Advice on Topcon System for Komatsu Factory installed Machine Control

The one upside to the 915 radio is i don't think you need an FCC license you should get at least .75 miles out of it in most conditions. I don't use magnet or pocket3d so I can't comment on that.

Scaggs, post: 403351, member: 12311 wrote: I read good things about the Tesla unit

You should read things other than Topcon sales brochures.

Scaggs, post: 403351, member: 12311 wrote: I have read many pages on this site and found it very informative but I am still quite lost.

My machine is a 915 SS system and I see lots of guys running the UHF transmitters, can the transmitters be easily changed or do you pick one and stay with it.
Data Collectors...I read good things about the Tesla unit, but what about the larger FC-5000? I have also read that you can use a Toughbook

Thanks for the help.

The HiperV will cost less and have 1/2 the battery life of the GR-5. The GR-3 would be a used receiver, as they have been replaced by the GR-5 several years ago. Hiper-V will be lighter, battery is only 4.5 hours. At base you can easily use a car battery to last a lot longer.

The radio in your dozer can easily be swapped out from the 915hz SS to 460hz UHF. The 915 radio will be shorter range, works good of for site projects. Can be extended with repeaters. For highway projects spanning several miles, the 460 UHF radio is recommended.

For the controller, I suggest the FC-5000. It is actually the same size as the Tesla, a bit thinner, but 100x better. It is a Windows PC tablet, the Telsa is a Windows Mobile device, huge difference in speed and capacity. The Pansasonic ToughPad FZ-M1 is faster, has more memory, and cost more than the FC-5000.

You can use either Pocket3D or Magnet Field/Layout. Pocket3D is a dumb down, but powerful, easy to learn software with a 100% map driven interface. Magnet Field is a powerful menu driven interface for surveyors.

I recomend....
Um.....
Lee Green probably has the best answer.
It's a real smorgasboard, with this stuff.
But, be sure you get a good tall radio antenna for your base. Even a small tower, or just some old range poles.
If you have a const. Site, I'd even suggest driving some 2" pipe in the ground, to support the base radio antenna pole. Or, drive a steel fencepost, and bungie your pole or mast to it.

That's all I can say for now.

N

I would run (not walk) from the hyper v and tesla. The GR3 is bullet proof.

thebionicman, post: 403411, member: 8136 wrote: I would run (not walk) from the hyper v and tesla. The GR3 is bullet proof.

I'd stay away from the GR-3. The GR-5 and Hiper V have new fence technology antenna.

leegreen, post: 403414, member: 2332 wrote: I'd stay away from the GR-3. The GR-5 and Hiper V have new fence technology antenna.

We purchased a Hyper V setup a few years back. They were the least reliable units I've ever used. We would get bad inits in a parking lot at night, dry dirt fields you name it. Every day was a battle and every shot was Russian Roulette. The QC required to get reliable data was crippling.
I've used several varieties of ashtech, Leica, Trimble and Topcon. The Hyper V was the absolute bottom of the barrel. We fought them for 2 years. Between them and Magnet Office we nearly went bankrupt. The only shining star in the experience was the vendor.

The Hiper V, with Magnet Feild work just fine for me and a lot of other people. Always at least one bad egg out there. I wouldn't let one persons bad experience discourage you. There are a lot of people whom are brand loyal to some, and brand bashers to others.
I find the biggest problem is the lack of training and upgrades. Firmware updates are important.

I suggest you have your vendor let to test out each model for a few days, then you can make a decision.

leegreen, post: 403423, member: 2332 wrote: The Hiper V, with Magnet Feild work just fine for me and a lot of other people. Always at least one bad egg out there. I wouldn't let one persons bad experience discourage you. There are a lot of people whom are brand loyal to some, and brand bashers to others.
I find the biggest problem is the lack of training and upgrades. Firmware updates are important.

I suggest you have your vendor let to test out each model for a few days, then you can make a decision.

Lee,
I respect your knowledge, but this is not isolated. At least one other firm in town had the exact same experience. I've run GPS programs at three different companies in the last 20 years with great success. The one dark period was Hyper V Magnet tools. On the flip side our GR3 setup is all but bullet proof. If we hadn't been given 2 R8s they would still be our go to.

leegreen, post: 403423, member: 2332 wrote:
I find the biggest problem is the lack of training and upgrades. Firmware updates are important.

How can you train for software bugs, especially ones that continue across releases and have been reported?. Topcon has issues (particularly with software) that are ignored. I doubt the issue is training with most of the surveyors on here.

All I can say is It works just fine for me.

Back to the topic. With that Topcon machine guidance dozer setup you are not limited to a Topcon base and Rover. With the UHF radio at dozer you can use. Trimble or Leica base for the GPS. With the 915 SS on the dozer, you will need to use a Topcon 900 SS at the base.

Hiper series is not nearly as rugged as the GR5. Gto w the GR5, every contractor I have met beats on their equipment. Get something that will last.

Scaggs, post: 403351, member: 12311 wrote: I have read many pages on this site and found it very informative but I am still quite lost.

I added a Komatsu D51PXi Dozer with Factory installed Topcon guidance. Now I need to purchase the Topcon base, rover and data collector.

I think my main choices are the GR-3, GR-5 and the Hiper V....The Komatsu dealer has a Hyper V system they want to sell me but I want to make sure I am getting what I need now and into the future.

I have read about the Hiper HR but that seems to offer way more than I need and is quite expensive.

Other questions

My machine is a 915 SS system and I see lots of guys running the UHF transmitters, can the transmitters be easily changed or do you pick one and stay with it.

Data Collectors...I read good things about the Tesla unit, but what about the larger FC-5000? I have also read that you can use a Toughbook

We are an excavating company and will mainly use the system for building roads, parking lots, and commercial pad sites. I hope to use the rover for in house survey work as well.

Thanks for the help.

We do quite a bit of machine control and yes each brand wants you to use their stuff, but that is not necessary all of the time. As long as you can feed you onboard dozer computer the correct files then it should be happy. I don't really know your set up, but the onsite base with a rover and an option to received base corrections to the dozer is the best, most reliable option. Woods can sometimes get trickey, but by and large we really don't have a lot of issues with them.

I live in Cartersville, GA where the US training facility for Komatsu is located. If you need any help let me know. If I were you I would by whatever GPS package you are looking at, they are all pretty similar in functionality and usability. But I would absolutely get a tablet, especially when using the engineers dwgs. dxfs or other variations. The speed and ease of use if SOOOOOO worth it.