Not getting images from US WMS servers

[Derekc75]

Hi: I am creating a route that crosses the Canadian/US border. I have excellent results from Toporama for the Canadian portion of the route. However, when I try to retrieve "images" from the US WMS server, all the tiles come back blank.

I have accessed the US National Map server endpoints at: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/example/services.html

I added a few of these to the WMS viewer in Tranzdem.

I tried the URL in Roland's Tutorial
(http://raster.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/se ... /WMSServer) but I get an error.

So I tried the Transportation layer from the US mapserver endpoints at: http://services.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/ ... /WMSServer

All that I get are blank tiles. What I really want is a URL for topographic maps from a WMS server that Roland mentions at the 1:24000 level. Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Derek

[geophil]

Sometimes their servers appear to be down. It has happened before. Try again in a couple of days.

PS1: You can also try the GeoPDF topo maps, downloadable via the National Map Server (TransDEM 2.4 required to process the GeoPDF meta data).

PS2: MS research maps, official retired for more than a year may still work.
URL: http://msrmaps.com/ogccapabilities.ashx
2nd URL (required): http://msrmaps.com/ogcmap.ashx

[Derekc75]

Sometimes their servers appear to be down. It has happened before. Try again in a couple of days.

PS1: You can also try the GeoPDF topo maps, downloadable via the National Map Server (TransDEM 2.4 required to process the GeoPDF meta data).

PS2: MS research maps, official retired for more than a year may still work.
URL: http://msrmaps.com/ogccapabilities.ashx
2nd URL (required): http://msrmaps.com/ogcmap.ashx

I have tried several times with the US WMS server since I submitted this post but I continue to get blank tiles. I tried the Durango tutorial #4 with the same result. I am trying to get the 1:24000 topo images from Skagway, Alaska, UTM Zone 8. I followed your suggestion and downloaded several GeoPDF files from the National Map Server. I installed GDAL and it converts the files to Raster images in TransDEM 64 bit. However when I convert them to UTM they go "rouge." This might be the same problem that I asked you about with the Canadian GeoTIFF images.

So I found a website the will convert Degrees, Minutes, Seconds to UTM based on the Lat/Long listed on the corners of the GeoPDF files. However in TransDEM the Geo referencing selections are all grayed out (unusable) under the Raster Map menu option. Do you have any suggestions of how I can Geo reference the corners? I can send you an example GeoPDF file from the Skagway area if that helps.

Cheers,

Derek

[geophil]

I tested the USGS WMS for Durango a minute ago and it worked here. Doesn't mean much, though. It may not be available for Alaska. I don't think there was much 1:24k coverage. What may work is the other WMS: SDMI. Just tried DRG 1:63k for White Pass and it produced the map. Make sure you are on the correct side of the border.

For GeoPDF, I can't remember seeing EPSG codes there. They define a full parameter set for each map. In very rare cases, one or two until now, we encountered mistakes. Can you point me to a GeoPDF file that doesn't work?

[Derekc75]

I tested the USGS WMS for Durango a minute ago and it worked here. Doesn't mean much, though. It may not be available for Alaska. I don't think there was much 1:24k coverage. What may work is the other WMS: SDMI. Just tried DRG 1:63k for White Pass and it produced the map. Make sure you are on the correct side of the border.

For GeoPDF, I can't remember seeing EPSG codes there. They define a full parameter set for each map. In very rare cases, one or two until now, we encountered mistakes. Can you point me to a GeoPDF file that doesn't work?

With a bit of web searching I found WMS: SDMI and was indeed able to get the DRB 1:63k images for the Skagway area. Thank you for the suggestion.

Regarding the GeoPDF files, go the the USGS store here:

http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/b2c/star ... prd%29/.do

Part way down the center of the page click on "Map locator and Downloader." Double-click until you can see Skagway Alaska. Check the "Mark Points" circle and click on Skagway. An icon appears. Click on that and choose the Skagway B1-NW 7.5 X 7.5 Grid and Download that file. Let me know what you find out.

By the way I still only get blank images from the US WMS server. I do get images from the Toporama WMS server. Oh well.

Cheers,

Derek

[geophil]

With a bit of web searching I found WMS: SDMI and was indeed able to get the DRB 1:63k images for the Skagway area.

Aren't you using the "Sample Settings" for WMS and map tiles, downloadable from my website or distributed with the TransDEM delivery mail? They already have an entry "SDMI Alaskas Extras".

By the way I still only get blank images from the US WMS server.

Another entry in the Sample Settings, "USGS National Map", has the parameters for the standard USGS WMS, which work for me. In the early days of that service there were some WMS implementation issues on their side which required special treatment by TransDEM.

Regarding the GeoPDF files, ... choose the Skagway B1-NW 7.5 X 7.5 Grid and Download that file. Let me know what you find out.

I can confirm the problem. A slight mistake by the USGS people which we discovered for different maps once before. It can be solved. See here for the bypass.

[Derekc75]

Aren't you using the "Sample Settings" for WMS and map tiles, downloadable from my website or distributed with the TransDEM delivery mail? They already have an entry "SDMI Alaskas Extras".

I can confirm the problem. A slight mistake by the USGS people which we discovered for different maps once before. It can be solved. See here for the bypass.

Oops, I forgot about the link in the Transdem Delivery email. I was using the link in the Tutorial which still points to:

http://www.rolandziegler.de/StreckeUndL ... ttings.zip

I have to pay more attention. And thank you for the URL for the bypass.

[geophil]

I was using the link in the Tutorial which still points to:

That link always points to the latest edition of those settings, therefore it should be OK.