any of you guys worked down there? Is it pretty easy to get a liscense? It looks like they have comity. I got a chance to maybe have a working vacation. Set control for one day and then vacation for 5 if things work out.
If you're licensed in any state, you get a license here. The only hard part is dealing with the VI govt.
If you get to St. John, stop by. In the summer, it's probably cooler here than where you are.
Larry Best, post: 381992, member: 763 wrote: If you're licensed in any state, you get a license here. The only hard part is dealing with the VI govt.
If you get to St. John, stop by. In the summer, it's probably cooler here than where you are.
Looks like we are coming in the first part of December. We are going to stay in St Thomas. Is there any place to rent RTK? It might be easier to do that than try and carry it down there. Is there a ferry between St. Thomas and St. Croix? Somebody that did 911 adressing down there told me last night he heard they started one.
Here is my story about USVI...When I went to there to do a survey (early 90's), we sent the equipment by fedex. It got held up in US Customs for a week saying we had to pay a $2500+ duty to import it. Now, this is from the US to the US, so it was totally ridiculous. The way I got it waived was because we were doing the work for the federal government. Never mind that the GPS units (Trimble) were made in the US. That was my first of many overseas trips for work, I learned after that to always take the equipment along as baggage, either checked or carry-on. The only other place I had difficulty was in Canada last year, they tried to say I needed a work visa. I have taken equipment (GPS and conventional) to a number of third world countries (India, Egypt, El Salvador, Mexico, Peru) without any problems with either the equipment or me getting in to work.
The other issue I had was at the time (pre-HARN) there was only one second order NSRS horizontal control point on the island, and no NSRS vertical other than a single tide station. The second order point (triangulation) was on top of a "pill-box" on a high peak, right beside a microwave tower. (see picture below). The microwaves killed the GPS signal (Trimble 4000SSE, before the SSi days) , so we could not occupy it directly, had to set an eccentric station. That was fairly easy, there was a lighthouse way offshore that had a coordinate and could be used as a backsight. We ran levels from a tidal BM at Charlotte Amalie to Red Hook. Dave Doyle told me the disk I set (ADR) at the Ferry Landing at Red Hook was still there a few years ago.
Kind of scary running GPS down there at night. There were some pretty shaky neighborhoods along the route. We were mapping the highway from Charlotte Amelia to Red Hook. I have never been back so I don't know if they improved it at all, but at the time it was very narrow and twisty, just the kind of road you really want to run levels on.
makerofmaps, post: 384650, member: 9079 wrote: Looks like we are coming in the first part of December. We are going to stay in St Thomas. Is there any place to rent RTK? It might be easier to do that than try and carry it down there. Is there a ferry between St. Thomas and St. Croix? Somebody that did 911 adressing down there told me last night he heard they started one.
No, you can't rent or buy any kind of surveying equipt here.
The new quadramaran ferry, built in St. Croix, designed by a St. Croix multimillionaire, was set to go into service this month but the USCG put that on hold for a few more months. I have my doubts. Seaborne Seaplanes is the only way.
Larry Best, post: 381992, member: 763 wrote: If you're licensed in any state, you get a license here. The only hard part is dealing with the VI govt.
If you get to St. John, stop by. In the summer, it's probably cooler here than where you are.
Larry,
As an Untied States Possession the Vi had to pick a State for their laws. They picked New York. Therefore for surveying in Vi you needed a NY Surveyor's License. In the early '70s the firm I worked for (now own) was asked to do a large surveying project in the VI. A warm winter for me.The firm owner had concerns when the principals of the firm hiring us, when they were not comfortable not packing as they always had to pack in VI to deal with the indigenous people. So when did VI come up with their Surveying Law?
Floyd Carrington, post: 384731, member: 474 wrote: Therefore for surveying in Vi you needed a NY Surveyor's License.
I don't think that's correct but I admit to being ignorant about the laws. I got my VI license by applying and referring to my Mass. License. I have heard from others that they did the same from other states. I know that engineers are allowed to practice surveying here. I know that temporary Surveying and Engineering licenses have been granted. I know that those born here have been licensed as Surveyors, Engineers and Architects without taking any test (Native Son Law). I don't know of anyone ever being disciplined or losing a license for negligence, incompetence, fraud or practicing without a license. I have heard but not confirmed that the Surveying test is a NCEE test that is done on one day, so that would be either the Fundamentals or the P&P. Don't all the states give both as well as a Colonial or Public Lands test and a State specific test?
Looks like the VI could be a great place to work. Does anyone know of a firm looking for help down there?
MJP-PLS, post: 396121, member: 8990 wrote: Looks like the VI could be a great place to work.
Low wages? High cost of Living? It's a great place to vacation. It's a great place to live if you accept the problems. A great place to work? No.
MJP-PLS, post: 396121, member: 8990 wrote: Does anyone know of a firm looking for help down there?
There's less than a handful of firms that have more than one employee. We haven't recovered from 2008.
Larry Best, post: 396283, member: 763 wrote: Low wages? High cost of Living? It's a great place to vacation. It's a great place to live if you accept the problems. A great place to work? No.
There's less than a handful of firms that have more than one employee. We haven't recovered from 2008.
Do you know Marshall?
Never met him but we email. We share concerns and opinions about our govt's influence on the profession.
