Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 12:01 pm
NTS,
I'll add a few comments to what Ed has said. The TruPulse and Impulse lasers from LTI have the sine method implemented in their circuitry, but the method is not the HT routine commonly advertised and used for tree heights. With the TruPulse line, the Vertical Distance (VD) return implements the sine method.
The new Nikon Forestry 550s include the 3-point height routine (trunk distance shot-crown angle-base angle), which is an implementation of the risky tangent method. It is the two point routine that does the job we need.
Except for the people who thoroughly understand the behind the scenes mathematical models, use of the tangent method is a prescription for introducing errors of varying magnitude, some extraordinarily large. The people who pressured Nikon to add the 3-point method are either damn slow learners, just lazy, only measure young plantation conifers, or are really unconcerned with accuracy. Sorry, for being so blunt.
We have had many, many discussions in NTS on the right methods to use in measuring the common tree dimensions of girth, height, and spread. We have Will Blozan's tree measuring guidelines, Ed Frank's beginner's guidelines, and countless posts from yours truly. Newcomers may find themselves overwhelmed with all this material. To them, I say please don't hesitate to ask questions. We will always respect from where you are coming from and be anxious to help. It would be unfair of us to expect you to wade through all the material in the BBS, especially when you are new and may have previously received advice from others about how to properly measure trees.
Bob
I'll add a few comments to what Ed has said. The TruPulse and Impulse lasers from LTI have the sine method implemented in their circuitry, but the method is not the HT routine commonly advertised and used for tree heights. With the TruPulse line, the Vertical Distance (VD) return implements the sine method.
The new Nikon Forestry 550s include the 3-point height routine (trunk distance shot-crown angle-base angle), which is an implementation of the risky tangent method. It is the two point routine that does the job we need.
Except for the people who thoroughly understand the behind the scenes mathematical models, use of the tangent method is a prescription for introducing errors of varying magnitude, some extraordinarily large. The people who pressured Nikon to add the 3-point method are either damn slow learners, just lazy, only measure young plantation conifers, or are really unconcerned with accuracy. Sorry, for being so blunt.
We have had many, many discussions in NTS on the right methods to use in measuring the common tree dimensions of girth, height, and spread. We have Will Blozan's tree measuring guidelines, Ed Frank's beginner's guidelines, and countless posts from yours truly. Newcomers may find themselves overwhelmed with all this material. To them, I say please don't hesitate to ask questions. We will always respect from where you are coming from and be anxious to help. It would be unfair of us to expect you to wade through all the material in the BBS, especially when you are new and may have previously received advice from others about how to properly measure trees.
Bob