Man oh man, this is a tough one to keep out of. I'm kinda with Keith to a sense, but all I can say is "ROBOT". Leave the rod girl in the truck, or wherever. I've been doing this stuff for almost 40 yrs and always ran the rod. I see no reason why the smart guy is running the gun. The rod is the "smart" end of the crew, where the blizzard hits the BS and the dozer meets your maker. The smart guy knows when something doesn't look right, but Trixie may never even care or worse yet - notice. (sorry gals)
One thing about going robotic is there really is no reason to double, triple, 6piple angles. One and done. Yes or no. I'll invert it on level runs and just split the difference, which generally is within 0.02'. I'll stretch my shots to 1,000 ft or so and always balance the distances, if I don't just use GPS to bring my bench mark in (preferred method) I ain't that good, and neither is the contractor.
Water goes downhill... and that is what counts. 😉
>The rod is the "smart" end of the crew
That's for the "normal" case where the crew leader is analyzing the situation and selecting what to shoot measurements on.
I rfc's case, he is working with well-defined monuments and learning the instrument, so that's where he should be.
I think he has enough tripods to do it alone, though, so don't understand why he is using someone to hold a rod with inherently larger centering error than he can get with a tripod and tribrach.
Wife or Tripod: Which is more stable? err...no comment!
> I rfc's case, he is working with well-defined monuments and learning the instrument, so that's where he should be.
>
> I think he has enough tripods to do it alone, though, so don't understand why he is using someone to hold a rod with inherently larger centering error than he can get with a tripod and tribrach.
I always get a kick out of Wayne G's succinct advice, but in this case, you hit the nail right on the head. I use my wife as Prism Girl, more because we enjoy working in the woods together, but I have found that using the tripod definitely renders better results (better results defined narrowly in the sense that measurements will be more accurate.)
I have modified a non-optical plummet tribrach with an easy to use plumb bob attachment and this weekend will try at least two, if not all three of the methods suggested in the thread, using a prism, tripod, plumb bob and "adjustable ground point".
Thanks Bill. I think some of us old timers know the difference, and yes we all had to learn our way up. When I started there was no internet, there were no EDM's, but the T2 was pretty cool when I got the chance to use it. Stuck with the K & E and working a plumb bob in the wind and hoping the steel tape didn't get twisted, kinked, or run over by a school bus.
But time's have changed and all we can do is look back. I'm still amazed at some of the prior old timers I've followed the footsteps of. Here it's mountains & rocks, back in MI it was swamps & woods (mosquito's too). Those guys were all good, now we're still chasing 0.04' for some silly reason and just smile with a bit of a WTF. We know the difference and where the pope poops, or is that the bear.....
Wendell's website is undoubtedly one of the best resource tools for any surveyor. I learn something every time I chime in, and I think most do as well. And they should. Us geezers try and contribute, but I do tend to get cynical at times. Opps.
cheers to Wendell, Angel, staff and all the fellow beer leggers. Oh yea - Go Red Wings, now drop the dang puck will ya....;-)
Wife or Tripod: Which is more stable? err...no comment!
cheers to ya rfc and wish you the best of the best. Keep it going.
There is a guy out this way who had wifey as his rod gal for years. Very successful, and has since hired another crew, she's home and life is good. I think he does more office time now. Hang in there bud.
Follow up...Replaced Wife with Tripod
Used a combination of dmyhill and mark chain's technique.
Original mark (turning 90-00-00, FL and FR)was .03 off where it should have been.
Slid the prism/tribrach on the tripod, and re-measured, doubling FL and FR multiple times, and got it spot on.
It's probably within the capability of the instrument (which I'm currently stuck on calculating in Kent's thread ( https://surveyorconnect.com/index.php?mode=thread&id=275706), in case anyone can help there.
Hey I understood what you wrote but is there a prescribed method (or your method) for "running a line" with a total station. ie. suppose i have to run l line at N90E for 10000ft. using multiple setups over hilly terrain. What would my field procedure be and what would the field notes look like?
