GPS for Dummies.pdf - Engineering Surveyor

Chapter 2: Dissecting Maps35• The first township at the intersection of a meridian and baseline is1, the next township is 2, and so on.• If a township is north of the baseline, it’s identified with an N; if it’ssouth of the baseline, it’s designated with an S. For example, thefifth township north of a meridian and baseline is T. 5 N. Ranges: Ranges are the vertical part of the grid scale.• Ranges are six miles wide.• Ranges are numbered starting at the intersection of the meridianand the baseline.• In addition to a number, a range is identified as being east or westof a meridian. For example, the third range west of the meridianand baseline is R. 3 W.The intersection of a township and range (a 36-square mile parcel of land) alsois also called a township. This bit of semantics shouldn’t have an effect onyou using the coordinate system, but watch out for someone else doing this.Like other coordinate systems, Township and Range uses smaller measurementunits to identify a precise location. These units include Sections: A 36-square-mile township is further divided into 36 one-milesquares called sections.Sections are numbered 1–36. Number 1 starts in the top, right of thetownship, and the numbers sequentially snake back and forth acrossthe section, ending at number 36 in the bottom-right corner. Quarters: Sections are divided even further by slicing them into quarters.• Quarters are identified by the part of the section they occupy, suchas northwest, northeast, southwest, or southeast.• You can further narrow the location with quarter quarters or quarterquarter-quarters.Figure 2-7:Elementsthat makeup theTownshipand Rangesystem.