Before starting any surveying activity, you need the following equipment:

• Chain or Tape Measure: The main measuring tool. Chains are typically 20–30 meters long with links of about 20 cm each. Tape measures are commonly 10 m, 20 m, or 30 m long and made of steel or plastic.
• Surveyor's Band: A steel strip wound in a metal frame, available in 30 m, 50 m, or 100 m lengths. It is used for longer distances with high accuracy.
• Ranging Poles: Long poles (usually 2–3 m) used to mark fixed points and help in sighting straight lines.
• Pegs: Wooden stakes driven into the ground to mark important points like corners of a survey area.
• Arrows: Metal pins used to mark positions along a chain during measurement.
• Cross-staff: A tool used to set out right angles (90°) at survey stations.
• Plumb Bob: A weighted string used to transfer points vertically (e.g., from a ranging pole to the ground).
• Notebook and Pencil/Pen: For recording all measurements and observations.

Step 1: Reconnaissance (Preliminary Inspection)

Walk around the area you want to survey. Observe the boundaries, corners, and any notable features like trees, buildings, or rivers. This helps you understand the shape of the area and plan which points need to be measured.

Step 2: Selecting Survey Stations

Choose strategic points called stations (usually the corners of the area). These should be clearly visible from one another and marked with pegs. In a chain survey, you typically create a network of triangles connecting these stations.

Step 3: Establishing Baseline

Measure and fix a baseline—the longest straight line between two stations. This serves as a reference line from which other measurements are taken. The baseline should be measured accurately using the chain or tape.

Step 4: Measuring Distances

• Stretch the chain or tape along the line between two points.
• Ensure it is straight and taut (tightly pulled).
• Read the measurement at the exact endpoint.
• For long distances, use arrows to mark intermediate points and count the links or meters.

Step 5: Taking Offsets

Offsets are short perpendicular measurements from the baseline to nearby features (like a building corner or fence). Use a cross-staff to set out right angles, then measure the offset distance with the tape.

Step 6: Recording Data

Write all measurements in your notebook. Include:

• Station numbers or names
• Distances along the baseline
• Offset distances
• Descriptions of features

Use a clear format like this:

Step 7: Plotting the Survey

Using your recorded measurements, draw the survey on paper using an appropriate scale (e.g., 1:500 or 1:1000). Start with the baseline, then add the triangle sides and offsets to complete the plan.

A surveyor needs to measure a rectangular school compound with the following dimensions:

• Length of side AB = 60 meters
• Length of side BC = 40 meters
• Length of side CD = 60 meters
• Length of side DA = 40 meters

Procedure:

1. The surveyor marks four stations (A, B, C, D) at the corners and drives pegs into the ground at each corner.
2. Starting at station A, the chain is stretched along side AB. The surveyor ensures the chain is straight and reads 60.0 m at station B. This measurement is recorded.
3. The same process is repeated for sides BC, CD, and DA, recording 40.0 m, 60.0 m, and 40.0 m respectively.
4. To check accuracy, the surveyor measures the diagonal AC (approximately 72.1 m using the Pythagorean theorem: $\sqrt{60^2 + 40^2} = \sqrt{3600 + 1600} = \sqrt{5200} ≈ 72.1$ m).
5. All measurements are recorded in the notebook and later plotted on a scale of 1:1000 (1 cm on paper = 10 m on ground).

• Always keep the chain or tape straight—avoid sagging or bending.
• Pull the measuring tool taut but not too tightly to avoid stretching.
• Take readings at eye level to avoid parallax errors.
• Work with a partner: one person holds the start point while the other reads the end point.
• Check measurements by remeasuring in the opposite direction.
• Record measurements immediately in the notebook—do not rely on memory.

In Tanzania, simple tape/chain surveying is commonly used by local government authorities (like the Ward Executive Officer) when allocating plots in villages or when marking land for building new classrooms, markets, or health clinics. For example, when a village council divides communal land for individual families, surveyors use chains and tape measures to measure plot boundaries accurately, ensuring each family receives the correct area and disputes are avoided.