• Advanced Search
• Search Tips

• Aviation
• Biomass
• Cooperative Forestry
• Engineering
• Environmental Compliance
  and Protection (ECAP)
• Facilities
• Fire
• Forest Health Plan
• Forest Management
• Global Positioning System
• Inventory and Monitoring
• Range
• Recreation
• Reforestation and Nurseries
• Residues
• Safety and Health
• Watershed, Soil, and Air
• Wildland Fire Chemical
  Systems

The Heritage Resources Program (HRP) of the TEAMS Planning Enterprise volunteered to beta test the ike by using it during the normal course of their field work.  The HRP consists of Archeologists that perform a wide variety of archeological surveys, inventories and monitoring for Forest Service clients mostly in the western Regions (see: http://www.fs.fed.us/teams/teams-planning/).  The field crews of the HRP routinely use GPS devices (Dell Axim, Trimble GeoXT, Explorer3), digital cameras, and pocket computes in the course of their information gathering and documentation of archeological sites and resources.

SDTDC loaned the HRP the ike 300 from mid-March to early July 2006. During this time they used the device on a project in the Spring Mountains of Nevada. 

(Note: The ike 300 had only a 1.3 mega pixel camera.  In 2006 SDTDC upgraded to the ike 304, 3.2 Mega Pixel camera.)

Perry Nolan of the HRP provided a summary
of their experience using the ike 300.
(See: TEAMs-HRP beta test Report).

Gerardo "JB" Paez, a forester with the Osceola National Forest, agreed to beta test the ike while doing his normal routine duties as a forester.  SDTDC loaned JB our ike 300 in late August 2006. He returned it to us in early-September because of irresolvable problems he was having with the ActiveSync of the ike.  (Also see my experience with the ActiveSync of the ike). 

SDTDC upgraded the ike 300 to the new 304 in late September.  The ike 304 had none of the ActiveSync issues of the 300. (Note: the ike 300 is no longer on the market; it was fully replaced by the 304.)   

SDTDC loaned JB our new ike 304 in mid-October 2006, and he beta tested the device up until mid-December 2006. 

See JB's beta test Report of his
experience of using the ike 304.

In between the time the device was on loan to various beta testers, I intermittently used the device around the San Dimas Technology & Development Center.  As mentioned previously, the original purchase was of an ike 300.  When the device first arrived, I had a very frustrating time with the ActiveSync.  The device would connect to the my PC via ActiveSync only intermittently.  I did, however, get a lot of excellent support from the SurveyLab people that helped somewhat (see more on this below). 

I sent the device to the TEAMS Enterprise group and warned them of the ActiveSync issue.  As you can see from their report, they did not have as nearly as much trouble as I did.  I sent the device to JB on the Osceola NF with the same warning about the ActiveSync.  JB had the same problem with the ActiveSync I had experienced.  Throughout the whole process, the Surveylab technicians, however, were very patient in trying to help us resolve the problem.  (Evidently, none of their other clients were experiencing the problems we were having.)  Since the ike 300 was being phased out anyway, we decided to upgrade our 300 to the 304 (at a discounted price from SurveyLab).  I have since experienced essentially no ActiveSync issues with the 304.  

Even though this was a frustrating experience, I was very impressed with the technical support  that Surveylab provided.  Surveylab often called or e-mailed me to check up and see if my issue was resolved, or if I was having any other problems. 

Unlike TEAMS, I never had an issue with the picking up satellites on the few times I used the device. 

TEAMS reported a "short" battery life of the device. The battery's life can be extended by the car charger when traveling from location to location. (Note: the manufacture's claim is of a battery life of 6-8 hours of typical usage. In our lab test the battery life lasted for 12 hours with the backlight on and no programs running. (See battery life test in: Test per Manufacturer's Specs )

TEAMS archeologist found the 1.3 mega pixel camera of the early ike 300 model wanting. The newer ike models have a 3.2 mega pixel camera, and it is a significant improvement.   

I agree with JB's assessment that a new user should assume there will be a learning curve to overcome before you can master this new device to its fullest potential.  Obviously, the more familiar the user is with the features that are combined in the ike (i.e., GPS, Pocket PC, digital camera, etc..) separately, the less learning time should be necessary to get to a level of comfort/competence.