Objectives:

1. To develop true skills of taping the distance on a level ground where the tape is fully
supported by the ground.
2. To acquire the skills of taping the distance on an uneven ground where the tape is only
supported at the ends.
Instruments:
1.
2.
3.
4.

2 range poles
Chalk and/or 1 set of marking pins
2 plumb bobs
50 meter tape

B. Organization Party:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Chief of Party (COP)

1 Front tapeman
1 Rear tapeman
2 Range pole man
1 Recorder

Procedure:
TAPING ON A PLAIN LEVEL GROUND
1. The professor assigns the accessible and unobstructed course to be measured by the
student on a level ground by about 300paces-400paces.
2. The Chief of Party marks the end points by a chalk if it is on the pavement or by a 3
common wire nail (c.w. nail) if it is on soft ground designates it as end points of A and B.
3. A range pole man holds the pole vertically and steadily during the entire taping procedure
at B to keep the complete taping process aligned and straightened.
4. A 10-meter tape is stretched out on the ground on the straight path along A ro B where the
0-end is held ahead. (Note: 0-end is nearer B than A.) The rear tape man is responsible for
giving the signal to the front tape man is his path is straight while the front tape man is
responsible to pull the tape taut once the tape is aligned already.
5. The front tapeman gets a pin and sticks it vertically in the ground exactly opposite the 0meter mark tape.
6. Rear tapeman holds 1 pin and the rest of the pins (10 pins) are held by front tapeman.
7. Both in front and the rear tapeman lift simultaneously the tape and move forward along
the line AB to measure the next tape length.
8. The procedure 4-6 is repeated to complete the next tape length measurement. Make sure
that the rear tapeman pulls the pin before lifting the pins to connote 2 tape lengths have
been measured.
9. Repeat the same process until all the pins being held by the front tapeman have been used
up which signifies one tally (1 tally=10 tape lengths). After a tally has been

accomplished, the rear tapeman returns all the 10 pins to the front tapeman to proceed in
measuring the length of the course. (It is suggested that the rear tapeman or the recorder
tallies in the field computation sheet provided the number of one complete round) Note:
One round is when all the ten pins are now being held by the rear tapeman.
10. Repeat the same procedure if more that one tally is needed.
11. Upon reaching point B the partial length must be measured accurately up to centimeters
by the rear tapeman while the fron tapeman is holding the 0-mark at B and both of them
are holding the tape taut.
12. The number of small pebbles in the rear tapemans pocket now indicates the number
tallies made and the number of pins in his possession indicates the number of additional
tape lengths. This is recorded in the field computation sheet provided.
13. The course is measured back and forth to complete the number trials required y the
professor.
TAPING ON UNLEVEL GROUND
1. The same course is measured but this time the 10m-tape length will be unsupported by
the ground and must be held about an eye-level distance above the ground.
2. Both the rear and the front tapeman hold a plumb line over the center of the hub.
3. The front tapeman must hold his plumb line in an arms length away from his body for the
rear tapeman to clearly see if it is aligned in the range pole at B.
4. Once the rear tapeman approves the alignment, the rear tapeman holding the 0-mark pulls
the tape and drops this plumb bob on the ground. This will mark the ground with a dent
to guide the front tapeman where he must put his marking pin.
5. This is to be done continuously until point B is reached. Note that the partial length must
be also measured as in orocedure A.
6. The course is measured back and forth to complete the number of trials required by the
professor.
COMPUTATIONS:
The computation of sample filed notes is done in accordance with the steps listed
hereunder:
A. Computation of an unknown distance.
The number of tallies is equivalent to the number of pebbles being held by the rear tapeman, and the number of pins is the number of tape lengths. Multiply the number of tallies
by ten (10) and ad it to the number of pins. The sum is then multiplied by the length of
one tape length and then added to the last partial tape length to get the length of the
course AB.
QUESTIONS AND COMPUTATIONS
1. What are the different sources of taping errors?
2. Discuss the different ways to lessen them or fully eliminate taping errors.

3. What is the total length of the course XY if the rear tape-man holds exactly holds 9

pebbles ad 3 pins after measuring the courses XY? Assume that one tape is equivalent
to 30m.