Leica Bluetooth radio handle RH16

Colin,

I looked it up and you will need firmware version 8.50 or higher on a TPS1200 and firmware 4.00 or higher on a Viva TS total station to have the RH16 as a listed device. You can buy the RH16 as a single device:

Art. No. 788853 - RH16, Radio Handle with integrated bluetooth module and radio antenna. Used as radio modem for Leica Nova and Leica Viva TPS instruments. Establishes communication to CS15 field controller equiped with CTR16 or TCPS29 attached to PC (Freq. Range 2402 - 2480MHz).

I am not sure about the use with other BT radios like the Parani. I think the issue would be how the RH16 establishes a bluetooth pairing ID with the remote bluetooth radio. The RH16 on the TPS1200 is established as the master device for the communications link.

Actually... I would have to say no this is not possible. There is no option to search for another bluetooth device when looking at the settings for the RH16 on TPS1200 or on a Viva TS. So there is no way that the RH16 can be quired to search and find other BT devices. The RH16 will automatically find the CTR16 BT cap on a CS controller or the TCPS29 BT radio.

I knew you would know the answer! Thanks

But couldn't the search be initiated from the datacollector side for the RH16?

Colin,

I am not sure how it would work on the side of third-party software. In Leica SmartWorx you can manually search for the RH16 when using the BT Cap (CTR16)on a CS15 controller or you can use a simplified wizard to step through the connection process.

So since there is a manual search available on the CS controller side... maybe this could be done when searching from a third-party data collector. I do not have anything her to test this possibility.

My Carlson Surveyor Plus will find the RH 16 like any blue tooth
device and the range is reliable to 180 meters from our TS 12 robot
with the RH 16 handle and connection is very reliable
to 180 meters +-

The robot has a unlock " geo Code or something like that " to third party Collectors like Carlson a $800.00
dollar touch which I don't mind since Leica supplied a programmer
for Carlson I believe to solve the interface from Carlson to the TS 12 robot
via blue tooth and other things

Any ways the flip using one botton push on the the Carlson surveyor plus DC
from Robot to GPS RTk is flawless.

Very very few DC hung ups or lock ups maybe once every two weeks

Here Is my gear

Setch Equipment LIst

DC

2 New Carlson Surveyor Plus
Carlson SurvCE Ver 2.55.10
Carlson SurvCE Ver 2.55.10

Robot

Leica TS12
Type TS12 P 2" R400
S.N. 269895
Art No. 791307
Equipment No. 4944492

GPS

Sokkia Gsr1700Csx RTK L1 Two rovers, One base
post process soft Spectrum Ver 4.21 L1 dongle
Satel 3ASd 1 watt, Stubby, 15cm, 30 cm GainFlex.

Computer

Xi Computer S/N: 037019
Intel Core i7-2600K CPU @ 3.40GHZ
Mem 16.0 GB
Win 7 64.0 Bit

Autodesk C3D 2013 subscription Service pack 1

AVG Antivirus

HP 111 Roll feed 24" plotter.

Thanks for that info - I use SurvCE so looks like it will work.

Peter,

Thanks for information. I have not seen or used anything with the RH16 except on a Leica CS controller. It is good to know that the gear can be used with other third-party collectors.

I think an earlier post mentioned the geocom licence, but that might be something different.

Here in Australia I am moving towards 12d field (highly capable and pretty inexpensive add on to our desktop software 12d model) and the geocom licence is required to use 12d field on ANY tablet I want. Except maybe the Leica CS25 LRBT tablet which is paired with the TS15 or TS12 and therefore may not need the geocom licence ?

The idea being that a good ruggedised tablet can be my desktop PC when docked with a decent monitor and then my field controller.

Still in the research phase so if I sounded a bit lost that's because I am!

What I meant to say was: Is there any real difference between the RH16 and the RH15, I was looking at a Leica TS15, but may only need the TS12...

No RH16 Bluetooth radio handle in device list??

I have firmware version 8.71, maintenance end 05/21/15, on a TCRP 1203+.

I understood this version firmware would list the RH16 bluetooth radio handle.

However, it does not come up at all. Not under Port 2, or Port 3 or Port 1...nowhere does it come up.

RH1200 and RH15 do, along with radios 27 & 28.

What do I need to purchase to be able to run my RH16 radio handle on this instrument?

Any help is much appreciated.

I have been hoping this issue would come up for a long time because I don't like how certain manufacturers are explaining this....

Yes, there are several non-Leica brand data collectors that will pair to the RH16 Bluetooth Handle on the TPS1200 or Viva Series Robot. Of course these data collectors would have to run Carlson or MicroSurvey as no other non-Viva software will run these instruments. This of course requiring the Geocom as stated earlier. There are also long range USB dongles that will hook to data collectors like the Carlson Surveyor + to extend the range a little bit.

When you spend $20k plus on a Robotic Total Station don't you want it to work seamless? If you piece it together with different, cheaper parts than you get just what you are asking for. It isn't the same as putting Bantams on the old Topcon 800-series models (that actually worked better!).

The Carlson Surveyor +, among other data collectors works, as previously stated about 500-600 feet AT MAX, in perfect line of sight conditions. WTH would you buy a robot limited to 500 feet? Not saying you should work over that all the time (I know accuracy degrades with distance)...but why wouldn't you want that option if you spend that much money.

Adding a USB dongle is a terrible idea. I tested this setup (through two customers) for about a month. We consistently received negative feedback about the setup, communication problems throughout the day, distances that varied no matter what environment you were end...and upon returning the unit to us, the USB dongle has been nearly destroyed.

Leica didn't move to the LRBT Handles just to change things on everyone. They are proven to be more consistent, especially when transferring large amounts of data (for example - the MS50 scan data or the TS15/11i Imaging data). I can assure you that cheapening the setup will save you money, may work some of the time, but will let you down in the end.

No RH16 Bluetooth radio handle in device list??

Never mind...it fixed itself(?). Now the RH16 is a listed device.:-S

No RH16 Bluetooth radio handle in device list??

I am having the same problem, but the Inst. Is not fixing itself as what
happened in your case.

Have you been able to figure out what was going on?
I have the latest firmware and am trying to select RH16 (which I bought new) and
am trying to connect to Carlson Surveyor 2

I just wanted to share my recent experience with RH 16 and Parani SD1000. I have a Tps 1200 robot that I used to control with a Parani and serial cable at the instrument end, and another one at the DC. Few days ago I found an RH16 on ebay offered for $460, so bought it. I have to mention that my instrument had Rh 15,16,17 and many other devices listed?ÿ in the device list and it also has the Geocom licence. The settings are: Port 2, Rh16 (with Geocom RS232 protocol enabled). The Parani radio I set up using the Paraniwin utility downloaded from Sena networks website. I set the radio to Mode0( and 115000 bps) to search for BT devices. Once the RH was found, I connected to it. I than disconnected and set the radio to mode1 (that enables it to reconnect automatically to the last connected device).

I tested this setup to 300m with a 3dbi antenna on the Parany and it worked great. The only thing I don't like about the RH is the way it fits(or rather doesn't fit) to the instrument due to that bulky rubber seal at the connectors. I had to press it really hard for the locking mechanism to engage.?ÿ

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How did you manage to fix this problem? I am having the same problem , tcrp1203 instrument not communicating to?ÿ RH16. Firmware version 9.x but still cant see RH16 listed but there is an option to add NEW. I tried all Baud Rates without any success.

Go to tools and format the system ram. It'll appear after.?ÿ?ÿ

If you have firmware 8.5 or higher and the RH16/RH17 (they are the same for all practical purposes) are still not showing up, you can usually fix it by hitting Shift, then Default, and it will re-populate the list. I used to think it was necessary to buy a CCP and upgrade firmware to use the Bluetooth handles, but then Leica stopped selling 1200 CCPs and I had to find another way. Turns out it was always possible to make it work with old firmware. You have to create a new "device", go to "Others" tab, highlight RS232 GeoCOM, and press NEW, call it RH16, change baud rate to 115200, STORE. Select the new device, and continue. Your RH16 or RH17 should now work.

@precision-geo-inc?ÿ

Old discussion but in case anyone else is still trying to do this....I did the whole CCP key then firmware update and reset the storage etc still didn't show up. So I did basically what you said, created a profile called RH17 with the settings I thought were correct, assumed it wouldn't work but it showed up immediately in the Fieldgenius Bluetooth search. Working perfectly so far.?ÿ

@precision-geo-inc?ÿ

Btw just noticed your name. Precision Geosystems. I bought your last RH17. Received it today ???. Works great, no issues. Shipping was pretty fast considering crossing the border these days. I got 250+ meters from it at the end of the day to test range and it only started slowing down when a transport truck pulled in the way. This was with the internal Panasonic fz-m1 Bluetooth. With the Parani I couldn't get much more than 100m, 150 under perfect conditions.?ÿ

This purchase is going to make my life much easier and I'll definitely check you guys out in the future for purchases.?ÿ