I need a recommendation on a new data collector. I have been using TDS/Trimble TSC2, but want to look at others. Would appreciate comments.
TSC3?
Recon?
Carlson?
Others?
Don't need robotic. Just GPS and regular Total Station.
Don't buy a Topcon FC2500 with TopSurv 8 unless you like the feeling of being unproductive.
If I was buying one today, I would take a serious hard look at Carlson's Surveyor+ and SurvCE.
> I need a recommendation on a new data collector. I have been using TDS/Trimble TSC2, but want to look at others. Would appreciate comments.
>
> TSC3?
> Recon?
> Carlson?
> Others?
>
> Don't need robotic. Just GPS and regular Total Station.
Frank,
After 6 years of service, my Carlson Explorer 600+ finally died this past fall. I was able to transfer my SurvCE license to new hardware, so I was simply looking at hardware. I did a lot of looking and was on a short time frame.
Short story is that I had a very fine experience with Titan Elite ( http://titaneliteinc.com/). I actually found him on Ebay. I ended up with a new old stpock Trimble Nomad 800LC for a very nice price with the factory warranty. Very happy with the service, product and price.
While I was used to a full keyboard previously, I just love this unit. All day battery, light, fast processor, BT, WIFI. Works great on my network rover and robot with BT radios.
Just my two cents.
Matt
It would be a good time to look at the tablet data collectors.
I don't have one, but if I were looking I would demo one.
I currently have SurvCE in an Allegro MX box.
Carlson is also getting ready to unveil a new version 3 of SurvCE, don't know yet what it has to offer above what we are now using, 2.6x, but I love their software.
I don’t know too much about data collectors other than the two I just bought. You might want to peruse the details. As far as I am concerned they are perfect for my applications. They are Nautiz X7’s with Field Genius w/total station. The whole menagerie works well with basically all cad programs and is practically idiot proof. (I know firsthand).
[flash width=560 height=315] http://www.youtube.com/v/zKKLJD7ZZEg?version=3&hl=en_US [/flash]
Most of our work is construction oriented, ie: house layout, foundation etc. so I am not utilizing the programs to their fullest extent. In a nutshell they work for me better than expected.
Good luck with your decision. B-)
Frank
Sorry you didn't bring your left-handed fiddle to the Kentucky conference. Would love to pick with you some.
I have been using the TSC2 with TDS for five years and it has performed well. Previously I used Recons and several before that. A fellow solo operator I work with periodically has a new TSC3 with SurvPro. I'm not terribly familiar with that system but his (and apparently many others) has a bug that causes the voice prompts to go on sabbatical for hours to days at a time. I don't like the voice prompt in the first place for two reasons. #1. Way too quiet, hard to hear in the woods much less on a construction site or near a road. #2. I like just a note or two to tell me what I did. It is quicker and easier to tell what is happening, ie lost lock, stored shot, etc. I hope to skip over the TSC3 like I did Windows Vista.
I am not personally knowledgeable of the other great data collectors out there.
> If I was buying one today, I would take a serious hard look at Carlson's Surveyor+ and SurvCE.
Yep.
I like Carlson SurvCE
Jury is still out, I haven't had time to hit the field with it, but I just bought a FC2600 with Magnet. Seems like a pretty skookum unit.
-JD-
> > If I was buying one today, I would take a serious hard look at Carlson's Surveyor+ and SurvCE.
>
> Yep.
>
> I like Carlson SurvCE
:good:
