Electronic distance measuring equipment

[doctormink]

Just wondering if there have been any discussions on this forum about electronic distance measuring equipment. I am talking about the equipment used to measure distance to trees in basal area plots. Who has tried it, How does it work?

[Brian Beauchamp]

If you're just measuring basal area, I'd suggest using a prism. I'd like to know how well these devices work for others too though.

[VT_Forestry]

I use a hand-held laser device that will get a distance down to 1/10th foot.  It works well and will do height too.  Saves a lot of walking  :D.  Only drawback to it is a thick understory...can't shoot that laser through leaves and brush to get to the trunk.  Other than that, it definitely makes my inventory job a lot easier, especially when collection of a lot of heights is involved. 

[doctormink]

Vt forester, that's what I'm looking for, but would like to have something that will see through the greenery a little better. I have heard some will do that. How much do they cost? Pretty expensive I guess.

[DirtForester]

If we are talking about cruising purposes, I am not sure what this saves.  For measuring limiting distance, you still need a dbh so you still have to walk to the tree anyway.

[Clark]

If we are talking about cruising purposes, I am not sure what this saves.  For measuring limiting distance, you still need a dbh so you still have to walk to the tree anyway.

Many of them measure the distance to the tree then measure the height.  So it saves some walking and your tape also. 

Beyond that, I'm worthless to this thread!  I've only ever tried out co-workers devices to see how they work, not for actual field work. 

Clark

[captain_crunch]

I borrow my SIL's hunting rangefinder ;D ;D ;D
Old cutter I worked with took his Ax abd held handle where at arms length it touched his nose. Then with Both eyes open backed away from tree his hand was at ground and end of ax at tree top then counted paces to tree. Kind of a primitive Right angle idea. Bot lots of falling down in brush when I tried it ;D ;D

[woodtroll]

How many plots you planning to do?

[doctormink]

Woodtroll, I will do at least 500 this year.

[doctormink]

Dirt forester, yes you have to walk to the tree, but sometimes bigger trees can be 75 feet away or more, it can take a while to run the tape through the brush, sometimes you can't see too well. I have heard some of those electronic devices see pretty well through brush and leaves, otherwise they would be worthless.

[VT_Forestry]

If we are talking about cruising purposes, I am not sure what this saves.  For measuring limiting distance, you still need a dbh so you still have to walk to the tree anyway.

I agree that you'll have to still walk to trees, this just whittles down the borderline trees so you're not streching tape to trees that will ultimately be called "out".  But then again, accuracy could come into play because technically the limiting distance is measured to the center of the tree but the laser only measures to the front

[Brian Beauchamp]

If we are talking about cruising purposes, I am not sure what this saves.  For measuring limiting distance, you still need a dbh so you still have to walk to the tree anyway.

I agree that you'll have to still walk to trees, this just whittles down the borderline trees so you're not streching tape to trees that will ultimately be called "out".  But then again, accuracy could come into play because technically the limiting distance is measured to the center of the tree but the laser only measures to the front

I forget the factor right offhand, but it may also be measured to the front of the tree. I had one subcontracting job with the USFS that used this factor for their limiting distances.

[Beweller]

Non-electronic.  Use a 10:1 prisim.  Position yourself so the tree is just "in".  You are now 33 diameters from the tree.  Walk up to the tree (no tape, no pacing) and measure the diameter.  Done.

[doctormink]

ccBrian: I will be working on a forest service contract this summer, It calls for measuring to the face of the tree, it takes a different chart for this. I don't know why they do this, but maybe they assume some of their contractors might use electronic distance measuring equipment. I don't like to measure to the face of the tree with a tape because it seems to make the tape pull out much easier, and just when you get almost to your distance it pulls out and you have to do it all over again.