How accurate is a GPS unit?

[muledeerarea33?]

I don't own one and haven't really played with them before, I'm trying to put up around 3000' of fence on my property line. If I marked the location on one end and the other, would it give me a straight line? I'm going about a foot in on my side of the property so is the margin of error more than a foot? I'm tryin to avoid the string line method. Thanks.

[stanley]

I'm not an expert, but I don't think the standard 'off the shelf' GPS unit would give accuracy within 1 foot. I think they are more like within 15 foot accuracy (or non-accuracy....). Maybe Google the question to see if there are options?

 

Good luck!

 

S.

 

[muledeerarea33?]

Thanks Stanley, I've googled GPS units specs and most say 10-15' like you say. I wasn't sure if that held true from one marked weigh point and walking to another. Or if it just meant "re-finding" a point. I'm not a gadget guy so I'm lost with this stuff. I don't mind the string line method or using my transit, trouble is I'm by myself with trees in the way that need cut and I don't wanna cut on property I don't own.

[520HUNT]

You need a Geo Explorer 2008 series Trimble or hire a surveyor to correctly mark the property line... Lots of lawsuits over property lines.

 

 

The Geo explorer trimble gps will get you under a inch of accuracy.

[muledeerarea33?]

Property lines marked correctly on the corners, my shortest straight line is 660ish feet I do have middle markers but with the wind, a string pulled tight at 300 feet will move I'm guessing 3 feet or more! I'd rather just walk 10' at a time and drop a post if I can do it accurately.

[Edge]

Surveyors of yesteryear used chain but a taunt wire works. If you can see the near corner, line up on it and then swing 90 degrees if the property is square.

 

Put your corner posts/ braces first then stretch a wire.

[Blade]

What are your corners marked with? What kind of fence are you putting up? Best practice usually is to put the fence one foot inside your property line.

[muledeerarea33?]

What are your corners marked with? What kind of fence are you putting up? Best practice usually is to put the fence one foot inside your property line.

barbed wire, marked with t-posts. Already a foot inside my property line on the corners.

[muledeerarea33?]

Thank you Edge for your knowledge, it's a small world when you live rural.

[Blade]

Just a friendly suggestion but I would make sure the corners were set by a surveyor and the survey was recorded before I did anything. If I had a nickel for every time a dealt with a property owner who built something based off a bad corner I would be out in the hills this morning instead of at work. Depending on how long ago the corners were set and what type of corner its is it could be marked with different things. Most likely it would be a rebar or pipe set at or just below grade. If it's really old I've seen anything from a chiseled stone to an axle rod. It may have a brass tag on it also which would be nice. If the survey was recorded you should be able to get a copy from your county office. If it wasn't recorded it never happened legally speaking.

[Edge]

Small world indeed, turns out ol muledeerarea33? lives next door to an old buddy of mine.

[muledeerarea33?]

Blade, it's a good survey, marked with brass tags, and recorded. I personally watched them do it in 2008 and I put a t post one foot in on the corners a day after the survey.

[Arrowsniper]

To stake it, surveyor will need title, and money. If you've got a nail or marker nearby, that will save you time and money.