Discussion: Surveying
in: Orienteering; General
Jul 22, 2009 1:04 PM
#
Anyone have any good links to a PDF or something all about how to survey etc. for orienteering?
And what are the methods for drawing contours in a mountainous region on an orienteering map?
And what are the methods for drawing contours in a mountainous region on an orienteering map?
Jul 24, 2009 12:28 AM
#
Laurence, you ask some fine fundamental questions, and I'm sorry that you haven't yet gotten a response. I don't have a quick answer either, or quick link, and there probably isn't a quick answer to your questions. However I can mention a couple leads.
You might have better luck presenting your field surveying question to this discussion group- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/O-Map/
If you can find a copy of an old fashioned :-) book, Robin Harvey wrote a book entitled "Mapmaking for Orienteers" , published by the British Orienteering Federation, which still might be the best English language publication on the subject. Some sections are outdated, but the "Survey" section is still a good description of the fundamentals which I think you are asking about.
At a slightly advanced level, but online, the Australian O Fewderation has a publication entitled something like "How to map granite terrain" which I think is excellent, and with much broader application than the title might suggest. Sorry I don't have a link for you, but I'm betting an M15 could find it faster than I could. :-)
You might have better luck presenting your field surveying question to this discussion group- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/O-Map/
If you can find a copy of an old fashioned :-) book, Robin Harvey wrote a book entitled "Mapmaking for Orienteers" , published by the British Orienteering Federation, which still might be the best English language publication on the subject. Some sections are outdated, but the "Survey" section is still a good description of the fundamentals which I think you are asking about.
At a slightly advanced level, but online, the Australian O Fewderation has a publication entitled something like "How to map granite terrain" which I think is excellent, and with much broader application than the title might suggest. Sorry I don't have a link for you, but I'm betting an M15 could find it faster than I could. :-)
Jul 24, 2009 4:53 AM
#
Some OK stuff at this site
http://www.gaorienteering.org/Education/MapGuide/i...
http://www.gaorienteering.org/Education/MapGuide/i...
Jul 24, 2009 7:34 AM
#
IOF Map Commission site has a lot of useful references:
http://lazarus.elte.hu/mc/
Including this 'how to do it' manual with a chapter on fieldwork and survey.
http://lazarus.elte.hu/mc/ik/ik-start.htm
Re contours it depends what your base map is, how 'mountainous' the area is, and what your map is going to be used for.
Starting with the last question first, if the project is a major competition map, don't choose a 'mountainous area' in the first place. An undulating, or hilly area, possibly in the mountain foothills, or on a plateau in the mountains is ok.
Get a proper base map, ie a plot from recent aerial photographs by a competent photogrammetrist with orienteering experience.
Then whoever does the survey needs to be an experienced and competent orienteering mapper who knows how to tweak contours.
If the project is for a minor event, then just go out and do it!
http://lazarus.elte.hu/mc/
Including this 'how to do it' manual with a chapter on fieldwork and survey.
http://lazarus.elte.hu/mc/ik/ik-start.htm
Re contours it depends what your base map is, how 'mountainous' the area is, and what your map is going to be used for.
Starting with the last question first, if the project is a major competition map, don't choose a 'mountainous area' in the first place. An undulating, or hilly area, possibly in the mountain foothills, or on a plateau in the mountains is ok.
Get a proper base map, ie a plot from recent aerial photographs by a competent photogrammetrist with orienteering experience.
Then whoever does the survey needs to be an experienced and competent orienteering mapper who knows how to tweak contours.
If the project is for a minor event, then just go out and do it!
Jul 24, 2009 3:11 PM
#
I dusted off my copy of Harvey's book Eric mentioned. The chapter on fieldwork really is quite good, even if the section on cartography is now out of date (mine is the 1991 4th Ed.). I see at least one US O-gear supplier lists it. It must be available in UK as well. I wonder if it has been (or is going to be) updated to include a discussion of OCAD?
Of course there are other more general 'how-to' books for orienteering, but I suggest this fieldwork chapter is useful reading for many entry to mid-level orienteers to have a look at, as it sort of gives an idea of the things a mapper is trying to do (or should be trying to do) in terms of how to represent the landscape and contours, explanation/interpretation of all the symbols, etc. Some good info, even for non-mapper orienteers.
Of course there are other more general 'how-to' books for orienteering, but I suggest this fieldwork chapter is useful reading for many entry to mid-level orienteers to have a look at, as it sort of gives an idea of the things a mapper is trying to do (or should be trying to do) in terms of how to represent the landscape and contours, explanation/interpretation of all the symbols, etc. Some good info, even for non-mapper orienteers.
This discussion thread is closed.