How to Use a Total Station’s Application Programs

A total station combines a theodolite with an electronic distance meter to measure slopes and
distances. Some total stations come with GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) capability
and/or a remote control and allow you to store data points and coordinates for mapmaking,
reconstructions, or set-outs.
A good total station usually offers these applications:

 Reference Line  allows you to measure to a reference line by calculating the horizontal and
vertical position and the offset of a manually-measured point, relative to that reference line. It also
lets you stake to a reference line by defining a point relative to the reference line and then staking it
out.

 Volume Calculations lets you measure surface points and boundaries, then computes
volume from those measurements.
 Area Calculations allows you to set up a total station within view of the entire survey area,
measures a sequence of points clockwise around the area, then calculates the area from that data.

 Remote Heights lets you measure inaccessible high points. Place a reflector anywhere
below the height you want to measure, enter the reflector height, target it, measure the distance,
and then target the high point. The total station calculates the height difference between the ground
and high points.
 Tie Distances calculates the distance and height differences between two points. Set up your
total station anywhere, measure the distances to points A and B, and the total station calculates
both distance D and height difference H. You can also store points in memory to calculate tie
distance and height difference.

Check your user manual for details on any special functions your instrument performs, or give us a
call for advice on choosing and using your total station.

This entry was posted in Blackboard, Tips & Tricks and tagged remote heights, area calculations, volume
calculations,reference line, total station on August 12, 2013 by Administrator. ← Previous Post