Hobbies And Interests
Clinometer
A clinometer is designed to quickly provide angle measurements of rising and falling lines of sight, called tilt or slope. Also called inclinometers or tilt meters, they can measure vertical angles to estimate the height of cliffs, trees, mobile and directional antennas, walls and buildings. In addition, they are also used to adjust the angle of solar panels and to determine the boom angle of cranes. The closed housing of clinometers prevents the wind from tampering with its readings.
Alidades
An alidade is a topographical instrument designed to take a line of sight in order to perform a specific task. It measures the angle between a reference point and a desired object; it can be used to measure vertically, horizontally and in any chosen plane. They are used to conduct topographical surveys, supplement photogrammetric surveys --- a technique that determines geometric properties using photographic images --- and complete topographical maps. Today there are a variety of types of alidades, including open-sight alidades, generally used to aid in sketching small areas, and telescopic alidades, which are suited to surveying larger landscapes.
Topographical Range Finders
Topographical range finders are surveying devices designed to measure the distance from the user of the device to a specified object. Some range finders calculate the relevant distances using trigonometry, while others use sonar, laser or radar signals. They are commonly used in cadastral surveys --- designed to delineate property lines --- and topographical surveys, using George Marsaglia's polar method of pseudo-random number sampling, to undertake surveys of forests, rivers and quarries.
Tacheometers
Tacheometers are topographical instruments designed for rapid surveying. They determine the desired horizontal and vertical points on the surface of the Earth relative to one another. To do this they use a staff rather than the traditional pole, which marked only a single point. The staff enables the user to estimate the horizontal distance by taking the vertical angle between two points on the staff and the distance between them, or by readings taken on the staff indicated by two fixed wires. Tacheometers come in a variety of forms and are designed to undertake polar surveys, to plan road construction, and to supplement photogrammetric surveys.