Instruments while surveying

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Instruments while surveying

Postby Caver1402 » Oct 24, 2008 7:57 am

I'd like to get a feel of what most instrument readers do with their instruments while moving from station to station. Thus far, I've just had them linked on a string around my neck and down my coveralls, but there's got to be a better, safer way to travel with them. Is there some kind of pouch out there that would work? They'd still be around my neck then, but I think they'd be more secure tucked together in something and easier to take out. I've seen separate pouches for them, but they still can clank around and get unevenly wrapped around my neck ...
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Re: Instruments while surveying

Postby Scott McCrea » Oct 24, 2008 8:16 am

Have Dan Henry show you his Survey Bra. He calls it a "Bro", but it's a bra. Basically, it's a cut-off tank-top with two pockets on the upper chesticle area to stow the compass and clino. It works well.

I usually carry a Suunto Tandem, which doesn't fit in the Bro. I just tuck in my coveralls or shirt.

I have also seen some surveyors tie an rubber strap (actually a strip of bicycle tire tube rubber) around their helmet. They can slip instruments (or a survey book) under it and carry them on their helmet. This is nice when crawling in wet passage, or swimming.
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Re: Instruments while surveying

Postby Jeff Bartlett » Oct 24, 2008 10:33 am

Scott McCrea wrote:Have Dan Henry show you his Survey Bra. He calls it a "Bro", but it's a bra. Basically, it's a cut-off tank-top with two pockets on the upper chesticle area to stow the compass and clino. It works well.


HAHAHHAHAHA... this is the greatest thing i've ever heard

I use a Tandem as well, but the cord is just long enough that i can slide it into the "armpit" pocket of my Meander coveralls. In cold, wet caves, you want to keep the instrument close to your body so the eyepiece doesn't fog; usually in this sort of cave i'll slide it around under my wetsuit between my shoulder blades, which is miserably frigid at first but prevents fogging AND allows one to progress in wet belly crawls without crushing the poor survey instruments.
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Re: Instruments while surveying

Postby Rick Brinkman » Oct 24, 2008 10:37 am

I built covers for both instruments out of a neoprene computer mouse pad and duct tape. Leave a hole for the cord on the top end. To use them, just slide the cover up the cord and take the measurement. When you're done, slip the cover back over the instrument. It's a little on the bulky side, but protects the instrument capsule very well. I also like to put a different color on the compass to easily distinguish it from the clino.

BTW Not my idea.... Saw the covers on a trip to Wind Cave.

Close up
Image


In use
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Re: Instruments while surveying

Postby NZcaver » Oct 24, 2008 3:26 pm

I use either a Sunnto Tandem or Suunto Twin (similar to the tandem). I do what Scott and Jeff do and just tuck it in my suit/clothing, depending on what I'm wearing in warmer or colder climates.

I've seen others using the neoprene cover idea, and it's a nice way to do it. I hadn't heard of the Survey Bra before, but it's nice to learn something new every day here on the forum. :big grin: I store my instruments in the pouches they come with, but I make a little hole in the upper corner of the pouch and thread the lanyard through it. That way the pouch stays captured on the lanyard when I'm surveying. I also keep a green keyring style LED light clipped on the lanyard, which I use for lighting the instrument and for marking stations.

If I'm carrying instruments but not surveying, they're usually in my pack. If you think juggling a compass/clino is tough moving through a cave, try using one of those larger Disto LDMs as well!
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