Leica 399

> I have inherited, for lack of a better term, a pair of Leica 399's.....they both give me the same error code 1165....
Those will predate the GPS rollover week. I'm not sure there was a firmware update available for those units even then. You may have a boat anchor.

> As a side note. They sure don't make GPS like they used to. These things are well built and hefty.
Hefty, yes. But durable - not so much. The ones I used needed to be carried around on a satin pillow or something was sure to break. They spent a lot of time in the shop. Okay for static work but RTK was just too rough, seemed like.

I intend to just use them for static. Per the grantor, they are post roll-over and are dual frequency. I don't have the user's manual or anything to tell me otherwise.

> I intend to just use them for static. Per the grantor, they are post roll-over and are dual frequency.
They are dual frequency, GPS only. GLONASS had about 2 satellites up in those days and was on the decline - nobody was selling GLONASS receivers in 1996.

As I remember, there was a constant barrage of firmware upgrades. Also, I'm not sure, but I bet that there is an internal CPU battery that is surely dead.

The 1165 error code means a dead lithium battery (hard-wired to the motherboard).
I have a few of these units too that need fixing.

I hate to say, but the repair centers no longer have the installation program (DOS based) to upload the controller, which allows uploading of the firmware to the controller.

I have tried all over. One of the repair centers already changed the battery, just to find out that they no longer have the install program.

There is one Leica guy in Atlanta I got a lead on (who is currently out) who might have a backup of the file. But realize, this is a unit or system that is considered obsolete, so they may not even be willing to assist.

This is the same issue with the GRM10 Rec Modules ...

Contact me ( at email in my profile ) to try to address together with Leica.

And I take it your referring to the CR 344 controllers, that have this error code ...

Epoch Date: Thanks for the information. To answer your question yes it is the CR344. Seem like good units. Would hate to see them go to waste.

Leica 399, Do You Need The CR344 For OPUS ?

Can you not just turn on the receiver and collect data?

Paul in PA

Leica 399, Do You Need The CR344 For OPUS ?

No, you need the CR344 to actually store the data. It is a similar set up to the old Trimble 4000SSI units. Basically you have a data collection box and an antennae that is literally only that..an antennae.

I will post pictures in a couple of days of what I am getting. But what Epoch Date is saying makes perfect sense. I have heard that before. I was just hoping it wasn't the case on these.

There Should Be Computer Options

I know Ashtech had a Data Logger program for a PC that would take the receiver data and store it for later download to the processing software. There are also other programs out there that should handle almost any receiver.

I would believe there are now I-phone apps that could handle such a simple task.

Could you hook a blue tooth device to the 399 instead of a wire connection.

Paul in PA

There Should Be Computer Options

That is food for thought. I will look into it..but I seriously doubt that I would be able to get a GPS reciever from 1996 to communicate with anything bluetooth.

There Should Be Computer Options

Paul, the Leica 399 is antenna and receiver in one housing. It has two Lemo connectors. One can be used for power the other for the controller CR333 or CR344, the difference in the two controllers is the CR333 would not do RTK. The title for the CR333 and CR344 is GPS Controller. That is exactly what it means. If the controller is no working then you have no control over the GPS. It turns the GPS on and Off and controls how the data is recorded, it records on a pcmcia card the card can be Flash or SDRAM. The memory card can be up to 32 meg. All functions of the GPS is controlled by the Controller. The GPS can't be turned on or off, there are no switches at all on the sensor, The SR399 was the sensor. The system together was the Leica 300 system. A bit later the SR9500 was used in the Leica 300 system. The SR9500 was just a sensor and used a separate antenna. The controller has to be used with the SR9500 also.

Simply stated, no controller - no GPS.

My system 300 has one SR399 for base and a SR9500 for for the rover. I don't use it as a RTK system, just static activity. I collected data within the past two weeks with the SR399 so roll over date or what ever it is called is taken care of. The SR399 date of manufacture was 1995, the SR9500 was 1997.

If somebody has the solution to bringing the controllers back to life, I would like to know because I have several controllers that have the error code 1165 please contact service.

Jerry M. Davis

Leica 399, Do You Need The CR344 For OPUS ?

> No, you need the CR344 to actually store the data. It is a similar set up to the old Trimble 4000SSI units. Basically you have a data collection box and an antennae that is literally only that..an antennae.

In the case of the 4000SSi, it's more than just a "data collection box." It's a self-contained computer that's hard-wired to the GPS RF front end, and it uses a custom operating system. When the internal lithium battery goes dead, you need a method of loading the operating system and firmware, something that will interface with the receiver's BIOS. The Trimble loader is still available, thanks largely to UNAVCO, and it's enabled me to keep my units going nearly 20 years after their manufacture. The CR344 may have fallen victim to the Leica tendency toward restricting service tools to authorized dealers, which had no incentive to retain the loading application software.

There Should Be Computer Options

:good:

It's easy to forget how far these devices have come in 18 years.