Older Robotic Instrument Purchase

Just a suggestion, and take it for what it is worth, I would keep the GPT-3003, especially if it is reflectorless. It is great for those quick shots where the reflectorless on your older robot might not reach, or for doing something quick with a part time helper.

I was solo for 8 years, and started out with a robot, and bought a manual total station about a year in, but my situation may have been totally different that what you expect to do.

This may not be what you want to hear, but I would try to get something you are used to, perhaps a used S6? I would not recommend that one try to economize on equipment, it may slow you down if it doesn't perform the way you are used to or if you have to learn some new procedures. I personally believe in getting the best available equipment, there are other things to save money on. When I first started out I didn't need a total station, just GPS, so I bought a new Trimble 4700/4800 set, cost me about $50K (in 1997) with software, accessories, etc, but I never regretted that purchase, as it was what I was used to using in the field and office. I paid it back over 4 years, and then bought some 5700's, and then some R8's, and then an R10, etc. Each time I financed the purchase, and made reasonable payments.

I have a 5600 sitting around here somewhere, it will not hold its vertical axis. The compensator was replaced with "the last one we could find anywhere" according to the repair shop. That didn't fix it. I'm sharing this kinda as my way of saying that replacement parts may be nonexistent for some of the "outdated" stuff. I certainly liked the 5600 better than I liked what we replaced it with.

I've gotten paranoid of buying anything over 6 years old for fear of being unable to buy parts for it.

(Some of) my advice would be to get a fully functioning kit - instrument, radios, prisms, data collector - rather than buy things separately and then trying to cobble things together.

You really would want to get newer instruments than the ones listed. I have a Topcon Gpt8200 which I have used for 10 years. It has been a workhorse but I would definitely not recommend anyone starting out to buy one now.

Try and stretch for something better if you can, it will pay for itself long term.

I think your budget would tell us a lot more about what instrument would make the most sense. We can recommend an S6 all day long, but if you only have $1,000 to spend that recommendation isn't going to help you much.

If my decision were between a Trimble 5600 and a Leica 1200 and I was finding them both for about the same price I would go with the Leica all the way. I've used both and the entire battery setup with the 5600 will drive you crazy. Especially when you're running robotically and need to have that dang pole battery for the prism. I think I would even recommend a Leica 1100 robot over that but those have already reached end of life for Leica. Before I traded my 1105 in last year it had a board fry and my shop had to rig something from a newer unit because the OEM parts were no longer available. Leica 1100 & 1200 TPS instruments also play well with the Piranni BT radios and SurvCE. I ran very successfully for several years combining different combinations of older Leica robots and 3rd party controllers/software. It can definitely be done if you're just starting out and boot strapping things together. Good luck!

I would get a price on a new spectra focus 35. You would be surprised. Especially the 0% 24 month financing. You can get it for like 800/mo.

I have had a 30 and 35. Now I have a 35 and an S7. The S7 keeps the lock A TAD better. That's it. A tad. And that's which active tracking. The focus is a great great robot for the price. Comparing the prices I paid for the s7 and the focus, I probably will just go with a focus next machine and save the extra 15k.

I like the laser pointer on the focus much better. It's brighter and easier to see. The tracking is the same. It's technically slower, but it won't make a difference when you actually use it. And surveypro is just too easy.

And you will have an instrument that is new. Warranty. Etc. And in 3 years you will feel like you have a 3 year old machine as opposed to buying used and having 10 year old technology in only a few years.

Why not check out Hayes https://www.hayesinstrument.com
and just lease the whole shooti'n match. 😎

If I had known what the repair and maintenance costs would be for the 5600, I would never have considered it.

Trimble is too proprietary. Their products do not play well (or at all) with other brands of DC/collectors.

GMPLS, post: 386466, member: 8404 wrote: Hello all,

I'm in the process of making gradual equipment purchases in anticipation of starting my own business within the next year or two. I already have a Topcon GPT-3003 but I want to sell it and get a robotic instrument. I've been looking at new guns like the Spectra Focus 30 but I want to keep my equipment costs low so now I'm thinking I would like an older robot that I can use with parani bluetooth adapters and my Nomad 800 DC with Carlson Survce. The only robot I have ever used is a Trimble S6 with Survey Pro and I like it alot. The instruments I'm considering are the Topcon GPT 8200 series, Trimble 5600 series, Leica TCRA 1100 series and TCRP 1200 series?

So what gun would you folks recommend? I do have concerns with buying older equipment, such as, internal battery/firmware issues, availability of repacement parts and parani conflicts.

How do these instruments compare with the S6? I'm sure they're probably slower but do they all work the same as far as the search function and auto lock?

Thanks in advance for your responses,

Gregg

We have 2 5600 sitting around the shop. Let me know if your interested. I know we would all but give them away compared to what a dealer could do. The Owners regularly comment about them going bye bye.

Parani are a good setup with a Topcon 8200 but you still have some sort of cable. It is a workhorse BUT tracking will drive you nuts compared to something newer. Open topo is fine, layout/detail topo you have to get creative to be productive. I traded one for a GPT3005 while solo, but doing boundary mainly. Too bulky to pack around the hills and woods.
Maybe a used Spectra would be a middle of the road? Thumbs up for the Focus 35 for price and productivity.

Jimmy Cleveland, post: 386467, member: 91 wrote: Just a suggestion, and take it for what it is worth, I would keep the GPT-3003, especially if it is reflectorless. It is great for those quick shots where the reflectorless on your older robot might not reach, or for doing something quick with a part time helper.

I was solo for 8 years, and started out with a robot, and bought a manual total station about a year in, but my situation may have been totally different that what you expect to do.

I was thinking of keeping the 3003 but the reflectorless range is only about 300 feet anyway, if I remember correctly. I think most of the older robots that I would consider should shoot reflectorless at least close to that far and if not, I would think the robotic benefits would out way the shorter reflectorless range.

I plan on doing a lot of boundary work but I want to go after larger topos as well. I can get by with a reflectorless gun for the boundaries (barely) but topos would be out of the question without a robot.

Gregg

FL/GA PLS., post: 386496, member: 379 wrote: Why not check out Hayes https://www.hayesinstrument.com
and just lease the whole shooti'n match. 😎

FL/GA, I have looked into Hayes but the payments are kind of steep, especially for equipment that I might not consider buying otherwise. I'm not knocking Topcon or Sokkia robotics but I would prefer brands that I'm more familiar with if I'm laying out big money on new equipment.

That being said, I'm still thinking about Hayes leasing since I like the "No worry" part of the lease.

Gregg

I am not from the US and when buying secondhand you got to be careful with the edm board. Once it goes bad, it degrades very quickly and replacing it costs almost similarly to purchasing another used one. I would still suggest going for a new one for parts issues

You might want to consider buying a new but superseded instrument. I bought a GeoMax Zoom80 in December, long after the Zoom90 had been announced. I got what I consider to be a very good price on it, and it was brand-new with full warranty. Not the latest-and-greatest, but it's been an excellent instrument so far.

Jim Frame, post: 386593, member: 10 wrote: You might want to consider buying a new but superseded instrument. I bought a GeoMax Zoom80 in December, long after the Zoom90 had been announced. I got what I consider to be a very good price on it, and it was brand-new with full warranty. Not the latest-and-greatest, but it's been an excellent instrument so far.

That's a good idea. Look for a leftover.

Thanks for your previous post too. My budget... Hmmm, I don't really have a lot for an instrument at this point. Basically I'd like to be able to sell my Topcon and finance enough to get a decent used robot. Based on your replies to past threads about starting out, I'd say I'm probably not quite financially ready to start a business but I'm to the point in my life and career where I believe the time is now. I have a supportive fiance with a decent job and I'm not afraid to work hard (even if it's side jobs to make ends meet in the winter). I also have several surveyor friends that say they can throw alot of work my way.... not that I want to count on that. So like you said, the S6 sounds good but it's not an option right now.

Gregg

GMPLS, post: 386466, member: 8404 wrote: Hello all,

I'm in the process of making gradual equipment purchases in anticipation of starting my own business within the next year or two. I already have a Topcon GPT-3003 but I want to sell it and get a robotic instrument. I've been looking at new guns like the Spectra Focus 30 but I want to keep my equipment costs low so now I'm thinking I would like an older robot that I can use with parani bluetooth adapters and my Nomad 800 DC with Carlson Survce. The only robot I have ever used is a Trimble S6 with Survey Pro and I like it alot. The instruments I'm considering are the Topcon GPT 8200 series, Trimble 5600 series, Leica TCRA 1100 series and TCRP 1200 series?

So what gun would you folks recommend? I do have concerns with buying older equipment, such as, internal battery/firmware issues, availability of repacement parts and parani conflicts.

How do these instruments compare with the S6? I'm sure they're probably slower but do they all work the same as far as the search function and auto lock?

Thanks in advance for your responses,

Gregg

Gregg, I would suggest a Geomax Zoom90 Robotic Total Station Package from xsurv.com. You can get a complete set up with Allegro2 Carlson SurvCE for less then 30K. If you really want a used Trimble S6, they have that too, just call or send them a contact form asking for price and package.

Geoff