Topics for Survey Reference Handbook
If there were an online survey reference handbook, what sort of topics would you personally like to see covered?
Aside from a quickie guide to the teqc commands that surveyors commonly will want to use, my own favorites would probably be examples of boundary determination problems actually encountered in the real world (as opposed to the darkened hotel ballrooms where so many survey problems are delivered, neatly packaged), with examples covering a wide range of periods and places.
A deceptively simple topic like a field guide to re-bar types would probably be nice as would a field guide to the marks of bearing trees of various ages and species.
I'm interested in the subject of writing modern metes and bounds descriptions and modern monumentation practices, urban, suburban, rural, and wilderness, from rain forest to beachfront to desert.
Use of historical magnetic declination data in boundary retracement work is another topic that interests me, a fairly rich topic that includes historic observations, patterns of magnetic variation, and magnetic models.
Likewise, historic instruments and methods would be interesting, as would historic field note forms used by land surveyors.
North Arrows, etc,
Naturally, we all know that the quality of any map depends upon the decorative value of the North Arrow (or North,South,East,and West Arrows), so good examples would be highly beneficial, I have no doubt. In fact, examples of the graphical presentation of different types of survey information (i.e. ways of representing it on a map) would probably be a rich series of entries.
Measurement techniques and estimation of uncertainty
I can see methods for evaluating survey measurement processes as being a worthwhile topic. As more surveyors use least squares survey adjustments, the problem of getting realistic estimates of the standard errors of target centering, instrument centering, and of distance and angle measurement using different available techniques would be useful.
North Arrows, etc,
Measurement techniques and estimation of uncertainty
Maybe items like junior corners bending senior lines?
How about Bona Fide Rights?
Just a couple.
Keith
Measurement techniques and estimation of uncertainty
Or are you thinking only of measurement techniques?
Measurement techniques and estimation of uncertainty
> Maybe items like junior corners bending senior lines?
Yes, but that would probably fall into the category of "Strange Customs".
Measurement techniques and estimation of uncertainty
> Or are you thinking only of measurement techniques?
Well, the phrase "survey measurement processes" actually refers to the processes by which survey measurements are made. I know, it's hard to imagine, but it does. :>
Bona fide rights
> How about Bona Fide Rights?
Actually, bona fide rights in the context it was used in the 1973 and earlier manuals would be a good topic, something to clear away all the smoke and restore the original meaning of the phrase.
Who is the intended audience? Aspiring and practicing surveyors? Laymen? Real estate agents?
We should be able to compile a list of useful topics by recalling the questions that were frequently asked on the defunct surveying board. On that basis, here are the first few topics that come to mind:
1. Demonstration of compliance with the ALTA accuracy standards.
2. Differences and conversions between NGVD29 and NAVD88.
3. Integrating GPS and conventional measurements.
4. Comparisons between different states' laws regarding things like right-of-entry and licensure requirements.
5. North.
- Doug
