[OSM-newbies] Experiments in mapping new buildings

[ael]

On Sun, Jan 27, 2013 at 04:36:56PM -0500, Tom Taylor wrote:
> 
> I've gotten more satisfactory results by sighting along each edge
> and collecting a single averaged waypoint on each side of the
> building to let me draw a line. This takes a while -- eight points
> just for a rectangular building. Cold work at -15 C. (5 degrees F.),
> I must say. At the end of it, I know the estimated error at each
> point, and the results seem satisfactory when I draw them out.

Don't overlook the possibility of using a (decent) compass in
conjunction with GPS. JOSM (I have recently discovered) shows
bearings when drawing ways, and a new version of Viking will
also support drawing "construction" lines along bearings.

I recently used this technique to map a new wind turbine where I
couldn't approach it directly. 

I guess that you could take waypoints "aligned" with the sides of
buildings and record the bearings. That should work for isolated
places, but probably not directly of use where the builings are
crowded together.

ael