Nikon NIVO and Trimble software

I also have a Nikon Nivo 1.C with onboard Survey Pro so I have not experienced the communication problem with the data collector. I have had issues with the collimation procedure and was unable to get it to work since I purchased the instrument in December of 2011. The dealer returned it to the factory and they apparently reloaded or upgraded the firmware and I got it back today. They now say it will work.

I guess we will see.....

Sounds to me like it could be a cable / plugs/ connector issue.

Also worth checking commmunications parameters - baud rate & parity

I had a similar issue (with a different gun) and it turned out to be a failing cable.

You might want to try a different cable to be sure.

-Jeff

Thanks for the input everyone, but this seems to happen regardless of which of our NIVO's we are using. Baud rate and cables have been eliminated from the mix.

I was hoping that there was someone else out there running Trimble access with a NIKON NIVO that could provide us with insite or their own experience. The party chief's are ready to run the intruments over with a truck in hopes they will get something else.

Hello, I would like to ask if you finally found a solution at the the problem you are refering in the above link

And a comment please If you suggest such a setting... Nivo to Trimble Access

I own a TSC3 with 2016.03 Access software and I want to save money by buying a Nivo M and run it with the data collector on Bluetooth connection

Nut I m not sure about the idea...

Any possible information could help me. Thank you

When you mentioned "lag" my first thought was a problem with Bluetooth communication.

Start with the timing and sequence of the firmware between the instrument and the data collector.

The two may not be working well with each other.

good luck

I purchased a nivo shortly after they were released. My experience is with TDS survey pro. We gave up on bluetooth long ago. Just doesn't work.
It would "hang up" while taking a shot. With cord, it worked fine. Later on we had trouble with reading bad angles. That was supposedly an alignment issue with the circle. That appears to be corrected. Most recently we're getting a lag with TDS survey pro and cable connection. I haven't done any troubleshooting regarding this yet.

There is a setting in the survey style under Instrument called HA VA Status Rate - try switching it to Never. Regarding bad angles - tell the crew not to touch the gun until the backsite routine is COMPLETELY finished and closed out.

If you're using a cable ditch it and go BT. If you can't get it to work using Nikon in the Survey Style change it to Trimble M3. Make sure the gun is set to BT not RS232.

Old thread but I feel the need to jump in.?ÿ We have a Nikon Nivo 5m+ and we are running the latest survey pro on a nomad 900 and nomad 1050, both via Bluetooth. He have had random horizontal angle errors. I'm talking in the range of 90?ø from where the gun was actually pointing. We have eliminated all causes and confined it to the gun.?ÿ If we turn the Nivo on and manually take a shot, 9 times out of ten, all is fine.?ÿ On 10% of the shots, we can watch the horizontal angle while shooting, and for a split second the angle will jump by 80-180 degrees for example. (Never exactly 180 for anyone thinking that).?ÿ If by chance the shot records at that split second, we end up with a bad shot location.?ÿ This has resulted in two bad topo shots (that we know of) over the course of about one year.?ÿ I am convinced it is not just my instrument with this issue. It went to Trimble, while under warranty, and was returned with a good bill of health (after they noticed the problem and fixed it).?ÿ No idea what the fix was. No information to be had in any paperwork.?ÿ The fix did not fix a thing.?ÿ I would appreciate any other Nivo owners that would be willing to manually take a shot and stare at the horizontal angle. I want to have this problem replicated to put together a more formal complaint with Trimble. Thanks for reading my novel. Hope you enjoyed it.

?ÿ

Karl

"I would appreciate any other Nivo owners that would be willing to manually take a shot and stare at the horizontal angle."

?ÿ

I've seen it. Nivo 5M w/Ranger and Survey Pro. ?ÿOne, middle, of four shots on a pedestrian ramp swung about 40?§ left of position.

The horizontal angle offset routine works fine for the first three or so of these type of shots, then crashes. You can shoot the prism, but can't collect the center. Not sure if this is related.?ÿ

?ÿ

One instance where I couldn't collect the backsight shot. Was shooting it in the stake-out routine, for a quick idea of vertical errors. The instrument was collecting the distance, but the edm staus icon at the bottom of the screen was very slow, and the instrument failed to collect the distance.

Initiating a manual distance shot from the 5M screen produced the same results.

?ÿ

That's all I have.

Thanks for the quick reply. Have you tried to manually take a shot without the ranger and stared at the angle to look for the jump??ÿ I had a video of it somewhere. I will try to grab that and upload it.?ÿ It is the craziest thing.

No, I think the video would help if it's still to be found. While working out the digital level, between two faces, I've seen the level settle out then suddenly jump a minute, and then settle out again. Aside from; that, one crazy angle returned, and the issue with the horizontal angle offset routine, it's been a reliable instrument.

You can see the angle jump from 359?ø to 159?ø. Minutes and seconds jump as well

'I was hoping that there was someone else out there running Trimble access with a NIKON NIVO that could provide us with insite or their own experience. The party chief's are ready to run the intruments over with a truck in hopes they will get something else.'

?ÿ

Adding to the discussion, 5M with a serial connection to a tsc3/Access, dc and instrument wouldn't pair on the initial setup. dc froze but would work fine after soft reboot. Never had this issue when running the BT connection.

'There is a setting in the survey style under Instrument called HA VA Status Rate - try switching it to Never. Regarding bad angles - tell the crew not to touch the gun until the backsite routine is COMPLETELY finished and closed out.

If you're using a cable ditch it and go BT. If you can't get it to work using Nikon in the Survey Style change it to Trimble M3. Make sure the gun is set to BT not RS232.'

?ÿ

Thank you Lee D.

One more addition to this, used it recently with the rs232 connection and verified every angle on the instrument matched the dc screen. It worked without a hitch for hours with one exception. At some point the instrument held?ÿthe current angle when rotated. Once or twice during the topo the measure routine timed out for traffic or foliage, and this is just a guess, when the routine doesn't complete the instrument is left with some sort of unresolved code issue in the software. This was resolved by powering down the instrument for thirty seconds with the batteries removed, and re-running the backsight routine.?ÿ

It has been a while since I posted in this thread and I have since moved on to greener pastures, BUT the Nikon to Trimble connection/communication issue continues to be a thorn in my side.?ÿ Running Nikon NPL-322 total station trying to talk to Trimble Access.?ÿ Regardless as to Bluetooth or cable communication, the communication will stop about 150 to 200 data points in to the day.?ÿ sometimes the guys can get it re-booted, other times no such luck.?ÿ We have tried the setting adjustments noted here previously with limited success. ?ÿ

Anyone out there have any new suggestions? This is to the point that it is killing crew productivity! ?????ÿ

@sreeserinpa

I would want to ask

• if the communication errors showed up after a sideshot timed out - maybe the rod walked off before the I-man said 'good', or a vehicle got online ..
• If the errors showed up after one of the offset routines.