I have been reading an eight month long discussion of the Maryland Society of Surveyors titled "Will someone explain ground coordinates to me?" started by Steve Jones. and entered into by seven others.
Now, I presume my discussion is going to upset someone, but here goes.
In the discussion I just referred to there is an alphabet soup that I will try to give you here: R.O.W.; R/W; MD NAD 83/91; DPWT; WSCC; NGVD 29; CORS 96; NSRS 2007; Current 2011; MSS; Grid vs. Ground, Grid DIstances; Grid Coordinates; MD State Grid values; Grid point; MDSHA; SHA; GPS; RTN-GPS; OPUS; UTM; COGO; GMM; RPLS; HARN; SPC; GNSS; Metadata; geoid 03; geoid 09; geod 12a; Scale factor; Ground coordinates; Ground distances, NGS; 83/91 superceded values; NAD 83/2011; US Survey feet; FEMA, NAD/83/1986; NAD 83/2011, etc.
CMON, GUYS!!! Just because some scientists have nearly perfected systems that do position fixing and made it available to us does not make us geodisists, contrary to what I see as an underlying tone in the discussion.
In my 50 years of surveying, I have always taken pride in our profession's ability to be Professional, Practical and Pragmatic. In the discussion in note what I fear is Licensed land surveyors trying to prove they understand geodesy and all BECAUSE someone who doesn't understand geodesy has made some laws and regulations that they are IMPOSING on the survey profession. Remember, you do not have to be a licensed land surveyor to practice geodesy. Your license is to practice land surveying, and more to the point, boundary surveying.
STOP IT, GUYS! Why are you agonizing over conforming with those laws and regulations...your time would be much better spent getting them changed so they make more sense. We are our own worst enemies when it comes to the laws regulating us....we don't get involved in the policy (political) process that created these laws...then we grouse about how to conform.
David C. Garcelon
Replies
Inside the work truck indeed....
tell'em David!