This morning, I overheard my field staff debating a topic and it got me thinking as I did not know the answer. In the Southern hemisphere, do surveyors typically reference "South" in their surveys and plans or do they use the same convention as we do north of the equator?
Very interesting question. I have surveyed south of the equator. Now we always referenced North still. Now I was doing geodetic work. Also on WGS84. So that could have been why.
Now here in the USA early 90’s. We were revamping on private sector side the base control for a few Navy Bases. Those bases were all originally done holding a south azimuth orientation. Which through a green horn just starting out for a loop. The quadrants were all messed up in my head. We basically started out by getting on the monuments found and traversing around looking for all those that were tied to the south azimuth. We didn’t have a data collector at all at this time so I had to draw lots of pictures as I was computing angles etc. to find the other points. It has always amazed me that how easy it was to get into a routine and do lat and departure then throw the south azimuth in and all of a sudden my brain went blank on what was positive and negative directions. I second guessed myself the whole time. My brain wanted to reverse everything in my head and still hold North.
With the exception of a couple of South African coordinate systems - whose numbers increase as you go south - North is up Downunder
Of course this is what the maps should look like
A historical note, all geodetic control published by U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey/National Geodetic Survey was referenced to south until the publication of the North American Datum of 1983 (summer of 1986) at which time they change the direction of the meridian to north.
You need to download all that knowledge in your head to my thumb drive lol. I went and looked this up last night as well. Keep learning everyday.
