Can someone explain to me the differences in the two? In my still infant stages of learning robotics, search seems to never work. Powersearch left or right seems to always work.
Under what scenario do you use one over the other?
CB
They are two completely different systems.
"Search" will do a simple ATR search. This is a powerful focused search in a 4 degree by 4 degree area. This is best used if the total station is pointed at you and you are in brush or in a difficult location. Pressing distance when you are not locked on the prism will activate this search.
Power search is for if the total station isn't pointed near you at all. This is a vertical fan beam laser that looks for reflective signatures. Since the same power is being used for a larger area, this works up to about 800ft.
There is a ton of science that goes into this, but in a nutshell you will use power search most often to find the prism.
Thanks so much for the clarification. Do both methods, when successful, ultimately aim at the prism with identical precision?
Would you happen to know the visible limits of the guide lights from extreme green to red? I'm trying to relate the guide lights to the "search" box.
CB
Power Search uses the camera above the scope to sweep the horizon for return edm, when the prism is found the TS locks to the glass using the ATR camera, search is with ATR camera only.
Leica made some videos about the two different searches.
ATR - http://bcove.me/d5ud4f49
Powersearch - http://bcove.me/dj0oehor