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SIYG.TXT Glossary of Surveying Words 61
Chapter G
Glossary of Surveying Words
Abney level: A hand held instrument for measuring inclination precise to about
0.2 degrees. There are several manufacturers. Cost about $75 to $150.
Acre: 10 square chains. 43560 square feet.
Aerial photo: A photograph taken straight down from a high altitude airplane so
that the photo looks like a map.
Are: Pronounced "air". 100 square meters.
Azimuth: The common method of giving compass directions, whereby a full circle
is divided into 360 degrees, starting at North and turning clockwise. I'm told
that this doesn't apply in the Southern Hemisphere.
Backsight: Instrument readings taken to the FROM station, from the TO station,
but recorded as if the sight were taken normally.
Blunder: A BIG mistake, obvious and correctable.
Brunton pocket transit: A sighting compass precise to about 0.5 degree.
Brunton makes the original; there are several imitators. Also known as Army
Artillery Compass when graduated in gradians to confound The Enemy. Cost:
about $200.
Cardinal direction: Any one of the four directions; North, East, South, or
West.
Chain: 66 feet. 4 rods.
Clinometer: Inclinometer. A device to measure inclination.
Closure Error: When surveying in a loop and making the ending station the same
as the beginning station, the calculated distance between these two stations.
Compass direction: A direction from one station to another station, measured as
azimuth.
Corner: A point on a property boundary, established to define that boundary.
Cosine: Abbr. COS. Pronounced "cosign". A mathematical function of an angle,
equal to the adjacent side divided by the hypotenuse (longest side) of a right
triangle containing that angle.
SIYG.TXT Glossary of Surveying Words 62
Declination: The angle difference between the compass direction towards
Magnetic North and that towards True North.
Degree: The three hundred sixtieth part of a full circle. 1° = 1/360 of a
turnaround.
Departure: What professional surveyors call the east distance.
Elevation: The distance above (or below) an arbitrary zero level.
Error: The difference between a measured value and reality.
Forester's Compass: Staff Compass. A surveying compass precise to about 0.2
degrees. Cost: $400.
Furlong: 10 chains. 660 feet.
Gradians: A method of giving compass directions, whereby a full circle is
divided into 400 gradians, starting at North and turning clockwise. The Army
uses this to confuse The Enemy.
Hectare: 100 ares. 10000 square meters. 2.47 acres.
Inclination: The angle in degrees between a line of sight and horizontal. Up
is +, down is -.
Inclinometer: Clinometer. An instrument to measure inclination.
Land description: The written definition of a piece of property.
Latitude: What professional surveyors call the north distance.
Legal description: A land description typed by an attorney's secretary.
Lensatic compass: Also known as the Army Marching Compass. A diabolically
engineered compass graduated in bassackwards whatchamacallits in order to
totally confuse The Enemy. Precise to about 10 degrees. Cost: about $10.
Line: A part of a property boundary between two corners.
Link: A hundredth part of a chain, 0.66 feet.
Magnetic North: The direction towards the Magnetic North Pole. This is where
the compass needle points.
Minute: The sixtieth part of a degree. 1' = 1/60° 60' = 1°
SIYG.TXT Glossary of Surveying Words 63
Pace: The distance covered in one step. Usually between 2.5 and 3.0 feet.
1000 double paces of 2.64 feet define the mile as 5280 feet.
Perch: A rod, a pole, 16.5 feet.
Percent closure error: The closure error divided by the run times 100%.
Plat: What professional surveyors call a map.
Pole: A rod, a perch, 16.5 feet.
Quadrants: An archaeic method of giving compass directions, utilized to
simplify the arithmetic B.C. [Before Calculator] Presently used to keep
landowners stupid.
Radians: A mathematical method of measuring angles, used by some calculators,
computers, and pure mathematicians. A Radian = 57.2957795131 degrees.
Ranger: A sighting compass imported by Silva Compass, precise to about 1
degree. Cost: about $41.
Rod: A perch, a pole, 16.5 feet.
Rood: 40 square rods, perches or poles. 10890 square feet, one quarter acre.
Rope: 20 feet.
Run: The distance surveyed since an arbitrary starting station.
Second: The sixtieth part of a minute. 1" = 1/60' 60" = 1'
Sine: Abbr. SIN. Pronounced "sign". A mathematical function of an angle,
equal to the opposite side divided by the hypotenuse (longest side) in a right
triangle containing that angle.
Square perch: A square rod, 16.5 * 16.5 = 272.25 square feet.
Staff Compass: Forester's Compass. A surveying compass precise to about 0.2
degrees. Cost: $400.
Station: A place where surveyor's measurements are taken.
Stringbox: A distance measuring instrument which operates by measuring a thread
pulled from it.
Tape distance: A distance from one station to another, usually measured in
feet.
SIYG.TXT Glossary of Surveying Words 64
Theodolite: A surveying instrument which can measure the angle between two
directions, as well as the angle between a direction and Magnetic North.
Precision: about 0.01 degree. Cost: $thousands.
Topo map, topographic map: A map showing the shape of the surface of the land.
In the United States, usually a 7.5 minute map at 2000 feet per inch showing
all surface features. Cost: about $3.
Transit: A surveying instrument, similar to a theodolite, which can measure the
angle between two directions, as well as the angle between a direction and
Magnetic North. Additionally, the sights can be easily turned around
(transited) to obtain a backsight. Precision: about 0.01 degree. Cost:
$thousands.
True North: The direction towards the North Pole.
°: Degree symbol if you can read full ASCII.
': Minute symbol. Also foot sumbol.
": Second symbol. Also inch symbol.
Another last chance to tell you to take precise compass readings, with a double
check and a backsight. Nearly all your error is in the compass with the poor
man's method of land surveying.
If there are any other surveying words which you think that I should define
here, then tell me them.
Dave Beiter
CAVE, Inc
1/2 Fast Road
Ritner, KY 42639
606/376-3137 (everytime)