Occupation of Stations

[+Shorelander]

So the most I've seen surveyors with when I've run into them (never occupying a station I've been looking for, mind you; on construction sites or doing land surveying or whatnot) are tripods standing four or five feet. Well, recently I came across the most complete of the Hawaii Territorial stations that I've yet seen, KALAEPOHAKU RESET (TU1291). (This time I actually saw the disk under the iron pole!) So here's the issue:

 

 

Could a surveyor actually use this station today? They'd have to remove the top part of the iron pipe in order to access the station disk from above - that little divot you see in the center goes down to the disk, but you can't position an instrument over it. Is it feasible to get an instrument over such a mark, centering it on the disk through the pole? Or would they just go for a different mark somewhere else?

 

On the other hand, at least the mark is a bit more useful than WYLLIE 1927 (TU1263):

 

Edited October 8, 2008 by Shorelander

[68-eldo]

So the most I've seen surveyors with when I've run into them (never occupying a station I've been looking for, mind you; on construction sites or doing land surveying or whatnot) are tripods standing four or five feet. Well, recently I came across the most complete of the Hawaii Territorial stations that I've yet seen, KALAEPOHAKU RESET (TU1291). (This time I actually saw the disk under the iron pole!) So here's the issue:

 

 

Could a surveyor actually use this station today? They'd have to remove the top part of the iron pipe in order to access the station disk from above - that little divot you see in the center goes down to the disk, but you can't position an instrument over it. Is it feasible to get an instrument over such a mark, centering it on the disk through the pole? Or would they just go for a different mark somewhere else?

 

On the other hand, at least the mark is a bit more useful than WYLLIE 1927 (TU1263):

 

 

Station Gilbert. (TU0625) The signal is missing but was there as late as 2001.

 

Station Gilbert occupied.

Can they do that under the power lines?

Gilbert is the original construction. The platform on the top is there to support the tripod.

 

The platform for TU1291 has been rebuilt.

Edited October 9, 2008 by 68-eldo

[NGS Surveyor]

I sent the top photo and the question to our NGS Advisor in HI. Here is his answer:

 

The mark is in the middle of the pipe with vane on it which is removable (sometimes with a lot of effort) and then they put the fixed height pole on the mark. These were setup by the Army during the second world war and the surveyors still use them and their backsights today.

 

Georgel

NGS

[+Shorelander]

68-eldo: Wow! One of the rectangular US Engineers plates!! I'd read about them in the NGS Special Pubs and have wanted to go and see if any were left. I guess there's at least one!

 

NGS Surveyor: Thanks for getting on the horn with your HI advisor. Let him know he's got a beautiful island with some great historical marks!

[68-eldo]

So on Saturday I happen to go by Gilbert and there is a lot of construction in the area. Hope it survives.

 

Glen

 

 

Edited to correct day

Edited October 14, 2008 by 68-eldo

[+Shorelander]

Oh man! Did you ask any of the construction people about it? Er, I guess there probably weren't any construction people there on a Sunday, I guess.

[68-eldo]

Correction it was Saturday, not Sunday. I was not able to stop. But it looks like they are doing a far job of protecting it. But it looks like the concrete culvert with the chiseled square is gone. I believe all the development in the area is based on surveys from this mark. So I think the construction people will be careful of the mark. RM2 was also visible. I did not find RM1 and the area where it should be has been at least trampled to bare ground. Maybe I can get out there again and look for it.