Educational Land Surveying Articles - Surveying Articles - Land Surveyors United

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Reasons Why the Public Should Not Attempt to Survey Their Own Land

This post isn't really for our members as much as it is for the public- those looking to "Survey my own land." This post can be shared outside of the surveying community as a plea to understand that it is never a good idea to attempt to survey one's own land. If you are a member, add your comments below and share this so that we might be able to collectively educate those outside of our circle.

Land Mentor Software License Registration is Now FREE! Thanks Neighborhood Innovations!

Get to know Land Mentor Software and their incredible history of building software.. Also, Land Surveyors United Members can now register for their free license for Land Mentor Software...

BEING THE SURVEYOR OF AN AIRFORCE BASE DURING THE 1980’s

BEING THE SURVEYOR OF AN AIRFORCE BASE DURING THE 1980’s

Introduction

The South African Defence Force, now the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), was involved in a Bosoorlog or Grens oorlog (Bush war or Border war)¹ from 1966 till 1989.

In order to protect the most northern borders of South Africa, a number of smaller, shorter perhaps, airstrips or airfields, sometimes referred to as tactical airfields, were constructed or in some cases upgraded.

Examples of the above are Ellisras, Punda Maria (in the Kruger National Park) and then a full scale air force base with a 4000 m runway at Louis Trichardt.

The construction at Louis Trichardt was given the project name Braambos.

A Little Bit of Background

I joined the South African Airforce during June 1972. My initial mustering was Construction Machine Operator and I was deployed at 402 Airfield Maintenance Unit (402AMU) with head quarters at air force base Ysterplaat in Cape Town. I completed the training course on 11 February 197

National Surveyors Week, Surveying Jobs and Resources - oh my!

National Surveyors Week is a time to not only celebrate the Land Surveying Profession, it is a time to gain exposure for your company and strengthen the surveying community! In our community, we feel it is also perhaps the best time of year to educate the public regarding the importance of land surveyors to society and civilization. Please Add One Surveying Photo or Video to your Local Hub inside Land Surveyors United! Here are a few quick things you can do today to support the community and promote your surveying legacy: List Your US Land Surveying Company inside Our Directory for United States Land Surveying Companies. Add Your Available Surveying Jobs to the Jobs Board for Land Surveyors. Add the USA Land Surveyors App to your phone and stay connected with your Local Chapter Hub. Check out the entire collection of current Member Apps and add those that you like to your phone

The Best Land Surveyor Resources You Might Not Be Using

Tools, resources and pathways to Land Surveying Jobs, Surveying Company Directory, Surveyor Marketplace and more. Here are 20+ tools that you may not yet be using, but should in 2022.

CURIOUS STATIC DATASETS

I have been using VRS for project location for some years. I need to set up a control network for the Highway Department using a static network. I dug out the old Ashstech Extremes to set up the network. When I downloaded the files, both the almanac and datasets were dated 02.107 instead of 21.333. I was always under the impression that the receivers got their time stamp from the GPS signals.

Why is Land Surveying Beneficial?

Land surveyors use special instruments and techniques to measure the boundaries of a piece of land. They use this information to create a detailed map of the property, which is used to plan out developments or create legal documents. It is also used to make sure the boundaries of a property are clearly identified.

How BIM can affect Quantity Surveyors?

BIM automates core processes for quantity surveyors in the preconstruction stage by reinforcing the 3D BIM model with material and component cost estimates, model-based BOMs, and scheduling.

THE GREAT DIAMOND HOAX OF 1872 - UPENDED - Part III

We are sorry to skewer the sacred surveyor, Clarence King, (maybe we should call it the King shish kabob) but his Great Diamond Hoax of 1872 was not a hoax. Modern science has determined that John Slack's and Phillip Arnold's Diamond Peak and Diamond Flat are in diamondiferous areas, along with other nearby areas in Colorado and Wyoming. Clarence King was the hoax, and the only surveyor in history to start his own bank. How did he get that money?

The Great Diamond Hoax of 1872 - Upended - Part II

The misuse of men of science, by industrial and political leaders, has a long and sordid history. Such misuse happened in the diamond fields of Brazil, South Africa and Colorado/Wyoming. A South African whopper told in 1868 by one Geologist J.R. Gregory led to the labeling of such blatant whoppers as "telling a Gregory". Can there be the telling of "a Clarence King" or perhaps a "Fuchi"?

The Great Diamond Hoax of 1872 - Upended - Part 1

At the 2020 Tucson Gem Show we approached Clint and Louisa Cross and asked them what they knew about the Great Diamond Hoax of 1872, that hoax uncovered by USGS surveyor #1, Clarence King. Clint Cross is from the Missisquoi band of the Abenaki Nation and the owner of North Star Turquoise out of Cripple Creek Colorado. Since that hoax happened at the Colorado/Wyoming boarder and as their's was the only Colorado or Wyoming booth that we found among the 4000+ Tucson booths, they seemed to be just the ones to ask. However, Clint's immediate and unflinching response drove us to our knees: “That wasn’t a hoax”!

Where to Find Available Land Surveyor Jobs

We have a brand new way to both Find available Land Surveying Jobs anywhere in the world as well as post open positions that you are aware of. We are calling this action packed new Jobs Resource for Land Surveyors, the Surveyor Jobs Megaboard. Here is how it works:

What’s the Difference Between an ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey and a Boundary Survey?

ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey vs Boundary Survey: What is the difference?

Collection of Surveying Articles to Learn Something New

The articles within are geared to help new surveyors get a better understanding of what is expected of them and as such, will not be totally applicable to all areas of the world. We need to know if what is presented applies in your location. If not, please tell us the differences. Each of these articles were written from the point of view of Land Surveyors primarily in the United States. With that said, there will certainly be differences and other variables with the information in different areas of the world. We invite you to comment on any of the articles and encourage adding your suggestions for how the content relates to your local surveying environment.

Guide for Using Hand Signals in Land Surveying

Hand Signals Used in Land Surveying There are times on a jobsite when crew members may be too far away from one another to hear each other. In these situations, Land Surveyors and Construction workers use hand signals to communicate over distance and noise. Check out this Guide to using hand signals on the job as a land surveyor.

How to Read a Land Survey

Land surveys are an important part of heritage and history and without them who knows what the world would look like. In fact, if it weren't for land surveys, we would not have maps. And although you should always consult a professional land surveyor regarding measurements on your property, let's look at how to read a land survey. Also check out the curated collection of Land Surveying Articles to get you started Becoming a Land Surveyor.

How to Become a Professional Land Surveyor

Becoming a professional land surveyor takes time, patience and research. In this article, let's research what it takes to become a land surveyor. We will also learn about surveying education and various licensure requirements, surveyor job duties, and job outlook to find out if Land Surveying is the career for you.

Land Surveyor Internships

Many surveyors who graduate from survey school are dumbfounded when they first enter the field. It can quickly occur to them that everything they learned about surveying - surveying history, theory and best practices - only partially prepared them for becoming a Land Surveyor. For this reason, Land Surveying Internships are a terrific opportunity for preparing new land surveyors for when "the rubber meets the road." Internships are a fantastic way of getting real industry experience no matter what career path you are choosing to go down. Not only do land survey internships better prepare a surveyor for the field, they also provide insight into how the dynamics of collaboration with a surveying crew actually works. Let's learn a bit more about Land Surveying Internships.

New ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey Standards to Take Effect in February 2021

Effective February 23, 2021, the 2016 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys are being replaced with the new 2021 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys (“2021 Standards”). The 2021 Standards include a variety of changes which seek to further limit surveyor’s liability and provide better clarity. Some of the more notable changes are as follows:

Qualifications for Land Surveyors

It is not easy to become a licensed land surveyor, and before being allowed to work independently as a licensed land surveyor you must first sit several examinations. To gain your land surveying qualifications you must sit both state and national examinations - the requirements vary depending on the state you live in. Land surveying is a very rewarding and exciting career path - with no two days exactly the same. Land surveyors get the best of both worlds sharing their working day between the outdoors and the office. In this article and guide we shall look at land surveying qualifications and how you can get them.

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Do you have an article about Land Surveying that you would like to share?

Land Surveying is a timeless art and science and it is therefore, evergreen! You may also know that a lot of older publications have gone away, unfortunately. If you have written or published land surveying articles in the past, we would be honored for you to share them here with us. If it is an older article, you can even republish it here with updates and reflections.

class="block"Tip: If you published an article in the past on one of the older sites which no longer exist, you can use the Wayback Machine to find it. Then just copy/paste the old article inside a new post here. Just be sure to tell us where it was previously posted.

Want to embed a PDF Document?

If you have a PDF document or article related to land surveying that you would like to embed inside an article post, simply copy/paste the following code block into the HTML view of the post editor and replace the BOLD part of the code with the URL of the PDF you'd like to embed.

Code to use:

TIP: You can also upload your PDF using the file upload button and then copy/paste the URL of the document you uploaded with the BOLD part of the code above to get a flippable PDF like so:

Differences between Forums, Blogs and Article posts

Forum Posts are great for asking questions which have a definate answer. Forum posts are best for a quick exchange of information between Land Surveyors United members. Please note that All Community Hubs have their own dedicated Forums so if your post is related to a specific hub, it is best to ask your question or share your tip inside the hub in which it belongs for targeted answers. For example, if your question relates to Leica equipment, ask your question inside the Leica Hub forum for best results as all members inside that hub uses the equipment in question. Likewise if your question pertains to a Location, you should consider making your post inside the appropriate hub.

Add Discussion

Blog Postsdiffer from Forum posts because you can embed and upload different kinds of information. Blog posts are best for presenting information and updates for feedback and sharing. When posting a Blog Post, you can also publish a short excerpt at the bottom which is what most members will see before reading the blog post. Blog posts are also great for posting new surveying projects and digests of links to multiple surveying topics or your own website. Things that can be embedded into Blog Posts are videos, images, slideshows, powerpoints, spreadsheets, PDFs, documents and more.

Add Blog Post

Articles are similar to Blog Posts in all ways except one. Articles allow for you to post an Author Block at the bottom with links to your contact info, website information, credentials, etc. Similar to Blog Posts, things that can be embedded into Blog Posts are videos, images, slideshows, powerpoints, spreadsheets, PDFs, documents and more. Similar to both types above, Hub Owners can add article sections and features to any hub they control on the community.

Add Article

Note: this page is for Futurist members who support the community and help us sustain financially.Please subscribe to unlock this page an almost 100 surveyor tools.

Note: this page is for Futurist members who support the community and help us sustain financially.Please subscribe to unlock this page an almost 100 surveyor tools.

Note: this page is for Futurist members who support the community and help us sustain financially.Please subscribe to unlock this page an almost 100 surveyor tools.

Note: this page is for Futurist members who support the community and help us sustain financially.Please subscribe to unlock this page an almost 100 surveyor tools.

Note: this page is for Futurist members who support the community and help us sustain financially.Please subscribe to unlock this page an almost 100 surveyor tools.