GPSr for surveying

[+golfdiva]

My brother is a land surveyor and is thinking that a gpsr would make his life easier. So he asking me questions that I can't answer!

 

He want to be able to start at 0 and measure say, 250 feet in a certain direction, and be accurate w/in 10'. I have a Garmin etrex Legend, and I think he should be able to do that with it. Sometimes however, it's not too good in heave tree cover.

 

Would a higher end gpsr get a better signal in heavy tree cover? Would it be more accurate? Any other suggestions?

 

Thanks!

[NordicMan]

Sounds like your brother needs a commercial grade GPSr not a consumer grade one. Check www.trimble.com for some rather pricey but accurate GPS receivers

[+steve p]

I would hope that a professional land surveyor wouldn't really be satisfied with being off by 10' over 250'.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

Sounds like your brother needs a commercial grade GPSr not a consumer grade one. Check www.trimble.com for some rather pricey but accurate GPS receivers

 

What he said.

[+PDOP's]

I can see where a consumer grade unit might be useful for finding benchmarks if a surveyor is using an optical instrument (transit). It would be interesting to hear more from the OP.

 

The best accuracy you can expect from a consumer grade GPS receivers is +/- 3 metres (10 ft) under ideal conditions. Under a restricted of the sky (satellites) accuracy can be much worse.

 

edit for spelling

Edited August 4, 2010 by PDOP's

[+TheRedArmy]

Sounds like your brother needs a commercial grade GPSr not a consumer grade one. Check www.trimble.com for some rather pricey but accurate GPS receivers

 

What he said.

 

+1. i wouldn't want someone with an eTrex or any Garmin you can buy at a retail store surveying my land.

[+golfdiva]

+1. i wouldn't want someone with an eTrex or any Garmin you can buy at a retail store surveying my land.

 

He's using it to find the corners of a lot, the markers are already there!

 

Thanks for all your replies, I will pass on the info!

[+dakboy]

There are still surveyors who don't use GPS?

 

Are you saying that the markers are already there, but he needs coords? Whoever did the survey which put the markers there will most likely have more accurate coords than he'll get with a consumer-grade handheld.

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

My brother is a land surveyor and is thinking that a gpsr would make his life easier. So he asking me questions that I can't answer!

 

He want to be able to start at 0 and measure say, 250 feet in a certain direction, and be accurate w/in 10'. I have a Garmin etrex Legend, and I think he should be able to do that with it. Sometimes however, it's not too good in heave tree cover.

 

Would a higher end gpsr get a better signal in heavy tree cover? Would it be more accurate? Any other suggestions?

 

Thanks!

 

If he is only going to use it to help locate corner markers, then any of the current grade of GPSrs can be used. We have used the Magellan Meridan Platinum and the DeLorme PN40 with good success in locating benchmarks. Both will do what he wants.

 

We have used "Adjusted" benchmarks to check the accuracy of our units and both will consistently read under the 10 foot mark and usually be in the 5-7 foot range. So using a GPSr combined with a metal detector, he should be able to find the corner markers which are usually just an iron rod driven into the ground.

 

John