I saw a Trimble 4000SSi with a damaged display listed on ebay. It was a bare receiver (no accessories) being sold for parts, and aside from the display "issues," its condition was unknown. The seller had put a starting bid of $50 on it, with shipping at $20.
As the auction neared its closing date there were no bids, so I contacted the seller. I explained that anything more serious than the display problem would likely render the unit worthless, and said that if he didn't get any bids I'd be willing to go $20 plus $20 shipping as a gamble. He agreed, and it arrived today.
Here's what the display looked like when I pulled it out of the box:
The damage was worse than I thought. Many 4000-series receivers have cracked or torn front membranes due to their age and field exposure, but this one's LCD was smashed, rendering it useless. I plugged the unit it in just for grins, and after making a few guesses as to baud rate I was able to download the files it contained and submit them to OPUS. They were collected on April 29, 2014 south of Houston, TX.
One of my other 4000SSi units started giving me a "phase lock loop range error" on occasion last year. Because it had become unreliable -- whenever that error cropped up it wouldn't collect data, and I don't know how to fix it -- I had basically retired that receiver. So I transplanted the display from that unit to the one with the broken display, and saw this upon powerup:
I still need to do some field testing, but everything looks good. It would seem that I was able, in effect, to fix the old receiver for 40 bucks.
Nicely done!
I've done a screen replacement on a Carlson Explorer with a donor unit from eBay, and can relate to the feeling of satisfaction when it first powers up.
Way to go!
I'll be posting some news about some T3000's in a couple of days. Stay tuned.
> I'll be posting some news about some T3000's in a couple of days. Stay tuned.
I have an R8 GNSS that decided it didn't want to listen to my radio anymore (Pac Crest something or other). The dealer told me it was around $4K to fix it and "it would be like a brand new unit", after they installed all brand new firm ware and replace the OS with a new mother board. Whatever that stuff means?
I put it back in my truck and left after saying "I don't want a brand new anything", especially for $4K on something that cost me $15K less than 10 yrs ago. Trimble is going into my rear view mirror.
Garage sale is where I'm heading, so stay tuned for that show too. Or it may just become a hockey puck as I perfect my slap shot I used to be so good at. He shoots, he scores.... 😉
But my 4700 base is still ticking, as is my 5603 Mr Robot. And I have a steel tape, plumb bob, and even a machete to cut those evil branches so my Gurley transit can have line of site. Something good about gravity and old habits.
Will it still receive & log data? And connect with a TSC2 for down loads? If so, it might be usable for OPUS and I might be interested in it rather than it turn into a hockey puck.
I was contacted privately (and will treat the contact as anonymous) with the following question:
> Jim, I hate to be Debbie Downer and did not want to post this idea publicly, but do you suppose it is possible that that unit was stolen? I only wonder since it had a file from 04.2014.
At this point in the life cycle of the Trimble 4000 receivers -- 20+ years after they first appeared on the scene -- most operators consider them junk. They're bulky and consume relatively large amounts of power (though in that regard they don't hold a candle to the original Ashtech Z-12, which doubles nicely as a space heater), so they're not only relatively rare in the field -- it's kind of hard to steal something that doesn't get out much -- they also don't represent a good use of a thief's time due to the low market value.
In this particular case, the smashed display pretty much rendered the unit valueless to anyone who doesn't already own some and is willing to tinker with them. Add to that the seller's rating, and I'm comfortable that it was a legit purchase.
Confident Enough To Post The 4/2014 Coordinates ?
Paul in PA
Confident Enough To Post The 4/2014 Coordinates ?
Sure!
[Pre]
LAT: 29 29 45.59576 0.006(m)
W LON: 95 15 30.29392 0.005(m)
LAT: 29 29 50.87565 0.008(m)
W LON: 95 14 39.42199 0.005(m)
LAT: 29 29 49.60020 0.009(m)
W LON: 95 14 54.49560 0.008(m)
LAT: 29 30 2.63805 0.010(m)
W LON: 95 14 52.37224 0.004(m)
LAT: 29 30 6.18466 0.007(m)
W LON: 95 14 59.57581 0.006(m)
[/pre]
> It would seem that I was able, in effect, to fix the old receiver for 40 bucks.
In order to beat that, I'm pretty sure you'll have to convince the next seller to PAY you to take his vintage 4000ssi off his hands.
Houston, Texas Or Therabouts
Paul in PA
Well Dave, yes I would prefer to keep it in our family of peers. Good bunch here that Wendell has assembled.
It does work, but I was so PO'ed at the time I have not turned it back on. My guess is that I can hook up to the cities RTN and see what happens. I'll charge the batteries and see tomorrow, so I know a tad bit more of the if comes and whose cows about it. But I'm still PO'ed. I'm about as anti-Trimble as anybody can ever be.... grrrr
I'll even toss in the radio.
It is for sale. Or since I'm a certified hockey geek, may just slap shot it at the neighbors cat.... 😉
I'm at grifsurv at yahoo dot com. 928-897-3475.
edit: I use a TSC2 also, with Controller v.11.666 or something. It all worked good until I took it from AZ to MI. It puked out on me? Now I'm back in AZ.
> Now I'm back in AZ.
Wait, what? You moved back?
Houston, Texas Or Therabouts
As noted in the original post.
I Missed That Jim
I saw this on ebay today:
Trimble 4000 at $110.
Paul in PA
I Missed That Jim
> Trimble 4000 at $110.
I bought one from that seller about a month ago, and am very happy with the purchase.
Jim, that's awesome!
N
Yes that receiver can be saved if it repents and resolves to lead a new life.
Paul
Converted those coordinates and placed them on a Bing map. If I made the conversion correctly, these points should fall on an old Amoco hastings field. Why would those elevations seem so low even for meters?
Paul
> Why would those elevations seem so low even for meters?
I didn't post any elevations. You may be looking at the estimated errors that came along with the cut-n-paste from the OPUS reports. I did that post from my phone, so I didn't spend too much time editing.
Jim
AAghhh! Thanks I didn't catch that, was busy plotting the coordinates for my amusement.
I got a chance to survey these fields. Looking for a pipe at [29.491923, -95.238547] never located the pipe in the ground, but the landowner to the Northeast has a really old pitted 2'iron pipe with a spade shaped point holding up a sapling. :'(
Good job on the repair. Wiring the direct voltage source to the radio on your DC was my favorite fix-it post yet.
