I've been looking on eBay (without success) for affordable Topcon equipment to practice solar shots.
Specifically:
Solar reticle Model 6
Diagonal eyepiece Model 10,
and, most important:
Solar filter Model 6
The instrument (Topcon GTS-255), has a 45mm Objective sense, and the black outer ring looks like it's 50 mm.
I really can't afford to purchase these at the moment, so am asking if there is anyone who has any of these willing to let me borrow them for a month or two, in order to get the process "under my belt". I'd pay shipping both ways, and care for them as if they were my own; Could offer some electronic equipment repair services in exchange (any of those long dead DC's around that might need resuscitation?)
Thanks in advance.
RFC,
This is starting to bother me.
The last few month's you decide to say $$ and Not hire a land surveyor. Then you do your own property survey with used equipment, and demo software. All while using this board to teach you every step of the way. Now you are looking for handouts from land surveyors for more equipment.
I don't know how others feel, but for me, this is getting old. I suggest you go to college or go work with a local surveyor.
Sorry for the rant.
Lee Green
As James Johnston would say....
In another thread many months ago, when I was similarly challenged about my intentions, he wisely said:
"You don't have to swing at every pitch".
Well, it seems like I'm getting the same pitch twice, and find I can't resist swinging.
First, Lee, let me apologize in advance for the fact that anything I say here bothers you. It could be that if I better understood you, I'd know why, but alas, I don't.
> The last few month's you decide to say $$ and Not hire a land surveyor.
Incorrect. As I've stated before, the property has been completely surveyed. It doesn't need another; there are only single pipes or rebar at each of the four corners. And even if it were surveyed again, it wouldn't matter what whoever did it came up with, the evidence on the ground trumps any more precise measurements made.
Further, I'm not saving any money at all. As a matter of fact, I've probably invested far more in equipment (not to mention my own time) than I ever would have hiring an LPS.
>Then you do your own property survey with used equipment, and demo software.
Wow! I didn't know that using used equipment was the wrong way to go here. But let's back up. I'm NOT doing my own "property survey" at all. I'm retracing a survey (two, actually), and comparing my work to those that have gone before with much older equipment in one case, and much newer. I've spent a great deal of time learning the difference between the two; the capabilities of old optical equipment and fairly advanced GPS equipment. My "used equipment" is somewhere in the middle, and I've taken the time to learn it's limitations.
Furthermore, if anyone who had the slightest idea of what I'm doing ever called it "doing my own property survey", they'd be laughed off the planet by those who know what it takes to do one. What I'm doing is called L-E-A-R-N-I-N-G.
As for "demo software", again, I didn't know it was wrong to do so. I doubt many "kids" going to college learning surveying have full seats of Carlson, ACAD 2014, Star*net etc. on their brand new workstations at home. i'm taking the time I need to learn what software I may need as I continue. That alone is not an easy question to answer, as witness: the many many threads on various software out there.
Heck, Lee, you've even offered to help me out yourself with some data files for an older Topcon TS I had at the time!
>All while using this board to teach you every step of the way.
Guilty as charged. I can read Ghitani and Wolf, Davis Foote and Kelly, long into the night. I have found that there is simply NO way to acquire the kind of information, thoughts, ideas, practices that the many experienced people here have wonderfully shared. I've learned far more than I think I would have, if I had chosen to go to work for someone with the latest GPS system, learning how to push all the buttons.
I feel I've also learned a lot by spending hours in the field measuring, measuring, and measuring again, each time figuring out not just what to do and how to do it, but what not to do, and how to do it better, easier, quicker. not that there's any way to make easy work of looking for Polaris on an arctic night with two feet of snow on the ground. But I try.
>Now you are looking for handouts from land surveyors for more equipment.
You'll note I offered some services in exchange. If I had the money to purchase everything I need for my education, I would. In the mean time I'm being as open and honest as I can about my intentions.
> I don't know how others feel, but for me, this is getting old. I suggest you go to college or go work with a local surveyor.
Sorry it's "getting old"; i'm not going to stop asking questions though. Just don't read them. Alternatively, just read the answers. There is a gold mind of experience in most of the replies...and often some good humor. Judging from many of the other questions on the board, I'd say my ratio of "Dumb to Good" questions has dropped below 50%. I'd have to run a statistical analysis though to be sure. Hmmm. I know just who I might be able to get to help me with that.;-)
As for college: Been there, done that, many years ago; Got a BS in Engineering. Now I have a full time job and simply can't afford the time to go back to school; wouldn't likely be a smart investment anyway, knowing (now), how under paid most of you are!
I look at what I'm doing as "home schooling". Besides, There's always the question of what's the best way to learn surveying? There's a thread up right now on whether a student should learn to shoot polaris rather than spend all her time learning GPS! If that's how they're teaching surveying now at college, well count me out. I'd rather freeze my butt doing it another way.
As for going to work for a local surveyor: I've addressed that too in the past. Most around here are one man shops with either GPS, or robotic TS's. They don't work evenings and weekends either for the most part. I've checked in with a few because it would be a good additional source of knowledge.
>
> Sorry for the rant.
That's OK. Me too (with apologies in particular to James Johnston...didn't take your advice).
Sorry for the Rant.:-)
As James Johnston would say....
:good:
If you have to buy equipment that you won't be using much in the future, consider buying a workable old K&E or Dietzgen half-minute transit and using the projection method. No filter needed, and no electronics to fry, just don't look at the sun.
You can sometimes get them for a hundred or two, and you have a neat toy as well as an educational tool for less money that you may have to pay for the TS accessories.
It won't be as accurate as a few-arc-second total station rig, but it'll give you practice.
Why didn't I think of that?
> If you have to buy equipment that you won't be using much in the future, consider buying a workable old K&E or Dietzgen half-minute transit and using the projection method. No filter needed, and no electronics to fry, just don't look at the sun.
>
I'm shooting myself for not hanging on to the old Topcon Optical Theodolite I got on Ebay.:pissed: I sold it for a bunch more than I bought it for, but in retrospect, I'd sure love to have held onto it.
Thanks for the idea.
You get two chances to look at the sun with a transit.
Once with each eye.
Whatever happened to this one [msg=183950]LandHo[/msg]
As James Johnston would say....
I see nothing wrong at all with you trying to learn. Maybe if some of the surveyors I see would put more effort into learning..............
R.J.,
I agree with you. RFC does sounds like LandHo
BTW: I do have a solar filter for Topcon instrument. But I'm not giving it away to someone whom is taking food from my table, without putting in their time.