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Surveying questions for a short story
Hello everyone!
Since recently I’m trying to write fiction stories and I currently am writing something about a land surveyor (I guess Pynchon’s Mason & Dixon has made me become interested in this beautiful profession).
Now I’m only not sure if the whole setup and background of my story makes sense. Not that it has to in a work of fiction. But I want to know whether it is totally ridiculous or not. There are also some blanks as to why the piece of land in my story is being surveyed. So I have some questions:
- At this moment the story is about a land surveyor who has been hired by the council of a small town to survey a local nature reserve. Not sure if it makes sense (this is the blank I was talking about) but the background is that the town is about to be part of a municipal fusion. The reserve however covers ground that belongs to more than one town (a town that will be part of a different fusion) – a resurvey has to be done (but not sure if this would be necessary in real life).
- If the above wouldn’t be necessary, what other reason could there be to have a surveyor survey a domain like this? (it’s not really important for my story, the surveyor just needs to be there, but it would be nice for me to have a more clear incentive in mind).
- Would it be possible that a surveyor works on a project like this on his own (without a crew or partner)?
- And that he works on this project for a long period of time (anywhere between 3 weeks to 2 months)?
- The story also features a theodolite. Is this a dated tool?
- Can a surveyor work at night? Would or could a theodolite be used at night?
Hopefully you will excuse me for barging in like this (not making an introduction post, etc). I’m fascinated by surveying but do not have a lot of knowledge on what the actual surveying proces is like. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could help me out :).
Best regards,
Arthur
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