As much as the coding and description fields in the data collector are great I still find myself carrying a fieldbook to scribble down notes, instrument heights and diagrams etc. Then end up scanning to pdf and throwing the paper away. Photos are good to but take a lot of data storage when a small note/sketch surfices.
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Wondering if anyone has found a digital way to do this that they like? Any pitfalls such as rain on screen, hard to take gloves off to touch screen in winter etc??
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I'm thinking the best option is some app on the data collector or your smart phone you can flip between that lets you store handwriting/diagrams probably drawn with a stylus as typing with onscreen keyboard/trying to do "mini CAD" for diagrams just not as fast and fat fingers not always clear enough. Would then have to pdf at end of field day and file away. Wouldn't want to have to carry a third device (tablet?) as well to do it.
ACCESS allows for a variety of notes to be added to each shot, but I find it cumbersome and time consuming because it's a new task that I've only started to Integrate.
I'll always have a field book for the exceptions, and especially for anything critical or being scrutinized in a dispute resolution etc..
That being said, out side of trimble,
Blue beam might be an option,?ÿ it's highly regarded by engineers and artichokes mostly IMHO it let's the feel like they're in the field when they bleed all over your drawings.
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Happy Sunday!
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Interesting thread. ?ÿHere are some recent paper to pdf field note sketches that come to mind for my world:
Download (22-009-2022-04-04+Field+Notes.pdf)
Download (20-038+Field+Notes+2022-04-23+00.pdf)
Download (20-038+Field+Notes+2022-04-23+01.pdf)
I'm a pretty big fan of the loose leaf write in the rain binder/paper; can take out individual pages and store in the project folder.?ÿ For everything else I simply take a ton of photos.
I had an interesting encounter in a case about two years ago. My notes were introduced as an exhibit. Opposing counsel objected. The hearing officer examined the book and found 'pages bound and serially numbered. None of the contents appeared obliterated'. Objection overruled. When my typed notes were introduced the only question was if they were transcribed from a recording. Both exhibits were admitted.
Know the rules of evidence for the administrative and civil hearings in your jurisdiction...
I had a typo on a longitude. I had copy/pasted some cookbook drawing insert labels and changed them for the new location. I got the minutes/seconds correct but didn't change the degrees which were 2 degrees west of the position. So I got a call complaining about it and demanding my field notes. As if I were locating the points using a T2/distance meter like in the old days.
So I sent them the 300 pages of my DC file in a PDF.
They didn't bother me anymore.
@bstrand?ÿ
Tons of photos take up tons of storage though, sometimes a simple diagram can convey the same info better and is only kilobytes. I do still get essential photos though, especially for topo.
I dusted off an old Acer tablet I found in the garage. ?ÿIt is running Win 7. ?ÿI am going to see if Best Buy Geek Squad can help me get it running with the latest Windows OS. ?ÿI tried last night and failed.
But, I am just thinking of using the Paint application for field notes and sketches like I posted above, maybe. ?ÿI am sure there will be a clunky learning curve. ?ÿBut it might be nice to not have to chase papers blowing in the wind off the clipboard.
Probably, Geek Squad will say tough titties. ?ÿThat will be that.
Why not leave in on Win7? It may not have what it takes for later OS.
Anyone tried using the reMarkable? Seems like a good idea, but not very rugged.
As much as the coding and description fields in the data collector are great I still find myself carrying a fieldbook to scribble down notes, instrument heights and diagrams etc. Then end up scanning to pdf and throwing the paper away. Photos are good to but take a lot of data storage when a small note/sketch surfices.
?ÿ
Wondering if anyone has found a digital way to do this that they like? Any pitfalls such as rain on screen, hard to take gloves off to touch screen in winter etc??
?ÿ
I'm thinking the best option is some app on the data collector or your smart phone you can flip between that lets you store handwriting/diagrams probably drawn with a stylus as typing with onscreen keyboard/trying to do "mini CAD" for diagrams just not as fast and fat fingers not always clear enough. Would then have to pdf at end of field day and file away. Wouldn't want to have to carry a third device (tablet?) as well to do it.
I just use Google keep on my phone. It's a 6.8" screen so it's not too difficult. I also take a lot of pictures for work, I'll take pictures of plans or sketches I need with me in the field. The phone can handle getting wet while paper can't.?ÿ
@lukenz?ÿ
You can change the camera settings to reduce the amount of storage taken by photos. Dropping down to like 12mp won't affect quality much.?ÿ
@350rocketmike?ÿ
I store photos much smaller than that, nothing more than 1mb an image.
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Use Brice Lambsons Image Resizer, https://www.bricelam.net/ImageResizer/, which is now part of Microsoft power toys