How to Use Map My Survey

Your survey or legal description contains a lot of important information. While the legal description includes the same details as your survey, it's harder to extract because it's written out rather than visual. This section will guide you in understanding and interpreting that information. You'll want to focus on the following:

North Format

The North Format can be one of three types: True North, Magnetic North, or Grid North. This setting helps Map My Survey understand the orientation of your boundary lines. It's essential for interpreting the bearings correctly. If you choose the wrong North Format, your map will be rotated incorrectly from the starting point.

Bearings and Distance

Each boundary line on your survey will have two key details:

• Bearing: This indicates the direction of the line. It's shown as N/S Degrees° Minutes' Seconds” E/W.
• Distance: This tells you how far the line extends before reaching a new point. On straight lines, you might see one bearing with multiple distances, marked by points.

Note: Sometimes a bearing will describe a curve instead of a straight line. In these cases, you'll also see two more pieces of information: 1) Arc Length, and 2) Radius (which can be positive or negative, indicating the curve's direction). Together, the bearing, distance, arc length, and radius form what's called a Chord.

Your survey gives you the direction and distance of your property boundaries, but it doesn't specify the exact location. To create your map, Map My Survey needs an initial GPS point to locate your property. The accuracy of this point directly affects the accuracy of your map's boundaries. When selecting your collection method, think about how precise your map needs to be. If you're using this tool, accuracy is likely important to you. Remember, you can start building and previewing your map with a less accurate GPS point, and then input a more precise point before using a token to generate your final file.

Note: For latitude/longitude, we support both Decimal and DMS (Degree Minute Second) formats. DMS is generally less accurate unless you use decimal numbers in the DMS fields.

Important considerations: Ideally, your initial point should not be on a curve. This helps prevent minor distance inaccuracies from affecting the overall shape of your map.

Collection Methods (from least to most accurate)

• Drop a pin on Google Maps where you think your point is: This method relies on recognizing nearby land features. While it's not very accurate, it's the quickest way to get started.
• Visit your point with a GPS device: The accuracy of this method varies based on your device, software, and location. We'll offer tips to help you improve accuracy.

Dedicated device: These are built for accuracy and range in price from $30 to $250 or more. We recommend using one if you already have it or if maximum accuracy is critical for your project.

Smart phone: Modern smartphones have excellent GPS hardware, but accuracy can be affected by your proximity to cell towers or wifi and the quality of the software using the GPS. For more information on collecting an accurate point, click here.

Tokens help cover the operation and maintenance costs of this service, while also supporting my family. You'll need tokens to generate your final map file, and they can be purchased here. We recommend waiting to buy tokens until you've built and previewed your map. This way, you can be confident you're happy with the result before spending any money.

After generating your file, you'll need mapping software to use it. We recommend Google Earth, as it's easy to use and powerful enough for most users. The great thing about your KML file is its flexibility—you can import it into almost any mapping software. For more details and a quick demo of what your map can do, watch the "Using Your Map" video at the top of this page.

GPS Accuracy

Make sure you have a good cellular connection. If your service is poor on your property, consider switching providers or bringing a friend with a different service to collect the point.

Dedicated GPS devices are more accurate because they use GPS averaging, which collects multiple readings and averages them. Most smartphone apps don't do this as well. Use an app like GPS Point for more accuracy:

1. Download the free GPS Point app
2. Stand or place your phone at the chosen location
3. Press the “Point” button, then the “Play” button to start averaging
4. Let it run for 5 minutes
5. Save the result

• Multiple distances: You can either enter each distance as a separate bearing or sum them into one.
• Opposite direction: If your boundary seems to go in the wrong direction, add a minus sign (-) to the distance to reverse it.
• Curve direction: To change the direction of a curve, add a minus sign (-) to the radius.
• Misaligned final point: If your final point doesn't match the start due to small survey inaccuracies, just click “Complete Shape” to finish the map.

Your files are stored on the server for 30 days. Be sure to download your file and save it somewhere safe (like Google Drive or another cloud service).

Check your preview carefully before purchasing a token to generate your final file! You can always save your work and return later.

API access may be provided in the future if there is enough interest.