Why does nobody talk about how much better a total station is than old survey gear?

I used to map dig sites with just a tape measure, a compass, and a notebook. It took forever and the data was always a bit off. Last year, my team got a Leica total station for a project in Mesa Verde. The change was huge. Now I can plot a hundred points in an hour with millimeter accuracy. I used to spend half my day double-checking my own numbers, but the digital file goes straight into the GIS. It feels like we went from drawing with a stick in the dirt to using a laser pen. Has anyone else made this switch and found it changed how you plan your excavation grids?

2 comments

2 Comments

drew_west6d ago

Biggest upgrade is the time you get back. Lets you think about the dirt, not the math. Grids go from a chore to just another step.

thomasm416d ago

Totally changes the game for laying out test pits. You can actually focus on the archaeology now, not just the measuring.