Survey Field Notes

Field notes can say alot about a person. For example if your field notes are sloppy and unreadable, cad techs and whoever else views them may have a hard time following exactly what you did that day. Great written field notes are essential. A cad tech will follow those notes when they are creating plats and etc... for the client. So the easier to read the better. For example here's how I do my field notes.

As you can see a 10 year can understand these notes. In the header I put the job number, filename from the DC, client info, the county and state i'm working in, and finally what I'm doing that day. Easy enough right? After the header I always put my GNSS base and my check shot, also what I forgot to put on there were my deltas (horizontal and vertical residuals which I put next to my check shot). Then I put my point numbers with a description for each point range or shot. On the right of the page I put my crew names and there appropriate job symbols (PC=party chief and the other symbol is instrumentman). If I used a atv for the day I also put it down with the atv number. Then I write the GNSS survey equipment I'm using along with the date and the weather conditions. Make note of my drawing, you should always do a drawing of what you did for the day even if you did not have any data.I also try and put all my point numbers in the appropriate spots on my drawing. You dont have to put every single point number down, but make it to where they can understand them. Remember make your notes legible, descriptive, and always do a drawing. The more understandable your notes the less your bothered with unneeded questions about them.