quite possibly the coolest…..samplebox….ever! There’s no official indication that the box is made from recycled content - but it definnitely looks like it. The icing on this earthy cake is the dramatic effect of the name branded into the container.

ceta — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 22:32:59 GMT

NEW MATERIAL: SHETKASTONE

Recycling paper is often just about creating more (you guessed it) paper, but a Minnesotan company by the name of All Paper Recycling has been taking recycled paper and converting it into a lovely and versatile new building material called ShetkaSTONE. Completely made from all types of recycled paper (including waxed paper, glossy paper, and magazines), plants, and cloth fibers ShetkaSTONE can be used to create anything from doors, counter tops, benches, molding, soap dishes, and more.

Created by Stanly J. Shetka, president of All Paper Recycling, Inc., the patented process involved in creating ShetkaSTONE, creates a slurry made of the pre and post consumer waste which is then formed into the hardened product. Due to its recycled content, ShetkaSTONE has a 100% sustainable life cycle. Both the waste created in the manufacturing process as well as products that have become damaged or reached the end of the cycle can go back into the manufacturing process at ShetkaSTONE.

The strength and thickness of Shetkastone can be controlled during the creation process. The end product can go through any variety of construction methods including being sawed, sanded, glued, nailed and screwed together, as well as finished by sealants currently used on wood and stone.

Paper products account for 40% of the solid waste in the US, and only a small portion, (white and newspaper) are actually being recycled. The mission of All Paper Recycling, Inc. is “to reduce pre-consumer and post consumer waste through the creation of environmentally responsible products and building materials made from wastepaper, cloth or plant fiber.”

ceta — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 22:26:04 GMT

ERIKA HANSONS OBJECTS FOR WALLS

Don’t let the name deceive you. Athough she calls them “Objects for Walls”, Erika Hanson’s sculptural installations are really pretty much just organic deconstructions of the traditional flat, vertical wall.

“Objects for Walls offers a contemporary alternative to the plain walls typical of modern interior environments. Blurring traditional categories of sculpture, architecture and furniture, these objects change the way we perceive the boundaries of a room.”

The designer creates full-size walls out of eco-friendly fiber-board Maplex, and then carves slices into them, warping the fabric into different shapes. Hanson treats the Maplex like pliant skin, pushing and pulling bits into pockets and fissures. The gaps are then backlit - creating sculptural lighting, or left open - creating organically shaped ventilation holes. Although the forms appear soft, once set in place, they are as hard and enduring as the surrounding wall.

Along with fellow designer Emiliano Godoy, Erika Hanson was commissioned by Weidmann Creative to come up with some interesting new ways to use their eco-friendly Maplex material. One of the unique qualities of the fiber-board is that is can be molded into almost any shape imaginable. This flexibity of material was, I assume, one of the inspirations behind this inventive rethinking of the traditional wall.

ceta — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 22:17:15 GMT

TRANSLUCENT CONCRETE

Brutalists look out. A new type of concrete has been developed, and it looks almost ethereal. Images of LiTraCon, the Light Transmitting concrete - make it look strangely like styrofoam. Hungarian architect Ron Losonczi invented this stuff three years, by embedding optical glass fibers into concrete. LitraCon has the strength of traditional concrete, but light can pass through it (through the glass fibers). Walls made LitraCon allow silhouettes of the outside world to be transmitted into the interior of a building. This stuff looks amazing. I think the image below is a digital representation as opposed to a real photograph, but I’m not totally sure. I can’t wait to see some buildings made out of this.

Did I mention this guy Losonczi is only 27? Nice going, Ron.

Via Optics.org

ceta — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 22:13:37 GMT

RUBBERSIDEWALKS

Across the country, cities constantly struggle with public safety and ongoing financial burdens caused by tree roots lifting cracked concrete sidewalks. Rubbersidewalks offer a convenient solution to this problem. The modular sidewalk system allows air and water to reach the soil below, and can be pulled apart for easy tree and root maintenance, decreasing the need for urban tree removal.

Rubbersidewalks are made of 100% recycled tire rubber. The waste rubber from one passenger tire creates one-square-foot of Rubbersidewalk, helping to recycle the more than 34 million passenger tires disposed in California alone. At the end of their lifecycle (at least 14 years), Rubbersidewalk pavers can be recollected and recycled back into the manufacturing process.

Rubbersidewalks were invented by Richard Valeriano, public works inspector for the City of Santa Monica, where some of the first installations were tested for more than three years before opening up the product to other municipalities. Founded in 2001 and Headquarted in Gardena, California, Rubersidewalks, Inc., keeps track of all of their installation sites for maintenance review, relieving the city of the burden. Rubbersidewalks modular paving is now installed in more than 20 states throughout the United States.

+ www.rubbersidewalks.com

ceta — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 08:04:18 GMT

What is the RINO GPS/Radio System
RINO is an acronym for "Radio Integrated with Navigation for the Outdoors". The GPS itself is "akin" to an eTrex Legend, but with changes and feature additions. What can you do with a Rino that you cannot do with an eTrex LEGEND? Two or more users with RINO GPS/Radios can turn on their units, transmit and view on the GPS screen the location of other RINO users who share the same radio frequency (and privacy tones if used). Voice communication between Rinos and between Rinos and radios in the FRS and GMRS radio services (using simplex ONLY) are also possible using the built in handitalkie. Each RINO is "named" (e.g. Joe, Jack, Mac, George). The map display will show the name next to the location of each "on frequency" remote user (see moving display above.). RINO GPS/Radios (hereinafter, Rino) have a range of typically less than a mile using FRS (Family Radio Service, A CB Radio service) and perhaps as much as two miles using GMRS (a service requiring a license from the FCC .) Range in the GMRS can be extended much further in some areas by the use of RADIO REPEATERS in the GMRS service but UNFORTUNATELY, Rino units cannot transmit on the repeater input frequencies. The Rino units have radio transmit power of 0.5 watt (FRS) and 1.0 watt (GMRS). The small radio antenna (longest protrusion above) provides about ( -7db) gain which results in an ERP (effective radiated power) of about 200mw on the GMRS frequencies and perhaps 100mw on FRS. Don't expect lots of "Rino-to-Rino range" with this power level. Expect car-to-car radio range to be even more limited. Note that the transmission of position IS NOT automatic and no provision for automatic transmission of position is available with Rino. (This was a condition of the FCC authorization to use the FRS frequencies.) A Rino user must press a button on his unit to transmit his location to other Rino users on the frequency.

The Rino 120 model pictured above offers a MAPPING capability for both MapSource (R&R, TOPO, World Map, Fishing Hot Spots (limited functionality), and marine maps (limited functionality) and MetroGuide maps. The Rino offers built in (WAAS) which improves position measurement accuracy. The Rino 110 (yellow unit above) offers the same features as the 120 model, but has no memory for user loaded maps. It does have POI, waypoint, route, and track memory similar to other Garmin NON-mapping models such as the eTrex VENTURE.

NOTE: Apparently some Rinos are being delivered with the contrast very low. If you can't read the screen, press the power button once (do not hold) and then move the click stick left or right on the click stick to increase/decrease the contrast level. This will allow you to set the contrast without having to go through the menu sequences.

What's New and Different in the RINO compared with the eTrex LEGEND?
The Garmin eTrex RINO 110 (street price ~$165), RINO 120 (street price ~$225), (LEGEND without radio sells for about $210 by comparison) check latest prices (HERE), is an "similar to" eTrex package with the addition of two "prongs". The larger diameter, shorter prong is the quad helix GPS antenna while the longer prong is the 465mhz FM radio antenna. RINO has a MY ID field into which the user inputs his ID for use in transmitting his location to other RINOs. 22 radio channels and 38 squelch codes are provided. Certain keys may be "locked" to prevent unwanted keypresses. (Garmin has put the POWER ON key (See photo above. button is top, center in front of the antennas) where it will NEVER be pressed by accident!) RINO has a status bar (top left of each screen) to indicate many modes of operation to the user at a glance. The Satellite page shown indicates that the battery is at about 75%, Radio is ON, peer-to-peer location is ready to send, and GPS is ON and position is not ready. However, the symbols are so tiny that good eyesight is required to make use of this feature. Overall size of the RINO models is 4.5"Hx2.3"Wx1.6"D, 7"high if the antenna is included. (11.4x5.8x4.1;17.8cm). Weight is about 7.5 oz (236g) with three Alkaline AA cells included. Screen size is 1.4"x1.4" (3.6x3.6cm), 160x160 Pixels. The screen has slightly larger area as compared to the LEGEND screen which is 1.1x2.1inches (2.56sq in for RINO vs 2.31sq in for LEGEND. Like most other Garmin handhelds, RINO is rated waterproof to IPX7 which is 1 meter immersion for 30 minutes. (Note: The IPX7 specification is designed to test for the ability to ACCIDENTALLY immerse equipment. It is NOT designed to test if a piece of equipment is suitable to swim with!)

What about Rino's regular GPS features?
The Rino is essentially an eTrex series unit and as such is designed with a "non technical" GPS user in mind. However, the Rino has a complete GPS feature set for hiking and motoring (except for automatic route generation). When MetroGuide maps are loaded, (R-120 only) a FIND ADDRESS feature allows location of a particular street address and you can MANUALLY generate a route to this address by placing waypoints at each intersection on the way and connecting the waypoints into a route. It is also possible to automatically generate a route using MapSource MetroGuide and download this route with its waypoints into the Rino. Standard features of Rino include: Sun and Moon predictor, Regular and Scientific Calculator, "Best time to hunt and fish", and Games. Garmin's new Fishing Hot Spots maps is compatible with Rino 120.

The RINO uses the same sort of "click stick" (rocker/push) switch for most functions as is used in the eTrex LEGEND/VISTA line. However, the switch "feels" much more positive in operation. The click stick protrudes on about 1/16 inch beyond the case and as a result it is difficult (for me) not to PRESS the click stick when you really meant to PUSH Right/Left/Up/Down. I finally figured out that using my fingernail to make sideways motions of the "click stick" rocker and my finger to press down was the ticket (for me). Note: Garmin says that later production models will have a click stick with a longer post to correct this problem.

Operation controls are quite sparse and an extensive menu system is used to allow user control of the (literally) hundreds of features and settings. This works fine but plan to spend some time with the manual and the unit learning where all of the features are located. I found the menu system pretty logical and easy to use, but just don't plan to make settings in a hurry. There is a PAGE key which is used to circulate through various screens such as: MAP, Nav, Radio, Routes, Satellite, StopWatch, Sun/Moon, Tracks, Trip Computer, Main Menu, Alarm Clock (with buzzer/vibrator). Which menus rotate when the PAGE key is pressed are user selectable. By this selection, each user is able to put his most frequently used screens in the page rotation sequence while the rest remain in the main menu for access.

The Rino and other eTrex Series models in general have eliminated the "Remarks" feature from waypoint names. However, the Rino allows 10-character waypoint names as compared to 6 characters in the eTrex and eTrex Summit.

TRACKLOGS: The Rino shares with other eTrex models the highest resolution tracklogs while walking of any Garmin series. See plots (HERE). Compared to the Summit, the Legend default has less walking resolution. However, the Auto tracklog interval can be set to "More Often" or "Most Often" to increase tracklog resolution. Selected saved tracklogs can be displayed on the map page. One saved track at a time can be converted to a Trackback. Note: With Rino, LEGEND, VISTA, and VENTURE, the user has control of the tracklogger as to automatic/time/distance between log points unlike earlier eTrex models. For some tests of the Rino's (like VISTA's) accuracy with WAAS see (HERE). See the TrackLog screen HERE.

ROUTES and MAPS: Rino 120 can upload ALL of Garmin's digital mapping products. (Rino 110 has no built in our uploadable map capability.) The Rino has no built-in automatic address-to-address routing. However, with Garmin's new MertoGuide USA, MapSource CAN generate automatic address-to-address routes on your external computer which can then be uploaded into the Rino. Delorme SA9 also can provide the address to address routing function for uploading into Rino models. Routes can be loaded into both Rino models, but only the Rino 120 has roadmaps.

Other new features of interest are:

Satellite page - Shows usual map of satellites in view, signal-strength bars, present position coordinates, altitude, and WAAS status.
Trip Computer - Can display simultaneously any six of the following: Maximum Speed, Moving Average Speed, Odometer, Trip Odometer, Off Course, Overall Average Speed, Pointer, Speed, Sunrise, Sunset, Time of Day, To Course, Trip timesaving, Trip Time Stopped, Trip Time Total, Turn, VMG, Vertical Speed, Bearing, Course, Current Destination, Current Distance, Current ETA, Current ETE, Elevation, Final Destination, Final Distance, Final ETA, Final ETE, GPS Accuracy, Heading, Location (Lat/Long), Location (Selected), Maximum Speed, Moving Average Speed, A LARGE DIGITS display will display two parameters in large type.
Cross Track Error is available when COURSE POINTER is selected on the compass page.
Mark Waypoint - Allows automatic input of current location as waypoint and editing of name, Lat/Long, GoTo, and Show on Map.
FIND - Allows FIND of Waypoints, Addresses, Favorite Places, Cities, Expressway Exits, Points of Interest, and Intersections.
Routes - Allows storage of up to 20 routes with up to 50 waypoints in each route.
Tracks - Feature allows you to SAVE tracks based on: a) Since DATE, or b) Entire LOG.
Setup - Allows input of Time, Measuring units, Datum, North Reference (true, magnetic, grid, user), Display, Interface, System Setup.
New Accessories in Setup - Sun and Moon predictor, Scientific and Normal Calculator, and "Best time to hunt and fish" (ha!)
Games (for the kids of course): Waypoint Bomber, Memory Race, Clothesline, Assimilation, and Desert Hunt.
Satellite Screen is in PAGE sequence and shows signal strength and utilization of up to 12 satellites in view which includes SAT 35/47 WAAS.
Track up or North up operation of map display selection is an option on the Satellite Screen.
Map Display screen has options, Pan Map, Stop/Start Navigation, Show (Contacts, Map Only, Data Fields), Measure Distance, Restore Defaults.
Pan and Zoom can be operated at the same time, and you can place a waypoint at the "panned" (pointed to) location.
Icon on Map Page allows quick access to the Waypoint menu to select and generate a route (GoTo) to a single waypoint.
Setup Map allows you to select which of the loaded map sections to display. (Useful when overlapping map sections are loaded.)
Compass screen shows your direction of movement and points to next waypoint when you are routing or have an active GoTo.
Unique "Rocker/Enter" switch (above display, upper left) allows fast movement amongst screens and features (once you get used to it).
Screen illumination timeout has 15, 30, 60, 120, and "always on" timeout settings.
Centralized Trip Computer RESET is available on the trip computer page options.
The autolocate command sequence: Hold Call Key & Power On
The user data clear is: Press Enter (Click Stick Down) & Press PAGE key & Power On (There is no master reset in Rino.)
Waypoint REPOSITION allows the user to move an existing waypoint to the current position.
Add to ROUTE allows the user to add a newly marked waypoint to any existing route via the Mark Waypoint page option.
Calendar (built in) allows user to add notes.
On Screen KEYBOARD makes data entry much simpler.
Direction (angle) data fields can be set to either degrees or cardinal letter (NEWS).
Track Log system is complete with Start/Stop, wrap when filled, Auto/Time/Distance record methods.
Built in Search for: Cities/Exits/Addresses/Intersections/Radio Contacts/POI/Last Found Places.
User can build a ROUTE by dropping points on the map (Route page map button).
Calendar can show years past, present and future and the user can make NOTEs attached to a date.
Games- Five different computer type games are available for the kids.

A few less used features (or features Garmin considered non-essential for Hikers or Motorists) are not present in Rino, LEGEND or VISTA. battery hours timer, and user timers, are among the missing. The 8 meg map memory in the Rino is adequate for many users but we wish it had 24megs like the VISTA. (Personally, Jack and Joe are never satisfied with the available amount of map memory.)

Rino Radio Features
Rino has a low power radio transmitter and a compact antenna. Effective Radiated Power is estimated at about 200 milliwatts or less. The antenna has a gain in the range of minus 7db. The radio transmits and receives in the frequency range of 467mhz and has a range of one mile or less on FRS channels (ch 1 to 14), 500mw transmit power, 100mw ERP, and two miles or less on GMRS channels (ch 15 to 22), 200mw ERP. You are able to operate your Rino as a handitalkie on all 22 channels (provided you have a license for the GMRS frequencies). If you try and operate a couple of units between two enclosed metal boxes (aka automobiles), you will get considerably LESS range. Rino can operate simplex (transmit and receive on the same frequency) on the FRS band and on the GMRS band. Rino CANNOT operate on GMRS repeaters and no facility is provided to enable Rino to transmit on GMRS input frequencies. You CAN operate simplex on the GMRS channels. If you do not have authorization and know what you are doing, stick to the FRS channels.) Note also: DO NOT OPERATE UNLICENSED on channels 15 through 22. The FCC can fine unlicensed operators up to $10,000 per day for unlicensed operation on these bands.)

Rino has a unique "peer-to-peer" tracking capability. With this capability, two users in radio contact on the FRS BAND (only) can know precisely where the other is by keying up the transmitter and his location will appear on the MAP screen of other cooperative units on the same channel. Rino users can also LOG contacts with other users in an electronic log file. Note: FCC rules DO NOT permit data transmission on the GMRS bands. No.. We do not know how to modify a RINO so it will send data on the GMRC bands.

There is a bevy of special map and screen symbols used by the new radio capability. The user enters his ID (name) and may select a symbol so as to uniquely show up on other Rino map screens when interrogated. The map HERE shows on Jack's MAP SCREEN the location of Joe. Rino radio features which can be turned on or off by the user include: Call Tone (sends attention tone to others), Roger Tone (Issues when the talk switch is released.), Ring Tone (Receiving Radio sounds tone when it receives a call on its channel and with the proper tone (when used), Vibrator (Operates on (initial and at 45 second intervals) incoming transmissions), Scramble (allows limited privacy of communication ON THE R-120 ONLY), VOX (when used with external hands free mic/earphone allows "speak to transmit" operation of the radio, Send Location (when activated, button sends current location to other units. There is a visual information screen on the radio page that (upon first glance) will take your breath. It is quite complex but after spending a few hours with it, you begin to remember what the various symbols mean and after that it is pretty neat.

The Rino has a 500 waypoint capability. The "contact log" uses one of these waypoints each time a remote user calls in. These contact log points are plotted on the map so the receiving station can plot the progress of the remote station.

Software Compatibility
The following programs are compatible with Garmin's data transfer protocol: MapSource 3.0x, Street Atlas 8, National Geographic Topo!, Fugawi, MacGPS Pro, Ozi Explorer, G7ToWin, GARTrip, GPS Utility, and TrackMaker Ver. 10. NMEA output is 0183 Ver 2.3.
NOTE: Only Garmin maps in conjunction to MapSource are uploadable to Garmin mapping GPS receivers. No maps from any other vendor besides Garmin can be loaded INTO any Garmin GPS. (Same with other consumer GPS vendors.) No Scanned Map from any third party source can be loaded into any Garmin GPS receiver (Same with other consumer GPS vendors.) No USGS DRG map can be loaded. Delorme SA map products cannot load maps into any vendor's GPS receiver.

Well.. What do we think about Rino units?
Jack and I are pretty happy with these new models. I have sometimes "fussed" at Garmin for designing a GPS and leaving out some very desirable feature. Garmin did not do that on Rino. Rino offers almost everything a hiker/motorist needs to navigate. The only missing ingredient for motorists is automatic address-to-address routing which is available in the Garmin ColorMap StreetPilot III. The FIND (address/intersection/city/etc.) feature works as a nice substitute when used with MetroGuide maps. For hikers, we think Garmin has gone 100% and these units have all essential features and more.

Rino units offer a wide range of useful features and or major criticism is in the usability of the click-stick used for most data entry. Functionally, the rocker switch is a major improvement from the older eTrex and Summit EXCEPT that it barely protrudes from the case 1/16 inch and so (for us) it was almost impossible to input data by pushing the click stick up/down/right/left with your finger friction on the top of the stick. Instead, we had to routinely use our fingernail or some other "probe", such as a pen, to avoid pushing DOWN on the clickstick (give ENTER function). We must say, that an almost unbelievable functionality has been built into the Rino and to control it (mostly) through the clickstick is nice. We wish it stuck up higher as on the LEGEND and VISTA. (Late note: We understand that later production Rino Click Sticks do protrude higher out of the case.) We still miss the full page "highway" display of cross track error which is most useful in flying and marine uses but Rino does offer a cross track error feature.

On the other hand, the "not included" features we like to use in other Garmin GPS versions include: external antenna port, waypoint averaging, and internal wide range voltage regulator. Map memory is 8 megs in Rino and is NOT expandable. In compensation, no competing consumer GPS has a capability of 20 routes with 50 waypoints in each route (except other eTrex models).

WAAS: What is it and why would I want it.
WAAS is a position accuracy enhancement system being tested (now) for full deployment (in years to come) as a safe and reliable source of differential corrections and integrity monitoring for aircraft navigation system using GPS. (See more information on WAAS (HERE). In our "casual" testing, we found that the LEGEND gave us routinely accurate measurements only as long as there were no surrounding trees. There were many "outliners" in this environment out to about 42 feet. (That is why GPS accuracy is specified as 95% confidence.) This accuracy with a good strong WAAS signal CLEAR OF TREES was about the same error as compared to a DGPS equipped consumer model GPS receiver. Note: Tests were made with the LEGEND and VISTA, but the Rino has essentially the same receiver and functionality.

Note Carefully: Your geographic location and terrain has EVERYTHING to do with WAAS working for you. The availability of a WAAS satellite and data available is shown by a "D" on each satellite signal bar where satellite WAAS correction data is available. Presently there are only TWO WAAS satellites. ( Garmin units allow for 19 WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS unique GEO satellites as specified by the FAA. They are depicted on the GPS as Satellite ID 33-51 which is actually a NMEA convention. Each WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS satellite will have its own unique PRN code assigned from the list of 19.) Sample plots of WAAS accuracy with the VISTA are shown (HERE).

One of these is low on the SE horizon from the Eastern USA and the other low on the SW horizon in the Western USA. If you cannot see at least ONE of these WAAS satellites, WAAS will not operate. You can forget WAAS coverage at present in tree cover, mountainous terrain, or city canyons or in any other situation where you do not have a CLEAR view of one of the two WAAS satellites. Note: The FAA is expected to provide additional WAAS signals in the future, but NO TIME FRAME for these additions has been established as of February 2001. In "northern and middle America" Garmin advises that WAAS operation may be spotty at best until the FAA provides additional satellite signals. WAAS on the Rino at this time is not available with Europe's EGNOS, nor is it available outside the USA.

WAAS in a nutshell: It works just fine when you are in the clear with a good view of the WAAS satellites. When you do NOT have a CLEAR view of one of the WAAS satellites, your Rino (or Legend or Vista) will operate as an ordinary GPS. You should generally turn WAAS off to save power when you do not have a clear view of the sky to the SE or if you are outside the USA as WAAS ON outside the USA or when you do not have a clear sky view may acutally degrade accuracy.

Is it a quality, and functional GPS receiver for Hiking and Automobile use?
Yes. We do agree that Rino is easy to learn, easy to use and fully functional in getting you from A to B. Coupled with the radio features, it is NOT as straightforward to learn as a LEGEND. It is accurate and provides all necessary functionality for hiking use. Rino has 20 routes with 50 points each and up to 500 waypoints. Rino has a 2048 (statements elsewhere saying it has 3000 are in error) trackpoint storage capability and you can save up to 20 compressed tracklogs with up to 250 points each. Saved tracklogs can also double as Trackback routes once you have been along the desired path one time. The extremely small package coupled with average battery life. Battery life was measured at 15 hours for Rino with both GPS and Radio turned on. Garmin specifies GPS only, 28 hours, Radio only, 20 hours.

Rino has a computer interface (with a connector similar to the round connector in G-12xl BUT lots smaller) so a user can operate it with a mapping program such as Street Atlas 7/8, GARtrip, G7ToWin, or OziExplorer.

What about RF sensitivity and use under tree cover?
I noticed in comparative testing that our test Rino unit seemed to be somewhat more sensitive than some other Garmin eTrex receivers and seems on a par with other larger units. The quad helix antenna (housing) appears a bit larger than usual. Experiments under tree cover show all the eTrex models to have roughly identical performance with other Garmin receivers in most situations.

Is Rino ROBUST? Is it WaterProof?
The Rino is indeed a robust GPS receiver and like other Garmin units in current production, it is rated for submersion to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. We did not try the submersion but Garmin has a reputation of replacing or repairing any unit found to leak. Rino seems particularly robust and well sealed.

There has been discussion as to the degree of "waterproofness" of Garmin GPS receivers and especially the eTrex and Summit (Legend and Vista use essentially the same package). Here is Garmin's statement on waterproofness:

Garmin reports (from a past review): "Our specifications for eTrex (and Rino) are that they are waterproof per IEC529-IPX7. IEC is a European specification published by the International Electrotechnical Commission. It is very similar to the Japanese Industry Standard JIS-8. IEC529 gives an excellent breakdown of the relative degrees of protection against water ingress. (IEC529 specification can be found HERE.) (A layman's breakdown of IEC529 can be found HERE.) By the way, our products are more waterproof than virtually everyone else's. We even test 100% of them in our factory. It costs a lot more, but we do it anyway to be sure what we ship meets IPX7. We understand and acknowledge that the marine environment can be very harsh. Even the brass contacts with nickel plating and gold over that will eventually corrode if left exposed to sea water long enough. That's the best contact material available, and we use it on all our external power contacts. All other marine electronic products in the $100-$500 class that we are aware of have this weakness. IEC529 specifies that the immersion test is to be done in fresh water, probably for this reason. The harsh environment does occasionally cause failures and we continually work on improvements to existing products while introducing new ones."

"The classification of IPX7 is for temporary (i.e. accidental) immersion in water. It is not for continuous underwater use. If the end user is looking for something that can be used underwater continuously, they need to find something rated IPX8 or JIS8. However, we are not aware of any GPS or fish finder that is rated for IPX8 in any price category. You will see in the attached sections of IEC529, that "The manufacturer of the equipment should be consulted to determine the degrees of protection available and the parts of equipment to which the stated degree of protection applies." We recently did start to add to our packaging a note concerning the extended waterproofness of our battery compartments as the seal is rubber and over time and wear and tear, will not be able to maintain as good of a seal as when new. We have a vested interest in presenting truthful, correct information to all of our current and potential customers." (End of Garmin statement.)

Rino GPS Features and Specifications:

Automatic map rotation (toward your heading, aka Track UP) or North UP.
Create new waypoint by projecting from an existing waypoint
500 Waypoints (with Icons/graphic symbol, and name)
Proximity Waypoints (up to 10) generate an alarm when you get closer than "xx.xx" feet/nm/km to a waypoint. Unique to Rino is the ability to give a proximity alarm if you go OUTSIDE a circle centered on a waypoint or if you get CLOSER to a waypoint than some set distance.
Rino has a (difficult to find) waypoint "comment" feature to allow you to make a short note for a waypoint. It is called a 'Note' on the waypoint detail page, and defaults to waypoint creation date and time but the user can edit if desired.
Rino has a stopwatch feature which uniquely has an option to allow the "start" (and "stop" too I think) to trigger automatically based on a waypoint. This could be useful for a cyclist or runner.
Rino allows the user to send his location to another user and that waypoint (created in the remote GPS) can be used in the proximity waypoint feature so you can (for instance) stay at some set minimum distance from your friend(s) and their Rinos.
When doing a "go to" a remote user's waypoint as sent over the radio, Rino will update the GOTO bearing and distance automatically each time the remote user sends a new position.
Rino allows a user to send BOTH his current location and also as desired to send one of your waypoints to others in your group. This allows members of a group to meet at a predefined waypoint without having to manually enter the waypoint.
Rino automatically stores the TRACK OF REMOTE USERS as they send their waypoints so that (if you ever wanted to) you could retrace the path of a remote Rino user who sends his position at regular intervals. This "remote tracklog" can be used in a TrackBack.
Except for the "Beast" game, all of the games are "outdoor games" which require that you have a GPS Fix to play. In these games, the game feature is "you" and the game board is "the real world around you".
20 reversible routes with up to 50 waypoints in a route.
Active Tracklog with 3000 points and 20 compressed (saved) tracklogs with up to 250 points.
Trip Computer with current speed, average speed, sunrise/sunset, max speed, trip timer and trip odometer and more.
110 map datums
Map Memory 8 megs (Rino 120 ONLY)
Position format has Lon/Lat, UTM/UPS, Maidenhead, MGRS, and other grids, one USER grid, and one USER Datum.
Receiver is 12 channel parallel and operational with the WAAS system.
WAAS accuracy is in the range of +/- 3 meters 95% confidence, BUT this is NOT in the specification so don't count on it.
Antenna is about the same size as the quad helix on larger receivers and seems to give good sensitivity.
Receiver update rate is 1 per second.
No external amplified antenna connection port is available.
Acquisition Times: Warm ~15 sec, Cold~45 seconds, AutoLocate~2 minutes (Autolocate time was ~ 3.2 minutes our one test.)
Rino has only 7 control buttons, one a rocker switch. We found the rocker/push switch difficult to operate with one finger.
Position Accuracy Specification 15 meters RMS (seems to do this routinely with SA OFF and 3 meters RMS with WAAS signal.)
Speed Accuracy specification 0.1 knot (about 0.1 mph) RMS steady state
Interfaces: RS232 with NMEA 0183, RTCM 104 DGPS data format and proprietary GARMIN
Physical Size: 4.5"Hx2.3"Wx1.6"D, 7"high if the antenna is included. (11.4x5.8x4.1;17.8cm)
Weight: 7.5 ounces (236 g) with 3 AA alkaline batteries
Display: Screen size is 1.4"x1.4" (3.6x3.6cm), 160x160 Pixels high contrast LCD FSTN, 4 level gray scale, with bright backlighting
Case: Waterproof to IEC 529 IPX7 standards (Immersion to 1 meter for 30 minutes)
Temperature range (operation): 5°F to 158°F (-15°C to 70°C). Rino has a heater for the LCD at low temps which takes a few minutes to get the display running if you take it down to 0F but it does operate at these low temps. Note: My NiMH batteries did not operate at 0F, but alkalines did.
Data storage: Indefinite; no memory battery required
Power Source: 3 AA batteries Alkaline, NiMH or NiCad or Lithium work fine. ( batteries not included in package)
Battery Life: Up to 15 hours (typical use radio and GPS on, not much talking.)

Specific questions answered:

Where can I find the LATEST Rino 120 MANUAL? HERE. The Rino 110 MANUAL? HERE
How many datums does it have? over 100
What is the battery life for the Rino? Garmin says "up to 15 hours". We measured over 15 hours minutes on one test with Alkaline batteries and GPS locked, radio ON, but no transmitting.
Production units are supposed to run about 15 hours on Normal and 22 hours on "battery save" mode..
Does it support UTM/UPS? Yes. MGRS? Yes.
How many backlight steps does it have? 2 (on and off) and it times out automatically in 15, 30, 60, 120 seconds or never..
Does it have user grids? Yes.
What MAP GRIDS does eTrex support? (Joe Says: We will get back to you on this one.)
Can it measure distance between waypoints in a route? yes
What is battery life of Rino? About 15 hours with both GPS and RADIO ON with 3 batteries and limited transmitting.
Can I upload all types of MapSource maps? Yes
Can I upload all types of Metroguide maps? Yes
Can I upload City Navigator maps for USA and Canada? Yes, but automatic routing will not work.
What OTHER brands of maps can I upload into my Rino, VISTA, or LEGEND aside from Garmin furnished maps? None.
Does the above mean I CANNOT upload Delorme maps to my GPS? Yes it does. Can I upload USGS maps? No.
Can I load Magellan or Lowrance maps into my Garmin GPS? No. Microsoft AutoRoute maps? No.
Do you mean to say that I cannot load ANY maps except those furnished by Garmin? Yep.. Now you understand.
Can I use an external antenna? No (except the Tri-M re-radiating antenna.)
Is there a power/data cable so I can hook up my computer and external power to the Rino? Yes.
What are the Rino pinouts? See page 58 in the manual HERE.
What is the max external voltage input to eTrex/Summit/Legend/Vista/Rino? Ans.: 3.25 volts DC.
( Observe POLARITY! Must have regulator if used with 12v car.)
How many map sections can I load into a Rino 120 (only)? up to 540 if memory space is adequate.
Does the Rino have an audio alarm? Yes.
Does the Rino allow me to turn "Road Lock" on and off? Yes.
Does the Rino "lock" the routes to roads like StreetPilot models? Yes. Road Lock is available only if MetroGuide or CitySelect/CityNavigator Data is loaded; when 'On' the triangle icon locks to the road that you are traveling. Road Lock does NOT work on the basemap.
Does the Rino allow you to FIND cities, intersections, addresses on both the user map and the basemap? Yes.
Are there any special requirements to use WAAS? Yes. You must turn WAAS ON and RTCM IN must not be active.
How can I increase Rino radio's power and range. You cannot and no provision for an external antenna is provided.
How is radio range in the forest? Fair. As long as signals are not blocked by extremely heavy forest or by hills between units, you should get range UP TO one mile. Hills or extremely dense forest can cut the range substantially.
Can I use Rino in Canada? Yes, but only on the FRS frequencies. Garmin has a special Canada model coming in January with GMRS capability removed.
How far should I hold the microphone from my mouth when I speak in a normal voice? Two or three inches seems about right?
Audio Output> Is it loud enough? Well, there is no "extra", but the loudness is about typical for a unit of this small size.
What are the pinouts of the new Rino cable plug? See HERE for a pdf picture.
What is the operating temperature range of the Rino units? Ans: 5F to 155F (-15C to 68C)
Can I "project a waypoint" with the Rino? Yes, You must mark a waypoint, select it from the waypoint list by name or nearest under the Find 'n Go menu. Select the waypoint to view its details, then use the click stick to go to the sub-menu block at the top of the screen, press Enter on the click stick and you will see the Project Waypoint feature.

ceta — Sun, 13 Nov 2005 04:59:13 GMT

o n l y e n g l i s h

DISCOMFORTING DELIGHT

ceta — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 09:09:41 GMT

DISCOMFORTING DELIGHT

FLUID, LUSH AND HAIRY, UNDULANTAMUSES AND DISCOMFORTS. ALICE HAMPSON AND SEBASTIAN DI MAURO’S PERMANENT INSTALLATION TRANSFORMS THE NON-PLACE OF THE WAITING ROOM INTO AN ENGAGING AESTHETIC EXPERIENCE.

Undulant, a permanent installation by Alice Hampson and Sebastian Di Mauro, at the entry to the Logan Child and Maternal Health and Welfare Centre.

Landscape or giant animal, Undulant’s shaggy green folds represent “Nature” within the restrained space of the waiting room.

Undulant is particularly child-friendly. The bench seat can be climbed on; the cave can be lounged in comfortably.

UNDULANT IS SUCH a beautiful word. Its generous vowels so aptly match the wave-like motion it describes with a lulling, torpid comfort. Undulant qualifies the form of a surface, beneath which something perhaps more mysterious is at play. Its fluid nature is capable of unpredictable, even monstrous change and holds below its surface our fear of the unseen. The gentleness of form belies an inherent sense of discomfort, and it is from this perspective that I propose to consider the latest collaboration between architect Alice Hampson and artist Sebastian Di Mauro.
      Undulant is a public art installation for the entry foyer of the child and maternal health and welfare centre in the sprawling city suburb of Logan. It was commissioned under the Queensland Government’s Art Built-in programme, which allocates two per cent of the funding of all new government buildings (except prisons) for the commission of public artworks. Hampson and Di Mauro sought to physically engage both children and adults with this work and to generate a dynamic and memorable set of poetic, spatial and social relationships within its modest waiting room setting. Undulant establishes a dialectical conversation with its context as a primary conceptual tactic: it is giant-sized rather than precious, a section rather than a discrete object, curved and hairy instead of rectilinear and smooth. The section, itself an abstraction of the Australian coastline, is used to extrude an imaginary landscape of lush folds from a surface of artificial grass (Wimbledon Unreal®). The human body is recognizable in this abstracted section through the introduction of a giant bench seat and the archetypal presence of a cave. It is this familiar unfamiliarity which allows the work to absorb multiple roles and to incorporate a certain functionality without losing its qualities of uncanny abstraction.
      Discomfort is a condition of Undulant. As a public artwork, it is designed to invite interaction. To take the analogy of the ocean, one can choose to observe its gentle folds or to journey on its surface at the risk of becoming queasy. I was intrigued by a palpable queasiness, a slight discomfort, in the public reception of the work. This reaction is testimony to the pertinence of its conceptual strategies – there is perhaps nothing worse for an artist than an indifferent audience. Discomfort forces a physical and emotional acknowledgment of the location of the body in space. Undulant compels its public to observe the present and to be conscious of the immediate physical environment.
      The waiting room is a perceptually invisible space – one that anthropologist Marc Augé groups in the same category as the airport or the supermarket: a non-place.¹ Augé describes the non-place as “the collective without the celebration and solitude without the isolation”. The plastic chair of the waiting room is particularly significant in this light. Codes of representation underpin the perceptual invisibility of non-places and are matched by codes of behaviour ensuring personal anonymity. The visitor is presented with a choice upon entering the new community health centre. To the left one may be seated on a plastic chair and to the right on a giant astroturf bench. Individualized space is contrasted with collective surface and the visitor must choose between viewing and being on view. Undulant creates theatre by subverting the social interactions of the non-place and inverting its power as adult realm. Children climbing on plastic chairs are misbehaving, whereas children straddling hairy benches are having fun. This play on functionality transforms the waiting room, and the act of waiting, into aesthetic experience.
      Undulant is primarily a representation of “Nature” within the confines of a hospital interior. This is nothing new. Nature is generally understood to be calming and most waiting rooms contain it in some form, whether a sad pot plant or a photograph of a forest. The originality of this work derives from its violent disruption of the codes of the invisible representation of the non-place. This green, organic form can be understood as a landscape or a giant animal brought indoors. Paradoxically, an artificial nature becomes within this space unruly, disruptive and unhygienically hairy. Discomfort is, however, individually experienced and depends on one’s point of view. In this instance the perception of the child differs fundamentally from that of the adult. Children understand the language of this work. Grass is a friendly surface for a child, animals are to be touched and caves are spaces in which to imagine and play. Diametrically opposed was the reception of the work by the director of the centre, for whom there was decidedly too much Nature represented in his waiting room. Hairiness is generally unwelcome in a medical environment and Undulant has particularly long hair. Lawrence Toaldo of Conrad and Gargett Architects, the Art Built-in project manager, is reported to have tackled the aftermath of the unveiling with consummate tact.
      Percent for art schemes have existed in many parts of the world since the late 1960s. Tasmania was the first state in Australia to implement such a scheme in 1980, followed by Western Australia (1989) and Queensland (1999). In addition to state government programmes, there has been a substantial investment in public art throughout Australia by city councils, development corporations and the private sector. Public art is a slippery term. Where do the boundaries lie between art and architecture, design and decoration? Turf wars and aesthetic discourse aside, does public art have a public? At the risk of becoming just another form of space junk, there is a pressing need in the public arts for frank and critical debate among the many parties involved on both the processes and the outcomes of these policies.

ceta — Sat, 29 Oct 2005 14:27:50 GMT

O n l y E n g l i s h