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Topcon GT Series Robotic Instrument – looking for reviews
eddking2003 replied 3 years, 4 months ago 19 Members · 48 Replies
I just hope folks from Topcon are reading this thread – good feedback for them.
@mark-mayer I use a Topcon QS now and I have some experience with The Trimble S series (had an S6 in 2005, had an SX-10 in 2017, recently used an S7, S8, etc) I do not love the Topcon robotics but I assure you that you will likely never have a Trimble S series old or new, find your 360 prism at 2500 feet the way the Topcon RC system does consistently. All of these instruments have their pros and cons. Once you learn the software and hardware quirks I would say the S series is comparable to the Topcon in productivity and measurement quality. Possibly better in durability.
With that said, there was a time a couple of years ago when the Topcon Bluetooth system software failed miserably. I believe it was a miscommunication between the Windows 10 updates. The FC-5000 became nearly inoperable for about 9-12 months before Topcon was able to get it worked out. This kind of lag on resolution of technical problems would give me pause prior to investing in Topcon equipment. The tech support is not there unless you have a responsive dealer that knows his equipment well to make it all work.
If you can get a great deal on the Topcon gear then it is a good option. If the price is similar to the Trimble and you don’t regularly have to operate solo at distances greater than 2000′ then I would choose the Trimble. Note that in my experience the Trimble S series robotics are unmatched under 1000 feet and completely useless at distances above 1500 feet without a dedicated instrument operator.
Note: I have zero experience with the Topcon GT and the QS is a 2012 model so the GT is bound to be improved
Shortly after I wrote the preceding diatribe I took possession of a Trimble S5 and used it for several months. It definitely tracked the prism far, far better than the PS. Admittedly the joystick procedure for finding the target in the first instance is not as convenient as the PS-5 system, and I never could get the GPS locating system of the Trimble to work to my full satisfaction, but locating the target at distances of more than several hundred feet is a thing that just never came up. If I have taken EDM shots in excess of 1000 feet even 10 times in my 30 years in the business I’d be surprised. So finding the target at extreme long ranges just isn’t a consideration.
In August of this year I took a new job and when I arrived found that the instrument I was assigned to use is none other than my old favorite, the Topcon PS. This time with Tesla/Magnet. The Tesla/Magnet has issues of it’s own, but the latency issues I experienced with TSC3/Survey Pro are not among them. (It seems that the glass and RC-5 one this unit must have been dropped by it’s previous user – there is a chip out of the glass and the global search function does not work. So I use mostly without the RC-5 at all, which I previously did not know was an option).
Thanks mate, I’ve been doing the same as what you’ve stated, I feel a bit better knowing that I haven’t missed anything ???? .
I’ve been using the F1/F2 setting in the topo module for more accurate measurements, I’ve just had the option in Trimble Access to exclude the backsight readings in their equivalent module to set collection called ‘measure rounds’. I was actually hoping that there was a setting in the topo module to collect more than one set of F1/F2 to a point, this is pretty much what I’m looking for. No big deal, just a minor adjustment on my part to get used to the routines.
Hopefully someone from Topcon R&D comes across this thread and adds these functions to it, especially the 2D line with DTM reference, seems a bit backwards to have it in Pocket 3D and not in Magnet. Other than that Magnet Field has been pretty good on my part.
My take on Topcon, I like their hardware it does what it says. I have had no issues in over a year I downloaded the firmware upgrade and it improved the feel of the tuning knobs. Remove the batteries when not in use, not ideal but not a deal breaker. I don’t know much about Trimble or modern Leica I had assumed they were more expensive. I was impressed with Sokkia for my last instrument so that good feeling has continued. I do not use the GT with the RC-5 and re-locking is a bit Old School. I would like to see a hand held thing that you could point at the instrument to help it find you, maybe it could live in a holster on a tether, I’ve just thought of that it will come to nothing I expect, but for anyone who has been far away from their instrument and is trying to see where it is pointing and hopefully see the guide lights ,a very manual fix I use is a monoscope in my pocket which has a large blob of BlueTac on it, if I get in this situation I mount the scope on top of the prism and adjust the pole to make it viewable, this much improves the stability and gets me going again.
My experience with anything Topcon software has been disappointing Magnet Field has bugs and is difficult to Learn, I know this by comparing how easy is was to learn Carlson SurvCE. On this note I don’t like how Topcon has locked Carlson or any other software out by not allowing them access to their GT source code. Even if you do decide that you can learn Magnet Field the manuals are bad and any other online learning opportunities are limited. Topcons website is not well indexed or easy to navigate and if you do find a video to ‘teach’ you, you might just as well turn off the sound as it will most likely be pointless music. Maybe a webinar? these I have found to be typical rambling, non scripted and not the concise information I wanted which was not clear from the title. Magnet Office is a different animal, sure they work together and MO has some cool features, but if you come from an AutoCAD background it’s weird and for every thing I liked there was plenty I didn’t. I keep asking myself do I really want to re-learn this? It is respected in Australia since its pedigree is CividCAD however learning resources are limited, my guess is its reputation is from people who have grown up with CivilCAD or maybe I can imagine a survey department with a resident genius who can smooth the path for the others.
As for the Software entirely subscription based model, WTF ouch. Well I suppose I could change the software in a years time, oh I forgot Topcon won’t let me use Carlson! I use enough software in various environments to know that these days the bar is quite high and allot of software can clear it. Topcon when looking at the software, support and access to help resources, doesn’t.
Thanks mate, I’ll give it a go when I manage to steal the jigger back from my grader operator, you’re a champ ??? It’s good to be able speak to someone that takes the time to understand their equipment instead of writing it off as rubbish the moment it gets complicated.
@leegreen Hey Lee, I’m led to believe that its the TS-Shield software onboard that drains the power out of the batteries whilst the instrument is off.
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