802A was work horse...but I really like my QS.
Speaking of heavy..>Joe
".....and then he got a job!"
This is always a fun subject. There are so manyof us that started on an old transit (K&E Paragon, 20 second), stiff legs, and a steel tape (we called it a chain, old habits die hard).
I still like heavy guns and a solid tripod, big ol' crane, nothing feels better than a solid setup.
> ...There are so manyof us that started on an old transit (K&E Paragon, 20 second), stiff legs, and a steel tape
Translate - bunch of old farts 😛
Dear david, my fellow Va pls....farts...not old farts...:)....just sayin'.
The ole stiff legs were a pain in the backside compared to today....hangin the dang plumb bob and hoping the wind didn't blow....then keepin up with the mag glass to read the vernier...it was a good thing I am nearsighted....and no, I didn't lose that many mag glasses...:)
Topcon GTS 301D was the best I ever used.
The original Topcon total stations from the mid to late 1980s were real workhorses. I knew Surveyors using those 30 years later with no problems.
Nikon 821
Found to be very accurate and predictably accurate too.
Excellent optics, vertical readings excellent and thouroughly reliable.
Reads through trees, scrub when your'e even struggling to see the target. It sorta grunts and gets excited when you are focussing on the prism which is helpful.
The Lumi guide has been a great help at times I worked late into night doing topo work.
Not overly heavy but not a light weight either.
Its not reflectorless but don't have real need for that.
Battery life is not as good as first despite genuine replacements.
Onboard software (AP800 by TDS) is brilliant but I now use Field Genius but wish for the routines from onboard to be in FG.
Best semi I had was the Sokkia 3FR but wouldn't want to go back to that.
I have a Dietzgen 1 minute Engineer's transit. It weighs about 350 lbs ;-).
The tripod I inherited from my Father is a modern collapsible version painted yellow.
Uuuuh... It has not been 30 years from the mid 80s
Math...Schmath
Details...Schmetails
😉
What was it? The 4B or something like that?
I've also got one of the little Pentax PCS-2S models. They are light, the battery seems to hold a charge for several days compared to hours of the newer Topcons, the optics are superior to Topcon however the little 2S doesn't have a compensator on the vertical circle so anything with elevations is not so sporty. A boundary survey gun to tote through the woods can't beat it.
Otherwise, I prefer my Topcon GTS-602 over my 800A robot.
I'm surprised no one mentioned what I thought would have been the obvious answer:
The Trimble S6. Light, fast, accurate...other than some occasional reflector-less shots, we don't really use the optics much on robots.
> I'm surprised no one mentioned what I thought would have been the obvious answer:
> The Trimble S6. Light, fast, accurate...other than some occasional reflector-less shots, we don't really use the optics much on robots.
I have Trimble too, but lousy customer support.
> What was it? The 4B or something like that?
GTS-3B is probably what you're thinking about. It's the predecessor to the 300-series.
I have a 1994-vintage GTS-302 that's still going strong, but I'm worried it'll meet a sudden electronic end someday soon simply due to its age, so I've been experimenting with robots. I bought a Geodimeter 640 that's been good, but it has no reflectorless, so I picked up a Leica TCRA1102plus that I'm liking a lot. The Leica is almost 10 years younger than either the Geodimeter or the Topcon, which is a plus. My DC50 doesn't play with it very nicely though, at least not in robotic mode, so I've been using the Allegro CX with SurvCE that came with it. It's a different approach to data collection, but I'm getting used to it.
>
> I have Trimble too, but lousy customer support.
Probably depends on your dealer...Josh at Keystone Precision provides the best costumer support of any rep at any company I've dealt with.
meh... Just started to use a S6 recently so the verdict is still out. I used Geodimeters 15 years ago and I have to say that I always used them as the benchmark when comparing instruments. They were built very well and ahead of the pack back then.
HP 3820A, I can't recall anything better.
Ralph
I like my S6 very much,
and great support here in Belgium!
chr.
For robotic total stations, yes, the S6 hands down! But for just your run of the mill gun, the Geodimeter 504: light but solid, great closures, great optics, very fast, 12 volt system, the case was the best backpack you could find, could shoot a mile to a single prism, and when coupled with the TDS HP100 DC, could not be beat!
