If you can find the specs on the charger, you will find that you probably have something very much the same inhouse.
On the unit stamped by the power connection on the unit will be something like
12VDC
0.8 A
and a diagram showing - (negative) for outer shell and + (positive) for center pole
My Allegro CX is almost the same as one for a router.
> On the unit stamped by the power connection on the unit will be something like
>
> 12VDC
> 0.8 A
>
> and a diagram showing - (negative) for outer shell and + (positive) for center pole
The unusual thing about the Trimble Ranger is that it appears that while the battery would recharge at 12V DC Max 1.5A, the charger jack in the device is a 7-pin female LEMO connector. Per the manual, the charger is connected to this jack via a wye-cable.
> In the top of the unit, there should be a small round port, this is how you power the unit. It looks like a port you would charge a laptop by. The 7 pin is how I always hooked our units up to a total station or the GPS.
In the top of this Trimble Ranger, L to R there is a 9-pin serial port, a 7-pin LEMO and a 26-pin serial port. I suppose that any of them could take power, but the 7-pin seemed the most likely.
[Edit: Per the manual, the charger is evidently connected to the device at the 7-pin LEMO via a wye-cable.]
> If it was what was called the TSCE, then it's on borrowed time. The monochrome screen was terrible and didn't last. If it is, I probably still have a manual around here somewhere I'll scan and email to you.
Thanks for the offer, but I found a pdf of the manual for Survey Controller that includes some info on the TSCe.
I've got two of them, neither of which work sitting above my desk. Yours must be different. Mine has a 9 pin, that looks a lot like a serial port on a computer, a much larger port, something like a 30 pin, which I've never used, then a small round port in the middle which has a small center post, and this port is for the charger. The pic you posted above is identical to mine but it says Topcon instead of Trimble. Here is a pic.
There are two versions of the TSCE. The regular version and the GIS version. The regular version has a LEMO jack. The GIS version has a DC barrel jack instead of a LEMO jack.
Power can be input on either the DB26 jack or the LEMO jack (or DC barrel jack in the case of the GIS version). There is also a 5V output on the DB26, but it's only available when the TSCE is being powered externally. COM1 is the DB9 and COM2 is the LEMO. COM2 is also available on the DB26 (as well as USB, Ethernet and some other stuff).
You can buy connectors on Ebay that break out the DB26 to USB + Ethernet (RJ45) + power jack. You can also get a DB26 to DB9 connector that breaks out only the COM2 port.
I have a BlueCap on my TSCE so that I can use Bluetooth. The BlueCap plugs into the DB26 and covers over the LEMO port. It uses COM2. It also has a DC barrel jack for external power input.
The DC barrel jacks are 2.1mm X 5.5mm.
You can external power the TSCE with just about any voltage. For instance either 12V or 18V work okay.
The battery packs are cheap on Ebay.
You can upgrade the CompactFlash card inside to as large as a 32GB formatted FAT32 if you like. My TSCE came with a 512MB card. I copied that over to a new 32GB card and it worked fine. Windows CE 4.x can't handle anything larger than that though.
Survey Controller 11.40 was the end of the line for the TSCE.
> There are two versions of the TSCE. The regular version and the GIS version. The regular version has a LEMO jack. The GIS version has a DC barrel jack instead of a LEMO jack.
Ah! Thanks for solving the mystery of the I/O jack on the TSCe.
> You can upgrade the CompactFlash card inside to as large as a 32GB formatted FAT32 if you like. My TSCE came with a 512MB card. I copied that over to a new 32GB card and it worked fine. Windows CE 4.x can't handle anything larger than that though.
A great tip.
> Setting up, you zero the instrument then observe the backsight which doesn't shoot a distance.
That's not true. You can check your backsight by
angle or/and distance.
I don't know if this would be of help to you, but I have the multiport adapter that went with that unit. It lets you connect to a computer using a USB "printer" style cable, and plugs into the other serial port (27-pin?), for data transfer. With mine, it would also charge the DC through that same port, using the more common "barrel" type charger. I linked a similar example on Ebay below.
I'm not trying to sell mine, you can have it if you need it. Let me know and I'll have my wife mail it to you. She's been in a de-cluttering mode lately, so I'm sure she won't have a problem mailing out another dust collector.
That's the original TDS Ranger, also marketed by Trimble as the TSCe after they bought out TDS.
The monochrome LCD screen would go black if it got too hot, just as they will on a Husky and the HP48. The color screens on later models was a big upgrade. How quickly we forget.
Kent,
I sent you an email through this message board. I have an instruction sheet with a lot of information on the hardware that might be useful to you.
Jimmy
> I don't know if this would be of help to you, but I have the multiport adapter that went with that unit. It lets you connect to a computer using a USB "printer" style cable, and plugs into the other serial port (27-pin?), for data transfer. With mine, it would also charge the DC through that same port, using the more common "barrel" type charger. I linked a similar example on Ebay below.
>
> I'm not trying to sell mine, you can have it if you need it. Let me know and I'll have my wife mail it to you.
I was completely unaware that such a thing existed, but that is exactly what I need. I'll gladly pay you for it if you are inclined to part with it. How does $50 sound?
> I sent you an email through this message board. I have an instruction sheet with a lot of information on the hardware that might be useful to you.
Thanks, Jimmy. I don't think I've ever gotten an email via the message board for some reason, but can be contacted directly at kentmcmATswbellDOTnet.
Kent,
I just tried sending you an email. My internet provider is in the process of migrating my email service, so lease let me know if you receive an email. It should have two attachments.
One is for the TDS Ranger version, and one is for the TSCE version. They may be the same, but I thought I would pass them both along.
Jimmy
> I just tried sending you an email. My internet provider is in the process of migrating my email service, so lease let me know if you receive an email. It should have two attachments.
Got it. Thanks, Jimmy.
You are very welcome. I hope they are helpful.
That's the same multi-port adapter I use along with a USB "A" to "B" cable to the PC for use with Windows Mobile Device Center. The Ethernet jack allows one to browse the web from the TSCE although the browser in Windows CE is limited and can't handle some sites at all. It also allows accessing NTRIP casters from within the Survey Controller software.
> I've just been using it as a GPS controller
Have you been experimenting with RTK or RTN?
> > I've just been using it as a GPS controller
>
> Have you been experimenting with RTK or RTN?
No, of course not. There wasn't even cell phone coverage on the last project I worked on. I do use rapid static and PPK quite a bit, though.
Kent McMillan, post: 318236, member: 3 wrote: As a result of a recent purchase, I've ended up with a TDS Ranger with a Trimble badge on it. The thing seems fairly rugged, so I thought I might give it a try. I'd guess it's ca. 2000 vintage. Does anyone happen to have a charger and/or manual for this antique that they'd be interested in selling?
I'd like to buy that Ranger. I have one exactly like it with the charger and manual but mine is almost kaput. Would you be interested in selling that old unit?
