Survey Equipment Calibration - EDMs, Staves, Tapes and Bands
Regulation 6(1)(a) and (b) of the Surveying (Cadastral Surveys) Regulations 2005 requires a licensed surveyor to use survey equipment which has been compared to a standard of measurement and that the process of comparison and the basis of comparison are adequate to obtain the accuracy required under the regulations.
Regulation 6(2) requires licensed surveyors to retain records of comparisons and make them available for inspection upon request by the Surveyor-General.
On this page:
EDM Calibration
EDM Calibration Software
Baseline Bookings and Further Information
Standardisation of Surveying Tapes and Bands
Calibration of Levelling Staves
Certificate of Comparison for Levelling Staves
Equipment Delivery Details
Payment and Fees
EDM Calibration
EDMs used on any survey are required to be maintained and compared to a standard of measurement under the Surveying (Cadastral Surveys) Regulations 2005. EDMs should be calibrated:
- at intervals not exceeding 12 calendar months
- after every repair to all or part of such equipment
- by comparison measurement of a baseline approved by the Surveyor-General
 |  EDM Handbook Edition 10 Nov 2008 (PDF - 1.3 MB) EDM Calibration booking sheet (PDF - 66 KB) |
Leica and Topcon instrument parameters
Leica Instrument parameters (PDF - 35 KB) Topcon Instrument parameters (PDF - 86 KB)Pulsed Instruments and instruments with a unit length of zero
For instruments with a Unit Length of zero and Pulsed Instruments, the meteorological observations must be entered into the instrument at the time of the calibration.
The unit length, frequency and carrier wave length are used in the calculation of the meteorological corrections and cyclic errors within the Baseline software. Surveyors can enter the instrument into the register, and leave all the details blank and the software will still process the data correctly.
EDM Calibration Software
An EDM Calibration computer program “Baseline” Version 5.5.0.3 (November 2007) has been developed by the Department of Land Information (DLI) Western Australia for the calibration of EDM instruments against standard baselines. Surveyor-General Victoria has adopted this software which will supersede "EDMInput" as of 1 January 2007. "Baseline" is updated annually following the re-verification of the baselines. Users must ensure they have a current version before reducing their results. The EDM Calibration Handbook and online help provide the user with the necessary instructions to run this software application.
Distribution July 2009 (ZIP - 1.6 MB)Baseline Bookings and Further Information
| Baseline Location | Controlling Office for Bookings |
| Bendigo McDowells Road adjacent to Bendigo Airport Bendigo Bendigo (PDF - 30 Kb) | Department of Sustainability and Environment Survey Section 7 Taylor Street Bendigo 3551 (03) 5430 4637 or (03) 5430 4639 |
| Braeside Braeside Park Lower Dandenong Road Braeside Melway 88 D10 Braeside Park Ranger's Office (03) 9265 7300 Braeside (PDF - 10 Kb) | Department of Sustainability and Environment Land Victoria Calibration Officer Level 17, 570 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000 EDM Baseline Bookings (03) 8636 2550 or (03) 8636 2546 |
| Geelong Bellarine Rail Trail Boundary Road Newcomb Melway 452 H10 Geelong Baseline (PDF - 211 KB) | St Quentin Consulting Pty Ltd 54 Corio Street Geelong 3220 (03) 5229 2011 EDM Baseline Bookings (03) 8636 2550 |
| Hamilton Balkans Road 2km west of Fairburn Road Hamilton (PDF - 16 Kb) | Brayley & Hayes P/L 85 Kennedy Street Hamilton, 3300 (03) 5571 9171 |
| Loy Yang Bartons Lane Loy Yang Loy Yang (PDF - 17 Kb) | SMEC Urban Pty Ltd (Gippsland) 18 Breed Street Traralgon, 3844 (03) 5174 0066 |
| Mitcham Menin Road, Mitcham Melway 48 F12 Reception, DSE Box Hill (03) 9296 4443 Mitcham (PDF - 11 Kb) | Department of Sustainability and Environment Land Victoria Calibration Officer Level 17, 570 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000 EDM Baseline Bookings (03) 8636 2550 |
Further Information
- Bookings are required in advance to use the baselines.
- Controlling Offices are open between 8.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.
- Baselines are available for use on weekdays only.
- Users are required to have their own copies of official booking sheets.
- No rubbish is to be left behind. All gates must be left in their original position.
- Pillar caps are to be re-fitted upon completion.
- When using non-standard prisms, sighting difficulties may be experienced between pillars. The same type of prism must be used for the observations to achieve a valid calibration.
Surveying tapes and bands used on any survey are required to be maintained and compared to a standard of measurement under the Surveying (Cadastral Surveys) Regulations 2005. Comparison with a standard of measurement can be achieved by comparison of the field tape or band, with a standard surveying tape or band which is currently certified under Regulation 13 of the National Measurement Regulations 1999 as a subsidiary standard of length.
The Surveyor-General recommends that surveyors adopt the following procedures and specifications in order to satisfy the requirements of the regulations:
- A field tape or band should be compared with a certified surveying tape or band before use and at six-monthly intervals thereafter, and immediately after repair of a break or other defect.
- Every surveying band maintained as a standard of comparison shall be forwarded to the Surveyor-General for examination and re-certification at intervals not exceeding three years.
- After each examination, the Surveyor-General shall issue a certificate under Regulation 13 of the National Measurement Regulations 1999.
- Contact the Calibration Officer for further information. Details about where to send or drop-off equipment, and charges that may apply are listed below.
Any surveying band used as a standard of comparison shall conform to the following specifications:
- It must be manufactured of carbon-steel and be free of kinks, mends or any other deformity.
- The length shall not be less than 50 metres.
- The minimum width shall not be less than 3mm.
- The minimum thickness shall not be less than 0.5mm.
- All graduations appearing on the tape should be machined lines orientated to within 1 degree of normal to the length of the band and having a maximum width of 0.5mm.
- Every band should be so constructed as to have an overlength at each end of not less than 300mm.
- The band must be detachable from its winder.
- A band of more than 50m in length must be graduated at each 50m interval.
- It must have a current certificate issued under Regulation 13 of the National Measurement Regulations 1999.
Levelling staves used on any survey are required to be maintained, and compared to a standard of measurement under the Surveying (Cadastral Surveys) Regulations 2005. Calibration of staves is particularly required when survey work necessitates high-levels of precision e.g. monitoring of structures, deformation surveys. To use a staff for third ( 3rd) order levelling, the staff must have a current Certificate of Examination issued by the Surveyor-General. Surveyors should refer to the ICSM Standards and Practices for Control Surveys, Special Publication 1 (SP1).
Calibration is usually carried out in the tape tunnel based on the assumption that a staff expands or contracts uniformly along its length. A number of equally spaced readings are taken on the invar band corresponding to equal intervals on the staff face to determine the calibration factor which is the ratio of the measured intervals to the true intervals. The error in the joins, the 'join factor', is also determined. Please note that this comparison is not legally traceable to the national standard.
The Surveyor-General recommends that for general purposes, calibration twice a year is sufficient, carried out at the two extremes of climate, e.g. January and July when it can be assumed that the calibration factor at any other time of the year is at least between these limits. However, if levelling is being done in steep country, it is recommended that calibration of staves is performed prior and following the job or project. It is recommended that two staves used as a pair should be calibrated together.
Variation in the value of the calibration factor can be significant. However, the value is generally consistent for calibrations carried out at the same season each year. Acceptance tests should be carried out on newly purchased staves.
Acceptable limits are:
- calibration factor, within range 0.99967 to 1.00033
- join factor, less than +/- 0.001m
Certificate of Comparison for Levelling Staves
The Surveyor-General can issue a certificate of comparison under Regulation 13 of the National Measurement Act 1960. To have a levelling staff examined and certified by the Surveyor-General, equipment should be sent by courier or delivered to the Calibration Officer.
Equipment Delivery Details
Please complete the Calibration Application Form and forward with equipment to:
Calibration Officer
Office of Surveyor-General Victoria
Land Victoria
Level 17, 570 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Calibration Application Form (PDF - 37 KB)Payment and Fees
Standard band comparison (including certificate):
- Per 50m steel band $90.00 (GST Inclusive)
- Per 100m steel band $100.00 (GST Inclusive)
Levelling staff comparison (includes certificate):
- Per levelling staff (two sections) $47.50 (GST Inclusive)
- Per levelling staff (three or more sections) $62.50 (GST Inclusive)
For further information please contact the Calibration Officer -
Calibration Officer
Land Victoria
Office of Surveyor-General Victoria
Level 17, 570 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Fax: (03) 8636 2588
Please note: Document(s) on this page are presented in PDF format. If you do not have the Adobe Reader, you can download a copy free from the Adobe web site.