t The California Surveyor - CLSA

IN MEMORY OF
JAMES HAMBLIN
P.LS.5130
JAMES A. HAMBLIN, P.L.S., and his wife DeAnna
L. Hamblin were killed on November 15, 1992, when
their single engine Cessna crashed into a canyon
about two miles east of Clearlake's Pearce Airfield.
Jim and DeAnna were taking their son Michael, 19,
who survived the crash back to school at California State
University, Chico. Jim, who owned Aero Cartographer in
Santa Rosa since 1982, was known as an excellent pilot. He
got his pilot training in the Air Force and constantly flew
his Cessna as a part of his business. The Hamblins were a
close knit and well liked family who enjoyed the outdoors.
AUTOMATION (continued from Page 15)
small isolated successes. For instance, your first step in a
subdivision improvement project would be the site study
and contour map. You can use computer generated topo
maps for conventional hand plotted cross sections and volumes,
but to expect computer generated volumes while
you're still plotting contours by hand is unreasonable. In
planning out the useable capabilities of your systems, try
to avoid duplication of labor. Remember: "layering," repetition,
and revision are where this stuff shines. Once you
have plotted something from a CADD project, it can be
replotted quickly for many purposes at many scales for
use by many people.
Try to allow yourself and others plenty of time and
chances to steepen the learning curve. Subscribe to trade
magazines. They have all sorts of departments for the
neophyte and the expert. Provide an environment conducive
to experimentation, learning and, most importantly,
communication. Expertise in word processing,
spreadsheets and land design software needs to be made
available to those needing it, so see if there is a common
time at which people can ask questions, offer suggestions
or brainstorm about the software they are using. Study
groups, user groups, tutorial sessions — call it what you
will but it can allow those who have a natural talent for
exploring new tools to share it with others.
Outside training is something that needs to be figured
in to your program because you can't rely on a
Jim was active in coaching local youth sports and the
family was known for their activities. Their last major outing
was a summer sky diving adventure.
Jim Hamblin was a member of the Board of Directors of
the California Land Surveyors Association representing
the Sonoma County Chapter as well as past president of
the Sonoma County Chapter. Jim was active on the Board
of Registration's committees for preparation and grading
the State Land Surveyors Exam. Jim was always personable,
easygoing and had a very genuine quality about him.
He always volunteered his time to help the profession and
CLSA. Those who knew him will miss him greatly.
A trust has been established for Jim's son. Anyone
wishing to make donations should send them to Mike
Hamblin Trust, c/o Redwood Credit Union, P.O. Box
6104, Santa Rosa, CA 95402. The Sonoma County Chapter
of CLSA has established a scholarship fund in Jim
Hamblin's name to be given to surveying and/or photogrammetry
students. Terry Hayden and Howard Brunner
are coordinating the scholarship. ®
keen sense of curiosity and dedication to carry everyone
through to technically gifted status. Everyone needs to
grow and learn, and if you have a specific plan and a job
for someone, they can see a purpose in going to a local
high school's class on computer aided drafting and will be
eager to try what they learn.
Finally, the fact that automation and computers will
make you more efficient and faster needs to be offset by
how much more of the market share you'll have because
of faster production, better revision capabilities and
greater flexibility for a client. Be creative. These are cautious
times when it comes to spending and earning
money. On the one hand keen competition in the high
tech world provides you more affordable higher technology.
On the other hand competition thins the margins
earned for the professional services and expertise
you offer and for the liability to which you are exposed.
If automation, on a level that you're comfortable with,
can garner just a little more of those thinner margins for
you, doesn't it deserve a closer look? It probably won't
be long before you're producing perfectly flawless
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As of today, Bob Reese is still the head of the Surveying and
Mapping Department at Garing, Taylor and Associates, Inc. in
Arroyo Grande, California. He has had first hand experience in
selecting and test driving hardware and software for that firm.
He has also spent more than one night recovering from smoketesting
components that were thought to be compatible. ®
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1826 Chorro Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
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16 The California Surveyor Winter 1993