Overseas equipment

Let me expand that question to ebay purchases, of Chinese based GPS receivers.

Depending on country of where originally sold, it may be geo-locked.

@goodtag Although i understand your concern to save money. I wouldnƒ??t consider buying overseas equipment an investment. Any purchase I make I want to know that i have potential to sell if I get in a bind. Overseas equipment limits your potential buying pool.

Looking at options, hate to buy brand just because it is what you are used to.?ÿ The used equipment can be a consideration; however, based on experience when it is time to service there are no longer components available.

And not much service when you purchase used.?ÿ Also the technology is changing so fast.

Are some of the manufacturers geo-locking or is that country of origin?

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The South Surveying and Mapping Company looks like they are producing some solid units.?ÿ Also appears that the higher end gear are utilizing the Trimble boards.?ÿ And it appears they are starting to get established in Canada and limited in America. ?ÿ

Also supported by Carlson and Micro Survey.?ÿ

Still would be a big concern with no dealer representatives available, nor service or repair options.

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Sure, I purchase equipment from overseas all the time. By the pallet load. I have lots of good experiences.

However there are some things you need to understand before you set out:

1. Short of flying to China and smuggling the equipment out in your luggage, you will have to pay 25% import tariff prior to equipment delivery. UPS/FedEx/DHL will call and ask for your credit card number and get the tariff prior to equipment release unless you have a permanent customs bond.
2. If you are not purchasing directly from the manufacturer there is a high risk of fraud. There are lots of legit "middlemen", however there are lots of scams too. And the scam might not be that you get no equipment, it might be that you get something different. I think it is best to personally visit the factories to get to know the supplier's management team and conduct transactions by handshake, so it might be best to speak a little Chinese too.
3. If the devices have UHF radios, you will have to insure that the radios and the implementation are FCC approved. So they will have an FCC ID. The transmitters have to broadcast the FCCID. The frequency controls have to be hidden from end user, allowing only channel based operation. Depending on your FCC license the radios will need to have a 9600 baud 12.5 KHz bandwidth mode of operation. (This FCC certification is probably the biggest concern because the fine for non-compliance is $100,000 per day.)
4. You need 'Chemical Certificates' for the batteries to ship them.
5. Cell modem compatibility with available USA infrastructure?
6. You typically can't return the equipment for service. It is just not possible. If you do, it will be lost in Chinese inbound customs or you will have to pay tariff going back to manufacturer and then again to bring back to you.
7. If the manufacturer happens to have US distribution and you contact them for service or support on equipment they did not sell, they will undoubtedly tell you to pound sand. (And in my case, laugh at you for being stupid.)
8. You probably won't be able to use the equipment with most field software. FieldGenius will be your best/only bet, Carlson will be GeoFenced if you are in the USA. The Chinese tools are substandard in most ways (meters only, no GEOID support, no bearings, might not work or have been tested with negative longitudes, crazy operation sequences, no SPC zones pre-entered.)
9. You probably won't know what options (L2C, L5, Galileo, L3) are enabled on the OEM board until after you get the equipment.
10. Shipping will be very expensive (this can be mitigated with very large quantity shipments).
11. The USA distributors purchase in very large quantities, with very large commitments, directly from the manufacturer. They get much better pricing than you will get on a single/pair head through a middleman. Well, actually the USA distributors become the middleman, but you can call them as a local resource and they speak English. So, at the end of the day you might get the same price AND local support and service with warranties, firmware updates, accessories.

All that said: 1) if you are really interested in this process, 2) have survey experience and are good supporting other people, 3) are willing to relocate to Salt Lake City Utah, 4) have a reasonable work ethic; then I have a career for you, please contact me by DM!

@mark-silver

Thanks Mark, that should answer the OP's question and it sure informed me.?ÿ

Posted by: @mark-silver

...and you contact them for service or support on equipment they did not sell, they will undoubtedly tell you to pound sand. (And in my case, laugh at you for being stupid.)

I think I had an experience like this once.?ÿ That was a bit of an eye-opener.