New Survey Crew

Sounds like the perfect crew...good luck.?ÿ But I've never seen more arguing than a crew with 3 licensed surveyors.

Back in the early eighties the firm I was with was forced to start laying off crew members due to a a lack of work.?ÿ We eventually were down to one crew with 3 surveyors.?ÿ I and another fella were licensed surveyors and the other was a licensed surveyor and a PE.?ÿ We argued more than we worked.?ÿ I was the only surveyor among us that was licensed by examination BTW.?ÿ The other two were "grandfathered"...guess who got run the rod?

We finally derived a system to "draw straws" in the morning before we left.?ÿ 'Short matchstick' was the PC for the day and the other two kept quiet.?ÿ Things went smooth after that.

PS - Love the new avatar.?ÿ Friend of yours? ;)?ÿ

A photo diary of their finds and corner perpetuations, por favor.

@gene-kooper

Maybe this winter when things slow down a bit...

This is NOT the only MS Retracement on my table right now.

????  Loyal

@gene-kooper

& a photo of "the" crew too please.

Sounds like the makings of a new blockbuster movie to me.

?ÿ

Not sure what a better crew would be 3 men all 65 plus in age, hauling equipment and digging for corners, or 1 man 65 plus telling 2 men in their 20's where to dig and look, then have the other 2 retired Surveyors looking at the data and making new look files.?ÿ

@scott-ellis

I'm the "other" over 65 guy looking at the data and generating search coordinates. Besides which, having that kind of experience in the field (guys who KNOW WHAT to look for), is much better than having rookies who can't recognize a monument that doesn't have a "ring & lid" over it. Search radii can be rather large on these projects, and having 2-3 experts probing, poking, crawling around is much better than having a kid or two texting their girlfriend.

Loyal 

Not involving at least one person still in their working life seems like a missed opportunity?ÿ to pass down some of the skills and practices so hard earned.

@party-chef

I agree 100%, but those kids are working on other projects right now (and hopefully LEARNING what they need to know).

Loyal

I love working on those crews. Usually happens on a Saturday when no one else will work. Everyone gets out of the truck and does whichever task they prefer. Almost no talk about surveying, but a lot of talk about sports, office people, the boss and what nimrod set that corner. We finish the 'all day' job about 1:00, stop to eat and drink a few beer and clock out about 4:30. Those are the days.?ÿ?ÿ

@loyal

I realized that was probably the case after I posted, funny how opportunity has a slippery and random nature. 

10,000 ft., bunch of old guys, pushing into snow season,,,,,,,,what could go wrong?

does field equipment include nitroglycerin tablets and a defibrillator? ?????ÿ

Not that I wouldn't fit in with the age requirements.

@mightymoe

Might have to leave a body or two on the mountain like Everest.

I don't take any large project if there is no access by ATV or there is a big yellow machine making a trail for one.

Had one client that would fly me to the project and have not had anyone offer to helio me in there and I am not jumping out of a perfectly good airplane or other aircraft.

Posted by: @paden-cash

But I've never seen more arguing than a crew with 3 licensed surveyors.

The loser of that argument has to be the Party Chief.

The others just loaf along enjoying the scenery, looking at rocks and bugs, competently anticipating and executing the next task before the PC has verbalized it.

Loyal, I see why you are too busy for the Surveyors Historical zSociety event.?ÿ We're on the way and will pass Evanston in a few minutes.

?ÿ

@bill93

Sorry bout that Bill (the missing the event part), I'm here at my desk working on a THIRD Mineral Survey "mini-project" (only about a dozen surveys). No rest for the wicked, and the righteous don't need any.

Loyal

BTW, I-80 is pretty FUBAR about 30 miles West of Evanston (and has been all summer).

We have two crews, 4 licensed Land Surveyors plus our boss who is an LS and his boss is an LS who reports to the chief, a PE.

The last two weeks we have 1.5 crews out, 3 LSs. It works pretty well. Last week was Jeff's topo, Nick and I just do as directed, divide and conquer, 2 S7 robots and an R10 RTK running. This week is my 5.5 mile boundary project in rough forest terrain, Jeff runs the front, I run the instrument and handle the data and nick brings up the backsight and sets line points. We traverse over three tripods. We've done 4 too which goes noticeably faster.

@dave-karoly

I run that way with two people and set 1"x1"x48" lath with a 40mmx40mm reflective material bullseye target stapled near the top as backsite, take check shot and shoot ahead to tripod and prism set over the next point.

We collect the lath and set tpost on the boundary and will mark trees if clients want. Mostly they take it all out with their big yellow machines so there will be a fire lane around their tree farm or fence around new ground.

Some days we get to follow them as we measure to the other end.

Mostly it is just me and sometimes a helper picking our way thru the best option of an opening.

On days that we can keep the ATV along, I run with tripod and prism set as backsite it is faster and more reliable