Scale Factor
I can agree with that for scaling distances. Unfortunately I am not in a PLS state and here we and I don’t like it scale coordinates. So that changes things. I am a firm believer in scaling the distance vs coordinates. Which is how it should be. Reduce ground distance to ellipsoid or mean sea level depending on datum. Then to grid. But it can all be done at once as well. Some is muscle memory also from doing this in different parts of the world on UTM in the military and yes all by hand including all angles distances reduced. Pulling the scale factor from tables computing the elevation factor then any other factor that was needed. No software for those grid traverse period. Convert lat long to easting northings. At different spots along the route. Of course all that was meters and then elevation had to always be placed in feet mostly international foot as we were not in conus. I could probably dig up some old DMA forms we had to log everything into.
I do see your point though. I was just asking a question.
I'm with ya old man. The idea that I'm expected to enter that number in one field in TBC and CAD to make scale coordinates useful is just too much. I'm going to tell the senior mappers, surveyors and engineers that scaled coordinates must stop and soon (according to some surveyors). We need to survey (in my areas) at least a mile underground from now on for all road projects (as it's been expertly explained to me). Just because all the volumes, areas, length of bridges and ROW widths need to be constantly corrected is irrelevant. What's important is that the survey tech doesn't need to think far enough to enter that one number.
And to prove my selflessness I will continue to keep doing those jobs. I'll be sure to tell them that surveyors like you will never, never lower themselves to work like they want. I'm taking that awful blow for team State Plane.
State Plane forever!!!!
In fact, I should organize a group of like-minded to officially boycott working with them, maybe a signed doc from all of them.
I know what I'm doing is rough. They actually make me wait sometimes almost a week after I submit a bill before the money appears in my bank.
They don't even send me a check!!!!!!!
I have to look at the notification on email.
Imagine the horror.
You can thank me later.
Well it is tough. My geodetic side and the survey side are always in a battle. But the reading of old NGS publications and old Letters they published makes me feel a little better. Because they all had the same arguments LOL. The main thing is we have many ways mathematically to achieve the same goals it truly boils down to understanding and knowing when a one point scale coordinates works and does not work on a particular site for sure. I often have to use the TBC. But what I usually do is look at the scale factor the elev factor and combined factor around the site from the points list and the average ellipsoid height on nad 83 to come up with the best solution for that situation. Just grabbing a point and say well ok this is it sometimes can cause more harm than not. But those are those unusual sites where the scale in a lambert can be north south and flip and or the huge elevation changes on a given site that also can throw a wrench.
I do have to ask. The “Pryor” you mentioned above was that named for the Mr Pryor who was a member of the Buro of roads on ROW surveys etc. he published an article I have never been able to find about the method you utilize I believe and he and that method were mentioned in a old publication from NGS about that very topic. I can’t remember all the details but I remember it was in one where NGS was discussing and showing how to do all the math and even showed Mr pryor’s method and how that worked as well. I bet it was for nad27 as the formulas had to all do with sea level and such.
I don't know where that name came from or even if the spelling is correct, it's been over 40 years since I looked at those data sheets.
I assume it's from a local geographic feature and not someone's name.
I knew that name had a historical connection, Sergeant Nathaniel Pryor, you can look it up on google to get the story.
If you really want it to get interesting look up Little Mountain, east of the Pryor's.
Will do. See history is all amongst us all the time.
OleManRiver,
It does my heart good to hear someone call NGA by its original name ... DMA.
Good times.
So true. LOL. I reckon a few of us actually lasted through a few name changes. DMA NIMA and now NGA. Some of my certificates I received over the years and classes all call different of that organization names. Defense mapping school NIMA university then NGA. College lol
Oldmanriver and firestix -- New guys! My first work with them was when it still Army Map Service (AMS) in Bethesda.
