Survey numbers to GPS numbers?

[+WestWind]

Hello all,

 

Quick question, is there a way to convert survery numbers (the corridantes on a plot plan or such) to normal gps coordinates? I am looking to find the corners of my property, well at least to within a small area.

 

At my old job I had ArcView 8.3 (GIS) and I would just load the CAD file from the eng. dept and i would have it set automatically to load the shapefiles into the gps unit and it was done. Well, since i changed jobs, and do not have access to a CAD file how would i do this?

 

Thanks!

westwind

[+Team Perrito Blanco]

Do you have an actual coordinate as a point on the property line?

What coordinates system is used?

There has to be some sort of starting point.

[+Airmapper]

On land deeds or plots, those numbers aren't necessarily coords. It could be a distance and bearing. If you want to see this overlay a map you'll need a reference point, like the coords for one pin.

 

Otherwise you can plot it in a CAD, using the right system of measurement you should be able enter the commands some how as LINE: DIST @ <ANGLE and trace your way around. I've never tried it using a true CAD but I know it can be done.

[+Renegade Knight]

If you have your property corners in state plane coordinates you should be able to look up the conversion on the net.

 

If you have them on some other coordinate system...as long as you know what it is, you should be able to find how to do the convirsion on the net.

 

Better still is if it's a coordinate system in your GPS. Then it would do any convirting for you. Just set the coordinate system to match what you have, then plug it in and you can find the corners. If you tell the GPS to switch to another coordinate system it will convirt for you.

 

You also need to know your datum and keep it the same.

[d.higgins]

Hello all,

 

Quick question, is there a way to convert survey numbers (the corridantes on a plot plan or such) to normal gps coordinates? I am looking to find the corners of my property, well at least to within a small area.

 

At my old job I had ArcView 8.3 (GIS) and I would just load the CAD file from the eng. dept and i would have it set automatically to load the shapefiles into the gps unit and it was done. Well, since i changed jobs, and do not have access to a CAD file how would i do this?

 

Thanks!

westwind

Check with the county mapper, you might get a shape file from them. Use GPS Tracker to convert to track file.

Or, this works in Idaho, Get a section corner coordinates from BLM web site in UTM's. Use the Eastings and Northings as xy in CAD. Then plot your survey using your distance and bearings. Your xy coordinates for the corners will be your UTM's for the property corners. (Our surveys in Idaho start at a section corner. I'm in a rural area, not sure what would work in a town.)

Doug

[Glenn W]

If your property coordinates are in state plane format (northings and eastings), you can convert them into geographic format or UTMs using a program called CORPSCON, a freeware application created by the Army Corps of Engineers.

 

CORPSCON Home

[+WestWind]

If your property coordinates are in state plane format (northings and eastings), you can convert them into geographic format or UTMs using a program called CORPSCON, a freeware application created by the Army Corps of Engineers.

 

CORPSCON Home

 

That's right! I used to use that program all the time for other conversions. I will give that a shot now, i just remember it took me a while to get it right last time i used it!

example of numbers on the plot plan are: N 56 33 55 E and S 27 21 09 E.

 

Hopefully this will work!

[d.higgins]

example of numbers on the plot plan are: N 56 33 55 E and S 27 21 09 E.

 

Hopefully this will work!

 

I believe these are your bearings, would be followed by distance. Such as, N56 degrees 33' 55" E , 000 feet.

These are bearings in quadrants. In azimuths the first (N56 33 55 E) is 56 degrees 33' 55" the second example (S 27 21 09 E) is 152 degrees 38' 51". Without seeing the deed this is my guess on what you are reading.

Of course I've been wrong before.

Doug

[+WestWind]

Doug,

 

You are correct, for the most part i believe.

 

one line is N 56 degrees 33' 55" E (118.27 feet), and the other is S 27 degrees 21' 09" E (166.28 feet). I have been playing around with corpscon but i am not getting close to converting them for some reason.

 

Out my front door my numbers on the GPS are:

 

N 41 degrees 41' 56.5"

W 70 degrees 01' 56.2"

 

As you can see I am having trouble doing the conversions.

 

example of numbers on the plot plan are: N 56 33 55 E and S 27 21 09 E.

 

Hopefully this will work!

 

I believe these are your bearings, would be followed by distance. Such as, N56 degrees 33' 55" E , 000 feet.

These are bearings in quadrants. In azimuths the first (N56 33 55 E) is 56 degrees 33' 55" the second example (S 27 21 09 E) is 152 degrees 38' 51". Without seeing the deed this is my guess on what you are reading.

Of course I've been wrong before.

Doug

[d.higgins]

Doug,

 

You are correct, for the most part i believe.

 

one line is N 56 degrees 33' 55" E (118.27 feet), and the other is S 27 degrees 21' 09" E (166.28 feet). I have been playing around with corpscon but i am not getting close to converting them for some reason.

 

Out my front door my numbers on the GPS are:

 

N 41 degrees 41' 56.5"

W 70 degrees 01' 56.2"

 

As you can see I am having trouble doing the conversions.

 

example of numbers on the plot plan are: N 56 33 55 E and S 27 21 09 E.

 

Hopefully this will work!

 

I believe these are your bearings, would be followed by distance. Such as, N56 degrees 33' 55" E , 000 feet.

These are bearings in quadrants. In azimuths the first (N56 33 55 E) is 56 degrees 33' 55" the second example (S 27 21 09 E) is 152 degrees 38' 51". Without seeing the deed this is my guess on what you are reading.

Of course I've been wrong before.

Doug

 

WestWind, the N 56º 33' 55" E (118.27 feet) and S 27º 21' 09" E (166.28 feet) are not Lat/Lon,

they are compass bearings. While they look similar they are two different things. The N56º33'55"E(118.27 feet) is the distance and bearing from the last survey point. The beginning point probably starts at a section corner. So you begin at the section corner and go (if this is the next point) N56º33'55"E (188.27 feet), then from that point you go, S27º21'09"E (166.28 feet)...etc.

Doug

[+Renegade Knight]

...

WestWind, the N 56º 33' 55" E (118.27 feet) and S 27º 21' 09" E (166.28 feet) are not Lat/Lon,

they are compass bearings. While they look similar they are two different things. The N56º33'55"E(118.27 feet) is the distance and bearing from the last survey point. The beginning point probably starts at a section corner. So you begin at the section corner and go (if this is the next point) N56º33'55"E (188.27 feet), then from that point you go, S27º21'09"E (166.28 feet)...etc.

Doug

 

If you use the BLM coords as indicated above, then tie that to the section corner as described in this post...you would be on the right track.

 

If the BLM has it for Idaho they may very well have that information for other states. Even if they don't odds are someone does.

[GeoidPS]

The bottom line is that if your survey has at least one point tied to a known system, you can do the conversion. However, some surveys are tied to an arbitray system so as to establish a plane in which to the survey points can be related to one another such as in submitting a plan for approval.

Plats are have some starting point which is used as a reference.

If the plat is part of a larger development, you need to research the development plat to find the starting bench mark and calculate the remaining coordinates. Depending on the jurisdiction, the survey may be part of a state plane coordinate system, or a USGS bench mark.

If the survey is not tied to a known system, then you need a surveyor to do so, or rent the necessary equipment, find the nearest official benchmark, and tie one point of your plat to it, then calculate the remaining coordinates.

However, usually, the coordinates will not be recognized officially without a surveyors stamp.