Surveying sites or books?

[mikewalker188]

Hello,

I have been caving since the late 80's, but we are just now thinking about surveying some of our caves. Can anyone recommend a good place to start to learn about the proper procedures for surveying? Are there any good books or internet site on the subject?

Mike in OK

[GypsumWolf]

Check this site out: http://cavingintro.net/surveymap.html

[batrotter]

The NSS published a fine book titled "On Station". I have a copy and it's excellent. The price is less than $20 depending on your NSS membership.

[Carl Amundson]

I have "A Guide to Cave Mapping" and have found it to be very informative.

Depending on where you live, you could hook with a group like the "gangsta mappers". They will take cavers with no survey experience on survey trips and show you the ropes (so to speak). I learned a lot about surveying from those folks.

[Spike]

I would also recommend getting a copy of Missouri Speleology Volume 31. "The Art of Cave Mapping" It is only $12 and you can order it online at http://www.mospeleo.org

Also available online is Volume 21. "An Introduction to Cave Mapping" for $6.50

Spike

[Scott McCrea]

If you really want to get the best bang for your buck, take Pat Kambesis' cave sketching class at Mammoth. It's associated with Western KY Univ. Anyone have more details on this class, I'm packing to head out and don't have time to look.

Another great way to learn is to go on survey trips with people that are doing it already. Do all the jobs and see how it works. On the job training.

[Martin Sluka]

One note - there is one method not very common used, but very efficient in the moment you need to have immediately information where are you in cave system or when you'll need redraw your maps in the far future. This is "sketching in the scale" directly in a cave. It means you draw the map in a scale with correct azimuth of surveying shots and reduction of length according to clino reading. It looks horrible but with help of "therion protractor" it is very easy and you will receive very good maps (not only sketches) directly in the cave. Check <a href="http://therion.speleo.sk/protractor/index.php"> therion protractor page <a>.

Martin

[Spike]

We sketch to scale almost exclusivly here in Missouri. Luckilly most passages are horizontal with the difference between the recorded lenght and reduced lenght within the error of drawing the line with the pencil. If we have a high angle shot we commonly have a sunnto clino with the cosines printed on the back. We do the math and draw the line. We often sketch at 1:240 so we need several pieces of paper, but you can hold them together to see what you've mapped at the end of the day.

[Martin Sluka]

We sketch to scale almost exclusivly here in Missouri. ... so we need several pieces of paper, but you can hold them together to see what you've mapped at the end of the day.

Exactly!

Anyway - check therion protractor - it is not difficult to change the scale of it to 1:240 and it is simply the fastest method to sketch maps in scale underground.

[CaverScott]

The NSS published a fine book titled "On Station". I have a copy and it's excellent. The price is less than $20 depending on your NSS membership.

On Station
by George R. Dasher

A comprehensive handbook for surveying and mapping caves. This book is divided into three sections: (1) Collecting Data, (2), managing data, and (3) drafting the map. HB, 242 pages, 8 1/2 x 11" format.

Price ranges from $14 to $17
http://www.caves.org/service/bookstore/ ... tions.html

Scroll to the bottom of the above web page