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Affordable Sets for Basic Surveying Tasks
Posted by Settler7 on November 13, 2018 at 8:48 pmHello all,
I’m in search of a set that is affordable in order to perform basic surveying tasks. The most common task I want to perform is to collect coordinates to define property edges. Ideally I would like the coordinates to be consistent with my country’s coordinate system, i.e. accurate with regards to a stable point in the vicinity of the properties I am looking forward to survey.
Any info on an affordable GPS/GNSS set to perform those tasks would be welcome!
mkennedy replied 5 years, 5 months ago 5 Members · 8 Replies- 8 Replies
Your profile lists you as being in Massachusetts. If you try to “define property edges” in that “country” without a survey license you are likely to find only trouble. There are plenty of ways a non-licensed person can use GPS legally and usefully, but that is not one of them. Not there, anyway.
Nevertheless, you are probably looking for an RTK setup. Which is going to be dual frequency (I believe that single frequency RTK is theoretically possible, but not very practical). Which leaves out several low cost single frequency options. When I was shopping for used receivers a couple of years ago some used Topcon Hiper Lite+ systems that were available for around $5k a pair +/- came up. Kind of risky though, because repair parts are not available for those, except by scavenging old units. And somebody had an old Leica setup for sale here recently for less than that.
We are wanting things to be so simple that a gadget with an Easy button would show us boundaries too.
Things are not that modern no matter what is being advertised or told.
Your local taxing agency, land management agency and/or state site should have a website that will allow you to view property boundaries overlayed on googlemap or google earth that will give an example of how the boundaries are with no guarantee that they are actually correct as shown.
goodluck
I don’t to do this kind of work in MA.
I have found those receivers at an affordable price:
https://store.emlid.com/product/reachrs-survey-kit/
I would like to ask you what is the benefit of having a second one instead of having just one?
The profile says licensed in Massachusetts but the phrase “my country’s coordinate system” and other phrasing don’t sound like a licensed Massachusetts surveyor. If you are licensed, I apologize. Does it mean “county” instead of “country”?
If you are not licensed there, you need to change your profile information right away.
.I’m licensed in MA. I’m originally from Slovenia.
I would like to conduct some surveying in Slovenia. I need an affordable equipment because I’m most likely not going to be paid anything for my work. However, I want to conduct those surveys for having an idea of the properties under considerations.
Having said that, any idea if the emild devices are reliable? Any idea if I’m going to need one or two of them?
That makes a lot more sense, now that you explain “my country” isn’t near Massachusetts.
Emlid (note spelling) can be found at https://emlid.com/ They do have a very low cost module to integrate into an RTK system. Is there a network available in Slovenia or do you need to provide your own base?
.- Posted by: Settler7
I need an affordable equipment because I’m most likely not going to be paid anything for my work. However, I want to conduct those surveys for having an idea of the properties under considerations.
“Affordable” is a relative term. What would your budget be? I was just told that Trimble R8s are going for the low, low price of $13,500 per unit. Plus you will need a data collector, tribrachs, tripods, rods, etc….then you will want to do something with the data….so affordable is over $30k.
On the other hand, if you are just looking for very rough measurements, GIS quality receivers could probably be had……even your cell phone will yield positions +/- 8 feet or so these days.
Would importing such things into Slovenia from the US be a problem? What would it cost to rent units while there?
The mention of Slovenia caught my eye as I have a Slovenian colleague. He believes you are aware of these websites but just in case:
He can view property boundaries overlaid on orthophoto imagery for free via GURS (The Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia):
http://prostor3.gov.si/javni/If his properties are in the right municipality, he can check out other information, as well as municipality urban planning plans, on PISO also for free:
https://www.geoprostor.net/PisoPortal/
To use RTK, he will need subscription for SIGNAL to get accuracy down to the cadastral level.
On the second page, he can check if the property parcels have been remeasured to coordinate into a new Slovenia??s system.
Melita
I’m just one of those evil GIS people. Bwah-hah-hah! Seriously, I do coordinate systems and transformations at Esri.
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