I'm setting up a new survey department from the ground up. One of the options I'm considering is the Javad GNSS system. It specs out nicely. It's American-made, and Javad has been around for over 30 years. Does anyone have recent experience they're willing to share?
nate-the-surveyor is a huge fan of Javad. He hasn't posted a whole lot lately but has been around.
I've been busy here.
To ask about Javad, well, they have not progressed alot in the last few years, after Mr. Javad Passed. I have a million ideas, that would make them GREAT. But, I still think they are one of the TOP contenders for the most capable of going in the deep woods, and bad places, and giving you 100% confidence, within certain tolerances, which vary, as the environment does too. I also think OTHER mfrs, have caught up with Javad, and are pretty good too. I'd like to take over their COGO, and build it from the ground up. In fact, I'd like that from ANYBODY who wants to be the best....
Sigh. All my great ideas getting old!
Anyway, Get a demo, but I'd also demo the stuff from other vendors. I have to tell the truth. I am not "Up to speed" on other systems. So, I don't know those answers.
Nate
I've been a big fan of Javad equipment for several years now. If you live in a state requiring Relative Positional Accuracy reporting requirements, I think they might have one of the smoothest systems for that. The best in deep woods stuff but I agree with Nate about there not being much progress on the gear since Javad died during the Covid pandemic. That being said, we may be at a point where there aren't major changes to be made with existing technology. I bought a Trimble S-6 with a multitrack prism in 2007 when I started my company. To the best of my knowledge, that is still the best robot in the world. The model numbers have changed and a few different bells and whistles have been added but the essence of that robot is still the same and the tracking remains the same. Since the EU and China got their satellite constellations up and Javad made their gear work with those constellations, I don't know that it is going to get much better without some entirely new technology. Minor tweaks sure but no game changers.
Javad Ashjaee was a brilliant engineer and an evangelist for getting cutting-edge GNSS technology into the hands of surveyors at reasonable prices. Since his death the company he started has, i my opinion, retreated from that stance. When I bought my system the Javad engineers -- including Javad himself -- were actively involved in improving the product, but now bug fixes -- let alone innovations -- are much slower in coming, when they come at all. If I were in the market for new GNSS gear I'd be looking hard to see if Javad really offers as much bang for the buck as it once did.
I've used a few GPS technologies, and there are +/- to all.
Javad has a nice feature where it makes pdf's of the ground the shot is taken on, as well as a positional precision image of the data you just collected.
There's also the ability to generate linework as you're detailing features, and a really cool ability to take an offset shot based on what direction the unit is facing.
The main drawback is that the data is largely input from the unit, meaning you can't do anything higher than your arms can reach. There's an app that lets you control it from your smartphone, but it's slow and I'm too impatient.
Hope this helps.
I've never used Javad. I have used Topcon, Trimble, and Leica since 1997. I routinely collect and simultaneously adjust GPS and Terrestrial measurements using StarNet. StarNet includes convertors that will translate data from all the major vendors. But nothing for Javad. So that one thing is going to be a non-negotiable deal killer for me.
Perhaps Javad has a solution to this that I don't know about? In any case, before buying one will have to consider how it fits into the whole workflow, field to finish to deliverable.
I'd look closely at the Carlson BRx7/Hemisphere S631. Like most here, I've used just about every software/hardware solution and they all work. I prefer Carlson SurvCE but I currently work in an all Trimble shop and have no complaints with a Trimble R980. If you choose Trimble, just be aware that Trimble works best when using Trimble Business Center and Trimble Access. I haven't formally tested a R980 against a Hemisphere S631, but anecdotally, they both will get you sub 0.1' at 95% CL in the dense canopy (North Carolina).
You might be better off looking at the dealers/suppliers that will be servicing your equipment and making your decision based on that. Trimble Access is extremely good with construction staking, but it wouldn't be my first choice if I were frequently performing rural boundary surveys.
StarNet includes convertors that will translate data from all the major vendors. But nothing for Javad. So that one thing is going to be a non-negotiable deal killer for me.
Perhaps Javad has a solution to this that I don't know about? In any case, before buying one will have to consider how it fits into the whole workflow, field to finish to deliverable.
As far as the Javad Triumph-LS goes, the converter is built into the J-Field software; just export as Star*Net vectors and you get a .gps file. If your vectors are from an RTN base station you have to edit the base station ID in the .gps file, but aside from that it's ready to use by Star*Net.
@norman-oklahoma Topcon is basically 15 year old Javad Technology. Javad created Ashtech. Then sold out and then created javad as we know it today there was one other in between that. He could not compete for a while. He was a brilliant man. Him and Charlie Trimble changed a lot. As they worked together for years Charlie was better at marketing and business and Javad was probably the more intelligent as far as the tech side. Together they were un stoppable. Topcon most definitely benefitted-from Javads technology . I have no idea who is the brains now . So many out there now Tersus is a very impressive unit. They make their own boards and I would argue they might have the best IMU in a receiver on the market. I still have some evaluation to do on them before I would know for sure. But you can actually invert the rod and get the correct position with the IMU they created. Chnav from a person I trust can run in canopy with Javad and the big three. Carlsons brx7 which is basically a hemisphere as far as I can tell is no slouch. I figured as quickly as everyone is catching up that Leica Trimble will have to unveil something big soon. Just gut instincts.