Power line survey

Can you drive to each one?

They supply the coordinates and all you have to do is stake the position?

RADAR, post: 422812, member: 413 wrote: Can you drive to each one?

They supply the coordinates and all you have to do is stake the position?

Yes, they supply coordinates and I believe we will be able to drive to most if not all of them. Not sure when they are putting in the access roads. Another question I didn't think to ask, but will.

Important to know what type of referencing they need, normally a single stake at the center of the structure with a reference or two is required. The contractor usually stakes the actual poles for excavation. Then the guy anchors.... they normally need to be slopestaked and it can get tricky.
Back in the early days, the preliminary survey resulted in a brushed out centerline with intervisile P.O.T.s. Staking the structures was relatively easy.

Good Luck

We do a lot of this work, but I can't speak to the WV terrain. 3-4 still seems awfully low to me though. Are you assuming you need to carry control to each structure and lay it out conventionally? If so, I would argue that is not necessary.

If they are providing coordinates, I'm assuming all the preliminary work has already been done and you received a nice clean base file with project control?

What is the typical span length? Single footing or lattice structure?

They are multi-pole structures. They vary from 2-3 poles. The spans are as little as 100 feet and up to 1,000+ feet.

I've staked my share of transmission and distribution structures. Terrain and access are big factors. Also whether or not these are direct bury or structures that require drilled and poured foundations. Generally my proposal would probably contain 1 day for recon and 2 or so days to get some sort of control discovered or established. You have to find out "where the bathrooms are at and what line to get in at the cafeteria" sort of thing. 😉

Then probably 1.5 miles per day, again depending on terrain, weather, contractor requirements and contractor/ property owner friction. Around here you can lose a whole day with someone's livestock slipping through an open gate.

To put it in perspective I've had days we were only able to get 4 or 5 structures staked. And I've had days we've staked 40 or more.

I am currently working on a 25 mile long power line with structures about every 500 feet. The power company requested 4 offsets plus the pole. I thought it was over kill but that's another story. I am using a two man crew, one with the GPS and the other flagging and marking stakes We easily staked 20 the first day, but we had control already in place. I am using RTK, the area is open (grass and some areas with heavy sage), the coordinate system is UTM and I have been using OPUS to set control ahead. My GPS unit will only reach about a mile and then it becomes an issue in low areas. I am spending a few hours in the morning setting and occupying control about every mile or so, and staking about 15 structures the rest of the day. A while back, I worked on an area with a lot of guys, I still did about 10 structures per day. Staking goes fast once you get a system going and control in place. I have been able to use rapid static (20 minutes) on my control and have checked between control points with RTK as a check to the OPUS solutions.
So far, I have found one error.

Good luck

John Giles, post: 422809, member: 57 wrote: I'm currently bidding on doing a power line survey where we have to set the points for the poles and the guy wires. There are 90 poles, some double some triple, some have guy wires and others don't.

I'm looking for some insight from those that have done this before, as how long it takes per pole location.

I got the call today and they want my proposal by the 12th. It' not something I've bid on before, but seems pretty cut and dry with GPS and TS working together on the job.

I'm guessing we can do three to four per day. Does that seem high or low?

It's WV terrain and 14 miles long.

Slope staking, deflection angles and elevations at the proposed pole location - are all key ingredients. The whole process is a basic "classic" style of layout. However, button pusher crew chiefs will be utterly confused as they have to think and adjust guy wire locations on the fly, and the typicals on the plans are never flipped right/left as they should be, so pay attention; all the layout can appear backwards if they are trying to read the plans in the field....I have almost always used GPS for the layout, unless drilled piers and bolt patterns are required. Single poles or H frames, GPS only and carry on...

billvhill, post: 422846, member: 8398 wrote: My GPS unit will only reach about a mile and then it becomes an issue in low areas.

With all due respect: You need a repeater or two. If it's lump sum you'll recoup your cost fairly quickly.

JKinAK, post: 422980, member: 7219 wrote: With all due respect: You need a repeater or two. If it's lump sum you'll recoup your cost fairly quickly.

Terrain will probably be the biggest determining factors on how far you'll be able to reach with radio. Repeaters are absolutely the way to go to fill in holes, but I've had a tough time finding good locations to set up a repeater to get around a mountain or two without the benefit of a chopper. Heavy forest also can limit radio range and repeater effectiveness if you can't get it up high. If it was me I'd plan on leap frogging a pair of receivers to static in control the entire route searching out those sweet spots for maximum radio coverage. Once that control was dialed in, by moving the base up from one control point to the next I would think 10-20 locations could be staked in a day. The trick would be having all your little duckies in a row and not having to wing it.

Williwaw, post: 423012, member: 7066 wrote: The trick would be having all your little duckies in a row and not having to wing it.

Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance!

My, how alliterative. Praise Paden's Professional Persistence.

John,

I would just add be very careful on the pole coordinate values if that is what you are given. You should also have detail sheets for each structure configuration which should depict all measurements and in relation to the foundation, conductor, insulator, arms and sometimes row. Single poles may have stand off arms - make sure the actual pole coordinate is computed properly. I have seen the conductor attachment at the end of the arm computed as the pole location. Three pole PI's if any also need close attention. Sometimes the three poles do not line up with bisector angle so that guy wires do not interfere with the poles. Paden had it right - attention to details and qc - ask questions as needed to clarify.

Good Luck,
Terry

JKinAK, post: 422980, member: 7219 wrote: With all due respect: You need a repeater or two. If it's lump sum you'll recoup your cost fairly quickly.

That is definitely on my wish list.
I recently added a used rover matching my existing set to complete a large topo project, then purchased a new GPS set with that money. I haven't decided whether I am going to sell my old units or keep them. CHOICES
I have thought about adding a 35 watt radio but even that can have problems in distant low areas and lugging a large battery around is not a plus. I like the compact internal radios. If I have to lug the base to a high point, it can be done solo.