Hi,
As I've metnioned in my presentation topic, my department is in the process of buying a new GIS GPS. The models we have to choose from are the Spectra Precicion MobileMapper 120 or the Leica Zeno 20.
The prince ranges from 3190â (~3464 USD) (sub-metric precision) to 7200â (7818 USD) (centimetric precision) for the MobileMapper and from 4810â (~5223 USD) (sub-metric precision) to 10.114â (~10.982 USD) ("full extras" version).
We got a demo for both. The "middle-version" of the MobileMapper can get a prcision of <30cm +-. The "middle-version" fo the Leica got a 1-2cm precision, without any external equipment (antena, for example). Both demos used reference stations, together with the GPS and Glonass sats.
The catch is the Leica mid-version costs more than the MM120 top version.
Personally, I prefer the Leica. It looks better, feels better, and I think its more technologically advanced. It has an Android OS (the MM120 has Windows Embedd Handheld 6.5) and the interface is cleaner. Although they are both very easy to use, the Leica looks more simple than the MM120.
The MM120 can load raster maps as background, the Leica can't. But the Leica can access to DropBox while in the field and you can load any layer or project you forgot to load before leaving the office. It can also export the project or layer you're working on to DropBox or a pen drive.
The MM120 has 806MHz processor, 256MB SDRAM and 2GB storage. The Leica has a DualCore 1.5GHz, 1GB RAM and 4GB on board sotrage space, expandable with a 32GB SD card.
Overall, which one do you think is the best?
I think you have found out the answer yourself and trying to find validation. Surveying equipment are not cheap. If you are more comfortable over one brand over another, the gadget will pay itself many times over when you use it often.
I have a lot of experience with both and would highly recommend the Zeno 20. The MobileMapper does a fine job from a GNSS positioning/processing standpoint, but the hardware itself is outdated. Windows Embedded Handheld has limitations as well. Android would be a much better solution for flexibility of field collection software. Leica Zeno Mobile, Esri Collector for ArcGIS, etc.
I hope this helps.
Indeed it helped 🙂
I thought the same... when I saw the MM I tought it was cool... then I saw the Leica and I started doubting if time travel is actully possible because, techonologically, it looked like 10 years went by in just a week...
PCanas, post: 360383, member: 11360 wrote:
We got a demo for both. The "middle-version" of the MobileMapper can get a prcision of <30cm +-. The "middle-version" fo the Leica got a 1-2cm precision, without any external equipment (antena, for example). Both demos used reference stations, together with the GPS and Glonass sats.
Read the data sheet, but first let me say 1-2cm is what you get from a 2 hour OPUS observation.
The data sheet says one 1 cm + 1 ppm with a footnote. Footnote says AS 10 (a precise survey antenna) and the L1/L2 option is required. 5 cm + 1 ppm with L1/L2 handheld. 40 cm with L1 handheld.
Elsewhere in the data sheet it mentions that a base station is required.
The Leica is not a standalone tool, but is a very nice RTK rover setup.
I am pretty sure the Mobile Mapper improves it's accuracy by calculating ranging distances from the SBAS satellites. It is a standalone tool.
Paul in PA
We used all that with the Leica. L1/L2, base stations, SBAS... the version we were shown got a 1-2cm precision, handheld. The worst it got was under two massive trees, surrounded by 4 people and the internal antena against a metalic lamp pole. It got 6cm after 20 or 30 sec.
BTW, what is and OPUS observation?
PCanas, post: 360534, member: 11360 wrote:
BTW, what is and OPUS observation?
OPUS (Online Positioning User Service) is an National Geodetic Survey computer system that host GPS data and provides post processed position solutions. NGS computer severs receive and store 24 hour GPS data from 2,000 CORS throughout the US. CORS (Continuously Operating Reference Stations) are operated by federal, state and local agencies, universities and private companies who are linked up to automatically download GPS data on an hourly basis to the NGS servers. The service is free to users who can download data for their own post processing or submit their files for processing by the NGS OPUS computers. There are two forms of processing OPUS-RS (Rapid Static) where 15 to 120 minutes of L1/L2 data is submitted, or OPUS (OPUS-S = OPUS-Static)) where 2-24 hour files are submitted.
Survey grade receivers and antennas are required.
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/OPUS/about.jsp#about
or
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/INFO/OnePagers/OPUSOnePager.pdf
Paul in PA
Got it.
In this case it won't apply, since I'm in Portugal, so the US grid is obviously out of option, and I'm not sure we have something like that here.
