I have a Topcon 9003 robot connected via internal radio to an FC2500 DC with the RS-1 radio module on the back and of course the RC-3 on top of the prism connected to the DC by Bluetooth. The radio system is spread-spectrum and uses the 2.4 GHz band.
Initially I ran TopSurv on the DC and communications with the robot were nearly flawless. After a year or so I switched to Carlson SurvCE on the DC and now I have communications issues. For what it's worth if I switch back to TopSurv the issues go away.
Most days it works with only the occasional "Device did not respond" or other communication issue but sometimes it's every few shots. It'll seem to be fine until I press the button to take a shot and then it locks up and eventually gives an error message. After clearing the error message, I usually have to click the tracking icon two or three times before it will reestablish communication with the robot. Even though the radio link is down the robot is still measuring and tracking. I can see the red light blinking in the scope and the instrument tracks the prism if I move.
Distance is part of the equation but proximity to sources of other radio signals seems to be the major problem. Yesterday for example I was only 60-80 feet away from the instrument but I was close to a house (likely running WiFi) and I lost the radio link 15-20 times while staking a new house with 50 points. Today I was working on a new unit of a subdivision with only one house nearby. The instrument was located about 60 feet from the house and I was staking points that ranged from 80 feet to as much as 800 feet from the instrument. The only two radio link failures today were on shorter shots where the line of sight between the instrument and the DC ran close to the house.
I've reloaded software, rebooted more times than I can count, and even swapped out the RS-1 radio module with no success.
I've previously contacted Carlson and submitted log files collected while the error is occurring but they can't seem to find anything that would explain the issue. I get the feeling that I'm either the only one with this issue or the only one reporting it.
Are any of you running this or a similar setup and if so do you have radio problems around houses, hotels, businesses, and other radio sources in the 2.4 GHz band?
In an open field, like a city park, do you experience these communications problems? You maybe unto something with interference issues. However, the only radio issue I ever experienced with a robot was in a diesel tank (construction stage), it seems bizarre that a WiFi would be part of the problem? Good luck in finding a solution.
Initially I thought that it was a distance problem so I looked to see if SurvCE was broadcasting at the max power and tested the max radio distance for both SurvCE and TopSurv. Topcon's specs say the radio is good to 3000 feet under optimal conditions and I was able to get out to 2500 feet with no issues running TopSurv. When I switched to SurvCE it started getting flaky before I got to 1000 feet and was useless at 2500 feet.
Over the past year I began to notice that it seemed to be less about the distance between the DC and instrument and more about my proximity to houses and businesses. The 2.4 GHz band is used by WiFi devices, cordless phones, drive-thru radio systems, etc. I suspect that my system is getting interference or is being overwhelmed by the other radios and that SurvCE does not handle the interference or data overload as well as TopSurv.
I plan to do some distance testing over the weekend on a couple of sites that should be free of 2.4 GHz radios.
If it was me. I would just use what works.
A buddy of mine (FLS on here) uses GPT-9003 w/ FC2500 and Carlson SurvCE software, and has described the same problems as you.
I also have a the GPT-9003 with all Topcon software, with no problems at all. I use FC250 w/ Topsurv, and now use Tesla with Magnet Field.
Carlson is doing the best they can to decode the drivers and hardware to work with Carlson software. But in my opinion it's still best to stay with OEM hardware and software to work error free and take full advantage of the system. I think these days vendors are making efforts to make it harder for third party software developers to decode.
LeeGreen.com
I originally went with an all Topcon setup so that if there were problems I would know where to look. While the integration of the system was great, I found that TopSurv did not live up to my expectations (coming from a Husky running TDS). I reported the bugs and issues that I discovered and stayed with TopSurv through several incremental updates. Each update would bring new features but no bug fixes. Finally less than two years after I purchased my FC2500, which was Topcon's top of the line DC at the time, they made the FC2500 functionally obsolete by releasing Magnet which will not run on Windows CE 5. The release of Magnet meant that TopSurv would not see anymore fixes or updates.
I have experienced the exact same problem with the Topcon QS. It has the same radio in the RC4. My dealer had the instrument for 6 months trying to fix the problem. I have tried every combinations of settings, left my cell phone in the truck, thrown salt over my shoulder, but nothing helps. I find some sites worse than others, mostly urban areas but not always buildings. I will be pressing my dealer to inform Topcon that they need to fix this.
Just to add to my previous post I am running the latest version of Magnet on the Tesla DC. I tried a demo of Carlson Serv CE with the same problem. This problem only happens in robotic mode when sighting a prism.
I run a 9003 with survey pro on a recon. I use a Hayes bantam radio and it is rock solid out to about 1500 feet. Hayes isn't making these units anymore but someone else may know who does. I also have a nomad with Carlson
Ce and no problems with it; though I have only used it a few times
> I use a Hayes bantam radio and it is rock solid out to about 1500 feet. Hayes isn't making these units anymore but someone else may know who does.
I concur. I think Troy Deaton may be working on a newer version.
Maybe reach out to those fellas at Geotronics in Tennessee?