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Leica 1250 Help
Hi All,
So a word of warning- I am very new to the world of surveying and also quite new to this site. It is an area I want to get in to for my work as an archaeologist. So I have some beginner questions I was hoping some folks who are used to Leica’s can help me with.
So, as I explained in my ‘welcome’ post, I am an archaeologist who focuses on photogrammetry and remote sensing using drones. I have a cool little project lined up on the site of Zagora (http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/zagora/) where I am going to record the site multispectrally ie Thermal IR cameras and near-IR cameras.
One aspect of this is you need ground control points. If you can get 1-2cm accuracy on those- amazing! If not, below 5cm is perfectly fine! Previous work I have used a surveyor, but now with my little project and no real funding, I am training myself. I also plan to use my new skills here in Aus and its an area that I really want to learn.So I have been offered some cheap, 2nd hand leica gear. Here are the guts of it. All apparently in working order.
1 x RX1250XC Colour Hand Controller
1 x ATX1230GG GPS/GLONASS Antenna
1 x GFU24 GSM Modem
1 x GAT3 AntennaAfter all my research, my only concern with this system is the GFU 24 modem. Australia and most of the world is getting rid of 2G and the 24- from what i can work out- uses 2G.
So here are my questions if anyone can help shed some light.
1: Is this setup pretty good and will it get the accuracy I need? I have checked the coverage map of smartnet and have found there is a Smartnet receiver about 16km away from my site, so with the error from that distance I am estimating around a 3-4cm accuracy?
2: The GFU 24, does the system need this to run? I know the 1250 can bluetooth to phones(older phones not smartphones) to get the data it needs. So can I run the system without the modem and still get the RTK correction data and accuracy needed.
3: If I can simply run the system with an older bluetooth phone- can anyone recommend good, cheap phones they have used with this system? I suppose I can sell the GFU24 then.
4: Is there any difference between using the modem vs phone, in the sense of speed, accuracy?
5: Is there anything I should watch out for? Have I completely not thought of something?I will be using the system in Greece and Australia.
Sorry for the incredibly stupid, simple, newbie questions. I just don’t want to spend several thousand dollars(my project is running on an oily rag) and find out after purchasing it that it’s just not the right gear for me. Any help with this would be amazing! Or if anyone can suggest a good system for very cheap, let me know.
Looking forward to hearing from you, learning from the site and hopefully sharing some cool finds/data with you all in the future.
Thanks in advance for any help!
Hugh -
8 Replies
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Hello Hugh.
1. It’s an older setup, but still works just fine today and will achieve the accuracy you want.
2. Old Nokia phones were dead basic to connect to the RX controller, like e51 and e52. Don’t need the clip-on modem if you have one of these.
3. Perhaps look for these old phones on eBay. I don’t know what they cost though.
4. No difference in ‘speed’ or accuracy.
5. Not really. ATX + RX + modem + SmartNet subscription = cm level positioning. -
Hugh,
I just upgraded our old ATX1230 setups. I used Motorola Tundra VA76r phones as our modem. They are pretty much indestructible. We had one fall off the top of a truck at 50mph only to be get run over and it still was connected to the RTK network. The phone needs to have AT commands available for connecting to the RX1250. -
Hey guys, thanks so much for the message. I suppose I will probably buy the package. I just need to get the right phone for it now.. Most of the old phones take mini-sims. does anyone even have those types of sim cards any more haha?
Thanks so much Conrad and John -
HughT, post: 418604, member: 12566 wrote: 2: The GFU 24, does the system need this to run? I know the 1250 can bluetooth to phones(older phones not smartphones) to get the data it needs. So can I run the system without the modem and still get the RTK correction data and accuracy needed.
As [USER=6642]@Conrad[/USER] mentioned, the older Nokia phones will hook up perfectly well. I have used a 6233 to provide the connection in the past, which is a 3G phone.
Ironically those older phones connect a lot easier than recent smartphones, which seem to have real difficulty establishing the BT connection with receivers, due a to lack of the necessary commands (not required for in car hookups I suppose).
HughT, post: 418742, member: 12566 wrote: I just need to get the right phone for it now.. Most of the old phones take mini-sims. does anyone even have those types of sim cards any more haha?
Both Telstra & Optus will be happy to sell you a full size sim, the smaller sims simply press out from the larger form. If not, there are adaptors from nano or micro sim to full size readily available to many phone shops.
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Thanks so much for all your help guys. You have been amazing. I just purchased the GPS gear and I am now on the hunt for a phone.
I have also found cheap sim card adaptors. Can’t wait till it all comes. -
Check the Connection Specifications of the phone, providing the phone has a Bluetooth SPP (Serial Port Profile) it should be fine communicating with the RX. There are still new phones being sold with this functionality.
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
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Or you could check with your local Leica dealer, for a price on a GFU29 (3.75G)
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phil_shutt, post: 418864, member: 12458 wrote: Or you could check with your local Leica dealer, for a price on a GFU29 (3.75G)
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
MSRP in USD is $2000, just bought a couple… They are plug and play with the older 1200’s
SHG
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