I am surveying for a client whose land was previously surveyed in 1974. The map of the survey shows corner marks and I have found a great number of them. The positions of the corners markers are very precise given that they were set in the year 1974 according to the map.
I am wondering how the surveyor made the measurements to set the marks. Was there electronic distance measurement (EDM) devices in 1974? I read about the yoke mounted EDM that was an affordable distance measuring device, but, I don't know when that came into general use.
The surveyor of this map was not one to invest in leading edge technology. He was just a regular guy. So I doubt that he would have purchased an EDM if it were very expensive. My feeling is the survey was done with a transit or theodolite and a steel tape.
Any ideas on what would have been the time of the first instance of EDM use for surveyors in practice?
Historic boundaries and conservation efforts.
Where? How large is the parcel?
My first Surveying course used a 1970 edition of Breed and Hosmer. Chapter 28 covers electronic surveying. The Geodimeter Model 1 using a light beam was introduced in 1950, the Model 6 in 1965 was transistorized and the Model 8 with a laser before 1970. The optical theodolites then in use are as accurate as todays.
Paul in PA
I began in 1978 and the company had an electronic measuring device about a year earlier. I seem to remember we were one of the few firms to have one, so 1974 might be a little early for a mom and pop firm.
Probably the old steel tape "chain" would be the tool of choice. I follow work we did in that time frame and constantly see 0.4' to 0.2' difference per 1,000.
The HP 3800 was available at that time. I don't remember the price. It seemed like a lot at the time. I used the HP 3800 on the Tenn-Tom Waterway in 74. By 75 the 3805 was out. For a 5,000 foot shot along the river bottom, it was the bomb.
The company I worked for in 70 had a model 6 Geodimeter but it was only used for special ties. By 74 we were going great guns with a couple T-2s with top mount Distomats, DI-10s I believe. They would measure a mile to three triples that weighed a ton. Very expensive but very productive.
Perhaps the surveyor subcontracted the field work to someone who possessed the most modern tools in this case.
I was using a top mount Micro Ranger and an HP3800 when the MR went down (as it often did) in 1974. We still did most of our work with a chain (tape) though.
Andy
I "cut my teeth" on these wonders of technology in 1971
HP 3800
Wild T-2
😎
I used th AGA Geodimeter Model 76. http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_748813
back in 1974. Visible beam, LEDs, decent range, fiddly controls (set and return). So futuristic at the time.
I used a T-2 with a top mounted Red Mini in 1984. Total stations were becoming more available, but not yet widespread. First total station I used was a Lietz SET-10. Measured in slope distances and you had to record the vertical angle to get the horizontal distance. The State was using some EDM's earlier, but I don't know of any private surveyor using them in the 1970's around here.
Used the HP3800 in 1974 and upgraded to the HP3810A in 1976. Those distances could very well have measured electronically.
Back then, the crew at our company would do the traverse with the AGA (as shown above), or HP3800, and a T-2, putting the traverse points close enough to the approximate corner set spot. We would return after the calcs and set the iron rod with a T16 and steel tape. I have had occasions where we tied those corners for other jobs using modern surveying equipment and they are usually 0.5'+/-. I think it had more to do with the standard of care of the party chief, not so much the equipment, as is said, "It's the poor craftsman that blames his tools".
Believe it or not, some people did learn to use antiquated equipment to measure very accurately.
I was on the crew that retraced several hundred acres of land that Steven F. Austin had surveyed in Wood County. All we found were the witness trees and Everything worked out less than a foot different than called information.
😎
There was a surveyor in these parts (East Texas) that used a chain in the 1930's-1970's with more precision than many surveyors with EDMI in the 1990's. I'm talking about a tenth in a couple of thousand feet and hundredths in a few hundred feet. It's pretty amazing. His surveys were typically annotated to the thousandth of a foot or the hundredth of a foot. He also set serious monuments. Retracing his surveys is always a joy, even if his boundary decisions may or may not have been perfect, you could follow his footsteps. (I'm guessing he must have been a joy to work for...)
not my real name, post: 385050, member: 8199 wrote: I am surveying for a client whose land was previously surveyed in 1974. The map of the survey shows corner marks and I have found a great number of them. The positions of the corners markers are very precise given that they were set in the year 1974 according to the map.
I am wondering how the surveyor made the measurements to set the marks. Was there electronic distance measurement (EDM) devices in 1974? I read about the yoke mounted EDM that was an affordable distance measuring device, but, I don't know when that came into general use.
The surveyor of this map was not one to invest in leading edge technology. He was just a regular guy. So I doubt that he would have purchased an EDM if it were very expensive. My feeling is the survey was done with a transit or theodolite and a steel tape.
Any ideas on what would have been the time of the first instance of EDM use for surveyors in practice?
where are you?
as you can see from the other comments Location matters.
In 1971-73 Northern California most everybody had the brand new HP3800... by 75 there were several others becoming common.
that said, the HP3800 was Big and Heavy, and we had only one to share between the 2 or 3 crews. schlepping it around far from the vehicle was not common unless it was a long long shot or mountain top to mountain top.
Peter Ehlert, post: 385091, member: 60 wrote: where are you?
as you can see from the other comments Location matters.
In 1971-73 Northern California most everybody had the brand new HP3800... by 75 there were several others becoming common.
that said, the HP3800 was Big and Heavy, and we had only one to share between the 2 or 3 crews. schlepping it around far from the vehicle was not common unless it was a long long shot or mountain top to mountain top.
Dear Peter,
Can't you tell where I am from the picture that I use as my avatar? 🙂
Well, I can tell you that I am from New England. That's probably nowhere
near any one else. Most everyone here seems to be out west.
I thought the replies given on my question were very good. Thank you everyone
for the effort.
Historic boundaries and conservation efforts.
There are several New England surveyors chipping in regularly here. None have noticed this thread yet as it is still early on Monday morning. Many skip out for the weekend.
I started surveying in 1973. I worked for a large Florida firm with 28 crews at the time. We had one HP Distomat (Dial a distance)that was shared. Most of our surveys (including running out sections) were done with a 200 ft steel tape and a transit.
not my real name, post: 385050, member: 8199 wrote: I am wondering how the surveyor made the measurements to set the marks. Was there electronic distance measurement (EDM) devices in 1974?
We used the equipment I posted above(10 sets) to survey the 115,000 ac. of what is now known as Palm Coast, Fl. If we didn't have a closure of 1:100,000 per "leg" of traverse, that leg of a huge network system was re-run until it did.
We reduced notes on an electronic marvel at the time known as a HP9810. You could program it and save your program on magnetic strips about 3" x 7" that went into a slot in the upper right hand portion of the machine.
A few years later a significant breakthrough occurred with the invention of the Wang 2200 system running Houlgin (sp?) software called CEADS.
Cripes am I old! 😎