Expert Land Surveying Articles (68)

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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.

BEING THE SURVEYOR OF AN AIRFORCE BASE DURING THE 1980ā€™s

Ā Introduction

Ā 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.

Ā 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.

Ā 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.

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

Ā A Little Bit of Background

Ā 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 WeekĀ 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!Ā  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 VideoĀ to your Local HubĀ 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 OurĀ Directory for United States Land Surveying Companies. Add Your Available Surveying Jobs to theĀ Jobs Board for Land Surveyors. Add theĀ USA Land Surveyors AppĀ to your phone and stay connected with your Local Chapter Hub. Check out the entire collection of currentĀ Member AppsĀ and add those that you like to your phone
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.Ā  I was always under the impression that the receivers got their time stamp from the GPS signals.
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.
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 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"?
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: ā€œThat wasnā€™t a hoaxā€!
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.
Land surveys are an important part of heritage and history and without them who knows what the world would look like.Ā  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'sĀ 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.
Many surveyors who graduate from survey school are dumbfounded when they first enter the field.Ā  Ā 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."Ā  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.Ā  Let's learn a bit more about Land Surveying Internships.
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 (ā€œ2021 Standardsā€). The 2021 Standards include a variety of changes which seek to further limit surveyorā€™s liability and provide better clarity. Some of the more notable changes are as follows:
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.Ā 

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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.

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<iframe src="https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=https://landsurveyorsunited.github.io/cssfiles/manuals/Surveying-Photos-Submitted-Land-Surveyors-United.pdf&embedded=true" frameborder="0" height="500px" width="100%"></iframe>

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Uploading PDF land surveying documents to Surveying Articles

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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.

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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.

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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.

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