Anything and everything from your beautiful robot, to your four-wheeler, to your 16 oz plumb bob; what is your favorite piece of surveying equipment that you use or have used? Anything from a specific instrument to a sweet target you just can't backsight without or even your 32 oz plumb bob for those real windy days.
I would have to say my favorite piece of survey equipment would be a tie between the older Leica TCR307 (substitute any modern transit really) I've been using and a 200' nylon-clad-steel tape. Where I survey, most places are accessible in almost any vehicle or hiking distance so I can't say a sweet off road rig, but with those tools I feel un-stoppable!
What are yours?
Everything nowadays is wonderful. I grew up in a world where we sharpened our own lath, flagging was cloth strips and markers were called lumber crayons.
But, my "don't leave home without it" tool is my True-Temper Mini-pick. 16" handle. I feel naked without it.
Have to get into the way back machine for this one. An all-time favorite of mine would have to be a Wild T-16, with a DI 10 Distomat, light, easy, fast enough and plenty accurate.
My shovel. I never go anywhere without it.
My dc,
it connects to my total station, gnss and I have all my maps, designs with me, lets me do cogo in the field, ...
Chr.
In days past an optical square.
You could create one of those 'wow' moments amongst onlookers when you'd put yourself exactly on line between 2 distant objects.
Nowadays my trusty Nikon 821.
That is so trustworthy, accurate and a delight to use.
Its been with me through thick and thin, high land and low land, rivers and wide open plains, roads bridges carparks.
Its seen me do stuff that never ceases to amaze.
Measured to monuments from yesterday to the 1830's.
It's like a mate to me.
I've always been partial to the K&E Paragon 20" transit, myself. What a great instrument, rugged, and NO batteries!
My father's old Schondstedt. Not sure what I would do without that thing on boundary work. I can make any transit, DC, shovel or any other tool work but without that trusty metal locator--I'm worthless.
My spoon. It's a big one, maybe 18" long. Been with me now for about 20 years. Does a very nice job of getting the crumbs out of the hole to fully expose the top of the monument. Especially handy for holes in asphalt or chip and seal road beds where the goal is to leave the smallest hole possible while still getting to the depth needed. A high percentage of our section corners are near the center line of roads, so it gets much use.
Can't do without my machete.
Brush Ax......I can't stand using machetes anymore. My hands take enough abuse without exposing them to every briar thicket on the job or getting those nasty vines that are always on line.
My old-fashioned field book with detailed notes. I cannot count the number of times it (they) have proven their worth.
The only superior evidence is that which you haven't yet found.
The combat engineer version of the M60 tank. You could cut 400 yards of line with the push of a button...
Wild TC1600, what a beautiful instrument, especially for its time.
Leica System 500 GPS - again, ahead of its time, amazing repeatability
Trimble S6 - just flat out fun to use
I'm not from a family of surveyors. But, gimme the map (or deed), a shovel and my schonstedt and let the fun begin.
I have an array of Hp calculators from 11c - 41 cv/cx with tds survey cards - 48 sx/ tds cogo card - 48 gx / tds pro...
But there was that window of time once when the 48 sx with the cogo card just made everything go smooth and easy and was on my belt in a leather case.
Lee
Every project that I passed through lately has a S 6 in action from machine control to lay out.
It seems to be the choice of contractors
The S6 is unbeatable.
First and foremost, my brain.
Was thinking exactly this.