I recently bought a Leica TCRA1102plus with an Allegro CX running SurvCE v1.67 from a colleague. I knew that robotic communications weren't working when I bought it, and the repair estimate came in at around $1,200 to replace one of the RFM radios and associated bits. I decided to convert the system to bluetooth communications, since I already had a receiving unit that I use with a Geodimeter 640 and DC50. (Unfortunately, the DC50 can't seem to talk reliably with the Leica, so I have to use the Allegro with it.) The second bluetooth radio cost less than $150, so I'd save a fair bit of money over replacing the RFM radio.
The combination worked fine during testing. I would first open a terminal window, issue the appropriate AT command to COM1 to pair the bluetooth radios, then close the terminal window, launch SurvCE, and I'd be in business.
Then I decided to fit the bluetooth radio inside the Allegro rather than hanging it off the COM1 connector on top. This provides two advantages: better physical protection for the radio (which sticks out a couple of inches from the comm port, not counting the antenna), and the ability to draw power from pin 4 of the com port, thus saving me the trouble of having to maintain a separate battery for the radio.
Unfortunately, when I close the terminal window pin 4 goes to zero or negative, which turns off the bluetooth radio, thus losing communication with the radio at the gun. (The SurvCE manual made me aware that pin 4 can, under certain circumstances allowed by RS232, go to -5v, so I put a diode in line with the radio for protection.) This wasn't an issue when I had the radio running off it's own battery, but now I need to either find another place to get +5v inside the Allegro (unlikely -- it's tight in there!), find a way to send an AT command string to COM1 while running Carlson (what I'm hoping for), or take power from the Allegro charge connector on top and route another cable into the radio pod.
Thanks for any insight or suggestions!
Try AT&1
I used to be an expert in this modem communication stuff.
That was nay on 15+ years ago.
> Try AT&1
The command to send isn't an issue; *how* to send it when SurvCE is running is the problem. I think what I'm looking for is a way to issue a shell command from inside of SurvCE.
> The command to send isn't an issue; *how* to send it when SurvCE is running is the problem. I think what I'm looking for is a way to issue a shell command from inside of SurvCE.
I'm not aware of an internal Shell type of command within SurvCE for total stations and would defer to the advice of the Carlson Technical Support Staff.
About the closest thing I'm aware of is the Minimize option from the SurvCE "Helmet" (version 2.x shown below):
I don't know, however, if you'd be able to get a terminal string to the port simply by minimizing from SurvCE. If I find out anything pertinent, I'll reply back here.
--
Ladd Nelson
> I don't know, however, if you'd be able to get a terminal string to the port simply by minimizing from SurvCE.
I tried that, but -- as expected -- when SurvCE has the port it isn't accessible by other applications.
I did pose the question to Carlson tech support, but I'm not real hopeful that they'll be able to provide a fix, unless there's an undocumented shell access technique in there somewhere. In the mean time, I'm going with the (admittedly kludgy) tap into the external power port to keep the bluetooth modem alive until SurvCE can take control of COM1.
Thanks for looking into it!
Try a serial wedge software http://www.taltech.com/products/cewedge/ .
This may work for you . The issue is though it may want to take over the com port.
From tech support:
> Carlson SurvCE software doesn't support sending user defined commands such as "AT strings" to Com1 inside SurvCE.
I guess that option is foreclosed.
My next step is to tap the charge connector at the top of the unit to keep the bluetooth radio alive after it connects. However, I discovered that the 3.2v available there isn't enough to power the radio, which want 5v. I've ordered a converter that's small (about 1"x1") so it'll fit inside okay, and cheap enough (under $16 shipped).
> My next step is to tap the charge connector at the top of the unit
Well, it seemed like a good idea, anyway. It turns out that the charge connector is wired into some sort of induction circuit that indicates a voltage when there's no load, but when any sort of load is applied the voltage drops to near zero. In other words, I wasn't able to get power there.
I decided to go straight to the battery. I had been shying away from opening the main case, because I didn't know what I'd run into. However, it was pretty straightforward, and once I laid it open I found a couple of direct battery pads on the main board (they were even nicely labled "VBatt" and "Batt_gnd"). Soldering 24-gauge solid-core wires to these was easy, but routing the wires up to the bluetooth radio took a bit of doing. Space inside the main case is extremely tight, and I had to use a Dremel tool to cut some slots in a few of the plastic structural ribs to accommodate the wires. But everything buttoned up nicely and powered up fine.
The 3.3v-to-5v converter works as advertised, and I now have 5v to power the radio. I added a push-on, push-off switch so I can turn the radio on and off. That wasn't really necessary, but it seemed like a good idea.
I made sure that the Allegro can connect with the gun radio, and tomorrow morning I'll take it on a real job to see how it all works out. I started taking photos partway through the project (including most of the interesting parts), and will post them when I get time.
