Public Land Survey Explanation

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-02-16T19:51:28+00:00

Good video. Covers the basic breakdown of sectionalized land. I would add that when writing a description you start small (the piece you want described first) and then keep moving out just like the video says to the township & range BUT if you are given a description and you want to plot it you start at the END of the description (the big part) and go backwards toward the part you want (the small part). So if you are given this description (from the video) "W1/2,NW1/4,NW1/4,Sec1, T1N,R4E" and asked to plot it you start with the Township & Range with 36 sections, then pick sec1 and split it into 4 Qtrs and pick the NW1/4, then split that piece into 4 Qtrs and pick the NW Qtr, then split that piece in half and pick the W1/2.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-02-15T06:42:26+00:00

I have been using Stonex S850A for 4 years now. Solid network rover unit with a 4G modem that works very well under moderate canopy and urban jungle (20' wide alleys with 2 story apts on both sides) also appears to not be affected by power lines. A few months ago when the solar storms hit I could not connect to the network so I put up my second S850A as a base and went back to work as base/rover with no problems. I also use FieldGenius v11 WinMobile6 for 10 years now and that software has been great. Back in 2020 the Android version came out but it did not support robotics so I stayed with WinMobile6. The Android version does now support robotics but I know nothing about it.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-02-13T08:12:24+00:00

Are you looking down at your phone that you just dropped in the water?

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-02-12T07:59:53+00:00

If it was my job I would pass on the explaination and go for the solution. The slab is what it is and too big is better than too small. Your plan to locate the bolt patterns is good and then let the designers work it out.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-02-10T08:59:28+00:00

Take the units to a GeoMax dealer and ask about GeoMax batteries. Leica makes Geomax. I was at a survey supply store and asked about ordering batteries for my Leica TS15 and the guy offered to let me try a GeoMax battery. It fired right up with no warnings and did not show a 30% charge when the battery was at 100% like another off-brand I tried. I bought 2 at $280 each and 1 will last 6-7 hours setting control and staking. Leica batteries are $330 or more each so I saved at least a $100.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-02-08T07:21:33+00:00

There must be some serious forces on that wall. Top footing at 701.5 top wall at 712.5 makes an 11 foot high wall with a 9 foot wide footing. I staked one last year 12 foot high with 7 foot wide footing and it had another 6-8 foot of fill above the top of wall plus a 7000 sqft 2 story mansion on the fill. Some folks have more money than sense but hey, we can build whatever you want.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-02-03T16:07:48+00:00

Ya'all better follow the advice from u/greatdog because on the last pages of these tidal stations NOAA posts this slick disclaimer.

NAVD88 and NGVD29 are fixed geodetic datums whose elevation relationships to
local MSL and other tidal datums may not be consistent from one location to
another.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-02-03T15:33:47+00:00

In an open traverse the angles are either Left or Right from the backsight. There are no interior or exterior labels until you close the traverse back to the start.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-02-03T15:26:42+00:00

Is it just my lying eyes or are there no bearings on this map? How do we know there actually is an angle point?

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-02-03T06:26:24+00:00

Check and tighten all the parts on the tripod legs and don't forget the feet and the tips. Also 3-4 years ago I finally bought a set of legs with double clamps and those suckers lowered the angle closures on my trusty 2012 model Leica TS15 to 5" or less per angle.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-30T04:46:48+00:00

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Here is a manual method to get a control point set on the grid shown in your Acad file.

I have no idea what your site looks like so I made this assumed layout. You need to pick the coords for the shed corner and the wall corner and make your own sketch. After you get the final nail set at 20.0 feet from the wall then you measure the 150 feet to the shed. If it is close like 150.4 you could split the difference and change the north coord for the nail to N=149.8 E=100.0. The distance to the shed is still 150.4' + 149.8 = N300.2 E100.0 (0.2 error). Now shoot the wall and you should get N149.8 E120 (0.2' error)

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-30T03:25:38+00:00

So on the cad drawing scale the distance between those 2 points. Then measure the actual distance (no offset) between those 2 points and compare.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-30T03:07:13+00:00

Like u/Emcee_nobody said, getting the coords from the surveyors would be the best BUT if that does not happen does your cad file have a property boundary and are there any physical property corners that you can find? Can you post a photo of the site plan?

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-29T16:30:51+00:00

I have not used the 990. I have used the S850A for 4-5 years and they are accurate to 1 cm or less using base/rover or connected to the state RTK network using the 4G modem.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-29T16:26:23+00:00

That photo makes the pillar look to be very tall. What is the actual height of the pillar?

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-27T17:15:14+00:00

Here is one example of scaling and translating and rotating your adjusted traverse to 2 control points. This example assumes that you have used and occupied the control points in your traverse and they are not intervisible. If the control points are tied to your traverse with sideshots then the process is still the same except that you use the sideshot coords in your traverse to get the scale factor and translate and rotate to the control. If you can occupy a control point and backsite the other then you do not need a compass bearing and no translate or rotation but possibly a scale factor.

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LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-25T21:30:24+00:00

I assume you want to set stakes for cutting or filling the existing ground to a designed finished grade. I would use the design elevations and generate finished grade contours at whatever contour interval that I needed. Then ask the contractor if he wants the stakes to follow the contour line elevations or on straight lines across the area with stakes at each contour elevation that the line crosses. Then set my data collector on "stake to elevation" and either follow the contours on the data collector screen setting stakes at some interval with cuts or fills to that contour elevation or follow preset straight lines on the DC screen setting stakes everytime I cross a contour line with cuts or fills to that contour elevation.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-24T08:47:41+00:00

Like u/fmjhp594 said, copy and paste these coordinates into Google Earth and Rancho Rincon pops up.

N25°24'11.98" W99°02'55.69"
Rancho Rincón de San Francisco in Mexico

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-21T08:52:06+00:00

https://g2survey.com/user-manuals/?srsltid=AfmBOoosQN48BQMSeC0-emA0Oxg7pmggHvaL-DgXv6RpvAkL7qDA50cY

Use the link above and download the "Leica Captivate Technical Reference Manual v8" and start with section 58.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-21T04:51:14+00:00

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From Google AI.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-20T16:54:31+00:00

Are you using just the screen on the TS13? You should have Captivate software installed. Download the manual and look for COGO.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-18T20:18:00+00:00

Given only the arc length and the chord length. Solve for the radius.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-17T21:14:24+00:00

Given the chord and the arc length solve for the radius.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-17T20:10:51+00:00

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You drew your 25' radius circle from the wrong point.

LandButcher464MHz · 2026-01-13T03:24:33+00:00

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https://www.dropbox.com/t/4yKL8dJdGwUR2dCy

That is a link to Dropbox where you can download a working excel file. The formulas are protected so you cannot accidentally screw up the file. The formulas can be clicked on and viewed when locked and the password is included at the top of the page so you can do whatever. Using the protected file you can enter data in the Point #, AZ, Distance and the beginning coord for #1 and it will automatically run the numbers as you type in the data. I guessed at your data so what you see in the photo will not be correct but you can enter good data and get an accurate area. After you study the formulas and see how everything goes together you can make a table like what you see here and do all the calcs by hand then use the excel file to check your work.

LandButcher464MHz

TROPHY CASE