Program for plotting shape of land using legal description or "calls"

[toddbailey]

We are often asked for the gps coordinates to a specific point so that the landowner can restore the stake if it is lost or destroyed. It is hard to convince them that the Garmin handheld is not RTK and that we are not necessarily using a static reference.

Most people have no clue what goes into a survey of a piece of land they think that that fancy "handheld computer" aka data collector, an the "movie camera thingy" aka total station magically know where the lines are at! My most favorite comment from a client is why are you my neighbors property I am not paying you to survey his/her property!

 

[greasemonkeyok]

They have no clue as to what goes into a survey, or that a survey plat is the opinion of an expert as to the location of tract boundaries. It is not always a statement of "fact" as to the location of those boundaries.

 

[ducks13]

Okay, I'm convienced, my great idea isn't so great. Thanks for the info.

 

[dodge man]

I live in a town where there is a state University, WIU, and the Ag program teaches some basic surveying. The ag teacher call me and wants to know where all the state plane coordiantes are listed for all the section corners. It took me a while explaining to him that such a data base didn't exist. Very few boundaries in the United States have any kind of coordinates for the corners. As a general rule, boundaries just relate to the adjoiners and nothing else. State Plane Coordinates have been around since the 1930's, but as a rule surveyors never used them until GPS become common place in the last 10 to 15 years.

 

[AGGIE00]

I live in a town where there is a state University, WIU, and the Ag program teaches some basic surveying. The ag teacher call me and wants to know where all the state plane coordiantes are listed for all the section corners. It took me a while explaining to him that such a data base didn't exist. Very few boundaries in the United States have any kind of coordinates for the corners. As a general rule, boundaries just relate to the adjoiners and nothing else. State Plane Coordinates have been around since the 1930's, but as a rule surveyors never used them until GPS become common place in the last 10 to 15 years.

Besides where the ag teacher is misinformed, I am impressed that they are teaching an understanding of state plane coordinates. The survey course I took in college didn't get beyond a transit and chains and did very little to prepare me for a carreer in surveying and construction staking. As much as the old timers hate it, field work is an understanding of the technology we use which is gps, robotic total stations and data collectors. The important things like scale factors with gps and prism constants with total stations are what get many surveyors into trouble even though they know the principals behind surveying.

Having said all that it is pretty neat to move onto a jobsite for clearing and survey out boundary lines and avoidance zones, load it onto our tablet in the machine and get to work. It takes the guesswork out and keeps the property lines straight.

 

[houstonscott]

Web Soil Survey - Home

You are going to be blow away if you have not use this site.

HS

 

[dodge man]

Besides where the ag teacher is misinformed, I am impressed that they are teaching an understanding of state plane coordinates. The survey course I took in college didn't get beyond a transit and chains and did very little to prepare me for a carreer in surveying and construction staking. As much as the old timers hate it, field work is an understanding of the technology we use which is gps, robotic total stations and data collectors. The important things like scale factors with gps and prism constants with total stations are what get many surveyors into trouble even though they know the principals behind surveying.

Having said all that it is pretty neat to move onto a jobsite for clearing and survey out boundary lines and avoidance zones, load it onto our tablet in the machine and get to work. It takes the guesswork out and keeps the property lines straight.

I wouldn't give the ag teacher that much credit. I don't think he was teaching state plane coordinates, he was just looking for a neat demo to take his students out and find a land corner.

 

[AGGIE00]

I wouldn't give the ag teacher that much credit. I don't think he was teaching state plane coordinates, he was just looking for a neat demo to take his students out and find a land corner.

This is a good example of knowing just enough to get yourself into big trouble.

 

[toddbailey]

things like scale factors with gps and prism constants with total stations are what get many surveyors into trouble even though they know the principals behind surveying. "

Oh how true that statement is!

 

[955Lincoln]

I have a relative who is a land banker and in the past he has helped me get the shape of a piece of property by using computer software they have at the land office. He is able to plot the shape (to scale) of property using the calls found on the legal description. He is very helpful but sometimes I feel Im pestering him with repeated requests. Is there a program available to the general public that will do this? thanks

Give the free downloadable program Copan a try. It drew the lines and calculated the acreage and closure to the same accuracy as the original survey. 150 acres with about 20 calls.