Here is a general list of methods of survey:
Rittenhouse Compass and chain.
Rittenhouse Compass and tape.
Hand Compass, (US Army issue) and pacing.
Transit with compass, and tape
Transit and Stadia
Theodolite and tape
Compass, and wagon wheel. (Count revolutions of wagon wheel, for distance)
High accuracy Theodolite, (can be degraded by sloppy use)
Theodolite and EDM
Wild T-0 ONE minute compass, with top mount EDM.
Manual Total Station
Electronic Total Station,
Electronic Total Station,
Suunto Compass, and Hip Chain.
Static GPS,
Static GPS, unknown brg system.
RTK GPS, unknown brg system.
OK, keep adding the various methods. Then, of course, there is USER care, and or lack thereof.
> OK, keep adding the various methods. Then, of course, there is USER care, and or lack thereof.
In most of the late 19th and early to late 20th century transit and tape surveying I've followed, the distinguishing characteristic is usually the quality of the taping.
There are at least four different classes of that, ranging from:
- one-man taping with leather thong and screwdriver as rear chainman, running out full 200 ft. tape length, no particular care taken for level (zero in ground, head measurement at ground or waist)
to
- slope taping between points, height differences by spirit leveling, standard tension and with temperature corrections.
The former is easily the most challenging to follow, particularly in sloping and brushy terrain, because the errors accumulate so rapidly and are usually systematic, although of a systematic nature unique to each segment of a traverse due to the differing topography.
Based on some of the 1890 - 1920 work I've run into, I'd add "compass and pacing" to the list.
Many years ago I also saw at least one EDM (I'm thinking it was a Beetle), scope mounted on a conventional transit.
> Based on some of the 1890 - 1920 work I've run into, I'd add "compass and pacing" to the list.
I've also found, lets say, less than stellar measuring ability from 1890 until after WW2 in Maryland.
I think it stems from the Panic of 1893 and the Great Depression. I remember reading that there were a lot of advertisements in farm and rural magazines at this time selling basic survey equipment and instructional books on how to survey as a way for people to add a part time job and additional income to supplement their farm economy
> > Based on some of the 1890 - 1920 work I've run into, I'd add "compass and pacing" to the list.
>
> I've also found, lets say, less than stellar measuring ability from 1890 until after WW2 in Maryland.
In Texas, I'd say the causes were the fact that office of County Surveyor was elected and there was no licensing of surveyors - that in conjunction with :
(a) the general decline in demand for rural surveying after the arrival of railroads and the subdivision of most eligible rural ranch tracts into smaller parts for farming use and
(b) the widespread use of barbed wire fencing (if a farm has a fence around it, why would anyone ever need to have another survey made if the next owner intends to just continue farming it?
> (b) the widespread use of barbed wire fencing ...
That reminds me that you might add compass and a roll of barbed wire to the list. After all, it comes in 1320' rolls "and thats how big a forty is", I've been told.