I gathered this data eons ago and have not been able to pin point a problem with the traverse. I think I'm getting very close to where the problem started. Here is the raw data as read and displayed by TraversePC:
And here is the last line shown above, directly from the .rw5 file. If anyone has the time or energy to look at the .rw5 itself, I'd be thrilled to send it, but for now:
Here's what I did to the best of my recollection:
I setup on 302, backsight to 301 (with known coordinates and an appropriate distance (471.89').
I do a sideshot to 304. So far so good.
Then I backsight again (I think this was the next day); all the numbers are the same. Still so far so good.
Then, for some reason I do it a third time, but this time the slope distance to the back sight (301) is 0.00'.
In the raw file, this seems to be shown as "SD,", compared to something like "SD471.89".
How is this possible? Can anyone suggest what I might have done in the data collector to produce such a record? I've found a couple of similar occurrences in the file. Could this be what happens when you check the "use azimuth only to unknown backlight location from a known point" (or something like that)?
I just refuse to give up sorting this out. Any help appreciated.
I've had instances where the instrument appeared to get a legitimate return from the target and yet would record a zero distance. Very rare but it has happened to me.
The only superior evidence is that which you haven't yet found.
Any chance you observed using only angle,azimuth,bearing, whatever its called at your neck of the woods.
Not familiar with SurvCE in TS mode. But Field Genius has the option to observe angle and distance or angle only.