We are currently running R8 model twos with Glonass and TSC2 data collectors. We had a data collector battery take a dump on us and found out they are no longer made or available from the dealer. They can be found on eBay for now at least.
I am considering upgrading to TSC3s but since I was in that mode I was wondering about the R10s. Are they that much better? We work int he trees a lot and it often takes forever to initialize. Are the R10's significantly better at this? Overall our current equipment works decent enough but better performance in the trees would be great.
Take a look at the Spectra SP80's. They are usable with Access, Survey Pro, Carlson or MicroSurvey. They're loaded with everything unlocked and a receiver only goes for around $10k.
I have nothing to say. Absotively nothing.
😉
Nate
I would say the R10's work way better than the R8 gen 2's that I saw in action a few years back. The R10's work pretty good in canopy, but they aren't flawless and will occasionally trick you into thinking you have a good shot when you really don't. It's all about checks and balances in my opinion. The longer it takes to get a fixed shot under the tolerances I have set up the better chance I have in getting a bad shot. Then there are times when it amazes that I was able to get a good shot under the canopy.
If memory serves you mainly perform bore hole stakeouts? What's the tolerances you need day in and out?
We mainly do seismic surveying. Yes some of it is for seismic shot holes. Sub meter in XYZ is our requirement. I have read up some on the Javad Nate and am not opposed to it but it just seems so different from what my guys are used to. It also has a unique setup right? We have our receivers mounted on some of the machines we use and use the data collector in the cab. The other units are mounted on ATV/UTVs. We do some work that is more precise using a rover rod but that is all in the wide open and easy. The wooded stuff is all with mounted receivers.
I upgraded from a Trimble 5800/5700 system to a Base R10 and Rover R10. The thing has given me shots .05 feet in some real hell holes. Ive also gotten shots right next to building corners.i did a topo in a jungle of snag alder and got over a hundred topo shots all under a tenth of a foot and never a shot it wouldn't accept. If you can get a radio signal, you can get a shot.It doesnt initialize like my 5800 had to before taking a shot. You just let it sit and count down to a precision you are comfortable with. Ive not seen a shot over a tenth yet.Battery life with the on board battery in the base is about 4 hours. The radio range is consistently 2 miles and I have the additional TDL 450H exterior radio I've used a few times to get farther radio reception in places that could be a real challenge for the internal radio. Works pretty seamlessly as a repeater.
The Rover calibration routine is sort of a pain when you're in a hurry, but not to bad when you learn the routine. The occasional magnetic interference alarm confuses me, but the shots seem to be fine. On most jobs I'm up and running in less than 10 minutes.
So far I've had no issues whatsoever with the TSC3. I've not had to reboot it yet. All the routines come up quick.
I've not been able to download the Base file from R10 base unit direct to a flashdrive. The routine to download a base file using the R10 Bluetooth to the TSC3 to a flashdrive works great.
So far no issues with the battery hatch covers, but they are plastic and could easily be broken if an ape is handling them.
The software has been a challenge. I don't know if I have a different version or what, but I can't find the same menu selections shown on the training videos. I choose not to go with the full version Trimble Business Center. I'm comfortable with Carlson so I'm staying with it.
Technical help seems to be dependent on the quality of your equipment supplier, but so far it was pretty much a seamless transition.
Doesn't the current iGage iG8 have a Trimble-equivalent "board" in it? Anyone know what generation? Price is hard to beat and I think the support is there. I'm not a shill for iGage, I'm just a current active instrument shopper myself...
https://ig8g.com/whyigage.htm
I'm not so sure about spending real money on new TSC3s. It's starting to get a bit long in the tooth. There are some great tablet based options emerging.
If you're looking new, I wouldn't upgrade to a TSC3. They are many years old and quite outdated. They have some difficulty with Windows10 connections for sync or transferring files. The camera is worthless. Staking to any type of dxf or surface is bloody frustrating. Don't get me wrong, these have been absolute workhorses. But their hardware and software limitations really show these days. Word on the street, a new dc will be coming soon.
But, there is the Rugged Tablet and Slate device currently. Both are good for their applications, but just don't have that robust DC feel.
In regard to the R10, phenominal. Their processing engine is lightyears beyond the R8-2s, 3's, and 4's. We had a suspect control value in a tight urban corridor that an R6-4 gave us, the R10 verified it as wrong, and the new coords tied in excellently. We paired ours with a Tablet and ran sub-meter SBAS corrections for a DOT culvert location project; the speed and accuracy far surpassed what we anticipated.
For the reference, we are mainly doing suburban corridor topos along existing streets. GNSS corrections are normally through out state DOT CORS network.
Hope this helped
Drilldo, post: 450388, member: 8604 wrote: We mainly do seismic surveying. Yes some of it is for seismic shot holes. Sub meter in XYZ is our requirement. I have read up some on the Javad Nate and am not opposed to it but it just seems so different from what my guys are used to. It also has a unique setup right? We have our receivers mounted on some of the machines we use and use the data collector in the cab. The other units are mounted on ATV/UTVs. We do some work that is more precise using a rover rod but that is all in the wide open and easy. The wooded stuff is all with mounted receivers.
R10 should get you the tolerances you need with no problem them. I know Trimble also sells an SPS model equivalent to the R8's not sure about the R10's. I don't think there is much difference in the SPS models, and price is a little better.
You can also find some good used R10s at a dealer in Texas. Comes with a 1 year unit just like a brand new one
Skeeter1996, post: 450390, member: 9224 wrote: The thing has given me shots .05 feet in some real hell holes. Ive also gotten shots right next to building corners.i did a topo in a jungle of snag alder and got over a hundred topo shots all under a tenth of a foot and never a shot it wouldn't accept.
Just a question: how did you quality check these? How do you know they were within 0.05'? Was that the RMS value?
Was there any redundancy? I don't have an r10, and I'm always curious. I wish I could buy one of each mfr's. Setup, and after using for a month, pick the best. But, they are too 'spensive for that!
Details... It's how we know with confidence.
So, give us the details!
N
The R10's are great. The TSC3's are good too. The gps in them helps find control when in a known world. No more, "I swear it was around here somewhere!"
The thing I don't like is that they haven't moved away from windows mobile. With all the windows PC updates on the office computers we had several issues recently with active sync being locked out. (Thanks Microsoft) We have found ways to navigate around them.
I'm going on my fifth year with the first TSC3 that I got for my S6. We're having to hard boot it daily. It doesn't freeze during work, but it doesn't like to turn on in the morning.
NEIL T, post: 450400, member: 12302 wrote: The thing I don't like is that they haven't moved away from windows mobile.
FWIW, Javad is in the process of reworking its J-Field software -- the system that runs the Triumph-LS -- so that it can replace the embedded Windows OS with linux. A release date hasn't been announced yet. Should be interesting!
Nate The Surveyor, post: 450399, member: 291 wrote: Just a question: how did you quality check these? How do you know they were within 0.05'? Was that the RMS value?
Was there any redundancy? I don't have an r10, and I'm always curious. I wish I could buy one of each mfr's. Setup, and after using for a month, pick the best. But, they are too 'spensive for that!
Details... It's how we know with confidence.
So, give us the details!
N
I take a shot dump the unit and the R10 reinitialized almost immediately. Add a 100 to the point number and store that. The R10 doesn't initialize like my old 5800 did. It just starts giving point x and y precision right away. On a topo I don't check those shots. It won't store a point if it's not inside the tolerance you set. So far it has just kept see storing a point. Pretty fast topos.
I mount it on my truck's headache rack with a quick disconnect (pretty pricey at $600) permanently mounted for searching for points. The TSC3 Bluetooth reaches about 20 feet so you can sit in the truck and drive around to search points. Same setup on my ATV for topoging. The quick disconnect hold the unit very securely.
I got my whole R10 setup used for $26000. Everything was referbished by Trimble and looked just like new. A new R8-3 base and R10 Rover was quoted for $36000 with trade-in rebates. I've still got my old setup. If it ain't GNSS nobody wants it.
Another nice feature of the R10 is if you've got a point you can't level the Rover pole over. You can tilt the rod and the R10 will calculate a position directly over the point. That feature has been super useful for pins that are tight against fence posts that aren't truly vertical.
I was constantly rebooting my TSC2. It would screen freeze and the touch feature of the screen would constantly malfunction.
So far the TSC3 has operated flawlessly. A big improvement in speed and reliability over the TSC2.
