I'm looking for you guys' experience with these 2 GPS units. We currently have a Topcon VR on rent-to-own that we are considering purchasing. We have also considered purchasing a new Carlson BRX7 unit instead of the Topcon. The reason we have considered the Carlson over the Topcon is because it seems there claims of how well it performs in canopy are true based on a couple of local surveyors that have the BRX7 and getting signal in canopy is a game changer for sure. I know a surveyor that claims he hasn't used a total station in 2 years since having the Carlson unit. I know another surveyor that has 2 of the Carlson units and says that they perform well in any terrain at any time of year. Our Topcon sales rep claims that the new 5.5 firmware upgrade for the Topcon VR allows it to go head-to-head with the Carlson BRX7. What has your experience been? Has anyone seen both units first hand and if the Topcon performs just as well with the most up to date firmware? Thank you
I like these kind of questions. Because the winner is the surveyors. The surveying community. And, ultimately, our customers. Because, as doing a good job is a high priority, we develop in ways we never thought possible.
I'm curious too as to which one performs best under canopy.
Nate
I used my BRX7 with the Florida DOT corrections service in some pretty thick jungle conditions with great success. I even tested it by staking out to a few published benchmarks in the trees and came out with a pretty decent residual. I haven't used the modern Topcon system, but loved the Carlson equipment and software, and at a good price.
I'm all Trimble but I read a lot of surveyors boasting the capabilities of the BRX7.
I have compared the Sokkia version of the HiPer VR, the Sokkia GRX3 (Sokkia is part of Topcon, so same girl, different colored dress). I found that the BRx7 and the GRX3 performed nearly identically under the exact same conditions, side by side. One thing I did note was that the BRx7 always showed latency at the rover, meaning that the correction was behind the transmission from the base, typically at least 2 seconds, and sometimes as much as 5 seconds. For the purposes of that set of trials, I was running both the BRx7 and the Sokkia GRX3 off a BRx7 as the base. Carlson SurvPC with the BRx7, Magnet Field with the GRX3.
Currently using Leica GS18, Trimble R12 and Carlson BRX7. Needed another setup. Bought another Carlson BRx7. Get the idea? Don't like spending money unnecessarily, but if needed will spend what ever money is required. Use Carlson base & rover over the internet. In my opinion it would be hard to beat.
I know a guy that said he hadn't unpacked his gun from the truck in years and I thought he was nuts or a poor surveyor. Then I bought what he had and left my gun in the truck and did better surveying because of it. My bushaxe is rusty because I haven't cut traverse lines in forever. It's amazing what modern GNSS equipment is capable of.
I use GPS as much as I can, but I can't even imagine working in an area where I'd be able to use it enough that I wouldn't be using the gun at all. (sorry, for all of you who don't like the use of, gun. Eh, not really sorry)
That's what I thought! And my gun is what I consider to be the best still available, a Trimble S-6. Great locking and tracking, it has made me a lot of money. I don't want to hijack this thread but there is GNSS gear out there that genuinely revolutionized surveying and will allow me to continue surveying much further into retirement age than would be possible hauling all of the gear necessary with traditional equipment. I had a friend with the BRX6+ and it was able to get shots in places other than wide open so I would imagine the 7 is much better.
I'm a Javad user, and a long time friend of their products. Anybody who wants to see it, can contact me. And, I'd be curious as to how it stacks up with any other gear.
Personally, I Think it has no peers. But, I don't know that. Because that equation changes.
Curious Nate
I haven't used either of these units but I've used these brands before and I'd go with the Carlson, especially if you're already using Carlson's CAD software.
Our dilema is that the Topcon VR system we have on a rent to own deal is half way paid off, so financially, it makes more since to purchase it if it will perform comparably to the BRX7. The other issue is we need new software as well. We currently only have Pocket 3D, which is for construction. From the research I have done, I would prefer to use Carlson SurvPC on our FC-6000 tablet with the Hiper VR (assuming the field demo goes well in canopy this morning). I have reached out to Carlson to check compatibility.
What is your drafting software, Civil 3D I assume?
We have Civil 3d and Carlson Takeoff. We are a construction company with a newly developed civil division.
I demoed the Topcon VR with updated firmware this morning and was very impressed with it's capability under canopy. It obtained a fixed position in some very wooded areas and also held one in the bottom of a gully, I'm guessing a 40-50' drop in elevation and wooded also. Horizontal accuracies ranged from slightly less than 0.02'-0.06' typically. Vertical was between 0.05'-0.12' typically. Now, we have to compare Magnet software or SurvCE for our FC-6000 tablet. I think I would like SurvCE better, but the tablet is a Topcon branded tablet, so some of the buttons might need to be re-configured.
