Data Collector & Software

Carlson!!

If you use Carlson in the office then it's a no brainer! But if you don't then it can get more complex. I prefer Carlson for the office and field, but that is just me. It makes a whole lot more sense than some program invented by non-surveyors. I came from TDS also (pre-trimble acquisition) and not everything is exactly the same as TDS, but it is the same simple usability.

.004'

Carlson!!

ANYTHING but Trimble. They scuttled my old PDL 4500 radio, and installed an UNDERSIZED battery in it. It was supposed to have a 2400 mah in it. I found a 1500 mah in it.

Carlson!!

> If you use Carlson in the office then it's a no brainer! But if you don't then it can get more complex. I prefer Carlson for the office and field, but that is just me. It makes a whole lot more sense than some program invented by non-surveyors. I came from TDS also (pre-trimble acquisition) and not everything is exactly the same as TDS, but it is the same simple usability.
>
> .004'

I'm starting to think the same way, coming from TDS and going to Trimble requires a huge investment in time and money. If you combine the modules Trimble is far more specialized and robust but if you don't need all the special tech stuff (monitoring, tunnels etc.) I would go Carlson, since TDS has become a red-headed step child in the Trimble family of products.

Ralph

Carlson!!

You will never regret going with Carlson. We made that switch several years ago in the field and then switched over the office 3 years ago. Using the same software in the field and in the office makes for a seamless transition. Throw in the additional power in the Carlson packages and you will soon be off to the races. My company is very satisfied with the software.

I like either a ranger or the nomad with TDS now spectra precision surveypro. It works with more equipment than anything else and has been pretty well tested. Cant recommend Carlson anymore. Tech support has gone down hill and software seems to be buggy..Just my 2 cents

We have run FC2000's, (Topcon boxes) with Carlson SurvCE, for years.

We purchased an FC2500 about a year ago, and again went with the SurvCE from Carlson.

In a do-over, I would have ignored our Topcon sales rep and gone with the Carlson Surveyor data collector with the same software. The FC2500/2600 design is strange, and the case is plastic, ours already has stress signs from a drop it took.

We like Carlson, and their customer support is outstanding.

I still like TDS. It works well with autocad C3D.

we are jumping from the FC-250 to the FC-236, about the size of a Nomad with Topsurv onboard...it's a pretty fine data collector...
The statics are processed in Topcon tools ... but the digi data we extract is used in a number of different drafting software. I'd like to try to get Traverse PC on my laptop next season as I see the the BLM is moving over to that product. But I do see that surveyors on this board seem to like Carlson a lot.

FC-236

About a month ago I bought a Getac 236 with MicroSurvey FieldGenius (FG). As Mr. Moistner (I respect the guy for all those great photos! Keep it up, Daryl) says, the Getac is a good, solid unit. Its designed so it can be be used as a phone so the numeric keypad is unlike your PC layout but I think the trend is towards that layout. (I see new Leica DC's are like that). If you do a lot of topo work, FG is pretty darn slick. Line work is a no brainer. Click the line button and your next shot starts a line, and creates a layer based on your point description. To stop a line, just hit the line button. Want to continue that line later, just pick it on the graphics screen and keep going. And to see your contours develop as you get the shots still amazes me. I use it with a Sokkia SRX, Sokkia 2700ISX and a Geomax Zenith 20 network rover. Like I said, for topo FG is great. As far as field computing speed and simplicity, I still prefer SMI.