Stake to a point
Stake to a stored point or to coordinates you type in. From the occupied station you get the horizontal distance, the true azimuth, and the instrument setting. In 3D you also get the target elevation, the rod height, and the vertical distance the instrument should read when the rod is on grade.
Shoot the rod and ChainLink computes the ground elevation there and shows CUT or FILL, plus how far to come in or go out. Cut and fill are only shown from a real shot. Change the rod height without re-entering the point.
Stake to a line or a curve
Tap any drawn line or arc on the plot. Then shoot the rodman wherever they are and enter the reading. The corrections are given from the instrument operator's side:
- SLIDE L/R, step sideways onto the line or arc.
- MOVE IN/OUT, move along the line of sight to where it crosses.
On a curve, each correction puts the rod on the true arc, not the chord, and the perpendicular offset from the curve is shown for reference.
Stationing and grades
- Station and offset of any point along a baseline or polyline, and a point at a given station and offset.
- Cut and fill against a flat design elevation, or against a tilted plane through three design points, with the plane's maximum grade reported.
Finding the point before you stake it
The phone's GPS can walk you to any point with live distance and direction, which helps when you're hunting for a corner in the brush. It's navigation-grade, not survey-grade, so the gun still does the staking. You can also store a point where you stand, and it's tagged as GPS-grade so it's never confused with an instrument shot.
Questions
Can I do stakeout without a data collector?
Yes. ChainLink runs on your phone and works with any total station. You key in the reading to the rod and it gives you the corrections.
Does it give cut and fill?
Yes, in 3D mode. Stake to a point with a design elevation, or check ground shots against a flat elevation or a three-point design plane.
Is phone GPS accurate enough to stake out?
No. Phone GPS is good for finding your way to a point and for putting imagery behind your work. Staking is done with the total station.