#101 The View From the Top

Survey in Southern UtahToday was the hottest day we’ve had yet this year.  The terrain was steep and there was no shade.  I went through my five liters of water by four o’clock and that is with a 7 am start time.  The survey was made more tolerable, physically, by the fact that we had a crazy number of features to record which slowed us way down.  It was the sort of day that makes me think.  First, though, a little about what we are doing (leaving out anything that can tie me to a location, my company, or any persons alive or dead.  See my post about getting fired for writing a blog…).

We’re working in this area that is adjacent a previously recorded mining complex and we’re just adding to it.  So, all the mining features that we found were recorded as features of that previous site.  Which means, no site record.  We just had to take photos, GPS points, and write up a feature description.

The day just had me thinking about life and this job.  There are certainly times when I am frustrated by what I’m doing or frustrated with my bosses or frustrated with my co-workers.  In the end, though, I would’t trade it for the world.  Well, I’d trade up for a PI job!  Someday someone will take a chance on me and I’ll get one.  I’m not worried.  I still may just have to start my own company, though.  

I got off track.  Oh right.  Work.  More to the point, field work.  I do love being home and getting to do all those homey, comfortable, things that homes provide, including my wife!  However, I love being in the field too.  Most of the time.  Today we were in some fairly steep terrain.  One of the wonderful things that steep terrain provides are great views.  When you take that last, laborious, step and you think you just can’t go any further, there it is, the view you’ve been waiting for.  I don’t care how many places I go or how many desert landscapes I see, it never gets old.  It’s always worth it.  Really.

People think archaeology is all about finding cool sites, handling rare and amazing artifacts, and (to some) getting chased by natives in some foreign land.  Well, sometimes it is all those things.  Most of the time, though, it’s good old survey.  Sometimes you walk for miles and don’t find a thing.  Sometimes you find lots of things but they are all just copies of the same thing, like prospect pits or mining claim cairns.  These are the days when you come to cherish your views.

I’ve had days where I thought, this will be my last season.  After this, I’m doing something else.  Yeah, it can get that bad.  But then, on your solitary transect with your nearest neighbor 30 m away, you get to the top, and you remember why you keep coming back.  There still is adventure in archaeology.  You just have to look for it.  Most people don’t get to see what we see on a daily basis.  Most people will never see these things.  Think of that the next time your crew chief is telling you to walk faster up that tabular basalt slope (you were just looking for a large scraper any way…), while your feet slip, the GPS is nearly crushed several times as you break your fall with it, and your pin flags are poking you in the ear.

We don’t have it all that bad.  Really.  Just look at the people around you that don’t do archaeology.  There is a reason that they envy you.  There is a reason that they wish they had followed their passions, like you did.  Tell them about your “bad” day hiking in the high desert or in the swamps of Georgia (OK, that’s pretty bad), or in the hills of Vermont.  Tell them and see what they say.  They’ll tell you how they got yelled at because the canned goods weren’t rotated properly or how the copier kept jamming.  Nice.  I’ll take a desert landscape that I had to work for any day.

Thanks for reading.  If you’re a crew chief, tell your crew they did a good job today.  They’ll appreciate it.  If you’re a crew member, do your best, ask questions, and learn something new every session.

Be safe and I’ll see you in the field.

#100 ArchaeoTech: The CamelBak Flow Meter Hydration Gauge

First, welcome to post #100!  Here's to 100 more.  Check out the Archive tab in the upper right hand corner to see the previous 99 posts.  Thanks for reading.  On to the post...

I received my shiny new REI dividend a few weeks ago and it didn't take long for the money to burn a hole in my pocket.  I like to use the dividend to purchase things that I've always kind of wanted but never really wanted to spend money on.  This time it was a flow meter for my CamelBak.

Full disclosure: I don't have a CamelBak.  I use the Platypus reservoir.  I switched to it when I got a pack that had the hooks for one.  I think I like it better than CamelBak.  Maybe I'll discuss why in a later post.

The Flow Meter that I purchased was $29.99 at REI.  To install it you have to cut your tube approximately 3-6 inches from the bite valve.  It hurts a little but don't worry, it all works out.  If your hose is just the right length, or a little too long, you might want to remove a few extra centimeters.  The flow meter will add some length.  Next, put soapy water on the ends of your tubes and insert the flow meter. Be sure to install the meter in the proper direction.  It won't work if you put it in backwards.  Also, use soapy water for installation.  It works really well for slipping the tubes right on.

You're set!  Now you just have to set it up.  The flow meter has two options for set-up: basic and advance.  The basic operation will simply allow you to set the amount of water you have and will track your consumption.  In the advanced menu you can set your weight and age and the meter will tell you how much water you should be drinking.  I found that it wasn’t too accurate.  Or, I wasn’t drinking enough water.  The device wanted me to drink 0.7 liters of water per hour.  I don’t carry enough water throughout the day at that rate!  The most I’ve EVER drank in one day of hard survey was about five liters.  So, use that function at your own risk.  You can change the liters/hour rate to something that suits you, as well.

Now that you're set up, I'll tell you what I like and what I don't like about it.  First, I'm big on personal data.  I like to know my body stats at all times and knowing exactly how much water I have consumed is great.  It's easy to add more water during the day and adjust the meter to read accurately.  One of the things I don't like about it are the buttons.  You have to install the meter close to the bite valve so you can read it but that also means that the meter is bouncing around while you are hiking and the buttons are getting pressed.  It's also easy to hit the buttons that make the unit pause and reset.  That's a bit irritating.  I found that when I set my pack down on the ground the buttons also get pressed.  I think the solution is to remove the display unit when setting your pack down for an extended period of time (i.e. site recording).  My other complaint is that you can’t blow the water back down the tube.  The small impeller in the device won’t allow it.  In hot weather I blow my water back inside the bladder so it doesn’t get hot in the tube (pro tip!).

I guess if you are just walking all day and aren't throwing your pack down on the ground or in the back of the truck very often then you won't run the risk of inadvertently hitting buttons.  However, if you have to take your pack off and on often then I wouldn't suggest using the flow meter (unless you don’t mind removing the display unit every single time).  Also, if you decide to “try” it, there is no going back.  You can splice your tube back together and will have to buy another one.

Hope this was helpful.

Be safe, and I'll see you in the field.

#99 Leadership

Uintah Basin, UtahFirst, some housekeeping.  I hate those blogs that don’t show up for a while and then come back with a post explaining why they haven’t posted in a while.  That being said, I’ve been away for a while and here’s why!  April has been a very busy month.  I’ve had two field sessions, one of which involved camping in an out-of-service area, a trip to North Carolina for a wedding, and a weekend with my brother’s family in Spokane, Washington.  May should be a little more conducive to blogging, but, let’s face it, it’s the field season.  We’re all busy.

We went up to visit my brother’s family because his wife’s awful cancer came back after a year of being undetectable.  I don’t have much to say on this topic that is scientific or thoughtful.  I just want to put out a request for my readers to volunteer or participate in a cancer fundraiser of your choice this summer.  It is a small commitment on your part but can make a huge difference overall.  We need to figure this cancer thing out.  Just last November we lost a friend to cancer who was only 33 years old.  My sister-in-law is only 35 years old and has a 2 year old.  That’s ridiculous.  We’re talking about mining asteroids for water and we can’t cure cancer?  What the hell?

One more thing (that phrase always makes me think of Steve Jobs).  I’m thinking of doing a new video podcast.  I’d like it to be once, maybe twice, a week and only a couple of minutes.  The podcast would focus on analyzing a different artifact every week.  I’d cover everything from projectile points to tin cans.  I’d also like to cover different types of features.  Initially, I’d probably be discussing the kinds of features we find out here in the Great Basin first (i.e. mining features).  Can you blame me?  Teach what you know, right?  I’d be willing to take suggestions for other types of features found across the country and across the world as well.  They may take me longer to research and put together in a video format but it wouldn’t be impossible.  Let me know if you’d be interested in something like this.  If I get enough responses it might help me persuade my wife to let me buy a new digital SLR camera with HD video shooting capability!  I’d like to shoot the podcast on the iPhone 4S just to prove it can be done but a nice camera would be good too.

OK.  On to today’s topic.

When you think of a leader in CRM Archaeology, who do you think of? What type of leadership characteristics do they have that stick out in your mind? Are they confident? Do they delegate well? Do they scold others in public or do they do it in private?  Only a few people come to mind when I think of a good leader.  The one I most respected was Chief Davis, from the Navy.  Chief Davis was instrumental in teaching me how to be an effective leader.  He was always calm in front of his men and he was always confident in his decisions, while also listening to everyone’s opinion.  He also taught me the idea, “punish in private, praise in public”. That means just what it sounds like.  If you have something to say to someone that is either disciplinary or instructive in an embarrassing way, it’s best to do it in private.  Pointing out someone’s shortcomings in front of everyone makes them feel like crap and makes you look like a dick.  Don’t be a dick.  At the same time, praising someone for something in front of the crew makes them feel good, shows others what they can do to be successful, and makes you look like a compassionate human being.  Something that many crew chiefs have difficulty achieving.

The ship I served on from '94 to '97, the USS Enterprise, during underway replenishment.I often find that a number of the people I’ve worked for, whether they be Crew Chiefs or higher, have few or no leadership skills.  I can’t fault them for it, really.  Leadership ability is not something that most of us posses as a natural skill.  We have to work really hard at being good leaders.  I’ve had the benefit of attending many leadership classes in the U.S. Navy and continuing leadership education in the Civil Air Patrol now.  That doesn’t mean I’m a good leader, though.  I still find myself regretting decisions I’ve made and wishing I could do something differently.  Also, when you are on a project and it’s over budget and there’s no time left, it can be difficult to remember to praise your crew members for hard work and for working efficiently.  Even a simple “thank you” at the end of the day won’t go un-noticed.  Field techs are the heart and soul of a company and no field work would ever get done without them.  Don’t forget that.  Treat them well and they will work hard for you.

Leadership classes can be expensive and I’d be willing to bet that most employers won’t pay for them.  There are other ways to get some leadership training, however.  Many volunteer organizations, such as the Civil Air Patrol (which you don’t need to be a pilot to be a member of), offer leadership training.  However, even if you just remember to “praise in public, punish in private” and to not be a dick, you’ll go far with your crew and will have a higher retention rate.

Let’s all try to be better leaders.  Thanks for reading and I’ll see you in the field.

#98 ArchaeoTech: The Solio Bolt

I previously reviewed the Zagg Sparq here. The Solio Bolt is a similar device but with a few major differences. First, what is it? The Bolt is a solar charger with with battery back-up. It's a tiny, 5.3 oz (150 g) device that can recharge a typical smart phone up to 1-2 times.

The Bolt can be charged in three different ways. The quickest way is to plug the micro-USB port into the wall. It will fully charge in about 4.5 hours, according to the website. My tests show that it can be fully charged in about 4 hours, which isn't so bad. Using the micro-USB port you can also charge it your computer's USB port. This method will take a bit longer and could be up to six hours. The most green, and longest, way to charge the Bolt is with the nearest star. I suggest using our very own sun. You could. Use other stars but you may need to construct a large collecting and amplifying device. Using the sun, the Bolt will take up to 10 hours to fully charge. I haven't tried this one out yet but I will be next week.

A neat little gimmick that Solio has for solar charging the Bolt involves a simple pencil. When the two small panels are folded out you can stick a pencil (they even supply you with one if all you have are electronic devices!) through the hole in the center. Then, you rotate the Bolt until the pencil no longer casts a shadow. This is the optimum angle for collecting those solar rays. When the pencil casts a shadow, simpler move it again. They call this the "sundial" mode. I won't be doing that next week. I'm going to fasten it to the roof of my tent in an average solar radiation position and hope for the best. My thought is that it will be fully charged when I get back from work and into camp.

There is only one button on the Bolt. The Bolt has to be turned on. This is a big difference from the Zagg Sparq which just works when you plug in a device. Before you turn the Bolt on, though, you have to make sure it's in the right charging mode. It has a mode for charging Apple devices and a mode for charging every other device. Of course, Apple has to be different, don't they? To change modes, hold the button down for five seconds. The button light will change from green, for other devices, to blue for all Apple devices. When you first tap the button it will flash one to five times to show the current battery level. While the device is being charged through its various methods the button will glow red.

So far the device has worked well. I haven't had to charge my iPad with it yet so I don't know how much I'll get out of that. I don't like that it doesn't come with a case because I'm worried about one of the exposed solar panels getting damaged. Also, it's easy to push that button and turn the device on or off when you don't want to.

The Bolt has a 1 AMP output, which is typical of most wall chargers, and a 2000 mAh Li-Poly battery that is easily replaced when it reaches it's useful life.

I bought the Solio Bolt at REI for $65 (US) so I can easily return it if I don't like it or if it goes bad on me. Amazon has it for $59.

If the ability to charge with the sun and carry less weight is a concern for you then I'd say get it. If you can stand a little more weight and don't need solar charging then I'd recommend the Zagg Sparq. With most of the battery back-up devices on the market you can charge an array of devices, from smart phones, to tablets, to digital cameras. Anything that charges via USB can be charged with one of these devices. They are an essential addition to the remote, tech-savvy, archaeologist's tool kit.

Happy hiking! I'll see you in the field.

#97 One Year

One Year ago today I was attending the Society for American Archaeology Annual Meetings in Sacramento, California.  It was Saturday afternoon and I’d already spent two days listening to some really great sessions.  Now, I’m a techy kind of guy, as you can tell from some of my previous posts (here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here) so, of course, I had my conference schedule on my iPhone and on my iPad and I was taking notes on my iPad when I heard interesting things that I wanted to remember.  Prior to Saturday afternoon I’d noticed only a couple other iPads, other tablets and a few smart phones.  I’m sure there were others in my presence (tablets and smart phones alike) but they were not out and they were not being used.

Most people that have a smart phone, at least in my experience, still think of it as a phone.  I wish I had an app that could track the time I spend using my phone as an actual phone (including texting) and the time I’m using it as an enhancement to whatever I’m doing at the moment.  The same goes for a tablet.  It’s not a computer.  Sure, it has a computer in it, but, it’s not a computer in the traditional sense.  To many people a computer is on a desktop at work or at home on which you sit down to accomplish a task that you need help with.  Today, many people also use it as a communication device, whether through Facebook, email, or whatever you desire, but it is still a thing you go to when you want to accomplish something.  For me, a tablet is like a computer but allows you to create and consume media on your terms and in a place that you choose.  Can you really create a creative masterpiece sitting in an uncomfortable chair in front of a desk?  Sure, you can alter the setting a bit but who every really does?  A laptop computer takes you one step closer towards the freedom of a tablet but not quite there.  Using a tablet to create is unlike any experience you have ever had with a computer.  OK.  That was a bit of a side track…

When I walked in to the Blogging Archaeology Session, not knowing what to expect, I was at first very encouraged by the many tablets that I saw.  More people in the room had an iPad than didn’t.  At that moment, it was a very different room than all the ones I’d walked into thus far.  Let’s just say that there are a lot of tweed jackets, elbow patches, and note pads at the SAAs.  What I saw when I walked into that room was the future of archaeology.

While the organizers were getting ready for the session they were displaying a message on the screen in the front of the room.  The message was inviting people to join the  conversation about the conference online by using the hash tag “#SAA2011” on Twitter.  I didn’t have a Twitter account.  The only thing I’d heard about Twitter until that point involved hearing what some ridiculous celebrity did that weekend.  Twitter, to me, was only slightly worse than Facebook and was utterly useless.  However, I wanted to know what was going on at the conference and I wanted to know what the hell a hash tag was.

Page Views by month. That huge uptick in January is when I started posting my blog post on LInked In. Lessons learned.I signed up for Twitter while I was sitting there, searched for #SAA2011, and watched as the curtain  was pulled back and my eyes were opened.  There were talks that I wanted to go to that were being discussed by people on Twitter and I could follow them as though I were there.  Questions were being asked and answered by people in the room and people on another continent that were also following the conference.  It was an amazing experience.

Before I continue I have to mention another experience I’d had the day before.  I was in a session with a friend of mine and a popular blogger, John Hawks, walked into the room.  She recognized him instantly and pointed him out to me.  I had never heard of him and confessed that I really didn’t follow any blogs.  I got the sense that I was missing out on something and it stuck with me.  OK.  Back to the Blogging Archaeology Session.

Readers used to access the blog. I haven't ever used Baidu.I was really encouraged for the future of archaeology from what I heard in that session.  I’ve always been interested in bringing archaeology to the public but have never really known how to do that.  As a field tech in CRM archaeology you are expected to not talk about your job.  It’s not your place.  In fact, most of CRM archaeology requires you to stay silent about what you do.  Through blogging, though, I found that I could have a voice.  That voice lost me a few jobs because we are still trying to figure all of this out, but it’s still progress.

After the blogging archaeology session I went straight back to my hotel room and opened up a Squarespace account.  It’s been one year and this is post number 97.  It hurts my brain a little not to round it out to 100 but I didn’t want to write some fluff posts just to get there.  So, here are some stats related to the last year.  I lost April by waiting until today to look at this because Squarespace only records 12 months back and this April has superseded last April.

Browsers used to access the blog. Notice the surprising number of old Internet Explorer browsers.While I’m on the Squarespace subject, my account has come due.  It’s $144 for one year at the level I’ve chosen to work best for my blog and podcast.  So, if you could, occasionally check out some of the very unobtrusive adds on the right side of the page.  Thanks!

Operating systems used to access the blog. Vista is number 5? Wow.Thanks for listening to me rant, discuss, and attempt to educate and share knowledge over the past year, keep commenting, start your own blog, and I’ll see you in the field.