Phase One of ALL of our jobs is running the traverse, sight line spur points and establishing GPS coordinates on base control points. The traverse is run up and adjusted with least squares based on the State Plane coordinates back in the office only because we are control freaks.(if a LPS is on site, the adjustments can be done in the field in the notebook.They have a full set of the software.)
With the new system the real advantage is that the GPS unit is built into the notebook computer. Also built in is wireless internet, bluetooth and a Cingular cell phone. Once the traverse is complete and the GPS reading completed, they can email me the data directly from the field. We then can process that data and send it right back to their data collector. Now they pick up with adjusted data and begin the topo or whatever.
The goal is for EVERYTHING to be done in the field that can be done in the field. They are looking at the site so they do not have to guess how the lines connect. The points are entered and the lines drawn as they take the shot. Symbol blocks are added by the descriptor keys. Back at the ranch, i will receive a complete drawing of the plannimetric features and a coordinate TXT file. I'll take that, add my notes and labels, build the surface, add contours, spot shots and a border sheet and send it on to the client.