Show-Me Net 
GIS!
(Geographical Information Systems)
The next meeting of the SEMO GIS Users Group is
September 17, at 2:00 pm
in the offices of the SEMORP&EDC
1 W. St. Joseph St. in Perryville.
See local maps at
 www.SEMOGIS.com!
WHAT IS GIS?
GIS is the field of study that makes computer generated interactive maps possible.  Most people have seen flashy GIS maps on television news programs and shows like CSI.  GIS.com provides this definition - "Geography is the study of locational and spatial trends about the earth's surface, the objects found on it, and the people who inhabit it. GIS technology provides a framework to manage, analyze, and disseminate geographic knowledge."    See the Wikipedia for a complete definition.

SEMO GIS USER GROUP
The SEMO GIS user group was formed to promote knowledge of GIS in and around Southeast Missouri.  Most of the group are "newbies" who are new to GIS.  All interested persons are welcome.  Everyone is encouraged to buy Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop, 2nd ed., for an excellent introduction to GIS and a six month trial version of ArcGIS Desktop, available from Amazon.com for $37.77.  
Garet Couch, a GIS consultant with Wind Environmental Services, LLC., gave the group a simple Excel Degree/Minute/Second to Decimal Degree calculator and detailed instructions on how to add X, Y coordinates to ArcMap.  Thanks Garet!

Eighteen people attended the May 2008 User Group hosted by two ESRI representatives, Lindsey Hunter and Jennifer Kuntz.  Lindsey is this area's Sales Associate.  She introduced herself and distributed ESRI mouse pads, cups, and product literature.  Jennifer gave an informative and detailed presentation on Model Builder, including it's elements, construction and execution.  Then, she discussed geodatabase types, uses, and  differences, with info on subtypes, validation, topology, versioning and replication.   This was one of the best and most informative User Group meetings ever.  

The March 2008 User Group was attended by ten GIS professionals and interested people.  The Group discussed Cape Girardeau County's   GIS mapping site on EMapsPlus which is somewhat difficult to use,   ESRI's licensing of tools, comparison of the Glaize Creek Project and Jefferson and Perry County maps at www.semogis.com, and the status of the statewide aerial photography flyover project.   MSDIS now has these photos available to the public.  However, the files are huge!  MSDIS will provide the data to anyone who sends a portable hard drive to their office.  

Click HERE for 2006-2007 user group meeting summaries.

DISCUSSION LIST
Show-Me Net has created an email discussion list to improve communication among user group members and anyone interested in GIS in this area.  Messages addressed to the group are delivered to everyone in the group.  Everyone is invited to join.  Click HERE to join.  

SHOW-ME NET AND GIS
Show-Me Net has partnered with the  SEMORP&EDC to gather data to promote community mapping by making highly detailed maps of this area available to local cities and counties and to anyone on the Internet.   "Community Mapping is a process involving youth, citizens, community professionals, and community decision-makers working together to learn and use geospacial tools and data to address community and environmental issues."  We now have a training and development server in operation.  A fully functional GIS server should be on line in a week or so.  Watch this page for progress reports.

HOW TO PAGES
As Show-Me Net staff learns more about GIS, we will create and publish detailed instructions.
GENERAL GIS LINKS
http://msdisweb.missouri.edu/ MSDIS  The Missouri Spatial Data Information Service
http://www.esri.com ESRI  The leading GIS software provider.

GIS DATA LINKS
SEMO GIS  http://www.semogis.com/
4-H GIS/GPS Resources http://muextension.missouri.edu/perry/4-H_Youth/GIS_GPS/gisgps_resources.htm
4-H GPS & GIS in Perry County http://muextension.missouri.edu/perry/4-H_Youth/GIS_GPS/index.shtml
Cape Girardeau County maps http://www.emapsplus.com/
EROS Data Center http://edcw2ks15.cr.usgs.gov/fgdc/EDCgateway.html
ESRI Data portals http://www.esri.com/data/data_portals.html
ESRI Census 2000 Data http://www.esri.com/data/download/census2000_tigerline/
ESRI Community data http://www.esri.com/data/about/community_data.html
ESRI Geography Network http://www.geographynetwork.com/freeresources.html
ESRI Streetmap data http://www.esri.com/data/about/streetmap.html
GeoData.Gov http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gosh
GeoPrinter GIS Data Depot http://data.geocomm.com/
Geospatial One-Stop http://www.geo-one-stop.gov/
Missouri Spatial Data Information Service data http://msdisweb.missouri.edu/datasearch/ThemeList.jsp
National Geodetic Survey http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/
National Map http://nationalmap.gov/
National Park Service NR-GIS Data http://science.nature.nps.gov/nrdata/index.cfm
TerraServer USA http://terraserver-usa.com/
U.S. Census Bureau http://www.census.gov/
U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Missouri Spatial Data http://www.fws.gov/data/statdata/modata.html
U.S. Geological Survey http://www.usgs.gov/
Zip Codes are not Areashttp://exchange.manifold.net/manifold/manuals/5_userman/mfd50Zip_Codes_are_Not_Areas.htm
Zip Code Maps Files http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cob/z52000.html
Zip Code Tabulation Areashttp://www.census.gov/geo/ZCTA/zcta.html

GPS LINKS
Easy GPShttp://www.easygps.com/
USA Photomaps http://jdmcox.com/



http://www.showme.net/GIS/