Using a Trailer for Surveying

While probably not the answer you are looking for, I have on multiple occasions, where the terrain is suited for such, attached the trailer the ATV came in on to the back of the ATV and then used it to lug equipment. Very handy.

Lots of pros to using a trailer full time with the exceptions of backing and parking. I like the idea of not cluttering the tow vehicle thereby allowing it to be used for other purposes etc.

Jim

It might work....if you can get a standard length determined for your trailer. As in, "How many trailer lengths in a mile?"

I've been toying around with that idea also. Looked at some models however they don't appear to be the right size, shape and weight. Access is key to getting the gear out and securing it when done. Wouldn't put the instruments in it - just the shovels, tripods etc.

Building it to our specs would be kinda fun.

One of the guys that retired a few years back was using our Polaris 6 Wheeler to get to some panel points while we were doing the GPS for control for a BIG mapping project. He drove down a field road about a mile then unloaded the ATV and rode about 1/2 mile. After we finished for the day, he loaded back up and headed for the hotel. He got to within 200 feet of the road and the low clearance of the axel on the trailer got him stuck. Before he knew it, he had a 3/4 ton suburban buried up to the axels. I was back at the hotel getting ready to download when my cell phone rang. It was our boss, he was out there helping us and he heard our co worker calling for help on the radio. He was headed to a meeting so he called my to perform the rescue. I was driving a Chevy 3500 dual wheel crew cab with a 12,000# Warn Winch. My co worker was driving a 2500 Suburban with an 8,000# Warn Upright Winch. We extended both winch cables as far as we could and hooked the hooks together. I was parked sideways and when he started winching it pulled my truck sideways. We stopped and I turned to face his truck and it held. We had to stop winching 3 times to let the battery recharge. My 12,000# Winch wouldn't budge him. The which on the suburban would pull it, under protest.

Other than that problem, a trailer could be a good answer. You could even set it up as a mobile office complete with generator and climate control. If I ever did another large Static GPS Control project, I think it might be handy, one place on the parking lot to meet and download, recharge batteries, and secure equipment for the night. A really good trailer will outlast several trucks, if you don't tear it up on rough terrain.

I hate pulling trailers. It wastes time and I am not very good a backing one up. I have used one to pull UTVs and snow machines, but it seems like a hassle for everyday equipment.

BushAxe, post: 415478, member: 11897 wrote: I have been thinking of using a work trailer for surveying for a while now. I just don't know anyone that actually does. I am hoping to get some feedback here from anyone that has gone this route. I can see some advantages and disadvantages. But would greatly appreciate input from anyone that has experience working out of one of these versus a truck alone.

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My experience has been very good, the trailer is used primarily as base station security/power and as a garage for the ATV. Unhooked on or near the project site and never goes into the bush on goat paths. I do have the ability to load the ATV into the back of the truck and that is often what happens, BUT the bed of my truck only has a few items and those can be stored in the trailer temporarily if likely not needed on the particular job I am on. I prefer hauling the ATV long distances in the trailer as it keeps it out of the weather and out of sight plus the trailer has some weight that way which adds stability in cross winds. Not unusual for me to operate a few hundred+ miles from the office, so the trailer also is nice for taking extra supplies.

Per your request on the other thread, a few more photos. The Leica 500 has been replaced by a Leica 1200, also with a wall mount and the Pacific Crest PDL has been replaced by an Intuicom Bridge-X, but same basic operation.

All the wiring/solar/antenna mounts are my own design and installation. I bought the trailer new in 2005 and went to work on the mods. Not shown in these older fixtures is another 110V outlet that is feed from an under counter inverter so that I can have 110V remote.

SHG

Got two trucks Toyota Tacoma and Ford F150 SWB 4WD that hold most of the tools and pull a 5x10 trailer with an ATV that also holds tpost, posthole diggers, tpost puller, tpost driver, traffic cones, etc.
I put a boat winch on the front of the trailer to pull and serve as anchor for the ATV.

If it's room you are after, a local competitor of mine uses vans. There are still on E350s, but I can imagine the newer tall height vans being handy as hell and I'm sure they will upgrade, I know you could never talk this company into giving up vans. Only real downside is no 4x4 options.

Shelby H. Griggs PLS, post: 415526, member: 335 wrote: My experience has been very good, the trailer is used primarily as base station security/power and as a garage for the ATV. Unhooked on or near the project site and never goes into the bush on goat paths. I do have the ability to load the ATV into the back of the truck and that is often what happens, BUT the bed of my truck only has a few items and those can be stored in the trailer temporarily if likely not needed on the particular job I am on. I prefer hauling the ATV long distances in the trailer as it keeps it out of the weather and out of sight plus the trailer has some weight that way which adds stability in cross winds. Not unusual for me to operate a few hundred+ miles from the office, so the trailer also is nice for taking extra supplies.

Per your request on the other thread, a few more photos. The Leica 500 has been replaced by a Leica 1200, also with a wall mount and the Pacific Crest PDL has been replaced by an Intuicom Bridge-X, but same basic operation.

All the wiring/solar/antenna mounts are my own design and installation. I bought the trailer new in 2005 and went to work on the mods. Not shown in these older fixtures is another 110V outlet that is feed from an under counter inverter so that I can have 110V remote.

SHG

Thanks Shelby,

I didn't realize you were using solar power. How much power are you generating and using? Also, how do you know the horizontal and vertical position of your base? It would seem either could change with the trailer tilting forward, backward, or side to side. And how do you reposition it over a known control point?

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BushAxe, post: 415587, member: 11897 wrote: Thanks Shelby,

I didn't realize you were using solar power. How much power are you generating and using? Also, how do you know the horizontal and vertical position of your base? It would seem either could change with the trailer tilting forward, backward, or side to side. And how do you reposition it over a known control point?

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Usage is less than 1 Ah after I ditched the 35W UHF radio and went to 900 Mhz spread spectrum.

Solar is capable of about 10A, IIRC, those are 80w panels, so there is potentially 160W on tap. I have 110AH of batteries on the trailer

http://www.optimabatteries.nl/upl_files/File/TrollFury(1).pdf

I position the base the same as you would any other unknown base location, it doesn't need to be over a known point, of course this only works until you move the trailer 🙂 I probably set a tripod over a known point more than the trailer just being at a random location, both have a place in the toolbox.

SHG

Jon Collins, post: 415545, member: 11135 wrote: If it's room you are after, a local competitor of mine uses vans. There are still on E350s, but I can imagine the newer tall height vans being handy as hell and I'm sure they will upgrade, I know you could never talk this company into giving up vans. Only real downside is no 4x4 options.

[MEDIA=youtube]aK3spfaRJf0[/MEDIA]

Worked out of an extended Ford van similar to that, without the 4x4 of course, back in 1978-79. Great for hauling a bit of everything, although most of it was not within easy reach, but, nearly worthless once it was taken off the main road. Inadequate ground clearance sucks.

StLSurveyor, post: 415927, member: 7070 wrote: [MEDIA=youtube]aK3spfaRJf0[/MEDIA]

For an extra 10k yes.

Here is the trailer i use for my heavy civil / industrial concrete bolt jobs
mob demob $ 2400.00 two days i usually leave it on the last job site and move it
when the next job appears. so i get paid twice to move it once.
Its White inside and out now to reduce air con load

I have a small trailer that works very well. It is about the size of a small pickup bed. Easy access. I solved the backup and turn around issue by placing a hitch on the front of the vehicle. If things are tight then I can push it anywhere; or with the trailer hitched to the front, I can back up without double thinking and the trailer follows me. The advantage is I can trade vehicles without transferring equipment. I can leave all of the equipment (trailer) with the field crew and use the vehicle for other logistics (like a beer run).

Several years ago, I remember seeing an article in POB magazine about a Surveyor who took a full size van and converted it to a mobile office.

Probably wouldn't work for the types of boundary work (mostly wooded) I do, but would work for someone on a construction site...