WA state-specific exam.
I also attended one of Leroy's classes a number of years ago. I can still remember him telling a story where a surveyor laid out a bunch of parcels along Lake Cavanaugh way-back-when, and a long time afterwards someone wanted their property resurveyed. They somehow managed to locate the original surveyor and he surveyed the parcel again but erred the second time. In his original survey, the frontage dimension was based along the line itself and NOT perpendicular to the side line(s).
Leroy Middleton was good people, for sure.
Interesting you bring up the county road 60-foot statute. Just a couple of months ago I had a private surveyor request a copy of a 1977 R/W plan where WSDOT had inherited a county road back in 1951 or so, and the plan showed a 40-foot R/W. I had a gut feeling that this plan was questionable and I told the surveyor such when I sent it, but I continued researching and found out that this particular section of road (Whatcom County Road No. 63) was indeed established before statehood and no R/W width was specified in any of the documents (save for a small portion about 15 miles south of the area in question!). I forwarded my information and my opinion on the matter to our chief PLS in the region, and he agreed with me that we "had an argument in favor" for a 60-foot R/W by statute. I think said statute goes back to the 1850's, long before statehood...
I took in a number of lectures from Leroy Middleton, and he certainly was good people.
I took the WA PLS exam, in 1992,1993, and 1994, and never passed.
I have three years till retirement, and I will not become licensed.
I should have been more persistent, and studied harder, as that is one regret that I have in my survey career.
Other than that, when I retire I will have had 46 wonderful years of surveying.
I agree with T-Ray's comment above. Also, the 2015 copy of "Waterfront Titles in The State of Washington" by George Peters. He and Steve Ivey worked together on this publication which is written for the layperson so is easy to understand.
I also have about three years before I can retire halfway comfortably, but may work longer if a good opportunity arises. I reckon if I do get my license there would be additional doors in private industry that would open, but I have so much public sector blood in me (38-plus years) that I really have no desire to pursue such. A possible exception would be part-time, "hobby surveying" work where I could apply my acquired knowledge of roadway R/W research, analysis and resolution...
Howard Surveyor, post: 443641, member: 8835 wrote: I agree with T-Ray's comment above. Also, the 2015 copy of "Waterfront Titles in The State of Washington" by George Peters. He and Steve Ivey worked together on this publication which is written for the layperson so is easy to understand.
I just downloaded a copy, thank you for the info.
thebionicman, post: 443370, member: 8136 wrote: The LSAW manual needs to be tabbed ahead of time. I added large tabs with meaningful titles. It heloed a lot. Tab your Washington casebook as well.
There are a few standbys missing from your list. BLM glossary, Blacks Law, DNR circulars, Stems Manual and a few more.
I just copied my binders for two orhers. I will add to the thread Monday when I get to work. If I forget message me.
SellmanA, post: 443372, member: 8564 wrote: [SNIP]Not familiar with Stems Manual... [/SNIP]
I think I found the "Stem" manual, NOAA NOS NGS 5 which is a publication on SPCS 83. Most important, and I've been looking for this info in a single publication for a while now.
SellmanA, post: 447704, member: 8564 wrote: I think I found the "Stem" manual, NOAA NOS NGS 5 which is a publication on SPCS 83. Most important, and I've been looking for this info in a single publication for a while now.
Glad you found it. I've used it in every open book survey exam Ive ever taken.
Best of luck, Tom
SellmanA, post: 447704, member: 8564 wrote: I think I found the "Stem" manual, NOAA NOS NGS 5 which is a publication on SPCS 83. Most important, and I've been looking for this info in a single publication for a while now.
That's it. It is the classic SPC 83 publication. One of the texts for the Map Projections class at OIT.
Mark Mayer, post: 443377, member: 424 wrote: I do remember one particular double proportioning question where state plane coordinates were given on section monuments. In order to get the right answer you had to be able to come up with the convergence angle to correctly compute the cardinal equivalents.
That same question was on the test in 1996 when I sat for it,multiple parts, all building on the previous, I think altogether this was about 20 points.
SHG
summerprophet, post: 443384, member: 8874 wrote: I sat for the test in 2014 (I actually sat beside bionicman).
Three ring or spiral bound is fine. The reasoning behind free paper is just so it doesn't spill off the desk and cause a distraction to other people.
I used the lsaw manual (of RCW's and WAC's), survey terms, blacks law, the 1973 manual, and two self made binders including case law, Alta standards, water stuff, one page of photogrammetry definitions and formula, state plane stuff and a few other things.
I found testing in Spokane to be FAR easier than Seattle, if you write in Seattle be really good with water boundaries, tideland issues and harbors, and the mathematic questions were much more involved.Best of luck,
Justin
Interesting. I sat in Spokane in 2014 as well-in the spring. I was the only one that sat for the national test in Spokane in the spring of that year. There were about a dozen that tested for the state specific. Did you guys test in the spring or fall?
Guy Townes, post: 447921, member: 11463 wrote: Interesting. I sat in Spokane in 2014 as well-in the spring. I was the only one that sat for the national test in Spokane in the spring of that year. There were about a dozen that tested for the state specific. Did you guys test in the spring or fall?
Spring 1996 for me in Seattle.
SHG
