I posted a note a couple of weeks ago about the Sokkia/Topcon CX/EX series of total stations. I was thinking about buying a total station with a long-range reflectorless ranging capability and had rented one to see how well it would work for everyday land surveying.
After having used it intermittently for two weeks now, I have to say that most of my first impressions were sound. The EDM is very good. The beep that accompanies its operation is something you can tune out with use. The arrangement of the horizontal and vertical motion screws continues to annoy, particularly the vertical motion right up against the cheek of the observer trying to look through the eyepiece of the telescope and only within fumbling range on F2 measurements.
The angular accuracy of the single-circle-reader models appears to be underspecified. That is, the accuracy of an angle taken as the mean of face left and face right directions appears to beat spec by a significant amount.
The jerky/laggardliness of the electronic bubble is an annoyance at every setup.
The case is a minor ongoing disaster that is probably best solved by making a custom case and setting the OEM case in some office closet. It's much larger than it needs to be and is too large to fit into even a fairly large backpack. The issues with the quality of the construction of the case don't go away on the flappy/snappy plastic things that "lock" the sides of the case. Those continue to seem a poorly executed afterthought.
The low quality of the telescope is annoying, but probably can be overlooked as long as one isn't on the eyepiece of the telescope for extended periods. I'd think it would be hard on the eyes to be looking through a telescope at slightly blurry targets all day.
This is a tough call. The quality of the distance and angle measurements is reasonably good. The overall quality and apparent durability of the instrument itself is not confidence-inspiring. The organization of the menus is certainly an advertisement for some other brand, but the B&W display is a sane choice.
What's the price point? Just curious as to how much used gun you could get for the same money.
So I was looking for a new total station two weeks ago
> What's the price point? Just curious as to how much used gun you could get for the same money.
It's around $7,500.
I think one of your questions at the time related to the vertical knob on the left side of the Leica total station, and how that interfered with operation of a data collector. This past week I took a lot of total station shots, remembered you, and paid attention to any problems caused by that left knob. Actually, none. When pointing, I hold the data collector in the palm of my left hand using my little finger as a brace, then use my thumb and first finger on the knob. Sounds difficult, but is really remarkably easy and fast.
So I was looking for a new total station two weeks ago
> When pointing, I hold the data collector in the palm of my left hand using my little finger as a brace, then use my thumb and first finger on the knob. Sounds difficult, but is really remarkably easy and fast.
So, you're holding the DC and twisting the motion screw with the same hand? That does sound difficult. I guess I'll have to try it to see. The reach-around to find the vertical motion screw on the opposite side of the instrument in F2 on the Topkkia is something that doesn't seem likely to get any better with practice, particularly with the decoy knob that's really just the cover for the non-existent optical plummet on the alidade.
I bought a Topcon ES105 last December. A couple of quirks however I have gotten used to them and really love this total station. The long range reflectorless works great. Being able to do all the calibration myself is great. During the first month of using it I took a stumble in the woods. I made sure to land under the instrument. It was enough of a shock to put the vertical between f1 and f2 out by 1 min. Called the repair man and he told me to do all the calibration modes as shown in the manual. In no time it was good again. Now every couple of week I go through these adjustments to keep it in good working order.
The optics on mine are great however I do share your pain with the digital bubble Kent. I have gotten used to it but it took a while.
So I was looking for a new total station two weeks ago
Have you tried the Seco 360 tripod adapter? I love it. It simply works. The only issue is longer setup time.
I also have Nautiz X3. It is a very powerful DC with the size of a smartphone. Using this enables you to operate any total station with ease while holding it in one hand. I love it.
So I was looking for a new total station two weeks ago
> Have you tried the Seco 360 tripod adapter? I love it. It simply works. The only issue is longer setup time.
You're speaking of this item, below?
The way you mount the DC to the bracket is with the pole mounting bracket, clamping it to that stub sticking up?
It always takes me a while to get used to the tangent screw layout on a new jigger, but you do get used to it.
I've always liked Wild for the quality of the optics - at the end of the day my eyes are just so much 'fresher'
The Trimble S8 I'm now using proudly boasts 'Optics By Zeiss' and do I think they are good, and on a par with today's Leica gear
Even at, say, twice the price you quote, taken out over a ten year life span, its $750 a year, or about $2 per day and that, to me, would be worth paying for.
Just my $0.02
The company who laid off 14 crews had rented equipment for about ten crews
and the other equipment went back to crews who were working short.
I always recommended choosing the latest and greatest equipment.
Being on the bleeding edge of technology makes it difficult.
So I was looking for a new total station two weeks ago
> You're speaking of this item, below?
>
> Rotating Tripod Adapter
As a footnote, when I mentioned that rotating tripod bracket to my local dealer, he claimed that they had found that the off-center loading by the DC was causing an instrument to shift substantially off plumb as the DC was rotated around the instrument. A customer had been having problems with angle measurements and when the instrument on rotatable bracket was mounted on the rigid test stand in the repair facility, significant movements out of level (by sighting the collimator) were measured as the data collector was rotated around the instrument.
If you are using an instrument with dual-axis compensation, as long as the dislevelments are within the tilt sensor working ranges, it may not be a problem, but I'd certainly want to test it to see.
> It always takes me a while to get used to the tangent screw layout on a new jigger, but you do get used to it.
In this case, the ergonomics are just wrong.
> I've always liked Wild for the quality of the optics - at the end of the day my eyes are just so much 'fresher'
Leica makes a TS02 which is on the list, but apparently it will take buying a new DC as well to be able to use it and that's an adventure I'd rather skip for now.
> Even at, say, twice the price you quote, taken out over a ten year life span, its $750 a year, or about $2 per day and that, to me, would be worth paying for.
I think I've convinced myself that a manual total station with very good long-range reflectorless capability is better suited to what I do than a robot would be. The main problem strikes me that the life span of surveying instruments is becoming somewhat unpredictable as the corporate owners of the brand adopt policies about support and repair parts that put a large question mark behind how long something actually will last.
So I was looking for a new total station two weeks ago
It simply works for me. The only issue is you need more setup time to ensure minimum eccentricity thus minimizing excessive tilting caused by secondary stresses to components due.
That bronze stub is used to extend the tripod tongue as space is induced between the tribrach base and the tripod head due to thickness of the rotating bracket.
So I was looking for a new total station two weeks ago
* components.
So I was looking for a new total station two weeks ago
If your total station can display the tilt sensor readings, have you experimented with leveling the instrument with the data collector mounted, noting the tilt sensor readings on both axes, and then comparing the tilt sensor readings when the data collector is rotated to the opposite side of the instrument?
> I always recommended choosing the latest and greatest equipment.
> Being on the bleeding edge of technology makes it difficult.
Well my model has been to buy good quality instruments, but not the first rattle off the assembly line. I'd rather be a user than a beta tester who pays extra for the privilege.
Kent, what type of data collector do you have? Carlson, Viva, Survey Pro and MicroSurvey all run the Flexline instruments.
