What is a simple way to make a survey with a hand held GPS?

[Michael V Volpe]

Does anyone know a simple way to take way points from a hand held Garmin GPS and put them in sketchUp or AutoCad without the use of ArcGIS? Ive looked at a few software products online but was curious if I should go another direction?

Any info helpful, thanks!

[Christa]

I think the only way is through GIS. I am looking for similar information, but for a Trimble GPS. Has anyone used GPS for general survey and grading work? Some of the units claim accuracy within 10 cm if the data collection lasts long enough (45 minutes within 6 miles of a reference site). It seems like this is pretty loose for water management, but am wondering what everyone is thinks.

[Boilerplater]

I worked on a park project where we had surveyors use a Trimble GPS system to get points for trails that we laid out in the field. They then just downloaded it and sent me a CAD file that I could import into my drawing, just had to make sure I was using the same base coordinate system. I could ask them for more detail on how they did it, but I no longer work for that company and to the best of my knowledge that surveying office was dissolved. That’s another bothersome aspect of recessions. A lot of instituional knowledge is simply destroyed.

[Christa]

Thanks, Boilerplater! This makes sense for a trail layout if the location has satellite coverage. I opted for the laser level for the backyard project I am working on. It was quick and easy, and now I don’t need to do anything extra to be able to use the data. I’m just excited to use this GPS unit, I guess!

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

Trimble is GPS survey equipment and uses a data collector just like a total station. The info is downloaded and put into a drawing using a choice of a number of different softwares in conjunction with a cad program.

A handheld Garmin GPS is not going to give you a lot of accuracy (+/- 30′ most likely) which is great for navigation, but not anything close to drawing a small scale plan with. I’m not sure if that is what you are trying to do or not.

On Friday I was working on a wind turbine plan where the contractor used one to relocate the proposed center of the turbine to match how he changed it from our plan. He drafted it three feet or so souyheast of our center, but his coordinates put it 6′ east of our position. After spending an hour or so trying to figure out what was going on, we found out he used a hand held GPS thinking it was going to pinpoint his position. Needless to say, if you are moving a 100+’ tower three feet in a certain direction it is for a reason and having it built 6′ in the other direction would not be a good thing..

Actually, we had another wind turbine site last spring that was given to us by the contractor by long/lat. We got out there and tried to figure out why they wanted it in a hole instead of up on the adjacent hill. It turned out that they gave us bad coordinates. I can venture a guess where they got the coordinates from.

[Michael V Volpe]

Thanks for all the input! I was considering other options and the firm I work for has a trimble gps for projects. I have a Garmin as stated above and was curious what experiences others have had. It is a farily expensive model that tracks your elevation change and what not…though I am in the process of testing that accuracy. I wouldnt be surprised if it wasnt that great after reading these replys. Thanks again for the info!

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