Are there any total stations out there that have the capability to output NMEA GGA messages? I am using Leica TPS1200 series gear and, while they output "pseudo" GGA messages (northing/easting position), they will not output a true GGA message with WGS84 lat/long positions. I know it is strange to ask a total station to give me geographic coordinates, but I can view lat/long on the gun. It just won't output the data. If anybody knows of a total station that will output a GGA message that conforms to the NMEA standard and includes lat/long positions, please speak up. Thanks in advance for any info.
survak,
You are 100% correct about the TPS1200 and it is the same pseudo-NMEA string option in the new Vivs systems. The reason that the lats and longs do not come out is that the system keeps its coordinate base in NEZ plane coordinates. It can indeed convert to lats and longs when viewing the points but these are recalculated every time you view them because you can change the coordinate system you are using at anytime. The export does not have time to do the conversion and then tranmsit NMEA with lats and longs.
If you are using a hydrographic package such as Hypack... there is an option to except these Psuedo NMEA strings and have them laid into you data inside hypack. I thin k this is also available for this conversion for Pseudo NMEA in other hydro packages as well.
