dear members and folks , im just about to purchase a total station as been wanting one for many years, but dont know the appropriate one to buy, as im a begginer, and only have experience in dumpys and laser levels in which i own and first started using them in 1998 for construction and civil earthworks !! but soon will need to survey land and its elevations and also finding angles and building alignments and running services on the land with grades !! from what i have read, i know most total stations are good ! but the difference is $500 us to $60 thousand us !! i would like to be able to transfer the input data onto my P.C !! id also prefer to buy used equipment, as some total stations go forever if treated right !! i would also like to find out, if its better to use a basic unit with a separate data collector and if it has any disadvantages on site in performance, rather than having one complete unit !!
Newcomer ( george belessis ) :unamused::smarty::scream:
Howdy George and welcome here.......
Any of the modern TS with prismless abilities will get you into the game.
Your choice would depend upon the use and transport to setups.
The number of persons in your crew and how advanced you want.
Data collectors can range from HP48 to Trimble T10.
Personally, my instruments are from Manual TS to Electronic Prismless TS with onboard software and they are all at end of service, no new parts and the stock dwindling fast or already gone.
They are also tuned and ready for any project.
When I started shopping, I rented a couple and tested them and me with them.
Set you a budget, make a shopping list, google search everything and stay away from stuff that is dirt cheap and far away.
There is a surveyor most everywhere that has some used equipment for sale.
Just like light bulbs, the older bulbs stop working first.
I let another surveyor borrow my Set 4 last month because his Set 5 had stopped emitting the IR signal and could not measure distance.
He had bought it about a year ago.
Use the search bar above right to find past knowledge here and ask if you don't find anything.
good luck
Separate data collector is the most common choice. I you go with on board data collection you are going to have to get the instrument out of the box to hook it up to your computer for upload/download which isn't very convenient.
Being able to transfer data to/from your computer has been commonly available for 25 years. I doubt that any unit less than 20 years old will fail to do that. An issue might be some older units needing a serial port to transfer data which a lot of modern computer don't have any more.
A Harris, post: 448967, member: 81 wrote: Howdy George and welcome here.......
Any of the modern TS with prismless abilities will get you into the game.
Your choice would depend upon the use and transport to setups.
The number of persons in your crew and how advanced you want.
Data collectors can range from HP48 to Trimble T10.
Personally, my instruments are from Manual TS to Electronic Prismless TS with onboard software and they are all at end of service, no new parts and the stock dwindling fast or already gone.
They are also tuned and ready for any project.
When I started shopping, I rented a couple and tested them and me with them.
Set you a budget, make a shopping list, google search everything and stay away from stuff that is dirt cheap and far away.
There is a surveyor most everywhere that has some used equipment for sale.Just like light bulbs, the older bulbs stop working first.
I let another surveyor borrow my Set 4 last month because his Set 5 had stopped emitting the IR signal and could not measure distance.
He had bought it about a year ago.Use the search bar above right to find past knowledge here and ask if you don't find anything.
good luck
thanking you for your response !!
i have been leaning towards purchasing a total station that has a separate data collector, so would anybody know about data collectors that will work with several units if it has compatible software downloaded onto it as in a universal item ?? or each unit only has its specific data controller ???
George ( newcomer )
Mark Mayer, post: 448969, member: 424 wrote: Separate data collector is the most common choice. I you go with on board data collection you are going to have to get the instrument out of the box to hook it up to your computer for upload/download which isn't very convenient.
Being able to transfer data to/from your computer has been commonly available for 25 years. I doubt that any unit less than 20 years old will fail to do that. An issue might be some older units needing a serial port to transfer data which a lot of modern computer don't have any more.
thanks for your time and response !!
i had an idea that a separate data collector would be a good choice !! but only recently i started looking into it !! i suppose the less you have on a unit thats expensive, the less damage can occur !! but it could be seen both ways in advantages and its disadvantages !! so trying to find out about data controllers a bit more before i make a purchase !!
george ( newcomer )
My selection criterea would be much the same.
Separate data collector.
Prismless.
But, I'm a fan of the narrow beam. And, a fan of LONG RANGE reflectorless. I don't know who all does this. But Leica did do narrow beam. I actually have a 1st generation Leica reflectorless, narrow beam. (it's not long range).
The advantage of narrow beam is you can pin-point where you want to measure. The disadvantage is you will have to collumate, or allign the edm, to the crosshairs occasionally. Topcon (and most others) did reflectorless too. But, they were wide beam. This made it so you didn't have to adjust or collumate the edm to the crosshairs. But your pin point ability was gone. I liked to be able to choose precisely what I was measuring to. (building cor, roof cor, etc)
Anyhow, all of them have moving parts, and wear points inside.
I still have a Topcon GTS 3-C. It's not reflectorless. But, it still works! You can buy a gts 2, or 3 off ebay, for 500$!
I hope you find what suits your needs.
My workflow and type of work, means I don't use a total sta too much. All Javad GPS for me.
Get the tool you want, and know how to use properly.
Nate
If you don't want a robotic (1 man operation) you can save a lot of money.
There are some excellent quality older manual total stations available. One thing to bear in mind is that data transfer from an older station will be via a serial cable and this can be problematic with newer computers.
An example is a Leica TCR705 or TCR805 which are great instruments but the Leica software to download it does not work properly with anything past windows XP. The model that came after is the TS06 which has a USB stick download facility so no problems.
Squowse above is right... But that same problem can exist for the data collector too. My thoughts are to buy an older XP machine, and set it up in a local network.
Now, your older peripherals can be used. Like printers, data collectors, etc. (takes a bit of work) but, it works well.
I know several surveyors who do it like this. Keeps their old gear alive.
N
Oops, don't get the gts2 above, as it was not fully electronic. Gts 3b or gts 3C will both interface with most data collectors. (its been a while!)
N
You'll find good used TS here from dealers.
Also look about and get a used data recorder with software.
Mostly they'll be cheaper than the software itself.
Carlson or Field Genius for data collection.
Different but both have advantages.
For TS work I prefer Field Genius.
If roadworks I think Carlson.
GPS, Now that's not something you're likely to get as cheap as in USA. But you're not after one. Yet.
Nate The Surveyor, post: 448979, member: 291 wrote: My selection criterea would be much the same.
Separate data collector.
Prismless.
But, I'm a fan of the narrow beam. And, a fan of LONG RANGE reflectorless. I don't know who all does this. But Leica did do narrow beam. I actually have a 1st generation Leica reflectorless, narrow beam. (it's not long range).
The advantage of narrow beam is you can pin-point where you want to measure. The disadvantage is you will have to collumate, or allign the edm, to the crosshairs occasionally. Topcon (and most others) did reflectorless too. But, they were wide beam. This made it so you didn't have to adjust or collumate the edm to the crosshairs. But your pin point ability was gone. I liked to be able to choose precisely what I was measuring to. (building cor, roof cor, etc)
Anyhow, all of them have moving parts, and wear points inside.
I still have a Topcon GTS 3-C. It's not reflectorless. But, it still works! You can buy a gts 2, or 3 off ebay, for 500$!I hope you find what suits your needs.
My workflow and type of work, means I don't use a total sta too much. All Javad GPS for me.
Get the tool you want, and know how to use properly.
Nate
thanks guys for trying to help me make the right choice !! really appreciate it !!
i just found a trimble on ebay " Trimble 5503 DR STD 5500 series, Trimble Total Station, motorized Direct Reflex ""Tested and calibrated with calibration report. and asking $1500 usd or best offer !! but has no controller !! what do you guys think !!
thanking you
george
george homeless, post: 449000, member: 13070 wrote: ...Trimble 5503 DR STD 5500 series, Trimble Total Station, motorized Direct Reflex...
That sounds like it might be a Trimble 5603. If so that is a very popular piece of late '90s technology. Trimble made a zillion of them and a lot of them are still in service. A very good gun for it's time. I used one for many years. But there are a couple of things you should know:
- Trimble has stopped making parts for them. Did so several years ago. If you need service you may have trouble getting it.
- Uniquely they track a diode on the prism holder, not the prism itself. In order to take advantage of the tracking function you need those special prism holders.
- There is a separate radio to make the robotic link.
- It isn't going to be much use without a data collector
- They use a lot of battery power.
This ebay find might be a very good deal for somebody who already has a 5603 setup and is looking to add a spare. Unless you really like to tinker and rock bottom price is your prime concern I do not recommend it.
There is/was a 5500 series. Like the 5600 series they are motorized but they aren't robotic - they don't have the tracker. My advice would be to go robotic, or at least automatic target recognition (ATR), reflectorless and look for a fully functioning setup, i.e. instrument + DC + prism. I have a 5600 and the Geodimeter equivalent but I cobbled together the full robotic setup and the time cost of matching things up and getting them to work far exceeds what I could of paid for a full setup.
Richard Imrie, post: 449202, member: 11256 wrote: There is/was a 5500 series. Like the 5600 series they are motorized but they aren't robotic - they don't have the tracker. My advice would be to go robotic, or at least automatic target recognition (ATR), reflectorless and look for a fully functioning setup, i.e. instrument + DC + prism. I have a 5600 and the Geodimeter equivalent but I cobbled together the full robotic setup and the time cost of matching things up and getting them to work far exceeds what I could of paid for a full setup.
thanks again for the advice guys !!
i just learned that i can buy a RS232 bluetooth adaptor that relates the data to a P.C !! does that mean i can get an older unit and just plug and survey ?? or is it more complicated than this ?? and does it work with most older type of total stations ??
thanks again
george
george homeless, post: 449239, member: 13070 wrote: ...or is it more complicated than this ??
Richard Imrie, post: 449202, member: 11256 wrote: I cobbled together the full robotic setup and the time cost of matching things up and getting them to work far exceeds what I could of paid for a full setup.
Asked and answered.
george homeless, post: 449239, member: 13070 wrote: thanks again for the advice guys !!
i just learned that i can buy a RS232 bluetooth adaptor that relates the data to a P.C !! does that mean i can get an older unit and just plug and survey ?? or is it more complicated than this ?? and does it work with most older type of total stations ??
thanks again
george
You would be simpler using a serial (RS232) to USB converter if you don't have a computer with a serial interface. They can be a bit unreliable though not nearly as unreliable/fussy as bluetooth.
something like these might suit you. both have usb interface (much easier to deal with).
these could be bought cheaper 2nd hand in UK or US if you are prepared to buy from overseas. I had a Nikon Nivo for sale for less than these. ( https://surveyorconnect.com/community/threads/nikon-nivo-2c.248078/#post-248078 )
dear members and surveyors, i also just learnt that there are total reality imaging stations ! and started browsing on some used ones and followed a ebay auction for a AUTO TRACKING TOPCON IS-203 in its case and prism and tripod in working order , and got sold for $1820 thousand dollars us ! are these imaging stations are as good as what the manufacturers specify as in the leica also ???
thanks
george
dear members and surveyors,
hope you are all having a great day in the US or other parts of the world and enjoying surveying with every moment !! ive made up my mind in which total station i would like to buy, its going to be a robotic imaging total station, i know their not cheap unless you can locate the first models that were produced and the owners are willing to part with it !! so if anyone out there has or knows of one thats for sale, can you post me some details and ill be in touch !!!
thanks
george
dear members and surveyors,
hope you are all having a great day !!! ive located a few of the TOPCON IS203 series, and most of them in other parts of the world, except down here !! all ranging from$3500 USD to $10,000 USD. any for sale in the USA that you guys know of ???
thanks
george
