I picked up a couple of PM3 receivers and notice that the date and time gets off if they sit turned off.
As I recall, there has been some discussion here on the best procedure to initialize these machines. I can't recall if it is best to do a full GPS reset or just the GPS Init routine.
Any insight is much appreciated.
Not the foremost expert on them but I do know a thing or two, perhaps.
The first thing you should check on them is to see what the Operating System versions is. The last release is OS2.16 and can be downloaded at ftp.ashtech.com
The next thing is the GPS firmware version. The last release is P011 and is also available at the same ftp site.
It is probably very important to make certain that the GPS firmware is current because there was a fairly recent issue where a change in the WAAS broadcast message was causing some PM3 units to stop tracking satellites intermittently.
There are clear detailed instructions available detailing how to accomplish the OS and FW updates on the receivers. They should be followed carefully for good results. It is important to attempt the upgrades while the unit is plugged into the charger.
As for the date issue, that is often a problem when the unit is not run very frequently. One quirk with the Promark3 units not true of its predecessor is that it will begin to log data as soon as you press the log button whether it has solved its position or not. To be certain you do not have it do this, when you go into the Survey funtion, before attempting to log data scroll through the screens accessed by pressing the NAV button and get to the one that shows your position and the date and time. In this screen, it will display "Averaging" only after it has found enough satellites to solve its position. It will normally only do this if the date is correct and the time is pretty close.
If the unit is averaging its position, it is ready to log data.
One last thing I recommend: if you installed the version of GNSS Solutions that the original owner had, it may be quite out of date. You can also get the latest versions of GNSS Solutions on Ashtech's ftp site. They have a pretty cool VRS routine that works in version 3.60.1 but is broken in 3.70.5
I recommend getting one of those two versions of the software if for no other reason, the later versions fix the issue they once had with bad Julian dates on files collected where the receiver was told to log data before it had achieved a position solution. This capability on the last few versions of the software is predicated on your files being of sufficient time duration for the broadcast ephemeris to have run through a complete broadcast cycle, somewhere around fifteen minutes or so. I am not certain of the precise time required. Some other of the regulars on here will know.
after a few minutes do a GPS init.
Pick USA-California for the location (close enough).
If the hour glass stays on for several seconds then it worked. If not wait a few more minutes.
Then go into survey and it should have the correct date/times.
Thanks Dave, I remembered you were the one who recommended doing this, but couldn't remember if you recommended a reset or init.
reset clears the almanac which takes 5 minutes or so to recover from (unit turned on and outside of course).
GPS init is sufficient for most things.
also I just found out, don't choose "all" under clear memory in Survey. That clears everything, setting, unit id, almanac, waypoints, etc. I did it just now. I got it all back in about 5 minutes.
Jerry
I have figured out how to setup the user grid (secondary coordinate system) as California State Plane zone 2. It's in meters.
I haven't figured out how to get it to display US Feet.
It seems to me a couple of years I put a factor in the Meters conversion box but it seems like it didn't do anything.
It isn't that big a deal but it would be nice to be able to navigate in State Plane USFeet in some circumstances.
Jerry
found an answer to my question,
will have to see if it works.
ftp://ftp.ashtech.com/Land%20Survey/ProMark%203/Application%20Notes/ProMark3%20-%20display%20state%20plane%20coordinates.pdf
Well that works on the one with the latest version of Survey.
The next one I tried it does meters OK but the conversion to USFeet is way off. So I guess I need to upgrade the other two which resets all the defaults (receiver id, point numbering, etc.)
