Setup for Hiper Pro and Carlson SurvCE

I believe that the Hiper Pro has UHF radios instead of Satel radios. That may be the problem. Is there a UHF radio option in Carlson? Switch that setting and you may have better luck.

Thanks for the suggestion Jayhawk. Topcon describes the modem as an "Internal UHF Satel Modem". So I think it is both Satel and UHF, not one or the other. In terms of device options in Carlson SurvCE, there are 16 options. The ones I've considered include

Internal Satel
Cable or Generic Device
Satel 3AS

I settled on Satel 3AS because Carlson's knowledge base 548 summarizes various radios used by Topcon, and for the Hiper Pro, it is listed as "Satel 3AS UHF"

I'm thinking I might have that part right.

> I believe that the Hiper Pro has UHF radios instead of Satel radios. That may be the problem. Is there a UHF radio option in Carlson? Switch that setting and you may have better luck.

If I had to guess it's a internal which is the same Satel 3AS but inside the unit instead of external hook up. That's what I would try next is the internal option. Hiper Pro is the internal send/receive Satel's.

That's right, Philip, the Hiper Pro has an internal Satel UHF radio. It is not external. I'll check it out again using internal Satel, and see if that helps. Thank you.

Tried the radio setup using Internal Satel. Result is the same. Autonomous position only. I'm thinking my problem may have to do with localizing. I'm going to try to load a geoid file tomorrow.

It has nothing to do with Localization.
It's a comm issue.

Make sure your channels in the radio modem is set right.

> It has nothing to do with Localization.
> It's a comm issue.
>
> Make sure your channels in the radio modem is set right.

Get the Modem-TPS software from the Topcon website.

Run it, you will find a Radio Link tab, in there you will find the Channel field.

Make sure both units are set to the same channel (1-5)

This is where you'd change channels if someone else is "stepping" on your channel out in the field.

Thanks, Yogi & RFB.

I had already obtained and installed Modem TPS. According to the
Topcon literature, there is a choice between running it at a fixed frequency or using FCS (free channel scan). For the purpose of trying to diagnose the problem I'm having, I thought it would be better to run it at a fixed frequency, and had set it up that way.

I've connected the radios again to my laptop and have run the Modem TPS utility. I don't see anywhere that lists channels 1 through 5, rather, only a list of four user definable frequencies under the "FCS & Channel Map" tab. This time, I noticed a button called "Setup Terminal" and decided to try resetting to factory defaults, which has resulted in the modem reverting to Free Channel Scan instead of fixed frequency.

I noticed two other things: 1) after resetting to factory defaults, there was a message in the terminal - "please turn off program mode switch". I don't know what that means, and 2) firmware on my base is v3.14, but on my rover is v3.20. Where can I get the latest firmware for the modem, so as to update both to same and latest?

After restoring the factory defaults on the radio modems, I attempted to run a survey again. Still getting an "Autonomous" position.

topconsupport.com

for the firmware

Big Al. Mine will go to autonomous when it doesn't get the radio correction from base. I have to agree with TJE. Leaning more to a channel or com port issue. Base sounds like it is set right. Sounds like rover is not hearing base radio.

I checked out the firmware available on Topcon's site, for the Hiper Pro. They provide three firmware files

1) main.ldp,
2) powbrd.ldr, and
3) ramimage.ldr.

In addition, Topcon provides Bluetooth driver files entitled:

1) btmain.ldp
2) btloader.ldr

I believe that I have properly loaded all of these files to both of my receivers using the TRU (Topcon Receiver Utility) program that Topcon provides.

I can't find anywhere on Topcon's site where firmware is available for the internal radio modem. I called Topcon's tech support, and they don't deal with the end user, so I've got a request in to my local dealer.

In RTK, set both base and rover to Cable or Generic device. Set the port to C and the baud to 38400. They are Satel radios but not 3ASD's. You could try Internal Satel, but cable or generic is a basic driver that works in most cases / configurations.

In Modem TPS, found both base and rover were set to Slave. Reset base as Master. Now Rx light blinks red at base, and is steady green with red blink at rover. I think this means that base and rover are communicating. I thought this would do it, but now I can't get the Carlson data collector to communicate to either the base or rover. Bluetooth connection appears to be successful, but when I attempt to connect to the base from the RTK tab, I get error message "Unable to stop the position stream. Possible loss of connection."

When do RTK corrections begin transmitting?

The way I've got it set up right now, corrections begin broadcasting from the base the moment I turn the Hiper Pro on. I can't break in with Bluetooth to control the receiver with my data collector.

Are corrections supposed to be initiated by the data collector after setting up the base?

Thanks for all the help with this.

When do RTK corrections begin transmitting?

Actually the base will continue to broadcast the last initialized position when you turn the receiver on. Hard reset both base and rover (with the receiver on, press and hold reset & FN buttons. Let go of reset, hold FN and watch the Stat and Rec lights. When they go from green to amber and start flashing, let go of FN and let them initialize for 5 - 10 minutes.) After they have initialized, try setting base and rover again.

When do RTK corrections begin transmitting?

Daniel,

The Hiper Pro Operator's Manual that I have, Revision C, dated June 2006, states on Page 1-8 that "The Reset Button causes a hard reset of the receiver". Later in the manual, on page 5-13, it lists the following procedure for clearing the NVRAM:

I assume that the latter procedure is the one you reference. I very much appreciate the help and I'm going to give this a try.

Al

> Actually the base will continue to broadcast the last initialized position when you turn the receiver on. Hard reset both base and rover (with the receiver on, press and hold reset & FN buttons. Let go of reset, hold FN and watch the Stat and Rec lights. When they go from green to amber and start flashing, let go of FN and let them initialize for 5 - 10 minutes.) After they have initialized, try setting base and rover again.

I got my FIX!

Danny,

I don't yet understand why, but resetting the NVRAM did the trick. I got a fixed position! I feel like I just lost my virginity! Thank you very much for your help!

I watched a video on Hayes Help, that described that the Rx light on the base, when successfully running RTK, should be solid red. Mine's blinking red. But, it seems to be working. Yeah!

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Al

Now, after getting my fix, I've been experimenting with the settings at the RTK tab to see which have been critical to my recent success. What I'm finding is that the selected radio device doesn't seem to matter (Internal Satel, Satel 3AS, or Cable or Generic Device). In this case, I've settled upon Internal Satel. Also, I had experimented with CMR vs. RTCM 3.0, and this doesn't seem to matter. I'm leaning toward RTCM 3.0, but not sure that it has any advantage.

What does seem to be critical, however, is that the baud rate be set for 38,400 bps.

I don't understand this. Page A-9 of the Hiper Pro Operators Manual lists the following

"Data speed of serial interface" = "300-38400 bps".
"Data Speed of radio interface" = "19200 bps" (25 kHz channel)

I would think that the radio interface is involved here, and that the baud rate should be 19,200. I think of the serial interface as ports A through D, none of which are connected during my RTK setup.

I really appreciate all the help here. Thank you all!