MLRA REGION 10 NEWSLETTER--JANUARY 1, 1999 NASIS TRAINING SESSIONS Now that most Project Offices have access to NASIS, we have a great number of soil scientists in need of "Introduction to NASIS" training this winter. Because of the anticipated number of participants, it is most efficient to have these sessions at the MLRA Region 10 Office in St. Paul. However, if you cannot receive your training in St. Paul, then a session at your project office can be scheduled. It is suggested that all soil scientists receive this training. At the end of this introductory training the participants will: 1. Have an awareness of what's in NASIS and its potential. 2. Have knowledge of their individual roles in NASIS. 2. Have a working knowledge of how NASIS fits into the NRCS soil survey. 3. Be able to assume responsibility for editing their survey area's data. 4. Be prepared for additional NASIS training, including: Interpretations Report writing Query writing PEDON (course under development) Spatial interfaces with the data (3-5 years from now) Also, t is expected that participants start using their new knowledge immediately. Four three-day sessions of the "Introduction to NASIS" are currently scheduled in St. Paul; in order to receive at least 24 hours of exposure to NASIS, the core times run from 8am on Tuesday to 4:30 pm on Thursday. It is suggested that Monday afternoon and Friday morning also be used, but those times are optional depending on participants desires and travel arrangements. The four sessions currently scheduled are (during the weeks of): January 11-15 January 25-29 February 1-5 February 8-12 All four sessions are currently not filled. So, if your office has an acceptable connection to the NASIS machine in St. Paul, please contact John Handler to become a participant. ######################################################################### Last month, the following x3780 files were sent to offices having SSSD: x3780.407frig on Dec 03 ( 2 updated OSDs) @ x3780.408mes on Dec 04 ( 2 updated OSDs) * @ Sent to offices using soils in the frigid soil temperature regime. * Sent to offices using soils in the mesic soil temperature regime. # Sent to all offices. The above x3780's contain the following updated OSDs: frigid: Jacobsville, Siouxcreek mesic: Cotter, Marquis ######################################################################### CHANGED ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS 1. Rebecca Eisel has joined the soil survey staff in Munising, Michigan. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. 2. The phone number for the Gogebic (Michigan) soil survey office is: 1-906-663-6068 3. The FAX number for the Milaca (MN) soil survey office is: 1-320-983-2107 4. Lee Camp's email address is: Leland.Camp@ia.nrcs.usda.gov 5. Tim Meyer's electronic addresses: UNIX to UNIX: wi600g!wia2!tmeyer LAN/WAN to UNIX: wia2!tmeyer@wi600g!wi.usda.gov INTERNET (to send formatted files): tmeyer@wi.usda.gov ######################################################################### ACTIVITY SCHEDULE (through February 15--subject to change) MLRA DATE ACTIVITY LOCATION MO 10 STAFF ---- --------- ---------------------------- ----------------- ----------- 90 Jan 18-22 NASIS--Hvizdak St. Paul Jahnke 90 Jan 25-29 Field Visit Spooner Jahnke 90 Feb 01-05 Steering Committee Meeting Hinckley Jahnke Giencke 90 Feb 18-19 NASIS--Simeth St. Paul Jahnke 91 Jan 18-22 Steering Committee Meeting Brooklyn Center Giencke 93 Feb 08-12 NASIS--Schwenner Carey Calus Marquette Jahnke 94B Feb 08-12 NASIS editing St. Paul DesLauriers 102A Jan 14-15 Steering Committee Meeting Brookings Giencke 103 Jan 04-08 Map Compilation Training St. Peter Walker 104 Jan 26-27 Steering Committee Meeting Decorah Hempel Handler Giencke 105 Jan 05 Steering Committee Meeting Eau Claire Jahnke Handler 105 Jan 11-15 NASIS--T. Meyer & Simonson St. Paul Jahnke all Jan 12-14 NASIS Introductory Training St. Paul Handler all Jan 19-21 MLRA PL Meeting (IL) Champaign Hempel all Jan 21 Leadership Meeting (MN) St. Paul McCloskey all Jan 25-29 MO Leaders Meeting Auburn McCloskey all Feb 09-11 Leadership Meeting (MN) St. Paul McCloskey all Feb 15-19 Region 10 Staff Meetings St. Paul All ######################################################################### CONTRIBUTIONS, IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS, AND QUESTIONS ARE WELCOME Thanks to those individuals who participated this month. It is your efforts that are making this newsletter a success. * * * * * Please submit your articles at least five days before the end of the month for inclusion in the following month's newsletter. Otherwise it will appear the following month. Occasionally, due to other workload demands, it may be an additional month before the article appears. Generally, articles are inserted in the order they are received. Articles in an electronic format can be submitted to: jfh@mn.nrcs.usda.gov It is best if electronic articles are prepared in a "text only" format. Articles in a paper format can be sent or faxed to: John Handler MLRA Region 10 Office USDA - NRCS 375 Jackson Street - Suite 600 St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1854 FAX: 1-651-602-7914 * * * * * This newsletter is intended to be a forum to distribute information of a general nature that will benefit soil scientists in soil survey project offices. It is hoped that it will foster communications and sharing of knowledge among those soil scientists in MLRA Region 10. * * * * * The format of this newsletter is intentionally simple so that it can be received, read, and printed by the project office having the least sophisticated computer setup. #########################################################################