I've recently had to start doing field notes again. While it's a pain in the derriere, it's also kind of quaint and sometimes useful. One of the annoyances is that I can't find a decent fieldbook to use easily. I'm using a clipboard with a front cover but it's pretty terrible. It's somewhat waterproof but because it's A4, it's too unwieldly to put in a tool belt and I'm sure I'll lose it in the very near future.
I tried looking for an A5 size clipboard or fieldbook with a cover, preferably ones that goes over the top to handle rain on the odd occasion, but it doesn't seem to exist. I want a clipboard because the field notes will be put in a physical file while they move around the office, and that will make it easier to take sheets in and out and also help reduce the bulk, while still providing a rigid base to draw on.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Try eBay. Maybe a retired surveyor is trying to unload all his gear.
I'm a big, big fan of the rite in the rain binder and loose leaf paper. The binder functions as a hard surface to write on and you can unclip the pages to neatly add them to a project folder.
I recommend the hard cover Rite-in-the-Rain field book, and then scan the pages as necessary for storage and distribution. These books have 4 1/2" x 7" pages (close to A5), but the book opens flat so you can use 2 pages together if you have a need. Fits in a vest pocket. In fact, vest pockets are sized to fit them.
BStrand's RITR loose leaf suggestion would be my second choice. I used it for many years.
I'm a big, big fan of the rite in the rain binder and loose leaf paper. The binder functions as a hard surface to write on and you can unclip the pages to neatly add them to a project folder.
I loved the loose leaf field books. We used those old red 2 piece folders two hole punch at top to add to for each project. Because of my non ability to see up close I now use one of the larger field books as is called by the younger folks to me is I carry a jitterbug field book. LOL. It doesn’t fit in my tool pouch but I use the back vest pocket to keep it in. I don’t use them much as I am not in field that much but I keep one anyway and so when I do go out I take a lot of miscellaneous notes to give wholesome information. I still take a compass bearing to a 3 chop tree or pointer and tape a distance to it in the book. Give description of other info on found corners like dust to old tree line with old wire vs the new fence line . A small sketch of an area the condition of monument found etc. my gut feeling on age etc. if it should be refurbished. Found one in a branch and found the old hole it had all but rusted out laying on its side. Only about 8” long left in the swamp. The hole was less than a dime from two other corners per old plat like .02’ and .05’ I made a note about it so when we return we can set so more stable as it’s at end of life. Honored where we thought it was tested against the 50 and 23 year old surveys and all other found mons. It’s time to put something in that will last a bit longer. Three chop tree a few feet called out. In old surveys. That information that can truly help the LS understand what’s we see in the field.