Trimble VRSNow RTN covers a lot of areas in the US, so we use it occasionally. Instead of getting an unlimited one year subscription, I get the 100 hour package, which gives 100 hours over a year. Usually that is enough, in fact some years we don't use it at all, and don't get a 100 hour package. But the last few years we have had a lot of photo/Lidar control projects in those areas, so I have needed to add another 100 hours each year. Still, two 100 hour packages is cheaper than the unlimited.?ÿ
BUT, if they add 100 hours, it wipes out whatever balance is on the account. Right now we have 10 hours left, and we use about 4 to 5 hours a day (by using the pause feature in access, it only accrues time when actually occupying a point). We are working this weekend, so it will run out by the end of Saturday (tomorrow). If I add time now, I lose 10 hours ($120). I can't understand why they don't just add 100 on to what we have.?ÿ
If I go to the gas station with a 1/4 tank left, I don't lose that gas when I fill up. I find it hard to believe that they cannot do this...
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I find it hard to believe that they cannot do this...
They could if they wanted to. It must be worth what you are paying or you would not. Gas must be worth $5 a gallon too.?ÿ
Because I work all over the country for the federal government, I have used a lot of different VRS networks. Some are free (DOT's). All others that I have used (except the Tennessee network) offers a daily/weekly/monthly rate as well as a yearly rate. Actually there was a nice network in the upper midwest that I used to pay by the day, they were bought out by Trimble and are now part of VRSNow.?ÿ
I have no complaints at all about the quality of VRSNow, it works great, and they have upgraded it to 3 and 4 constellations. Just this policy seems a bit weird. I can understand the fact that the 100 hours must be used in one year from date of purchase.?ÿ
If I don't need really good vertical (i.e. control for orthos rather than Lidar), I often just use RTX. I have yearly RTX subscriptions on two of my R10's. This subscription is even more useful now that they have built-in to access the HTDP model so that you get accurate NAD83 (2011) in real time. My ONLY complaint about RTX (other than I wish the vertical was a bit more accurate) is that it sometimes won't work near the ocean, that is because they have an agreement with another provider so that you must have another subscription to work offshore. They have a geofence built-in that is fairly rough, so I have had situations where I was onshore but close to the ocean, and it wouldn't work. That happened a few years ago in Guyana and Texas, I assume it is still the case.?ÿ?ÿ
I find it hard to believe that they cannot do this...
Oh, they can do it John. They just choose not to.
Many aspects of the Trimble business model are borderline abusive. I guess it's easy to sleep on a mattress stuffed with cash...
Many aspects of the Trimble global manufacturers of complete-package business model are borderline abusive.
It's a bit like the old Westerns where Lava Flats was a company town effectively owned by the one person who had money and used his henchmen to make sure he got it all back in some form from the peasants with dreams of independent living.
This entire correction business is on the edge of big change.
I know of three new nationwide coverage suppliers and I have Beta accounts on two of them.?ÿ Both will probably release with $500/year price tags in 2023. There are currently some rough edges, but I think they are going to be ready for prime time soon. Both the systems that I am playing with have over 800 stations each.
If I were a current supplier, I would be all about making my $ as soon as possible.
And then there will be the next phase of GNSS networks to support autonomous vehicles...
@lukenz Oh, that is where all these upstarts are coming from. Autonomous Vehicles is the driver.
If two of the upstarts were to merge, which may be the endgame they are looking for, it will be huge networks. And all the survey business in North America won't even be the lint in their pockets.
Hi, Mark...So is their model similar to a VRS (CORS distributed every 50 to 100 km) with local corrections or more like RTX, which uses a worldwide network of CORS and the corrections are not quite so local??ÿ
I have found RTX and VRS are of similar accuracy in the horizontal component, but the vertical is about 5 to 7 cm (RTX) versus 2 to 4 cm (VRS). I have seen RTX be really good in the vertical sometimes, but not consistent. Also, the accuracy of RTX is a bit less in areas with no CORS. For example Palau, where I had a project last year and is quite isolated.
I've been curious about this stuff lately.
So the network accuracy in the horizontal, both VRS and RTX, is pretty similar to what you get with a base and rover setup?
Would you be comfortable doing topo mapping off either of these networks?
There is a difference between RTX and RTXFast.
For those of you in the states, you get RTXFast, which appears to be useable.
Down under, we get the plain Jane RTX - average seven minutes to achieve lock - so it is not usable for Topo.
And then there will be the next phase of GNSS networks to support autonomous vehicles...
We are definitely the small fish in the pond on this. We may have been the capital and backs upon which it was created (throwing in machine control) in a lot of places, but we are not the big consumer of the future, just one of the smallest groups out of many. Been that way for a long time, as far as I know. Ag and such (I am pretty sure) are a bigger part of the business than we are.
@bstrand Yes, in fact I just did some topo on Saturday because I didn't have a base available...I was locating evidence for boundary. No vertical. I would be fine using it for topo as long as the vertical accuracy requirement is less than 5 cm.?ÿ
I do a lot of ground control for large mapping projects - both lidar and imagery. I try not to use it for Lidar unless absolutely necessary. But it is great for imagery control where the vertical is not so critical
We had 1h50m left this morning, and my dealer sent me an email that showed the new 100 hours would start on 10/22/22, which is when the year was up from the one we have now. I checked the web page, and the current one had "renew" set to yes.?ÿ
Now it shows the new 100 hours as active. So I think they did it the way I wanted/expected. So a thank you to Trimble. Last time I renewed they wiped out 12 hours, but this time they did me good.?ÿ
Like I said, with the kinds of projects I have it would without be difficult to work without both VRSNow and RTX, they both work well.?ÿ?ÿ
At least Trimble's system lets you roam.?ÿ Leica's SmartNet works great but they charge by the state.?ÿ They charge you more if you want to use it in a region or across North America.?ÿ Not sure why they should care if my account is tapping into the network in LA, Portland or Boise.?ÿ At least now they have a plan that covers Oregon, Washington and California.
