If you can recalibrate a site using SCS900 software by just doing another calibration withing the folder the job is in? On a multi-year project, have been using a permanent base set up on an office trailer for the past 2 years. Now they need to move the trailer about 100 ft. to make room for something. I know in Survey Controller, you just do another site calibration and it overwrites the previous one. Anybody know if it works the same using SCS900?
Why don't you just set a new base control point, then record it's location with a shot lasting 10 minutes or more. Set your base on the new point and start it. No need for a new calibration. You could check it with a long shot on your old base point and several of your control points before taking out the old base point.
I would do 3 shots on the new base point during different times of the day and compare the results.
James
edit: I'm thinking now that your mount for the base is actually on the office trailer. A piece of 8" pipe shoved in the ground with a trackhoe and a 5/8" bolt welded to the top at the location of the new site will work. Then just park the office trailer beside it.
> I know in Survey Controller, you just do another site calibration and it overwrites the previous one. Anybody know if it works the same using SCS900?
Yes. But I would not overwrite the old calibration file. Name the new one something else and stick her in there and archive th eold.
Ditto on what James said. Set a new post using a control point from the original calibration. I def wouldn't change the calibration if it is a seems to fit the project well. I manage a contractors machine control fleet with 13 base and rover combo's running scs900, feel free to e-mail if you ever need another set of eyes on something.
Base and radio antennas are mounted on a pole welded to the trailer tongue, wiring routed through the side. I can leave everything just like it's hooked up. All the original calibration points are still there. No place to set a pole prior to moving because trailer has to get maneuvered into the spot. Will be easier to just recalibrate. Crowded site, no other good locations for permanent mounting.
I definately WOULD NOT overwrite your previous calibration.
I agree with the previous post about:
a)Drive a post that would be a good location for another base
b)Shoot the point with approx 5-10min observation
---With the old base station still in position
c)Then all you have to do is move which position the base is at WITHOUT changing you site calibration.
Changing the site cal within the middle of project may change a number of the variables that were set from the old calibration.
Definately MOVE position without changings Calibration.
IF not other options are available, BEWARE.
Alot of checking, adjustment to base ht may be needed.
I would not guarantee that the entire site would match perfectly
Geoff
This is the site...
Only power to run permanent base is where trailers are. Ours is the 5th one from the left, antennas are on the front end of it. They are moving it and a couple of others somewhere to the right, once they get the junk out of the way. The rest of the site is under constant disturbance, and the next phase expands it both left and right of the current work. Just not another good place to put one up. Trees behind trailer limit that spot.
This is the site...
Permanent power is a good thing to have, but a 12v car/marine battery can work also.
That kind of set up does take a little bit more maintenance, but it is possible.
Would fire the base up when you guys are working, then unhook power and recharge the battery when your not. It is not perfect, but I have alot of customers that use this set up regularly.
I have had customers be able to run 1, maybe two days on a charge.
I see two possible locations just at a glance,
a) What about something where to road y's to the left of the trailers
b) -OR- if the trees are not scheduled to be disturbed, you could put up a pole tall enough to reach above the trees. Have you antenna at the top and all is well.
As I said, it is not perfect, but I really wouldnt want a base station move to hinder in previous work, or work that is dependent on elevations from previous work.
Geoff
Well, short answer is no. You either have to create a new site in the controller, in which case you can select the control file in the same process from your "old" site, or go through the file explorer to the trimble scs900 data folder, copy the site, paste it back in the same folder. It will be named "copy of site", open the copy, delete the .dc and .cal files. Then go back to home screen, open the copied site and calibrate as you normally would. If you get a message saying you have already calibrated the site and you have deleted the .dc and .cal files, close the work order and re-open it or create a new one to kind of refresh it.
Personally I would avoid recalibrating at almost any cost.
Considering the site, I would set two points around the perimeter, and store a long shot on each one, maybe even two shots at different times. Move the trailer to it's new location. Set the base on the first point you set and the rover on the trailer tongue mount and store a point. Move the base to the second point and store another point on the trailer tongue point. Compare the two points and use it for the new base point if you are happy with the tolerance. You would only need the extra control points to be stable and protected for a few days.
If all else fails then you can still do another calibration.
It's just my personal preference, I don't like recalibrating a site unless it is necessary.
Looking at that picture, where are the control points that you would use to recalibrate with?
James
Picture is looking west across the Ohio River. There's a point on one of the cells of the dam (underwater in the picture), one in the Y of the road (at the bottom of a 15' high 2:1 slope, in a hole about 2' deep to keep access), one at the end of the blacktop road on the south side of the site next to the river, one off the picture to the south by the main road, and a couple more north of the site outside the picture. It's surrounded with good control. Hole will ultimately be about 100' deep, so base needs to be up on top.
> Hole will ultimately be about 100' deep, so base needs to be up on top.
What is going in the hole? and who's doing it?
OR....
Set your base on a control point from your calibration with a tripod, bi-pod and pole, etc., move the trailer, locate new position of trailer post with rover after it is moved, set the base on the new trailer position and run through the base setup and choose the new trailer control point to set the base on. Really no need to re-calibrate.
Hydroelectric Plant....
one of 3 being built by AMP-Ohio on existing dams on the Ohio.
Just curious....
What is the problem with recalibrating? Theoretically, should get the same results I would think. Will be a lot quicker to just run and hit the same 5-6 monuments used for the original one after they get the trailer reset. We're not building a swiss watch, only doing the dirtwork. When it gets to the point of pouring concrete, that's another story, and another contractor. This thing is a design build in sand, the plans have changed a hundred times since the beginning, I'll be surprised if any of it ends up with 6" of grade. But that won't matter, because it all gets filled back in when the concrete is finished. So, for the purposes of what we are doing, that seems like the best solution.
OR....
Good thought Steve.
That would work too.
The problem with re-calibrate is the fact it WILL change the data on your site.
Not sure of how little or how extreme.
GPS is not like running a level loop with a transit.
The benches dont move.
But the satillites that calcuate your RTK data do, constantly.
And using a different calibration will throw all your previous work off.
It may seem simple to re-calibrate, which it is.
But the ramification of what it will do to your work is substancial.
Yes moving dirt has its tolerances, but why screw around with good data if you dont have too right?
Geoff
I'm [more than] a little fuzzy on your statement above:
“GPS is not like running a level loop with a transit.
The benches dont move.
But the satillites that calcuate your RTK data do, constantly”
Based on past experience, I would opine that the REVERSE is TRUE:
GPS is REPEATABLE years (even decades) after the fact, whereas LOCAL monuments are [too] often unstable and/or subject to disturbance and destruction.
Of course MY STATEMENT ASSUMES that the project was/is ACTUALLY tied into the NSRS. In which case there would have been no reason to “calibrate” to begin with, and we wouldn't be having this discussion I guess.
Just curious...
Loyal
Just curious....
I'm sure your plan is fine ... and knowing that you're no rookie when it comes to this stuff, I'd trust your judgement in a heartbeat. move your gear and recalibrate. do your checks like I'm sure you will and all will be fine. I'd probably just start a whole new project, import the control for the observations, and import whatever you need for stakeout starting from that point. Leave the old project alone as an archive of the previous work.
just sent the cowbell battery off for re-cell for old #49, still purring like a kitten!
OR....
Geoff, the SV's are always moving, so that point is moot. if he is observing to the same control points and holding the same combination of Horizontal and Vertical in his calibration, there is no reason he shouldn't be able to keep on working just like yesterday. If that was case, then RTK would never be reliable and we know that is not the case. Granted, PEOPLE can screw up and not use it properly, but that's a whole different question.
OR....
So you telling me that he re-calibrates his site...everything will be fine? I have done it many times before attempting to test this, and it never comes out the same.
I dont know I guess I am just trying to cut hairs huh?