Mixed Deck — All CST Topics Flashcards

On a FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map, what does Zone AE indicate?

Answer: A 1% annual chance flood area with Base Flood Elevations determined

Zone AE is a Special Flood Hazard Area for which BFEs have been established.

What is a good practice for the tribrach clamp and leveling screws during routine maintenance?

Answer: Clean them and check for play or stiffness, adjusting as needed

Loose or gritty leveling screws let the instrument move during observations and cause errors.

Why is continuing education important for survey professionals?

Answer: To remain competent and current

Continuing education is vital for survey professionals to stay abreast of new technologies, evolving regulations, and best practices in the field. The surveying profession is dynamic, with advancements in GPS, LiDAR, and software constantly emerging. Ongoing learning ensures that surveyors maintain their competence, deliver high-quality services, and meet licensing requirements.

What term describes the right-of-way width reserved for public roads in a subdivision plat?

Answer: Dedication

A dedication is the transfer of land from a private owner to the public for streets, parks, or other public uses, shown and accepted on a recorded plat.

What does an RTK GNSS survey require to get centimeter-level positions in real time?

Answer: A base station or network sending corrections to the rover over a data link

RTK needs real-time carrier-phase corrections from a base or network sent by radio or cellular link.

When staking a building corner offset, which material is typically used to mark the precise point on top of a wooden hub?

Answer: A tack or small nail

A tack driven into the top of the hub marks the exact point for measurements and line.

How many U.S. survey feet are in one meter?

Answer: 3.280833

The U.S. survey foot is defined as 1200/3937 m, so 1 m = 3937/1200 = 3.280833 U.S. survey ft (the international foot gives 3.280840).

A crew must survey across an active railroad. What is typically required before entering the railroad right-of-way?

Answer: Railroad permission and a railroad flagger or protection per the railroad's safety rules

Railroads require permits, roadway worker training, and often a railroad-provided flagger before work on their right-of-way.

What is the primary legal principle that governs how conflicting elements in a deed description are resolved?

Answer: Monuments control over distances, which control over bearings

The hierarchy for resolving deed conflicts is: monuments (physical markers) > distances > bearings > area, with senior rights also applying.

Before working near an overhead power line with a fiberglass or aluminum survey rod, what is the key precaution?

Answer: Keep the minimum clearance distance, generally at least 10 feet for lines up to 50 kV

OSHA generally requires at least 10 feet of clearance from energized lines up to 50 kV, and more for higher voltages.

How is parallax eliminated before taking readings through a telescope?

Answer: By focusing the eyepiece on the crosshairs first, then focusing the objective on the target

Focusing the crosshairs with the eyepiece and then the target with the objective makes the image and crosshairs lie in the same plane.

What does 'azimuth' refer to in surveying?

Answer: A clockwise angle from north

Azimuth is a horizontal angle measured clockwise from a reference meridian, typically true North. It ranges from 0° to 360° and provides a unique and unambiguous direction for any line. Azimuths are widely used in surveying for defining directions and calculating coordinates.

From a benchmark at elevation 100.00 ft, the backsight is 4.25 ft and the foresight on point A is 6.10 ft. What is the elevation of A?

Answer: 98.15 ft

HI = 100.00 + 4.25 = 104.25, and 104.25 − 6.10 = 98.15 ft.

Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, what should a crew do if an active bird nest is found where brush must be cleared for a survey line?

Answer: Avoid disturbing the nest and notify the project environmental contact

The MBTA protects migratory birds and their active nests from take without authorization.

What inspection procedure is essential for equipment operation?

Answer: Systematic inspection following established checklists and standards

Systematic inspections using established checklists and industry standards ensure quality and compliance at every stage.

With a magnetic declination of 10° East, a magnetic bearing of N 30° E corresponds to what true bearing?

Answer: N 40° E

For east declination, true azimuth = magnetic azimuth + declination, so 30° + 10° = N 40° E.

When a steel tape is supported only at its ends, what is true of the sag correction?

Answer: It is always negative

A sagging tape reads more than the true horizontal distance, so the correction is always subtracted.

A total station is set with a -30 mm prism constant while a 0 mm prism is used. What type of error results?

Answer: A constant error of 30 mm in every measured distance

Prism constant mismatches add the same fixed offset to each slope distance regardless of length.

What should a crew do with lithium-ion GNSS or total station batteries that are swollen or damaged?

Answer: Stop using them and dispose of or recycle them per manufacturer and hazardous waste guidance

Damaged lithium-ion batteries can undergo thermal runaway and must be removed from service and disposed of properly.

Why are repeat GNSS observations on a control point often scheduled several hours apart?

Answer: To get a different satellite geometry so the observations are independent

A different constellation configuration exposes errors that would repeat if the same geometry were used again.