Luke J. Crawford, post: 419206, member: 11382 wrote: Carlson SurvCE has all the drivers for the IX too. I believe they are the same as the SRX, SX & DX as I can sun any of those three with SurvCE set for any of those 3. I know SurveyPro can run the IX as well, Sokkia is promoting "open platform" architecture which is a bonus IMO. Our Leica rep, also a Sokkia dealer is very impressed with the IX though Leica won't let him admit it...
We have SRX, 2 SX's & a DX robots, as well as a Trimble 5603, Spectra Focus30 and a Leica MS60. Sokkia's are the 1st ones to go out to the field followed by the Focus30 (all running SurvCE) the Leica is an amazing piece of kit but Captivate isn't the smoothest.
I'd be careful saying that the iX is the same driver as the SRX etc. It is not. It will work but not 100% If you want to try Magnet with it- let me know.
Used the Sokkia SRX for awhile. Was impressed until it started having communication issues. Ended up with a Carlson CR2 Robot using Survce and haven't looked back.
We are a Surveying Company from Germany and used a Topcon GT and a Sokkia iX.
The big Problem of the GT or iX is not the verry disturbing noise. The GT/iX is vibrating!! You can feeld the vibrations in the tripot and in the bottom! If you stand a glas with water near the GT you can see the waterwaves. You can see/feel/hear the vibrations if you use the GT8iX in manual mode or if the GT/iX collimate a prism and fallow them.
We prove the accuracy of the GT/iX. The System was failed!!
After that, we send the GT/iX return to Topcon!
Been working with the GT-503 running Magnet for a month now. Im longing for my Gtp-8000 & survey pro.
As for the GT it is noisy and will drop seconds up to minutes if not used with a screw lock on the tribrach due to torque as it spins. It does track & search well to the point, I wouldn't spend the 5k on the rc upgrade.
I find magnet to be rinky dink. Perhaps the routines made sense to a program geek at a desk, but in the field its convoluted. Maybe starting as a greenhorn on a layout crew it would seem like the cats ass, but coming from 20 years of tds survey pro, its quite lacking.
I am a topcon guy, but would look elsewhere; if only not to be locked into Magnet.
Fredh, post: 422984, member: 12570 wrote: Been working with the GT-503 running Magnet for a month now. Im longing for my Gtp-8000 & survey pro.
As for the GT it is noisy and will drop seconds up to minutes if not used with a screw lock on the tribrach due to torque as it spins. It does track & search well to the point, I wouldn't spend the 5k on the rc upgrade.
I find magnet to be rinky dink. Perhaps the routines made sense to a program geek at a desk, but in the field its convoluted. Maybe starting as a greenhorn on a layout crew it would seem like the cats ass, but coming from 20 years of tds survey pro, its quite lacking.
I am a topcon guy, but would look elsewhere; if only not to be locked into Magnet.
Sounds like you never had formal training with Magnet Field. Contact me if you wish to learn more.
leegreen, post: 422999, member: 2332 wrote: Sounds like you never had formal training with Magnet Field. Contact me if you wish to learn more.
That is the case, only what our service rep provided. I will be in touch. thanks
I currently run a GPT 8003 w/SURVCE on a Surveyor2 mini. I'm looking to upgrade as well. Don't talk to me about Magnet, I'm not interested. My thoughts/wonders are this, should I go w/the flashy new IX or go with something a bit older/cheaper (and possibly more proven). I'm not talking used, I'm just talking "last years model" if you get my drift. I always worry about being "cutting edge". You know they say the guy that goes through the wall 1st gets the bloodiest. I see no reason to pay Topcon an extra $1500 of coin just to unlock the damn thing so I can run it w/Carlson when my rep says they are the same instrument, just different colors/markings(thoughts?). I also am not going w/out some sort of active target. You gripe about the RC unit on top, and I can only speak of the older RC-2R, but I hardly know it's there until I need it. I don't see how a robot is effective w/out an active target, but that's just my 2 Abe Lincoln's on the matter...
Also what's this "screw lock" thing someone mentioned on their tripod...I thought they all had that. I do know this about the 8000 series, you need them on a stout tripod with double locking system to really get them to settle down with their floating. Since I switched to that some eons ago, I don't see it much, or not enough to worry me anyways. A good backsight check is always worth its weight in gold.
Think I'll stick woth my trusty GPT9003 and RC4 for a bit longer. Fancied a Gt too.
Hi William,
I found myself doing the same as you to see if others had issues with the Sokkia iX Total Station. Over the past year we have experienced similar problems you have mentioned. We are currently on our second set of motors after the initial ones burnt out. Still constantly have tracking and connection issues between TS and Prism. I have used Leica and Trimble Total Stations in the past and can confidently say the Sokkia iX is the worst TS I have ever used. I guess there's a reason why its the cheapest instrument on the market - you get what you pay for!
Nearly all of what William said is not true. Magnet Field has always had a way of selecting a point from the map view for layout. There is a user-defined range greater than 10 degrees for the search menu. Clearly, he has not had any formal training.
I have provided training with over 20 Topcon GT Robots. Only one has had a motor replaced. In cold weather, it would slip the scope on a double angle shot. I have never seen the tracking problem persist after proper collimation and prism checks.
