Dear All,
Prior planning is key to the success of any high-tech venture in the
field.
Concentrating on minutiae when you get there, the approach predicated
by excessive reliance on back-pack technology (gps, tablet pc,
compass, etc.) could lead one to lose sight of the 'big picture',
necessary when trying to recognize large-scale folds, nappes, faults
and joint patterns.
Much better to begin in your office with a careful study of stereo
pairs of largest scale aerial photos available, Then, still in your
office, plan the most efficient way to reach key outcrops in your
study area, plotting waypoints from OS maps. By all means use gps to
reach the selected outcrops but send readings of critical data by
mobile phone to partner back in office, who plots them and puts
results on the web for you to check with your tablet pc at base-camp
in the evening.
In areas of indifferent exposure, some structures will only be
apparent, or suspected, when viewed from the other side of the
valley, and even then, only when sunshine (when it exists) comes
sloping from a particular direction, or when there is a light cover
of snow.
Of course, given good weather and if budget can be justified, half an
hour in a helicopter, with a video camera, can provide more
information with a wider significance than a month soldiering through
drizzle, gathering high-tech minutiae.
(Even better if you can spend a day with the chopper dropping you at
your key exposures).
Oh, and if you haven't a chopper, 'best buy' for Scottish highlands
is a good midge and tick repellent.
Cheers
Malcolm.
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