After four + days of scanning, we found 150 years of buried Atlanta! We scanned so much I thought we were going to find Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh...we found everything else with Ground Penetrating Radar...except what we were looking for...a leaky water pipe.
The good folks at the World Congress Center called on OMS to find a significant leak, we found everything else but...it was buried under reinforced concrete. Concrete is no problem---its the rebar than our machine has difficulty with. But from our referral, the Clayton County Leak Detection Team think they found it yesterday.
I intend to be there when they dig in a few days...I'll keep you posted...
Friday, May 6, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Road Expansion Bulls Eye the Dead
As a busy highway is expanded to help ease traffic, it will cross directly over a family cemetery in a medium sized central Georgia town. Stood at the cemetery site yesterday taking measurements because this town wants to honor its heritage rather than forget it.
Before the road will be expanded they want to relocate the cemetery. And as they relocate they are doing everything in their power to do it right!
That's precisely where Omega Mapping Services comes in to help.
Within a few weeks, if all goes well, we will be on this site, with Ground Penetrating Radar busy attempting to discover where each burial is located. There are less than five headstones and slabs spotted, but numerous field stones marking the peaceful rest of the deceased. We did a spot scan yesterday to simply get an idea of what to expect and, as expected, found numerous hyperbolas...numerous potential burials.
This GPR and mapping assignment will be very interesting.
Before the road will be expanded they want to relocate the cemetery. And as they relocate they are doing everything in their power to do it right!
That's precisely where Omega Mapping Services comes in to help.
Within a few weeks, if all goes well, we will be on this site, with Ground Penetrating Radar busy attempting to discover where each burial is located. There are less than five headstones and slabs spotted, but numerous field stones marking the peaceful rest of the deceased. We did a spot scan yesterday to simply get an idea of what to expect and, as expected, found numerous hyperbolas...numerous potential burials.
This GPR and mapping assignment will be very interesting.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Ground Penetrating Radar for a Neighborhood Association
...really couldn't scan much today, 40 degrees and spitting rain.
Yet we were "out in it," at least for awhile, in a family cemetery in Middle Georgia. A modern neighborhood association, in a very nice community south of Macon is considering mapping and Ground Penetrating Radar scan of the early 19th century cemetery which they drive pass each day.
It was an amazing site. The site was more-or-less forgotten for more than 150 years. But now the 21st century has come knocking on the door of those dear, departed saints. Now well-intentioned members of the The Association have put in a Trojan Effort to get the site cleaned up and ready for salvation.
What a site: I saw memorial markers dating back into the early 1800's. One man was born in 1783! I would imagine the site measures about 1.3 acres and there are two iron-fenced in areas, less than 50 graves marked by granite markers.
But even in the rain, unofficially, we found more than a dozen unmarked burials.
Just as historians suggest, many servants and slaves were buried outside the family lots and, as expected, that is where we found most of the unmarked burials. I betcha I found ten under one lone, large oak tree. All laid out in perfect order, west facing east...all waiting for the Lord to come again in the eastern sky.
This work really is fulfilling...those folks have long since been forgotten, overlooked, but we intend to honor their heritage.
Yet we were "out in it," at least for awhile, in a family cemetery in Middle Georgia. A modern neighborhood association, in a very nice community south of Macon is considering mapping and Ground Penetrating Radar scan of the early 19th century cemetery which they drive pass each day.
It was an amazing site. The site was more-or-less forgotten for more than 150 years. But now the 21st century has come knocking on the door of those dear, departed saints. Now well-intentioned members of the The Association have put in a Trojan Effort to get the site cleaned up and ready for salvation.
What a site: I saw memorial markers dating back into the early 1800's. One man was born in 1783! I would imagine the site measures about 1.3 acres and there are two iron-fenced in areas, less than 50 graves marked by granite markers.
But even in the rain, unofficially, we found more than a dozen unmarked burials.
Just as historians suggest, many servants and slaves were buried outside the family lots and, as expected, that is where we found most of the unmarked burials. I betcha I found ten under one lone, large oak tree. All laid out in perfect order, west facing east...all waiting for the Lord to come again in the eastern sky.
This work really is fulfilling...those folks have long since been forgotten, overlooked, but we intend to honor their heritage.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Complicated GPR Job - worked perfectly
Yesterday (Dec 17) was called to help a surveyor "give" acceptable margins for a new pipe installation for a Distribution Box for a new septic field from a church.
No problem-right?
It becomes complicated when you realize the 2" line had to run:
1. beside a historic cemetery,
2. and an existing county road and
3. AND a property line with less than 2 foot' clearances all around!
Whew...did I say it was just a bit complicated!
But once again...Omega Mapping Services to the rescue --- we were able to give acceptable margins for the pipe installation without encroaching on any of the parameters!
Another satisfied customer...
Omega Mapping Service-GPR to the rescue-again
No problem-right?
It becomes complicated when you realize the 2" line had to run:
1. beside a historic cemetery,
2. and an existing county road and
3. AND a property line with less than 2 foot' clearances all around!
Whew...did I say it was just a bit complicated!
But once again...Omega Mapping Services to the rescue --- we were able to give acceptable margins for the pipe installation without encroaching on any of the parameters!
Another satisfied customer...
Omega Mapping Service-GPR to the rescue-again
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Scanning a Family Cemetery
Family Cemetery Scanned and Mapped
De Kalb, Mississippi
November 22, 2010
To beat the morning fog Ben and I flew over Sunday night to Meridian, MS...smooth flight. Checked-in to a pleasant hotel...enjoyed a nice meal. From time we landed 'til time we took-off, truly some of the friendliest folks I've ever had the pleasure of meeting...not one negative about Meridian.
Monday morning bright and early...drove 50 minutes to De Kalb, thanks to GPS found the exact location of a smaller family cemetery...measuring 50'x50'. Drove up the the house of the property owner, though not a member of the cemetery family. Nice folks too... had been out deer hunting that morning. Wife welcomed us into her kitchen, immediately wanted the complete Topographix/Omega/GPR cemetery story. Seems she is a freelance newspaper reporter and is writing an article for the local paper. Nice folks...
Few minutes later we were onsite ...machine unloaded, set up. Getting to work... Within few minutes more...had a crowd building, complete with lawn chairs, cameras and picnic baskets. The neighbors wanted to see that fancy machine at work. And work it did!
The lady who contracted with us is a true genealogical/family passionate cemeterian. She lives in San Antonio, Texas and was home in Mississippi for the Thanksgiving holiday AND to see that her family cemetery was well cared for.
For the next 6 hours we worked... making sure everyone was buried where they should be and found about 5 folks either buried "out of place" of their markers or simply unknown. Altogether we found < than 20 burials. Pretty typical. Only negative were the 7 medium pine trees on the cemetery. The scan indicated the root sysemt had "captured" some of the burials. Regardless, the client was thrilled with a true sense of closure. Her sacrifice from love for her family heritage is most admirable and we at Omega Mapping were glad to help.
Flight home back to Georgia last night...tiring but still a thrill.
De Kalb, Mississippi
November 22, 2010
To beat the morning fog Ben and I flew over Sunday night to Meridian, MS...smooth flight. Checked-in to a pleasant hotel...enjoyed a nice meal. From time we landed 'til time we took-off, truly some of the friendliest folks I've ever had the pleasure of meeting...not one negative about Meridian.
Monday morning bright and early...drove 50 minutes to De Kalb, thanks to GPS found the exact location of a smaller family cemetery...measuring 50'x50'. Drove up the the house of the property owner, though not a member of the cemetery family. Nice folks too... had been out deer hunting that morning. Wife welcomed us into her kitchen, immediately wanted the complete Topographix/Omega/GPR cemetery story. Seems she is a freelance newspaper reporter and is writing an article for the local paper. Nice folks...
Few minutes later we were onsite ...machine unloaded, set up. Getting to work... Within few minutes more...had a crowd building, complete with lawn chairs, cameras and picnic baskets. The neighbors wanted to see that fancy machine at work. And work it did!
The lady who contracted with us is a true genealogical/family passionate cemeterian. She lives in San Antonio, Texas and was home in Mississippi for the Thanksgiving holiday AND to see that her family cemetery was well cared for.
For the next 6 hours we worked... making sure everyone was buried where they should be and found about 5 folks either buried "out of place" of their markers or simply unknown. Altogether we found < than 20 burials. Pretty typical. Only negative were the 7 medium pine trees on the cemetery. The scan indicated the root sysemt had "captured" some of the burials. Regardless, the client was thrilled with a true sense of closure. Her sacrifice from love for her family heritage is most admirable and we at Omega Mapping were glad to help.
Flight home back to Georgia last night...tiring but still a thrill.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
An Article for a magazine
"You just saved us $8000..."
That's what the Superintendent told me Friday November 12 as we wrapped up a busy morning in his middle Georgia community. In rapid time, using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Omega Mapping Services pinpointed a water leak on a state road, a pipe under a railroad, another under the interstate plus we confirmed the water system around his city square.
Finishing up he shook my hand and said we saved him $8000 because, after what we discovered, he would not need to install two valves. His words not mine.
My name is Len Strozier and I am the owner of Omega Mapping Services of Woodbury, Georgia. Using Ground Penetrating Radar we discover underground infrastructure without the need to dig. From the surface we give you a reliable picture of what is underground at your property. Our client lists include municipalities, private businesses, churches and residences. Engineering, archeological and historic associations frequently use our services.
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is amazing technology created by pure American ingenuity. It was perfected during the war in Viet Nam to locate enemy tunnels. And like so many other wartime inventions, GPR has been translated into positive, peacetime, application.
The easiest way to understand GPR technology is to remember the old "fish-finder" you had on your bass boat. Simply put: Electrical impulses are sent into the ground and any subsurface "disturbance" sends back a "picture" to a computer screen.
No. We do not see actual pipes or bones or buried treasure. Instead hyperbolas appear which indicate something is in the ground. An experienced technician is trained to interpret these “pictures” and, with reasonable confidence, report what is buried and where.
Ground Penetrating Radar has many uses.
During the 1980's GPR was instrumental in finding the six P-38s and two B-17s warbirds abandoned in Greenland in 1942. Remember Glacier Girl? Since 1942, not only had the ice pack shifted three miles but, in 40 years, the planes were buried in almost 250 FEET of snow and ice. GPR discovered the planes.
Here are recent examples of 2010 projects of Omega Mapping Services:
...Less than a month ago a municipality unintentionally drained a 250,000 gallon water tank only because they could not find a valve connected to a 12 inch water main. Yesterday (11/19) we found the valve buried on an elementary playground just below grass and dirt. We will map it to digitized drawings and, next time the manager will know its precise location.
...The first day of November we worked with an engineering firm to locate, then outline, underground fuel tanks at an older (cir. 1940's) service station in Byron. We found five tanks buried under concrete and asphalt. After boring samples were taken, at least one tank had seeped fuel into the ground.
...In August the City of Marshallville contracted us to find a leaky water main on a state road. Years ago the road had been widened, and resurfaced but the water main was never moved. In less than an hour, we found precisely where a mysterious 2 inch galvanized water pipe was connected to the water main. Leak repaired...
...Mid-June we were asked to find an elusive 12 inch PVC water main located at the Brunswick airport. The contractor was installing concrete, storm pipes but were at a standstill because the water main could not be located. In less than 30 minutes we found the pipe, flagged it, then they brought in a backhoe, dug where we flagged and found it center-line where we said it would be. We spent the day flagging the pipe as it snaked parallel the runway. PVC...
...Winter turned to spring and found Omega Mapping Services in a municipal cemetery in Americus. Wanting to honor their heritage, City leaders asked us to scan and map 5 acres of the oldest section of the historic cemetery. Scaled maps were presented not only indicating burials marked above ground but 462 unmarked burials as well.
...But the most interesting discovery of 2010 will be what Omega Mapping unearthed at the Roosevelt Rehabilitation Hospital in Warm Springs last June. A 60 year old speech indicated that during the dedication of a medical building, April 1, 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt buried a time capsule below the surface somewhere on the property.
In short time we found it buried in a trench 8 feet down. Regrettably someone found it before us. Not only did they rob the contents, but they destroyed the top of the copper box, breaking an ax head off in the box in the process. BUT...Omega Mapping Services found it.
It does not matter if the pipes are metal, clay, wire, or PVC.
It does not matter if your infrastructure is covered by concrete, asphalt, or turf.
That's what the Superintendent told me Friday November 12 as we wrapped up a busy morning in his middle Georgia community. In rapid time, using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Omega Mapping Services pinpointed a water leak on a state road, a pipe under a railroad, another under the interstate plus we confirmed the water system around his city square.
Finishing up he shook my hand and said we saved him $8000 because, after what we discovered, he would not need to install two valves. His words not mine.
My name is Len Strozier and I am the owner of Omega Mapping Services of Woodbury, Georgia. Using Ground Penetrating Radar we discover underground infrastructure without the need to dig. From the surface we give you a reliable picture of what is underground at your property. Our client lists include municipalities, private businesses, churches and residences. Engineering, archeological and historic associations frequently use our services.
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is amazing technology created by pure American ingenuity. It was perfected during the war in Viet Nam to locate enemy tunnels. And like so many other wartime inventions, GPR has been translated into positive, peacetime, application.
The easiest way to understand GPR technology is to remember the old "fish-finder" you had on your bass boat. Simply put: Electrical impulses are sent into the ground and any subsurface "disturbance" sends back a "picture" to a computer screen.
No. We do not see actual pipes or bones or buried treasure. Instead hyperbolas appear which indicate something is in the ground. An experienced technician is trained to interpret these “pictures” and, with reasonable confidence, report what is buried and where.
Ground Penetrating Radar has many uses.
During the 1980's GPR was instrumental in finding the six P-38s and two B-17s warbirds abandoned in Greenland in 1942. Remember Glacier Girl? Since 1942, not only had the ice pack shifted three miles but, in 40 years, the planes were buried in almost 250 FEET of snow and ice. GPR discovered the planes.
Here are recent examples of 2010 projects of Omega Mapping Services:
...Less than a month ago a municipality unintentionally drained a 250,000 gallon water tank only because they could not find a valve connected to a 12 inch water main. Yesterday (11/19) we found the valve buried on an elementary playground just below grass and dirt. We will map it to digitized drawings and, next time the manager will know its precise location.
...The first day of November we worked with an engineering firm to locate, then outline, underground fuel tanks at an older (cir. 1940's) service station in Byron. We found five tanks buried under concrete and asphalt. After boring samples were taken, at least one tank had seeped fuel into the ground.
...In August the City of Marshallville contracted us to find a leaky water main on a state road. Years ago the road had been widened, and resurfaced but the water main was never moved. In less than an hour, we found precisely where a mysterious 2 inch galvanized water pipe was connected to the water main. Leak repaired...
...Mid-June we were asked to find an elusive 12 inch PVC water main located at the Brunswick airport. The contractor was installing concrete, storm pipes but were at a standstill because the water main could not be located. In less than 30 minutes we found the pipe, flagged it, then they brought in a backhoe, dug where we flagged and found it center-line where we said it would be. We spent the day flagging the pipe as it snaked parallel the runway. PVC...
...Winter turned to spring and found Omega Mapping Services in a municipal cemetery in Americus. Wanting to honor their heritage, City leaders asked us to scan and map 5 acres of the oldest section of the historic cemetery. Scaled maps were presented not only indicating burials marked above ground but 462 unmarked burials as well.
...But the most interesting discovery of 2010 will be what Omega Mapping unearthed at the Roosevelt Rehabilitation Hospital in Warm Springs last June. A 60 year old speech indicated that during the dedication of a medical building, April 1, 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt buried a time capsule below the surface somewhere on the property.
In short time we found it buried in a trench 8 feet down. Regrettably someone found it before us. Not only did they rob the contents, but they destroyed the top of the copper box, breaking an ax head off in the box in the process. BUT...Omega Mapping Services found it.
It does not matter if the pipes are metal, clay, wire, or PVC.
It does not matter if your infrastructure is covered by concrete, asphalt, or turf.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
GPR Saves the Day (Again)
Couple weeks ago the client lost more than 250,000 ... Yep 250-000!... Gallons of water from a water tank...BECAUSE...they did not know the location of a critical valve.
Guess what?
We found the buried valve yesterday, on a 12 inch water main in the middle of an open field behind an elementary school. Now we'll map it and they will have a permanent record of it's location. The Superintendent and his helper said they walked one cold night for more than 3 hours trying to find it. Now they HAVE it verified, marked, AND recorded. The client was thrilled and we were satisfied!
Once again: Omega Mapping Service to the rescue!
Guess what?
We found the buried valve yesterday, on a 12 inch water main in the middle of an open field behind an elementary school. Now we'll map it and they will have a permanent record of it's location. The Superintendent and his helper said they walked one cold night for more than 3 hours trying to find it. Now they HAVE it verified, marked, AND recorded. The client was thrilled and we were satisfied!
Once again: Omega Mapping Service to the rescue!
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