Field Books

Same as you Kris. We often work 4-5 hours from the office everyday and the notes in the field book have saved us more than once from having to go back.

We use F2F and code in the collector, but still keep the field book notes (angles, setups, etc.) plus the field sketch in the field book.

It's good to know that I'm not living in the stone age.

Thanks Matthew.

> Does anyone do something similar or am I still in the stone age?

I haven't kept a field book since 1988. I do carry a sketch pad and a camera, but don't waste time hand transcribing data in the field. I do, however, collect and save the raw data file and use it for processing. I can't remember having lost data. If I ever did, it'd likely be faster to gather it a second time than it would be to have written it all down by hand.

> I've got F2F and it works well, but I still feel I need a back up in case it draws a line wrong. My imen are idiots with codes.

The way I fixed that was to have the imen who collected the data, process the data. It's their job to not only gather the data, but to download and review the raw data file. They get to see the process work, and they get to see when it doesn't work and figure out why. They learn how to massage the raw data file to make the F2F process work properly. They learn how much time it takes to process the data compared with how much time it takes to gather the data properly and more efficiently.

I always figured that you really didn't know how to gather topo in the field until you've learned how to analyze, process, and create the drawing. Sounds to me like the reason you've got idiots for imen is because they are allowed to be sloppy with their coding. Their sloppiness is what might be causing your lack of trust and the need for an alternative backup plan. Raise the standard; don't accept sloppy data. Once they process their own data, it won't take long for them to realize how much time they save themselves by gathering it properly the first time.

I'd recommend setting them up with a notebook in the field. They could have the data uploaded, checked and processed before they get to the office. All the office staff will need to do is take the base drawing from the F2F and add polish.

JBS

I wonder if that Texas company with 50 crews uses field books the same way?

I always carry a field book, although my note taking has changed over the years. Most jobs look more like a spreadsheet, with a rudimentary (no template) sketch and critical point numbers noted.

I lost data one time in the past decade, due to the data collector getting a full Big Gulp dumped on it before it was downloaded. It did take several hours to reshoot, but I've saved days of time not recording every angle and distance in the book, like we did before data collectors.

I've seen entire forests decimated by some folk's unnecessary fixation to print every bit of electronic data for the folder. I have quadruple redundancy in backup and still have data collected in the early 1990's now on CD, spent several days copying sloppy floppys to disk. The beauty of .cr5 and .rw5 data is the tiny amount of memory needed to store them.

I still use a field book for short level runs, angles to azimuth marks, field sketches and miscellaneous notes, but I don't book any observation data that the data collector can handle.

> I wonder if that Texas company with 50 crews uses field books the same way?

You should look into that for us and get back to us with it Mike.

Well Mike my company works for some of the same clients that the big firm works for and one of the actual requirements on a project that I just put a proposal out on is that field books and all observations have to be submitted at the end of week.

So yes, I would say that they probably do also keep field books on at least some projects.

What is your company policy?

Let me further clarify that we do not record measurements to side shots, only to control points, and since most of our work is GPS, we mainly only keep a sketch.

So I guess we do keep field book data, but not in the way before data collectors. Really only as a supplement to the data collector.

That should also change in the next firmware release of Leica Smartworx, as we will be able to sketch directly on a photograph taken from the collector and assign that photo to a point number.

Matthew

On jobs that are critical to large clients, we record everything unless it's GPS, but then still it has a sketch.

On a run of the mill lot job, only angles to control points and found corners are logged in the field book along with an accurate sketch.

Matthew

Thats pretty much how we do it.

I still keep field book notes.

They are not like before. I make sketch of the property and all improvements and detailed sketches for multi sided features.

I will add point numbers accordingly for monuments and perhaps not all features.

I do not write down all data unless my battery in the collector is failing or is low. When that happens the collector is shut off and I go back to hand taken notes. Sometimes you find yourself in a place that makes changing batteries most impossible.

Level notes I keep just as always, by hand.

One point is important. If I am keeping notes I probably will put less on paper than I would ask someone else because they are not doing the paperwork and drawing the final.

In court, you have to testify that your decision was made on 'best available evidence'. Your 'Field book entries' prove that your were there at least.

If you weren't there, how can you prove that you made any effort to recover sufficient 'available' evidence so that you could decide which of the evidence was 'best available'?

Deed stakers are completely oblivious to the fact that any reasonably competent lawyer could destroy any case built only on the interpretation of the 'evidence' supporting the record description when the law clearly gives precedence to inaccuratley recorded occupation and control as supported by established physical evidence.

We detect, and provide a means to correct, errors in our land records and the cause of the error can be acts of the owners who establish their own boundaries as well as errors in the choice of terminology on the record.

What is the definition of 'responsible charge'?

Richard Schaut

Richard

While I agree with your premise, I think that there are other ways of keeping track of your actions while on the job site. Digital cameras have come a long way. Also, the print out of the raw data, with time stamps, while can be doctored, is no less susceptible than an eraser in a field book.

Documentation is everything, and I do like to know how others are doing it. From a "best practices" stand point, the better mouse trap could be a culmination of many styles.

like most, it sounds, I keep a field book and use it on all projects. I use it for sketch's, traverse data and level loop info. I also record the weather info, roughly, crew member (me) and the date, job #, location.
I do not record every shot, but will frequently refer to shot #'s in the sketch.

Dtp

Richard

For a few years, I always kept my notes on the pt sheet (a plot of my theoretical pts from deeds, etc, showing where I wanted to look for monuments, etc.)

It was just so quick and easy just to keep notes on the sheet, I usually did not keep a FB.

But going back to these sheets months or years later left a lot to be desired. Especially if it got rained on.

So I wrote a little prgm that would plot my field notes (setups with arrowed linetypes on the radial lines to the pts I shot (including all side shots).

This was ok, but still not the best.

I finally decided it would be best to take the time to draw the traverse, etc in the book. No observations recorded, just the sketch with major pt numbers and the trav with directional arrows, and fence ties, etc. Really gives you a better handle on what you did.

Then the bottom fell out and I did not get to do it! 🙁

Mr. Morgan& Mr. Adams

You are right, the 'field book' can take many forms; pencil & paper, digital camera & numerical photo log, video tape with audio....

The purpose is to prove that the licensed principal decided what 'evidence' should be recovered by the field crew so that the principal can then, during the post-processing procedure, decide which of the 'evidence' would qualify as 'best available' in the analysis of the evidence that was used to support the final decision.

Richard Schaut

Normally, I keep basic setup data in the book: Inst pnt, BS and FS points, measure ups, and point descriptions. Sketches go in the books, both a scematic of the control, and anything where a detail sketch may help.

I don't have an electronic level, so differential level notes look just like such notes have for over 100 yrs. When and if I find myself having to run levels, it is almost always a short run, so sticking with old convetion doesn't represent a sacrifice in productivity.

Angles or distances rarely get written in the book. I haven't experienced any data corruption due to communication between TS and DC in the 20 years or so I've used them, so don't see the need in most cases. If I have something like a bridge or building layout which may require me to bring in points from established and safe control more than once, I will have a stakeout sketch with angles and distances as a sort of stake out plan in the book.

I would rather see someone put more into a book (in addition to DC use) than what most would consider necessary than to put too little. If it works for you, Kris, then stick with it. Your notes sound like ones that would make your surveys quite easy to follow. And that's one of the main points of our work, isn't it?

Richard

You and I agree.