Any Tricks For Using The Tape On Windy Days?

[Photobuff]

The title says it all. I actually don't go out hunting on windy days because of the difficulty of measuring anything.

[+ddnutzy]

I carry a long phillips head screwdriver to pin the end of the tape to the ground. You can pull the tape pretty tight that way. I also keep some bungee cords in the bag to wrap around trees, poles or posts to keep the end secure. It works like a charm.

[Bill93]

I haven't had to fight that battle too many times. The main thing I do is to measure it in smaller than usual segments.

 

If you have help, the rear taper can line in the head taper toward the goal. If you are by yourself, sight your line and mark it with stakes, or rocks, or sticks laid the right direction, so you stay on line while taping. Then measure in the direction of the rock or past the rock and pin a point that is a round number, for example a 10 or 20 ft point. Measure another modest length from there, etc. until you get to the goal The shorter segments won't be as much affected by wind as a 50 or 100 ft span. Then add up the segments and double check that it agrees with a paced distance so you didn't leave one out. For cheap marking pins, you can use popsicle sticks or plastic eating utensils.

 

If you have an assistant you can use more tension than usual to minimize the sideways movement of the tape. That is harder to do if you are using a deadman stake to hold the end of the tape.

 

I suppose one could set a lot of stakes to hold the tape from going sideways in the wind. I find it easier to just use the smaller increments.

[stvanme]

If you have problems with wind a lot you might want to look into getting a fiberglass "rope" survey chain. You can get them from survey supply stores. They are pricey though.

[+Kewaneh & Shark]

A surveyor's steel tape is heavier and a bit stiffer than a fiberglass tape. They are not blown around as easily and are not as prone to stretching as a fiberglass or cloth tape can be. However, they are also not as easy to find and much easier to damage (by kinking or breaking).

 

If measuring shorter segments (called 'breaking chain' by surveyors, particularly on sloped surfaces) is the preferred measurement method, a surveyor's set of 'chaining pins' would help. The pins are 14 inches long, pointed on one end with a loop on the other, and come in sets of eleven for about $20. Many surveyor's supply stores carry them including Forestry-Suppliers and Hayes Instrument.

 

- Kewaneh

[Photobuff]

Thanks- interesting collection of techniques. Like any other hobby, there are always ways to spend money and acquire more stuff! I have to say the best idea is using plastic dinnerware. Not so much for the tape- I'll probably just content myself with avoiding windy conditions, but for marking parallel lines and such. I've seen bright orange plastic knives and forks that would be perfect, and it never occurred to me they might have other uses. My dad has a very old 100' steel tape. IMO, it's heavy, subject to rust, and a PITA to use. The craftsmanship though, is fantastic. Not sure who made it.

 

edit-

 

Ohh, just checked out those survey supply places. One could spend lots of $$ and get some really cool stuff like the Trimble units, though I doubt it would find any more benchmarks than my lowly Magellan.

Edited February 9, 2006 by Photobuff

[+Deneye]

I hear those laser distance measuring devices work great in any windstorm....

[mloser]

They do, but accuracy on non-commercial ones is limited and you typically need something to hit with the laser beam. I considered buying one but realized I would rarely have anything for it to reflect from in order to get an accurate reading.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

I have only used a tape on 3 benchmarks out of the 100's that I have recovered.

 

So I am like you,I do not use it when the wind is blowing.

But I do have a screw driver like was stated.

[Photobuff]

My major interest is benchmarks that nobody else can find, that probably don't exist, and are almost invariably buried. Once I've diagrammed the situation and established something to measure from that still exists (though it's often an imaginary center line of non-existent RR tracks), the tape is my most important tool. Second is probably the metal detector. The goal is to establish the probable location within the tiniest possible area, then do some exploratory digging. My success rate is terrible, but is balanced by the incredible high of finding something every now and then

[stvanme]

Here is a link for the surveyors rope I mentioned in an earlier post:

Surveyors Rope

We used to use them all the time in the field. Only 14.95 for a 100 footer and last a long time.

Other than a steel chain best thing to use against wind. Forestry Suppliers used to have a plastic covered steel rope but I don't see it listed anymore.